Charlotte’s startup community came alive at the StartCharlotte Live event with two startups and an entrepreneur taking home the top honors/
Thursday’s StartCharlotte event featured the presentation of the Startup Community Awards to two Charlotte-based companies, Stratifyd and The Waggle Company.
Charles Thomas, program director at the Knight Foundation and former executive director of Queen City Forward, received the Packard Place Servant Leader Award. The event, hosted by StartCharlotte at Heist Brewing Company, attracted a sizable crowd interested in the growing startup ecosystem in Charlotte.
Tails wagging
The Waggle Company was presented with the “Startup of the Year” award, which is selected by the StartCharlotte team and given to a startup based in the region that is less than two years old. Startups considered for this award must demonstrate promise, and have a track record of success that might propel them to expand dramatically.
The company, launched by Meggie and Sebastian Williams in May 2016, is a tech-enabled dog walking service. Using their technology they can provide on-demand, same-day pet sitting and dog walking services. Pet owners receive GPS tracking, documentation of each visit, and a photograph, and can customize their visitation schedules.
It’s not the first entrepreneurial venture for either partner. Meggie worked as the general manager and later the regional manager for Move Loot as the company expanded eastward. Sebastian worked as the director of operations for YoDish, a startup that provides meal recommendations for those with dietary restrictions. Due to the nature of startup work, the couple needed a trusted pet service that offered flexibility in case the plans for the day went sideways. Unable to find a service, they tried asking around and only found more people that wished a service existed. Seeing an opportunity, both left those roles to pursue and grow The Waggle Company.
Stratifyd receives AvidXchange Innovation Award
Stratifyd, a data analytics and visualization platform, received the “AvidXchange Innovation Award,” which recognizes a company that has already received market validation with a track record of success. To be considered for the award, the company must have been operational for at least two years, been started in Charlotte, have founders working on the project full-time, received investment of any amount, aligns with the AvidXchange core values, and is considered to be a leader of innovation in their market.
And Stratifyd is on an incredible growth trajectory. In March, the company announced their growth rate for 2016—300%. This summer, the company closed a Series A round to the tune of $7 million. The company previously raised $1.7 million Pre-A in January 2016 and $1 million seed round in February 2015. Investors include NewGen Capital, ZhenFund, China Growth Capital, Social Starts, and Tencent Holdings.
The young company—founder Derek Wang started the company 2013—has opened international offices in London and Beijing, and boasts Lenovo, Ally Bank, and Kimberly Clark as clients. Most recently, they’ve launched the third iteration of their software, which improves data connection and ability to generate structured data analysis, as well as updating the platform’s user interface.
Charles Thomas receives Packard Place Servant Leader Award
In addition to these awards, Charles Thomas was presented with the “Packard Place Servant Leader Award,” given to an individual who has given their time and energy as a mentor and leader in the entrepreneurial community.
“I am proud to be honored by Charlotte’s entrepreneurial community,” said Thomas. “I have deep respect for Charlotte’s entrepreneurs, particularly those who are conscious about creating profit and value for people and the planet.”
Thomas, who was raised in Charlotte, is the former executive director of Queen City Forward, a hub for entrepreneurs who have business ideas that address social needs. As founding executive director, he was responsible for launching the organization and building programs to catalyze and support social entrepreneurship, college entrepreneurship and civic innovation. He accepted a program director position with the Knight Foundation in February of 2016 yet still actively mentors and guides local startups with social missions.
