#StartupsEverywhere is a campaign celebrating the diverse, vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems that are taking root in every corner of the country. Through weekly profiles of startup ecosystem leaders, the project showcases exciting developments in a variety of rising startup communities. If you are interested in having your ecosystem featured, shoot an email to comms@engine.is.
Deliveri is a logistics platform that helps customers lower costs and manage their shipping needs. Founded by Jason Brown and based in Cary, North Carolina, the company offers a multi-carrier shipping solution for e-commerce businesses in the U.S., with plans to expand this service into Latin America. We sat down with Jason to discuss his business, how recent changes to trade policies are impacting small businesses, the importance of the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) exemption, and his future goals for Deliveri.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Jonathan Gonzalez saw firsthand the failures of both disaster response systems and the traditional insurance industry. After spending over a year and a half navigating an ultimately unsuccessful insurance claim for his mother, he decided to take action. That experience led him to found Raincoat, a company building the technology to power faster, smarter, and better insurance for disaster recovery. We sat down with Jonathan to talk about his journey, the role of AI in transforming disaster insurance, and the unique challenges of building a startup from Puerto Rico.
Getting all your ducks in a row when moving can be stressful and expensive. Phil Salesses is working to ease moving-related tensions and lower costs through his company, MoveAI. We sat down with Phil to talk about his company, his ecosystem experience in D.C. compared to San Francisco, and the ambiguity that comes with the patchwork policy problem.
Julia Somerdin is the founder and inventor of Labby, a Rochester-based startup providing diagnostic hardware and software for dairy farmers to improve the quality of their herds’ milk. We sat down with Julia to talk about her company, how she has benefited from government grants supporting innovation, the impact of tariffs on American tech companies, and more.
Carl Peterson is developing a platform to tackle the shortage of graphics processing units (GPUs) in AI development. Thunder Compute rents out space on GPUs for cheap by using software to improve GPU utilization. We sat down with Carl to discuss his company, their experience in markets abroad, and the challenge of navigating varying state rules as a small startup.
Drew Barvir is the co-founder and CEO of Sonar Mental Health, a mental health and coaching platform supporting the mental welfare of students. We sat down with Drew to discuss his company, data privacy, the use of AI in sensitive spaces, and more.
After a career in financial services, Jack Boudreau knew he wanted to improve access to financial advice. He founded Habits, a marketplace that helps individuals and families find their perfect financial advisor. We sat down with Jack to discuss AI, regulation, and more.
Using her background in cryptography and mathematics, Gadalia Montoya Weinberg O’Bryan set out to challenge the current standard of multifactor authentication used to protect user and company data. Her company, Dapple Security, simplifies the authentication process using biometrics. We had the opportunity to chat with Gadalia about her journey to founding Dapple Security, data privacy policies, and more.
Reverse logistics is managing the redistribution of returned or surplus unsold goods. Amrita Bhasin is working to make reverse logistics a mainstream corporate concept. Through her startup, Sotira, Amrita aims to reduce waste and increase producers’ bottom lines. We sat down with Amrita to discuss her company, her experience raising capital, and working in an industry transitioning directly from pen and paper to AI.
Scott Kveton is a five-time startup founder working to save lawyers and paralegals precious time in case work with his new AI software, CaseMark. We sat down with Scott to discuss his company, his stance on the state-level approach to AI legislation, and his decades-long experience with raising capital.
Dunya Analytics is providing digital tools to help businesses measure, manage, and report on biodiversity and nature-related risks. We sat down with their founder and CEO, Megan Pillsbury, to talk about her startup, her experience applying for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants, and more.
After a career in the startup ecosystem, Alex Smereczniak knew he wanted to help others along their journey to entrepreneurship. Using his experience franchising his laundry business as an example, Alex co-founded Franzy, a research and matching tool assisting individuals in opening franchises. We had the opportunity to chat with him about his product, the franchise industry, and more.
At only 17, Adrian Martinez is looking to make learning more fun. His AI-powered software, Infinilearn, is a gamified personal learning app designed for homeschooled kids and teens like himself. We sat down with Adrian to discuss his app, his use of open-source AI models, the help he’s received along the way, and more.
The biotech industry is responsible for many modern discoveries. Yet, many scientists rely on outdated software to analyze their data. After spending years in biotech sales, Mitchell Castetter found a solution to the problem. He founded BioReact, a technology company dedicated to improving the data flow and infrastructure system for biotech companies. We sat down with Mitchell to discuss his company, AI, and the Indianapolis startup ecosystem.
Many businesses lack comprehensive cultural insights to inform their strategic decisions. Kyle Desana and his co-founder utilize advanced algorithms to analyze cultural signals on social media, allowing businesses to make informed decisions and predict key metrics. We sat down with Kyle to discuss his company, how AI is accelerating innovation, and the need to enhance capital access in startup ecosystems like Chicago.
