{"id":742250,"date":"2026-08-02T01:40:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T22:40:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/inside-the-london-hacker-house-taking-a-stand-against-founder-burnout\/"},"modified":"2026-08-02T01:40:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T22:40:25","slug":"inside-the-london-hacker-house-taking-a-stand-against-founder-burnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/inside-the-london-hacker-house-taking-a-stand-against-founder-burnout\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the London hacker house taking a stand against founder burnout"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a870de4455ef\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a870de4455ef\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/inside-the-london-hacker-house-taking-a-stand-against-founder-burnout\/#Journaling_vs_demo_day\" >Journaling vs. demo day \u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/inside-the-london-hacker-house-taking-a-stand-against-founder-burnout\/#Coming_to_America\" >Coming to America<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p id=\"speakable-summary\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Six twentysomethings in East London have built what they say is the anti-San Francisco hacker house. The goal is a \u201cholistic improvement in life,\u201d rather than \u201c12 weeks, Demo Day is coming,\u201d Rowan Aldean, 26, explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Intrigued, I spent an afternoon visiting the house, meeting its residents, and doing a vibe check. I arrived after Aldean escorted me through the clean sidewalks of a new East London development to where the six-story building stood facing the water.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The house is called the London Island Founder House \u2014 or <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/thelift.fyi\/\">\u201cLift House\u201d <\/a>\u2014 and Aldean and his wife, Zahraa, 22, an upcoming pharmaceutical research PhD candidate, have lived there since May, just a few months after it officially launched in March. Aldean sold his <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20251218782258\/en\/VeriFast-Acquires-Opsansa-to-Build-the-Future-of-AI-Powered-Multifamily-Leasing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">previous company last year for millions<\/a>, he said, and now runs an \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>lied AI\u201d startup that helps companies learn how to deploy agents.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like all hacker houses, Lift House is part startup workspace, part co-living space. The house is named after both its lift \u2014 that is, its elevator \u2014 and its mission to uplift tech founders, Aldean said. It\u2019s one of the very few co-living hacker houses to exist in London (compared to San Francisco, where dozens \u2014 if not hundreds \u2014 are scattered around the city at any given time).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lift House is a bet that U.K. founders can build successful companies without mimicking the over-the-top hustle culture of Silicon Valley.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Founders have described stories of San Francisco hacker houses illegally running in warehouses, throwing full-on galas, or setting up in a tent or espousing punishing, 72-hour sprints typical of the \u201c996\u201d work culture.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t expect the performative and over-the-top events will be a thing here,\u201d Aldean said, and pointed to one of London\u2019s most successful AI companies, DeepMind. \u201cThey\u2019ve <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nobelprize.org\/prizes\/chemistry\/2024\/press-release\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">won Nobel prizes<\/a> and built frontier innovation without any song and dance.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, Lift House is part of a trend called \u201cLondonmaxxing,\u201d in which founders attempt to optimize everything the London tech scene offers. The London ecosystem feels less showy and less startup bro-y than San Francisco, but its founders share similar ambitions: success, wealth, and market domination.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>London AI startups have raised $12 billion so far in 2026, out of $14.7 billion raised by all London startups, according to Dealroom. Six companies have raised more than $500 million: Wayve, Superintelligence, ElevenLabs, Recursive, Ineffable Intelligence, and Isomorphic Labs, the latter three of which were founded by DeepMind alumni.\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>The excitement from AI has boosted the morale of the U.K. tech scene, inspiring a new generation of founders, like those in the Lift House, to take big swings.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"515\" width=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?w=680\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3146754\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3203980703298037;width:945px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg 2112w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=150,114 150w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=768,582 768w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=680,515 680w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=1200,909 1200w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=1280,970 1280w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=430,326 430w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=720,545 720w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=900,682 900w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=800,606 800w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=1536,1164 1536w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=2048,1552 2048w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=668,506 668w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=495,375 495w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=814,617 814w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=701,531 701w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-2.jpg?resize=50,38 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"wp-element-caption__text\">LIFT Tour<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-image__credits\"><strong>Image Credits:<\/strong>TechCrunch<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-journaling-vs-demo-day-nbsp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Journaling_vs_demo_day\"><\/span>Journaling vs. demo day \u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The timeline for living on Lift House is flexible \u2014 some people have stayed for a month; others intend to stay for at least six months. They buy their own groceries, Aldean said, although they often cook together and share ingredients. Cleaning is split among the group. Everyone declined to share information about the rent they pay.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The residents of Lift House aim for a balanced approach toward ambition, each one of them tells me \u2014 an almost unheard-of idea by San Francisco startup standards.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Sundays, the group will journal together, a practice introduced by David Amor, 28, who runs a brain coaching and training company, helping founders and business leaders understand more about their brain and how it can help optimize business performance. The idea of journaling is to help everyone track how much time they spent in nature that week, how well they ate, and how much they moved their bodies.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m eating healthier, working out more, and sleeping more,\u201d Luke, 27, who runs an AI-marketing company, said about living in the house. \u201cI always make sure to have lunch now, which is something that is simple, but I wasn\u2019t doing before I lived here.