NC TECH to honor 10 startups with Beacon awards – here are profiles

2023 TOP 10 STARTUPS TO WATCH INCLUDE:

Active Defender • FemHealth Insights • inStryde • Launch Labs • Leantime • Ohanafy • Peoplelogic • Social Cascade • TRAKID • TSV Analytics

Here are the profiles:

When was your company founded? 2021

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Jim Boyte, Founder + CEO

Where was your company founded? Carthage, NC

What is your company mission statement?

Active Defender will be the world’s most trusted emergency communication tool in the next 7 years because people want to be in the know when the fear of the unknown occurs.

What makes your company unique? What is your secret sauce?

Active Defender revolutionizes school safety by transforming the traditional, one-sided alert systems into an empowering, information-rich ecosystem. For years, teachers and students have practiced countless security drills in a vacuum, without knowing whether they were moving toward danger or away from it. That ends now.

Our game-changing Live Security Map ensures that everyone on campus is always in the know, transforming uncertainty into actionable intelligence. Teachers and students can see in real-time what is happening and where, enabling them to make informed decisions that could save lives.

But our secret sauce goes beyond immediate crisis management. Active Defender also serves as a preemptive tool for reporting violence, thereby not just saving lives but also reducing expulsions. By promoting a culture of awareness and responsibility, we help create safer, more secure learning environments. When you get the right information to the right people, you get the right response — and that makes all the difference.

What is your target market and why did you select it/them?

Active Defender’s primary target market is the K-12 educational system. The reason for focusing on this specific market comes from both need and potential impact. Schools are not just centers of learning but also community hubs, making their safety a concern for society at large. Tragically, schools have increasingly become sites of violence and emergencies, making an effective communication and alert system an urgent necessity.

K-12 schools are an ideal setting for implementing Active Defender’s technology for several reasons:

Scale: The system can be effectively implemented across campuses of varying sizes, from small elementary schools to large high schools.

Need: The frequent drills and unfortunately, real-life incidents, demonstrate a pressing need for real-time, effective communication.

Decision-making: School administrators and teachers are on the front line of crisis response but often lack real-time situational awareness; Active Defender solves this problem.

Community Buy-In: Parents, teachers, and administrators all have a vested interest in the safety of students, making it easier to achieve buy-in for a comprehensive security solution.

Regulatory Environment: The growing focus on school safety has led to increased funding and regulatory support, creating a more conducive environment for adoption.

Long-term Impact: By fostering a culture of safety and awareness from a young age, we help create more responsible future citizens.

By concentrating on the K-12 educational market, Active Defender aims to offer not just a product but a comprehensive solution that has far-reaching implications for societal safety and well-being.

Are you producing revenue? Yes

How are you financed? Who are your investors?

Active Defender is in a strong financial position, thanks to our recurring revenue model with a customer base that has expanded across 22 states and continues to grow. Our robust performance has laid the groundwork for future expansion and development. To further fuel our growth and bolster our go-to-market strategy, we are currently in the midst of a seed funding round. This capital will primarily be allocated towards scaling our sales team to better serve our growing customer base and extend our reach into new markets.

Are you currently looking for financing, customers, partners, etc.? How can NC TECH’s help you advance?

Yes, we are actively seeking financing, customers, and strategic partnerships. We’re currently in the process of conducting a seed funding round aimed at expanding our go-to-market strategy and hiring additional sales talent. NC TECH can significantly assist us in our objectives by providing invaluable networking opportunities within the tech and education sectors. This would include introductions to potential investors, customers, and partners that align with our mission and business model. Moreover, NC TECH’s resources, such as industry insights, data analytics, and market trends, could be instrumental in helping us refine our growth strategy.

What does your selection by NC TECH as a top startup to watch mean to you/your company?

