#StartupsEverywhere

#StartupsEverywhere: San Antonio, Texas

#StartupsEverywhere: San Antonio, Texas

José Padilla has an established track record of providing efficient, low-cost legal services. With LegalMente AI, he’s able to provide that same quality of work to those in need, including early-stage startups. We sat down with him to talk about what policymakers need to know about the uses of AI, how to keep the U.S. innovation ecosystem the most competitive globally, and his motivation to provide the most efficient work possible. 

#StartupsEverywhere: Brooklyn, N.Y.

#StartupsEverywhere: Brooklyn, N.Y.

After overcoming childhood shyness in the warmth of his local Caribbean-owned barbershop, Royon Jeffrey knows the power of the beauty industry firsthand. He set out to create ListedB, an online marketplace for beauty industry professionals. We spoke to him about the financial opportunity within the industry, navigating capital access and investors, and his desire to empower small businesses owners.

#StartupsEverywhere: Indianapolis, Ind.

#StartupsEverywhere: Indianapolis, Ind.

MITO Materials Solutions founding team believes improvements to materials can ultimately improve quality of life. The company is creating additives that improve the durability and toughness of legacy industrial materials, giving manufacturers the ability to make lighter and stronger products. We talked to Co-Founder and CEO Haley Marie Keith about her journey from the university to entrepreneurship pipeline, inequities and challenges facing women founders, and the pros and cons of working with government programs.

#StartupsEverywhere: Portland, Ore.

#StartupsEverywhere: Portland, Ore.

Based on past experiences in the workplace, Greg Gasperin created Merify to enable talent managers to equitably identify and reward top performers for valuable work. The platform also serves as a tool for employees to quantify and track their performance data. We spoke with him about the need for trust and accuracy in the workplace, Merify’s extensive use of independent contractors, and a much needed social safety net for startup founders. 

#StartupsEverywhere: Pittsburgh, Pa.

#StartupsEverywhere: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Ellie Gordon is a serial entrepreneur whose passion for improving people’s lives through technology led her to Behaivior. Leveraging AI-based technologies, Behaivior seeks to save lives through the use of wearable technology for crisis aversion. We had the opportunity to have Ellie walk us through her story, aspirations for Behaivior, and the policy landscape she faces.

#StartupsEverywhere: Frederiksted, V.I.

#StartupsEverywhere: Frederiksted, V.I.

Tarik McMillan and Tamara Mohammed founded Greater Changes with the goal of making mental health services accessible for people, no matter their background. We spoke with them about the sometimes challenging process of developing a telehealth platform, ‘Change’, their experiences fighting stigma and operating out of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and their goals for 2024.

#StartupsEverywhere: San Francisco, Calif.

#StartupsEverywhere: San Francisco, Calif.

For Margot Lee Schmorak, Hostfully and VC Backed Moms are the results of her years navigating the tech industry as a woman, mother, and mission-driven professional. While Hostfully promises a better property management experience, VC Backed Moms is the ultimate online community for founders in all stages of motherhood. We spoke with her about rental property management, increased STEM education, and the ways in which policymakers can support motherhood in entrepreneurship.

#StartupsEverywhere: San Juan, P.R.

#StartupsEverywhere: San Juan, P.R.

PilotoMail is ushering in a new age for mailroom automation and virtual mailboxes. While she is focused on growing her business and navigating the US Postal System, Founder and CEO Sofia Stolberg is also on a deeply personal mission to strengthen the Puerto Rican ecosystem. We heard from her about challenges and successes in the Puerto Rican startup ecosystem, regulatory changes that impact her company, and her goals for the future. 

#StartupsEverywhere: Bronx, N.Y.

#StartupsEverywhere: Bronx, N.Y.

MetaBronx is the leading startup accelerator in NYC for underrepresented founders – including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ who are inventing technology-based solutions to large-scale problems. It places youth from underrepresented communities in an innovation environment where they learn all the skills to succeed in the 21st century. We spoke with co-founder Alejandra Molina about the current challenges underrepresented founders face in raising capital, the important role of accelerators and incubators in the startup ecosystem, and how the US can create a welcoming environment for immigrant entrepreneurs. 

#StartupsEverywhere: Chicago, Ill.

#StartupsEverywhere: Chicago, Ill.

HAAS Alert connects first responders, towing and recovery fleets, and roadway workers with vehicles and motorists through real-time digital alerts on its Safety Cloud® platform to prevent collisions and enhance road safety for everyone. We talked to Founder and CEO Cory Hohs about interconnected transportation, the technology that fuels it, and the future of roadway safety.

#StartupsEverywhere: Santa Fe, N.M.

#StartupsEverywhere: Santa Fe, N.M.

Skoden Ventures is a VC firm that backs startups led by Indigenous, Black, brown, and women founders, aiming to foster a more equitable and creative economy. In our conversation with founding partner Kelly Holmes, we explored the challenges she encountered while building her company and her aspirations to ease the path for the next generation of underrepresented founders.

#StartupsEverywhere: Vienna, Va.

#StartupsEverywhere: Vienna, Va.

Fully mobile-enabled and web-based software solution Aravenda provides consignment stores, pawn shops, estate sales, online sellers, and more with cost effective white label resale & reallocation solutions. We spoke with its Founder and CEO, Carolyn Thompson, about her journey starting and operating multiple companies, tax issues related to reselling, and what it would mean for her business if she had to proactively screen product listings.