\u201d (Luke asked that his last name be withheld.) \u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>Tuesdays evenings are for volleyball, where the founders play on the house team in a local league.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After dinner on other evenings, Wan Ying L, 25, who just left an AI startup and is working on a new idea, might play the piano in the living room. Sometimes the group plays Catan or visits art exhibitions together.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Presence Plumb, 25, is a tech strategist. She likes to host rooftop dinner parties, serving dishes that reflect the different nationalities in the house \u2014 from Iraqi to Spanish \u2014 while invited founders, researchers, investors, and operators chat about tech trends and investments.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s a bit calmer, balanced, authentic in a way,\u201d she said of people in the London ecosystem. \u201cThey don\u2019t want too much of that only startup tech bro vibe. They want a bit of balance.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each founder follows their own schedules for a typical workday. Amor, for example, is up by 8 a.m. and gives himself exactly 30 seconds after waking up before jumping into his morning work. \u201cI have a clear objective of \u2018this is what I want to do in the first half of the day, when there\u2019s no distractions.\u2019\u201d After his morning work routine, he takes a cold shower, \u201cbecause it increases your dopamine by 250% and that gives me that motivation, that spark,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"515\" width=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?w=680\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3146755\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3203980703298037;width:910px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg 2112w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=150,114 150w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=768,582 768w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=680,515 680w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=1200,909 1200w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=1280,970 1280w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=430,326 430w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=720,545 720w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=900,682 900w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=800,606 800w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=1536,1164 1536w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=2048,1552 2048w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=668,506 668w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=495,375 495w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=814,617 814w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=701,531 701w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-6.jpg?resize=50,38 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"wp-element-caption__text\">Wan playing the piano<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-image__credits\"><strong>Image Credits:<\/strong>TechCrunch<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luke, meanwhile, is up at around 8:30. His co-founder, Varun, 27 (who asked that his last name be withheld), typically <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>s to the Lift House to co-work, and the duo starts work at around 9 a.m. with a team call.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aldean rarely wakes before 10 a.m. unless something big is happening, like a \u201ccrazy angel [investor] call,\u201d he said. <br \/>\u00a0<br \/>When asked what makes this house uniquely British rather than a wellness-focused Silicon Valley founder house, Aldean joked: \u201cWell, we drink tea together like Brits, and in SF folks just drink filtered coffee.\u201d\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>More seriously, he spoke of how British founders face a different kind of pressure than those in the U.S. They must navigate a cultural aversion to risk, an inclination toward humility, and a shame associated with failure. Instead of forgoing sleep for hustle and grind, they deal with what they call the \u201ctall poppy syndrome,\u201d when the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> builds one up only to ruthlessly tear them down should they become too successful, investors and founders say. It makes some founders in the ecosystem wary of displaying too many wins.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Luke said London is a strong choice for an early-stage founder: There\u2019s a good network, ample early capital opportunities, and an option for a life outside of tech. In many ways, it is much more like New York culturally for founders than in San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLondon is so diverse that if you look properly enough, you\u2019ll always find something fun to get involved with,\u201d Amor added, \u201cwhether that\u2019s a founder-run club, wellness events, [or going] to jazz nights.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"515\" width=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?w=680\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3146751\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3203980703298037;width:866px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg 2112w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=150,114 150w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=768,582 768w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=680,515 680w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=1200,909 1200w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=1280,970 1280w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=430,326 430w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=720,545 720w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=900,682 900w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=800,606 800w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=1536,1164 1536w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=2048,1552 2048w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=668,506 668w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=495,375 495w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=814,617 814w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=701,531 701w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-5.jpg?resize=50,38 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"wp-element-caption__text\">Luke and Varun write marketing terms on the whiteboard. They stand for top of funnel (TOFU), middle of funnel (MOFU), and bottom of funnel (BOFU).<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-image__credits\"><strong>Image Credits:<\/strong>TechCrunch<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luke and Varun largely avoided venture capital funding by taking advantage of the U.K. government\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/carta.com\/uk\/en\/learn\/startups\/fundraising\/seis-vs-eis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">SEIS\/EIS<\/a>, which is supposed to help attract more angel investments into local startups. \u201cThere\u2019s people who will pay basically the same rate of tax if they give us the money versus if they pay income tax,\u201d Luke explained as another reason he liked starting out in London.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aldean also feels the London ecosystem is less cutthroat than the Valley. He recalls his days living in a hacker house in the Bay \u2014 everyone\u2019s desk had to face the wall, and it was heads-down, product-building. He felt the ecosystem, at times, was too willing to gossip, which is apparently done quite differently in the U.K.