Being selected by NC TECH as a top startup to watch is both an honor and a validation of the hard work our team has put into creating a transformative solution for school safety. This recognition not only elevates our profile but also provides an invaluable endorsement as we seek to expand our customer base, form new partnerships, and secure financing for our next phase of growth. For us, this accolade is more than just a badge of honor; it’s a testament to the potential of our technology to make a real difference in communities across the country. It boosts our team’s morale and fortifies our resolve to continue innovating in the pursuit of our mission to make schools safer.

When was your company founded? 2022

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Brittany Barreto, CIO + Founder

Where was your company founded? Raleigh, NC

More to come….

When was your company founded? 2022

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Mike Schmid, Co-Founder + CEO

Where was your company founded? Winston-Salem, NC

More to come….

When was your company founded? Spring 2020

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Garrett Roach as Founder/CEO 

Where was your company founded? Chapel Hill, NC

What is your company mission statement?

We are a company made up of curious innovators and look to empower our partners with powerfully simple technology that delivers measurable outcomes.

 What makes your company unique? What is your secret sauce?

Ignite, by Launch Labs, provides agencies, media companies, and retailers with an Audience Identification Platform. It uses a proprietary simple 4-step framework: 1. collects (identify & build audiences from all website shoppers), 2. engages all unconverted shoppers with personalized offers, mobile optimized tools, and dynamic email. 3. converts qualified leads into your CRM from anonymous traffic with verified cell numbers, and 4. activate unconverted website traffic into first party audience strategies.

Roughly 45% of the US GDP comes from small to midsize businesses (SMB). We’ve built an enterprise solution that is affordable enough and simple enough to be utilized by SMBs across most industries.

What is your target market and why did you select it/them?

Retailers, agencies, and media companies that are either SMB’s or serve SMB’s as their clients. We have discovered our ideal customer profile is in the considered purchase category that has a long, shop-and-compare buying journey.

Are you producing revenue? Yes

How are you financed? Who are your investors?

Boot-strapped (March, 2020 – August, 2023)

Private Investor. (September, 2023 – present)

Are you currently looking for financing, customers, partners, etc.? How can NC TECH’s help you advance?

Customers and partners.

What does your selection by NC TECH as a top startup to watch mean to you/your company?

We have been quietly building and growing Launch Labs into a profitable business over the past 3.5 years. We wanted to showcase our efforts and be recognized as part of North Carolina’s tech and tech-enabled companies and organizations. We have not only built an amazing technology platform but also a very intentional company culture that is equally as amazing.

When was your company founded? 2022

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Gloria Folaron, CEO

Where was your company founded? Charlotte, NC

What is your company mission statement?

We exist to help people realize the value they bring to their work and to also help them scale the impact they make on the world.

What makes your company unique? What is your secret sauce?

We use AI and behavioral science to make managing work personal and more engaging.

While we’re considered a project management tool, we aim feature development from both the perspective of the individual contributor and the organization and try to bring together the goals and experiences.

This is what allows us to create engagement, focus on driving intrinsic motivation and in helping team members to see their impact, actualize the value they bring and to feel good about the work they’re doing.

What is your target market and why did you select it/them?

Our initial, and still growing community, has been in the open source market. Along with them, we work closely with SMB and small teams to launch.

Our open source community has been a huge part of the growth we’ve experienced; Marcel has been a long time community member there as well and we saw the value and benefits they bring to our product.

Are you producing revenue? Yes

How are you financed? Who are your investors?

We’re bootstrapped with nearly 140K raised in non-dilutive grants.

Are you currently looking for financing, customers, partners, etc.? How can NC TECH’s help you advance?

We’re currently seeking investment partners to help us get to our next milestones of making our plugin infrastructure available to the open source community and by building integrations.

Secondly, we’re looking for organizations interested in piloting our AI with us and helping build out a case study.

What does your selection by NC TECH as a top startup to watch mean to you/your company?

As a startup founder, you get trained to look for signals — signals that you’re onto something, that your customers love what you’re building, that the messaging is clear.

Getting selected as a top startup to watch is another type of incredible signal; one that we recognize doesn’t come lightly and we feel honored to be a part of it.

