Useful Ventures is an AI-native venture studio that builds and operates its own AI products while also installing the same AI systems for small business clients through its consulting arm. Its live products include Crewm8, an AI crewmate that automates repetitive business work, and Connections, an AI social connections app. The studio publishes its thinking openly and focuses on helping owners of operationally heavy service businesses increase company value and step back from daily operations.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Small businesses with operationally heavy service operations often struggle to scale because key workflows depend on the owner's direct involvement. This dependency caps company value, limits growth, and makes it difficult for owners to step back from day-to-day work without risking operational collapse.
Solution
Useful Ventures operates as an AI-native venture studio that builds its own products and implements the same AI systems for small business clients. The studio's consulting arm, Useful Services, installs AI automation tailored to each business's workflow, enabling owners to delegate repetitive and time-consuming tasks. It also builds and operates its own products—Crewm8, an AI crewmate that handles routine business work, and Connections, an AI-powered social connections app—both live with active users. The studio publishes its thinking openly, sharing frameworks and insights from its work to help other founders and operators navigate AI adoption.
Target Audience
Primary customers are owners of operationally heavy service businesses seeking to increase company value and step back from daily operations, as well as small businesses looking to adopt AI systems through the consulting arm.
Features
- Crewm8 is a live AI product that acts as an "AI crewmate," automating repetitive business tasks and workflows for day-to-day operations
- Connections is a live AI social connections app that leverages AI to facilitate relationship-building and user matching
- Useful Services is a consulting arm that implements AI systems for small businesses, helping owners reduce reliance on themselves and increase enterprise value
- The studio operates from a model where AI is embedded into its own product development, and the same systems are then installed for clients
- Publicly published notes and a founder-focused podcast share operational insights and the studio's worldview on AI adoption