From frustration to platform — redefining startup evaluation beyond pitch deck review.
Chris Coomes, CEO & Founder, built X1 after running into the same wall as a Google leader, an angel investor, and an early-stage operator. Nothing worked — so he built something that did.
In 2023 I hit a wall. The platforms that were supposed to help with discovering and investing in early-stage startups were either too expensive, too complex, too simple, or simply not useful.
I felt this pain for years. At Google I struggled to identify promising startups worth buying from or even acquiring. Later, when I became an angel investor, the frustration only grew. No matter what I tried, nothing actually helped me reliably discover and evaluate early-stage companies.
When AI became more affordable, I saw an opportunity. There had to be a better way to review startups than endlessly searching through outdated databases or flipping through pitch decks that all looked the same.
This is when Addison joined X1 as our CTO, and we were off and running.
As we started building, another truth became obvious — running a startup required juggling dozens of disconnected tools, apps, and social platforms. They did not talk to each other, most of them were poorly designed, and many had not been updated in years.
That is when it clicked. The problem was bigger than just startup discovery. The entire innovation ecosystem was wasting time and missing opportunities. Founders were spending more time on busywork than growth. Investors were drowning in noise instead of getting clear signals. Corporations were failing to see innovation until it was too late. Advisors could not easily plug in where they added value. And innovators who wanted to join the companies creating the future had no clear place to discover opportunities.
That is why we created X1 Pipeline. We're building the connected tools the innovation ecosystem needs — and keeping them as current as the startups using them.
For founders it means more time to build and less time wasted. For investors it means transparency, smarter due diligence, and access to startups that matter. For corporations it means the ability to discover, partner with, or acquire innovation before anyone else. For advisors it means a system where they can work with startups and investors without friction. For innovators it means finding the companies building the future.
Legacy platforms connect profiles. X1 builds companies.