Chris Madden is utilizing his background working with startups to build Stump, a platform for local political candidates to reach voters in an individualized, AI-powered “Ask Me Anything” style. His mission is to democratize democracy. We sat down with Chris to discuss his company, determining a candidate's eligibility for the platform, and the looming threat of hate speech on content platforms.
As global conflict increases and urbanization continues, there is an increasing need for alternatives to global positioning systems (GPS). Shaun Moore, co-founder at Tern AI, realized the issue, partnered with two other co-founders and decided to use his previous startup experience to help create an innovative solution. We sat down with Shaun to learn more about his journey, product, and more.
With a career in waste management and recycling, Sashti Balasundaram knew he was ready to make a deeper change. He created WeRadiate, a company focused on soil health using organic recycling technology and data. We sat down with Sashti to discuss his product, manufacturing, the startup ecosystem, and more.
It’s no secret that accessing prices for medical treatments in the United States can be murky and unclear. Beth Ann Lopez–through her company, Outfox Health–is using AI to make sense of massive raw data files empowering patients to compare and contrast the costs of hospital procedures with their insurance. We sat down with Beth to talk about her company, her experience as a startup founder in America and Vietnam, and AI regulations.
With a background in product marketing and research, Kene Anoliefo knew the struggles of increasing research insights to match the fast-paced development of products. We sat down with the HEARD co-founder to discuss her company, the role of AI in the startup ecosystem, and more.
The market for carbon-free, reliable energy is growing along with a rising electricity demand. Josef Hjelmaker, through his company, Electric Outdoors, plans to save millions of dollars in electrification conversion costs and make long-term access to the outdoors safer and more sustainable for all. We sat down with Josef to discuss his company, his experience raising capital in Michigan, and the recent American trade policy shifts.
Charlotte Ketelaar is passionate about using her background in investment to help startups raise capital. While mentoring a variety of startups, she found a wide gap between the founders and investors, which led her to co-found Capwave AI. Recently, we had the opportunity to sit down and discuss her product, the role of open source, and more.
When his original grading and evaluation platform wasn’t getting any bites in the world of higher education, Ali Aldubaisi and his co-founder, Ali "AJ" Aldjaei, ended up pivoting to the training of law enforcement. Today, Kaiden AI is used in police academies across the country to train recruits on how to de-escalate high-pressure scenarios. We sat down with Ali to discuss his software, selling to government organizations, and founding a startup in northern Virginia.
As AI continues to be at the forefront of innovation, Daniele Bernadi, the CEO of Toolhouse AI, is making the technology accessible for all. Using his background in computer science and developer relations, he is working to drive positive change in the AI space. We sat down with Daniele to discuss his company, the AI regulatory landscape, and more.
Timing the sowing and watering of crops is as important as ever in agriculture. Jessi Korinek and her co-founders at Nave Analytics are developing a software that uses satellite data to help farmers cut down on water costs for irrigation. We sat down with Jessi to discuss her product, the impact of tariffs on the agricultural industry, and the challenges she faced in receiving federal research and development (R&D) grants.
With previous experience in the startup world, Chip Kennedy developed a passion for connecting humans and technology. From there, he founded CivicReach.AI, a platform using voice AI technology to improve customer experiences—especially at the local level—with the government. We sat down with Chip and CivicReach.AI’s chief operating officer Lindsay Avagliano to discuss AI, working with governments, and more.
It’s no secret that immigrating to the United States is complicated. Immigration attorneys have many clients from many countries, navigating a variety of legal pathways. Their cases take time to prepare and even longer to be heard. Enter Khalil Zlaou, Tina Zedginidze, John Langhauser, and their product, CaseBlink. This AI software helps attorneys prepare their cases for various visa applications in a fraction of the time. We sat down with Tina to discuss her company, immigration reform, and experience participating in an accelerator program.
John Starke’s career in manufacturing cultivated a passion for quality control and computer vision technology that led to the founding of MyMatR. Focused on smarter waste disposal, MyMatR empowers individuals to make informed decisions about waste with AI-powered solutions. We sat down with the MyMatR CEO to discuss his innovative product, the future of manufacturing, and more.
Obtaining an American college degree can be challenging to navigate. Strenuous curriculums and a ballooning financial burden make student retention a growing concern. CampusESP is advancing student success by streamlining academic and financial communications with parents and families. We sat down with their co-founder and CEO, Dave Becker, to discuss his startup, the targeting of hiring initiatives like diversity, equity and inclusion, and more.
Cooley Comics LLC is a creative startup blending AI with storytelling to allow underrepresented voices to tell their own stories. From creating characters to teaching AI ethics, Cooley Comics is shaping the future of storytelling. We recently met CEO and co-founder Chris Cooley to discuss AI, copyright issues, and more.
