Summary:
Miami founders Justin Elliott and Jahreem Samuels secured a six-figure investment from AWS for their AI and blockchain platform WRTH.
WRTH is the world's first AI & blockchain-verified commerce platform, solving authentication and scaling issues in e-commerce.
The platform features over 50 AI agents for tasks like pricing, inventory management, and fraud prevention across multiple marketplaces.
Blockchain technology ensures item verification and ownership, boosting trust and market liquidity.
AWS investment will help scale WRTH globally and support a client with over 20 million monthly users.
Miami-based founders Justin Elliott and Jahreem Samuels have secured a significant investment for their innovative AI and blockchain-verified commerce platform, WRTH. Their partnership stemmed from shared frustrations in their respective industries, leading to the creation of a groundbreaking solution.
The Founders' Journeys
Justin Elliott transitioned from mechanical engineering in high school to marketing and web development in college, eventually heading digital marketing and e-commerce for a jewelry company. He also spent a decade as a full-time DJ, touring globally, but the pandemic prompted a shift back to tech, seeking a career not tied to physical presence.
Jahreem Samuels began his entrepreneurial path in high school, buying and selling automotive parts, and later launched e-commerce sites using HTML and CSS. In 2019, he founded Sneaker Buyers in Miami, which grew from trunk sales to a storefront, achieving over $10 million in sales. He faced challenges in scaling due to the tedious process of authenticating items, finding real-time valuations, and managing inventory.
The Problem and Solution
Both founders encountered inefficiencies: Samuels struggled with multiple systems for sales and authentication, while Elliott, from his jewelry store experience, used eight different systems to handle luxury items. A two-hour conversation revealed that these problems persisted, inspiring them to build a unified platform.
They developed WRTH, launched in 2024, which they claim is the world's first AI & blockchain-verified commerce platform. It offers a customizable e-commerce operating system that supports businesses in service, resale, fashion, automotive, collectibles, and more.
Key Features of WRTH
- AI Agents: Over 50 AI agents across 10 categories operate on more than 15 marketplaces, handling tasks like pricing assessment, inventory valuation, fulfillment optimization, customer support, analytics, payment management, fraud prevention, and multi-channel syncing.
- Blockchain Verification: Ensures item authentication, proves ownership via personal wallets, and resolves fraud claims, enhancing trust and liquidity in the market.
- Elliott emphasized that WRTH builds infrastructure to help businesses keep up with trends, increase revenue, and make commerce fair and equitable.
AWS Investment and Future Plans
In October 2025, WRTH announced a six-figure investment from Amazon Web Services (AWS) through the AWS Activate startup program, along with over $100,000 in credits. This funding will support global scaling and a major client with over 20 million monthly users, requiring robust infrastructure.
WRTH is currently in beta testing and plans an official debut on December 3, ahead of Miami's Art Basel, aiming to close a $2 million pre-seed round.
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