When was your company founded? 2022

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Ian Padrick, CEO

Where was your company founded? Wilmington, NC

What is your company mission statement?

Our mission is to transform the beverage industry through a single-platform, purposefully-built to grow revenue, decrease cost and save time.

What makes your company unique? What is your secret sauce?

Ohanafy is a unique company at the forefront of transforming the beverage industry. Our “secret sauce” lies in our combination of innovation and dedication to our customers. First, we proudly stand as the first and only beverage management platform built on Salesforce, bringing efficiency, adaptability, and transparency to the industry. What truly distinguishes us is our ability to seamlessly connect supply and demand across the entire three-tier supply chain. Additionally, our white-glove implementation approach ensures that every customer experiences a tailor-made, easy-going onboarding process. As part of this commitment, each customer is assigned a dedicated Customer Success Manager, who is always available and responsive. This level of personalized support and accessibility is a key ingredient in our “secret sauce.” Our commitment to a greater purpose beyond profits is evident in our efforts to support businesses of all sizes and inspire industry-wide innovation.

What is your target market and why did you select it/them?

Our target market consists of beverage owners, producers, suppliers, and distributors. When a childhood friend approached one of our co-founders with the challenges she faced as a brewery operator, we knew we could help. In performing marketing research, CEO Ian Padrick and co-founder realized quickly that the challenges of one brewery permeated throughout the industry.

Are you producing revenue? Yes

How are you financed? Who are your investors?

Our financial foundation is built upon the support of our co-founders, investors, and a recent successful capital raise.

Are you currently looking for financing, customers, partners, etc.? How can NC TECH’s help you advance?

Yes, we continually welcome opportunities to cultivate new relationships within our network, whether that be customers, partners, and potential investor connections. Collaborating with NC TECH allows for increased brand visibility and facilitating introductions to individuals within the industry.

What does your selection by NC TECH as a top startup to watch mean to you/your company?

“We are immensely honored to have been selected by NC TECH as a top startup to watch. This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovation that our team has put in to build our business. We are proud to receive this validation and thrilled to be recognized as a top contender in the tech industry.

When was your company founded? 2019

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Matthew Schmidt, CEO + Founder

Where was your company founded? Durham, NC

What is your company mission statement?

Our mission is to unleash the potential of every scaling organization through better insights.

 What makes your company unique? What is your secret sauce?

Peoplelogic understands how your organization is connected – at the people, process and technology level – no-one else can do this.

What is your target market and why did you select it/them?

We define our target market as global scaling organizations – series A to pre-IPO. Within those organizations we sell to the HR and Operations teams.

Are you producing revenue? Yes

How are you financed? Who are your investors?

Angel, team, and venture backed. Our investors are mostly east coast, pre-seed investors like the Tweener Fund, Front Porch Capital and Ringbolt Capital.

Are you currently looking for financing, customers, partners, etc.? How can NC TECH’s help you advance?

All of the above. We are currently raising a Seed round and having active conversations around that. We are also always looking for new customers that are defined as “scaling organizations”.

What does your selection by NC TECH as a top startup to watch mean to you/your company?

It’s a great honor. Before we had ever started Peoplelogic, we attended the NC Tech award ceremony as part of Devada/DZone. Winning this award is recognition that we are continuing to push forward and that people are noticing!

When was your company founded? 2021

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Scott McQuiggan, Co-Founder + CEO

Where was your company founded? Raleigh, NC

What is your company mission statement?

To create positive change in every community.

What makes your company unique? What is your secret sauce?

We are the only AI-based social marketing platform for healthcare. We were an AI company before it was the hottest thing since sliced bread. We use AI very differently from many of the AI startups coming on the scene today. Our AI plans, recommends, and helps us understand what health messages work for each community. We don’t use AI to create health messages. We leave that to the experts!

What is your target market and why did you select it/them?

