Deal brings AI-powered platform and top-tier talent into 1848 Ventures, strengthening its vertical SaaS strategy and unlocking growth in the $500B+ skilled trades market.
WESTFIELD CENTER, Ohio, May 15, 2025 -- 1848 Ventures, an AI-first venture studio building SaaS solutions for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the US, today announced the acquisition of Luminest, an AI-powered home management startup focused on predictive maintenance and structured property data. The acquisition marks a major milestone in the evolution of 1848 Ventures—from a venture builder to a full-spectrum venture creation platform with the capability to acquire, integrate, and scale strategically aligned companies. This is the first acquisition in the studio's history and signals a broader expansion of its investment strategy.
Luminest's proprietary AI models and structured data infrastructure will be integrated into 1848 Ventures' efforts to solve demand generation and job quality challenges facing specialty contractors and skilled trades professionals.
"This marks a turning point for 1848 Ventures," said Kal Amin, 1848 Ventures' Managing Partner. "As the venture landscape continues to evolve, so will 1848 Ventures. We're not solely focused on building companies from the ground up. We're assembling high-signal platforms, top-tier talent, and proprietary technology to solve the most pressing problems facing SMBs. Luminest brings all three, allowing us to accelerate key initiatives already underway within our venture studio."
With this deal, Luminest founder Jateen Parekh and founding engineer Adam Kay will join the 1848V team. Parekh joins 1848V as Venture Leader and was most recently Executive Vice President of Ad Technology & Platforms at iHeartMedia. Earlier in his career, he was the first employee at Lab126, where he was responsible for building the original Amazon Kindle product, team, and platform—playing a key role in one of Amazon's most iconic hardware and software launches.
Kay joins 1848V as Engineering Lead and is a seasoned full stack engineer with experience at ControlZee, iHeartMedia, Jelli, and Midway Games, where he specialized in engineering innovation and rapid prototyping. He has collaborated with Parekh on special projects for over a decade, bringing a strong, time-tested dynamic to the leadership team.
"We've always believed that combining individualized property data with proprietary models and applied data science could fundamentally reshape how services are matched and delivered," said Parekh. "With 1848 Ventures, we now have the platform, resources, and strategic alignment to bring that vision to life."
The acquisition gives 1848 Ventures a head start in the $500B+ skilled trades and property services market—a highly fragmented and underserved sector where AI adoption is accelerating. It also marks the first execution of 1848V's strategic investment thesis: to compound venture creation with targeted acquisitions that enhance speed, talent, and defensibility.
"We're designing a venture platform with range—where we can build from zero, scale with speed, and integrate innovation when it makes strategic sense," said Amin. "Luminest fits this model perfectly: high-caliber talent, differentiated technology, and alignment with where we believe the market is going."
About 1848 Ventures:
1848 Ventures is building the operating system for SMB transformation—venture by venture, acquisition by acquisition. Backed by Westfield, 1848V builds, funds, and scales AI-native SaaS companies designed to help SMBs thrive in a rapidly evolving economy. To learn more about 1848 Ventures and its portfolio, visit www.1848ventures.com.
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