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A startup that builds other startups raised $100M, and is all-in on physical AI

Published

3 weeks ago

September 18, 2026

Four years ago, a startup lab launched that wasn’t quite an incubator, accelerator program, or venture firm. UP.Labs, as it was called then, built startups designed to solve problems for corporate customers such as Alaska Airlines and Porsche, as well as for the outside world.

The firm still has the same mission — albeit with a critical addition to its approach, a new name, and a $100 million investment from Silversmith Capital Partners. Vantora, as the firm is now called, continues to work with its corporate customers, including some new ones in industrial manufacturing that it declined to name, and in the oil and gas sector.

But now, it’s more focused on building startups solely for its corporate customers, and not for the broader market.

Founder and CEO John Kuolt told TechCrunch that Vantora is moving toward a “proprietary M&A pipeline.” This means Vantora will still build startups for its corporate partners, which invest in the ventures and serve as their first customers. But those corporate partners now have the option to fold the startups into their core businesses — and essentially keep them to themselves.

That shift has influenced Vantora’s increased focus on physical AI startups, according to Kuolt.

In the past, Vantora would end up spiking ideas that were strategic to its corporate partners, but too sensitive to bring to the outside world.

“We were missing on the biggest value problems, which had the biggest upside because of that,” Kuolt said in a recent interview. “Imagine you’re a Fortune 100 industrial company and you need to retrofit all of your hardware and machines for autonomy. You need to own that, it needs to be sovereign, and you can’t rely on a third party to go do that for you. You need to own that intelligence layer. They’re never going to let us go sell that to their competitors.”

This change has allowed Vantora to “unlock big physical AI use cases,” according to Kuolt, including with its existing customers.

For example, the firm came up with an idea to use AI to advance the business of its partner J.B. Hunt. “They said there is no way you can take this out to the world, and so we passed on it,” he said, adding that this proprietary model now allows Vantora to pursue it.

The firm launched in 2022 with Porsche as its first corporate partner. Since then, Vantora has launched several startups for Porsche and struck deals with Alaska Airlines, J.B. Hunt, Wabash, and TDG, the parent of Ashley Furniture.

In its early days, UP.Labs was tied — although never financially — to venture firm Up.Partners. While Vantora still shares office space with the California-based VC, it is its own entity, Kuolt explained, noting that the $100 million from Silversmith is the company’s first outside investment.

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Related Topics:100M allin builds physical raised startup startups

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Kwankwaso receives former APC members who defected to NDC in Kano

Published

2 hours ago

October 10, 2026

PlateauReports

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the New Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, has received a group of former All Progressives Congress (APC) members who joined the NDC in Kano.

According to a Facebook post by Saifullahi Hassan, Kwankwaso’s media aide, the Vice Presidential candidate received the defectors at his residence in Kano on Saturday, October 10, 2026.

The delegation included former Kumbotso Local Government Chairman, Sagiru Abdulkadir Panshekara; Mustapha Beci; Garba Tanko Danmaliki; Shehu Kura, a former APC chairman in Kumbotso; Ibrahim Mai Adashi, a former executive secretary of education in the local government; and Mai Nasibi Kumbotso.

“During the visit, the defectors reaffirmed their support for the Kwankwasiyya Movement and their commitment to the ideals of the NDC,” he said.

News

Gunmen kill three miners in Plateau

Published

2 hours ago

October 10, 2026

PlateauReports

Three miners were reportedly killed by gunmen on Friday at a mining site in the Jamus area of Kazok village, Gashish District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

In a statement on Friday, Rwang Tengwong, the spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), said the incident occurred at about 3:00 p.m.

He identified the deceased miners as John Mafulul, 53, and Ezekiel Yohanna, 50.

“These were not just two names added to a list of civilians killed by the armed Fulani terrorists; they were human beings with families, loved ones and people who depended on them,” Mr Tengwong said.

He explained that in another incident, Bulus Chun Pam was reportedly attacked on Wednesday and sustained injuries during the incident that occurred in the Foron district of Barkin Ladi.

Mr Tengwong noted that Mr Pam was taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for treatment and later died on Friday.

“His death is another painful loss to his family and community, who would have hoped and prayed for his recovery,” Mr Tengwong stated.

He said the group was deeply concerned about the recurring attacks and mourned the victims of previous incidents.

According to him, the situation is particularly troubling because residents should be able to work, travel and go about their daily activities without the constant fear of being attacked.

“Mining sites, farmlands, rural settlements and community roads should not become places where residents risk losing their lives simply because they are trying to survive,” he said.

The state police spokesman, Alfred Alabo, did not immediately respond to Peoples Gazette’s request for comment.

On June 16, five miners were killed at a mining site after gunmen invaded Gero village, Gy district of the Jos