Healthcare. We are starting with a focus on pediatrics and family medicine. The founding team are all parents and are living the value prop of receiving regular touchpoints from our pediatricians.

Are you producing revenue? Yes

How are you financed? Who are your investors?

Bootstrapped + Primordial

Are you currently looking for financing, customers, partners, etc.? How can NC TECH’s help you advance?

We are looking for connections to healthcare organizations with outpatient clinics and public health departments.

What does your selection by NC TECH as a top startup to watch mean to you/your company?

It means a lot, especially in the NC startup, tech ecosystem that has taught us, mentored us, and supported Social Cascade in so many ways. To be recognized by the same folks is incredibly humbling.

When was your company founded? 2020

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Brandon Kashani, CEO

Where was your company founded? Raleigh, NC

What is your company mission statement?

Empowering venues to create interactive, educational experiences, our mission is to connect people with the world. Through our technology platform, we make learning about conservation, sustainability, history, and other impactful topics engaging and fun for families.

What makes your company unique? What is your secret sauce?

What sets us apart is our exceptional team’s diverse talents and shared passion for positive change. Our secret sauce? A dedicated group of investors, advisors, and innovative partners who understand the impact of our mission. Together, we work tirelessly to create meaningful solutions.

What is your target market and why did you select it/them?

Our current target market comprises zoos, botanical gardens, and museums, collectively drawing over 1.1 billion annual US visitors and generating $586 billion in revenue (IAAPA & AMA). We plan to expand into diverse verticals including historic sites, cities, parks, airports, breweries, and wineries, tapping into new growth opportunities.

In today’s tech-driven world, there’s a growing demand for immersive visitor experiences, and we believe our solutions can have a substantial impact in modernizing and engaging these spaces.

Are you producing revenue? Yes

How are you financed? Who are your investors?

We have raised $4.4M to date from angel investors. Most are local investors in the Triangle.

Are you currently looking for financing, customers, partners, etc.? How can NC TECH’s help you advance?

We need introductions to close more venues.

How can you help: Warm introductions lead to a 50% close rate, while cold outreach is at 6%. We’re seeking connections to venues or those who can provide introductions. Our targets include Zoos, botanical gardens, museums (art, history, military), historic sites, cities, sporting teams, and, in the long shot, airports, breweries, and wineries. Your assistance is invaluable!

What does your selection by NC TECH as a top startup to watch mean to you/your company?

Being selected by NC TECH as a top startup to watch holds immense significance for us. It provides invaluable visibility, opening doors to potential industry contacts and readers who can propel our growth. Additionally, this recognition puts us on the radar of potential investors who share our vision of making a positive impact on the world. It’s a powerful endorsement that validates our mission and potential.

When was your company founded? 2020

Its founder(s) and current title(s) are: Trevor Ferree, Co-Founder + CEO

Where was your company founded? Raleigh, NC

What is your company mission statement?

TSV Analytics uses data to help brands successfully navigate social media and better reach and interact with their audience.

What makes your company unique? What is your secret sauce?

TSV Analytics has a unique value proposition as we’re helping brands leverage SFO (Social Feed Optimization) to focus on a data-driven social media approach. Rather than constantly guess what to post next on social media, we use predictive analytics to guide brands to an optimized social media strategy.

Are you producing revenue? Yes

How are you financed? Who are your investors?

Venture Capital Investment — specifically from local VC funds: Primordial (Joe Colopy), Tweener Fund (Scot Wingo), and Charlotte Angel Fund

Are you currently looking for financing, customers, partners, etc.? How can NC TECH’s help you advance?

Customers are our #1 priority right now — connecting with brands that are looking to grow on social media is our target market

What does your selection by NC TECH as a top startup to watch mean to you/your company?

Being recognized as a top startup to watch means so much to our team as we’re a startup based on research at NC State, having our entire team based in NC, and continuing to build the company here. This recognition indicates that we are moving in the right direction and are being recognized as a top contributor to the NC entrepreneurship scene, despite how early we are currently.