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s nothing like \u2018oh my god did you hear that the CTO just, like, did this,\u2019\u201d Aldean said. \u201cIt\u2019s like you\u2019re always worried,\u201d he said, that someone would spread negative stories, especially if it benefited them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aldean also thinks London startups, more than Silicon Valley ones, sell into slow-moving large corporations rather than to each other, meaning one could build without having to kiss up or posture to get their peers to like them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To the selling point, Varun and Luke mentioned another difference between the U.S. and U.K. ecosystem. \u201cIt\u2019s a relatively fleeting market,\u201d Varun said of the U.S. \u201cYou get quick wins. Here, it\u2019s hard to close a customer, but if they close, they stay with you longer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-coming-to-america\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Coming_to_America\"><\/span>Coming to America<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eventually, though, the road for many U.K. startups goes straight to the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the U.K., founders have access to affordable top talent from universities like Oxbridge and a time zone that makes it easier to work with the rest of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and parts of North America. In the U.S., however, they have access to the world\u2019s largest economy and, most importantly, a lot of investors willing to write large checks, from pre-seed to growth stages.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s almost like a factory line in a way,\u201d Varun said. \u201cYou start here, and then you expand there or vice versa.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">American investors are also playing a role in luring British talent away from the country. I told the Lift House residents about one startup founder who said a top investor wouldn\u2019t even back the company unless she relocated to the U.S. She ended up doing so, though decided to keep her family based in the U.K. to raise her children.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe had an investor in Miami who said the same thing,\u201d Luke said of an investor trying to get him and Varun to move to the U.S. \u201cIt\u2019s quite a common practice.\u201d He and Varun have already begun their U.S. expansion, and despite loving London, the duo hasn\u2019t ruled out moving to the U.S. to be closer to their customers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"515\" width=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?w=680\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3146758\" style=\"width:880px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg 2112w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=150,114 150w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=768,582 768w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=680,515 680w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=1200,909 1200w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=1280,970 1280w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=430,326 430w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=720,545 720w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=900,682 900w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=800,606 800w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=1536,1164 1536w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=2048,1552 2048w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=668,506 668w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=495,375 495w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=814,617 814w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=701,531 701w, https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-7.jpg?resize=50,38 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"wp-element-caption__text\">David, who has a brain coaching startup, is the one who introduced journaling into the household. <\/span><span class=\"wp-block-image__credits\"><strong>Image Credits:<\/strong>TechCrunch<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s the tension bubbling beneath not just the U.K.\u2019s tech ecosystem but most of Europe\u2019s. \u201cI work with a lot of people trying to support the European ecosystem more,\u201d Plumb said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet, founders \u201ctalk about London; everyone is bullish on the country until they get the opportunity to leave,\u201d Aldean added.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Lift House lease has about a year left, and there is sentiment in the house to keep it going for as long as they can. After all, there aren\u2019t too many in London, though the city sees many short-term gatherings, like the Solana Hacker House meet-up <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a>. Some of the more public co-living hacker houses are part of a global chain, like the San Francisco-based network The Residency, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/londons-most-ambitious-builder-community-share-7393323942897369088-wkLm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">which expanded into London last year<\/a>, and BaseJump, which is announcing a London version of <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thebasejump.com\/hackerhouse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">its hacker house program soon<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2024, two founders tried the opposite version of the Lift House called <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.londonfounderhouse.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">\u201cThe London Founder House,\u201d<\/a> which Sifted covered under the headline <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/sifted.eu\/articles\/founder-house-london-startups\">\u201cThe people here don\u2019t want work-life balance.\u201d<\/a> That home is noted as London\u2019s first-ever hacker house, and though it wound down last year, it left an influence through its concept, events, and connected players around the ecosystem. To even be considered for the London Founder House, one had to have raised at least half a million dollars.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Lift House, prospective residents need to show a hobby outside their companies and an interest in fitness. It\u2019s the same pitch many in the Londonmaxxing ecosystem are using to keep people from leaving: That here one can have it all.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe culture is to build something that lasts,\u201d Aldean said, \u201cnot necessarily burn out chasing a flash.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2026\/08\/01\/inside-one-london-founder-house-rewriting-the-founder-house-rules\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Six twentysomethings in East London have built what they say is the anti-San Francisco hacker house. The goal is a \u201cholistic improvement in life,\u201d rather than \u201c12 weeks, Demo Day is coming,\u201d Rowan Aldean, 26, explained.\u00a0 Intrigued, I spent an afternoon visiting the house, meeting its residents, and doing a vibe check. I arrived after&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":742251,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LIFT-tour-1.jpg?resize=1200,909","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[18981,8820,151477],"class_list":["post-742250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-london","tag-uk","tag-venture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/742250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=742250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/742250\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/742251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=742250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=742250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=742250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}