1845 Venture Studio: The Cofounder Model Building Scalable Companies from the Ground Up

In the booming heart of Texas, a new venture studio is changing the way startups are born. Welcome to 1845 Venture Studio — a startup studio model built not just to fund great ideas, but to co-found them. Based in Dallas and backed by decades of entrepreneurial grit, 1845 isn’t just launching companies, it’s engineering a smarter, more sustainable way to build from day zero, because great companies aren’t just funded — they’re forged.

Let’s dive into how 1845 Venture Studio is reshaping the startup game through intentional partnership, operational firepower, and deep Texas roots.

Who Is 1845 Venture Studio?

Founded by seasoned builders Trey Bowles, Ryan Brown, and Wade Myers, in partnership with Eagle Venture Lab, 1845 brings together a powerhouse blend of startup operators, investors, and ecosystem experts. Together, they’ve built, funded, and advised dozens of companies across sectors, and they know firsthand how exhausting and expensive going it alone can be.

Their answer? A startup studio that acts as a true cofounder, sharing equity, working shoulder-to-shoulder with founders, and deploying resources where they matter most: capital, strategy, and talent.

The team’s guiding principles are as follows:

• Execution Over Ego: Prioritizing the quality of work delivered, not getting the credit.
• Bold Ideas, Validate Fast: Encouraging ambitious thinking while also operating quickly.
• Founder-First Partnerships: Working with other entrepreneurs as equals, not just investors.
• Build Locally, Scale Globally: Putting full faith in the local insights and community in Texas before intentionally expanding.

The Texas Edge

With deep roots in Texas, the founders of 1845 see the region as more than a market; it’s a launchpad for innovation. Home to 20+ Fortune 500 headquarters, ranked Top 5 nationally in VC growth, and powered by a diverse population and lower costs of scaling, Texas offers a unique combination of economic strength and entrepreneurial opportunity. Add in a robust talent pipeline fueled by 40+ universities and trade schools, particularly in manufacturing and tech, and the picture becomes clear: 1845 Venture Studio is betting on Texas to become a national hub for venture creation.

“Texas could become the conduit for startups,” says Ryan Brown. There’s talent, capital, and a hunger for innovation, perfect for building enduring companies.

The Process, Reimagined

1845 Venture Studio uses a five-stage cofounder process to take companies from idea to launch, a hands-on, flexible model that adapts to the unique DNA of each venture.

1. Founding
2. Ideation (30 days)
3. Validation (90 days)
4. Creation (90 days)
5. Growth (150 days)

1845 works with founders who already have something real: a strong idea, an early prototype, intellectual property, or early customer insight. Once aligned on a vision, 1845 steps in as a true co-founder, helping set up the road map that will lead to success. From there, the team works together to build, launch, and scale the idea. Once the company has traction and a team, 1845 helps them transition to a standalone business, raise follow-on funding, and scale while still remaining active partners, board members, and supporters of the company.

Why Cofound, Not Just Invest?

Startups are hard, and the founders of 1845 know that better than anyone.

“The one thing an entrepreneur needs most is the one thing he/she doesn’t have, which is experience. You can’t purchase experience over the counter,” says Trey Bowles. “You can get it one of two ways: you can either earn it or learn it.”

Unlike accelerators or VCs, 1845 works side-by-side with entrepreneurs from day one, combining capital, talent, and experience to turn ideas into category-defining businesses. Their belief is clear: don’t do it alone, and with 1845, you don’t have to. They’re the subject matter experts and mentors entrepreneurs need to streamline the journey and set themselves up for long-term success.

Rewriting the Studio Model

1845 Venture Studio isn’t just a funding machine — it’s a new kind of cofounder. Purpose-built to reduce startup friction, amplify execution, and launch meaningful companies that scale.

From rejecting rigid investment playbooks to providing scalable backend operations, subject-matter mentorship, and flexible funding, 1845 is crafting a model that’s not just effective — it’s replicable, regional, and ready for national impact.

But they’re not just rethinking how startups are built—they’re rethinking who they’re built with.

1845 has carved out 20% of the studio for ecosystem-aligned investors, angels, family offices, and others who believe that great startups aren’t built alone. These investors own a stake in the studio itself and hold pro-rata rights to invest in every company 1845 co-founds. It’s an evergreen exposure model that spreads risk across multiple startups while creating shared upside from day one.

In short? 1845 is building more than startups, they’re building a movement fueled by partnership.