Meet Milan.
Driven by an optimistic vision of humanity’s potential to innovate, Milan Kordestani guides social impact startups through his incubator Ankord Labs. Along the way, he’s become a best-selling author, public speaker, and emerging GenZ thought leader in the field of Artificial Intelligence development.
Meet Milan.
Driven by an optimistic vision of humanity’s potential to innovate, Milan Kordestani guides social impact startups through his incubator Ankord Labs. Along the way, he’s become a best-selling author, public speaker, and emerging GenZ thought leader in the field of Artificial Intelligence development.
Building a Better World
Through Innovation and Discourse
Milan always harbored a keen interest in entrepreneurship, launching his first business at a young age by selling exotic turtles. While still in high school, he established Milan Farms, a venture focused on creating a humane and organic system for poultry farming and cultivating pure saffron. Within a year, he successfully provided year-round supplies of saffron and eggs to Silicon Valley consumers, nurturing a passion for green entrepreneurism.
At college during the pandemic, Milan's startup spirit persisted, and his focus shifted towards founding businesses to help young artists and freelancers. In 2018 and 2019, he co-founded Guin Records and Dormzi, both aimed at giving individuals control over their creativity and earning potential. Throughout this period, Milan cultivated networks, assembled impactful teams, and navigated the myriad challenges presented by Silicon Valley, showcasing the resilience and visionary mindset of a young entrepreneur.
Milan began his writing journey over a decade ago, publishing in the Huffington Post at the age of 13. In the years that followed, Milan has written for Entrepreneur, Forbes, Rolling Stone, and more, focusing on entrepreneurship, civil discourse, artistic integrity, and empowering creatives.
In 2018, Milan's concern for the state of online media and journalism prompted him to found a digital publication: The Doe. Utilizing cutting edge AI technology, Milan and the editorial team at The Doe pioneered a site allowing for the anonymous publication of stories and narratives, particularly empowering vulnerable and marginalized populations to share their experiences securely. The Doe played a pivotal role in breaking through echo chambers and fostering empathy through narrative storytelling.
Late in 2020, Milan was presented with an opportunity to translate his expertise in promoting civil discourse, honed as both a writer and founder of The Doe, into a book titled I'm Just Saying. The book achieved remarkable success, reaching #2 on the Wall Street Journal's Bestseller List, and has since played a vital role in guiding readers toward embracing civil discourse, empathy, and the power of storytelling.
As of 2024, Milan has embarked on new initiatives to elevate storytelling and discourse online. At the helm of his incubator Ankord Labs, Milan is collaborating with the media non-profit Narratives to generate content for charities, non-profits, and philanthropic organizations. Milan firmly believes that nurturing discourse and storytelling is pivotal in fostering a more collaborative society.
While grappling with the market fit challenges of Dormzi's products in late 2020, Milan delved into the accelerating advancements in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. This exploration prompted a strategic decision to integrate AI into the companies he co-founded or incubated. As Dormzi shut its doors, a new opportunity emerged to co-found Audo—a data-driven upskilling and career search company leveraging AI to keep users abreast of market demands. In 2022, Milan brought together a team to co-found NOTA, a startup dedicated to using AI to democratize media creation. NOTA focuses on creating tools that enhance the efficiency of media companies in producing more accessible content.
Milan's deepening commitment to the ethical considerations surrounding AI, coupled with his role as a co-founder and mentor for various AI-oriented startups, propelled him to headline a public speaking tour. His objective is to encourage collaboration among political leaders, academics, and industry stakeholders in navigating the complex questions inherent in the development of Artificial Intelligence. Milan envisions a brighter future, shaped by innovation in AI and cutting-edge technologies, harmonized with purpose-driven entrepreneurship and ethical technological advancements.
In 2021, Milan made a strategic decision to channel his efforts into mentoring and investing, giving rise to Ankord Labs, his personal incubator geared towards supporting purpose-driven startups. A carefully assembled team of clever unicorns and rebels joined forces with Milan in the shared mission of advancing societal betterment through purpose-driven capitalism.
Today, Ankord Labs actively incubates several startups, fueling the promising visions of innovative founders and renegades spanning diverse industries, from sustainable agriculture to the future of work. The primary focus lies in translating groundbreaking ideas into marketable products, offering crucial support during the pre-seed stages of business development and fundraising. Milan's visionary leadership underscores Ankord Labs' commitment to fostering transformative innovation and purpose-driven entrepreneurship.
The pen is mightier…
I have always felt that writing is an opportunity to start a wider dialogue about the issues that are important to me. From my new book on civil discourse to my work in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Rolling Stone, and beyond, I’ve tried to share what I’ve learned from my experiences as an entrepreneur and music executive.
I believe that many of the challenges we will face going forward require cooperation, and civil discourse is the first step in building empathy and collaboration. As an author, I try to engage my peers in debates about some of the most pressing issues facing GenZ: technological change, the failure of the college system, creative control for artists, and the importance of environmental stewardship. I hope you’ll join me and share our visions for a better future.
What Inspires Milan
No entrepreneur or creative lives in a vacuum, and I am constantly energized and awakened by new ideas, products, and processes. I’ve started growing a digital Inspiration of the artists, thought-leaders, and innovators that have inspired me: people who are wrestling with the great problems of today and rising to the challenges our future holds. It’s also a place for me to water and grow my own North Stars - and share them with you!
