Miami Startup WRTH Secures 6-Figure AWS Investment for AI and Blockchain Commerce Platform

Miami-based entrepreneurs Justin Elliott and Jahreem Samuels have landed a six-figure investment from Amazon Web Services (AWS) to scale WRTH, their AI-powered, blockchain-verified commerce platform designed to streamline authentication, pricing, and operations for modern retailers.

The founders’ partnership emerged from shared frustrations in their respective fields. Elliott—whose early interests ranged from mechanical engineering to digital marketing—spent years building websites, running e-commerce operations, and touring globally as a DJ before the pandemic forced him to reconsider the demands of a travel-dependent career. Wanting to return to tech, he was introduced to Samuels through a mutual contact.

Samuels, a serial entrepreneur, built his first business as a teenager reselling automotive parts before moving into e-commerce. In 2019, he launched Sneaker Buyers in Miami, growing it from trunk sales to a storefront that generated more than $10 million in revenue. But managing the business—inventory, authentication, valuations, and sales—required juggling multiple disconnected systems. The inefficiency was overwhelming.

“I’d get 20 customers a day and have to authenticate every item manually,” Samuels recalled. “I had to think, ‘How can I scale this?’”

Elliott recognized the same operational pain points from his time buying and selling luxury watches at a jewelry company, where he had to use eight different systems to process a single item. One two-hour conversation convinced them that existing tools couldn’t solve the problem—so they decided to build their own.

Building WRTH: The “First AI & Blockchain-Verified Commerce Platform”

Launched in 2024, WRTH is a fully customizable e-commerce operating system powered by artificial intelligence and secured through blockchain verification. According to the founders, the platform is designed to serve industries ranging from resale and collectibles to automotive, fashion, and service-based businesses.

WRTH includes more than 50 AI agents across 10 categories capable of:

• Delivering real-time pricing and valuations
• Authenticating items and verifying provenance
• Optimizing fulfillment and sales across 15+ marketplaces
• Assisting customers and managing fraud
• Synchronizing inventory across multiple channels
• Providing advanced analytics and operational insights

Blockchain technology ensures transparent item ownership, traceability, and fraud mitigation by linking each authenticated product to a verified digital wallet.

“We’re at the precipice of AI and blockchain converging in a way that actually makes sense,” Elliott said. “Tokenizing assets means giving real-world items provenance and liquidity. It creates more trust and a more efficient marketplace.”

AWS Investment and Global Scaling Plans

In October 2025, WRTH announced it had received a six-figure investment and more than $100,000 in AWS credits through the AWS Activate program. Elliott says the backing will allow WRTH to support enterprise-level clients, including one with more than 20 million monthly users, and scale its infrastructure globally.

“AWS powers about a third of the internet,” Elliott said. “With where we’re heading, that kind of infrastructure is essential.”

WRTH is currently in beta and is preparing for a full public launch on Dec. 3, timed to coincide with Miami’s Art Basel week. The founders also aim to close a $2 million pre-seed round as they position the platform to become a foundational tool for commerce businesses worldwide.

“We’re building the infrastructure so every business, not just sneaker shops, can keep up with the times,” Elliott said. “This is about making commerce more fair, equitable, and future-ready.”