Top 10 Startups from Techstars October 2020

Recently, The Exchange reviewed several Techstars demo day presentations, analyzing a selection of startups to identify promising ventures. We are continuing this process today, focusing on a new group of companies emerging from different accelerator programs.

To recall our previous analysis of various cohorts, we previously highlighted YearOne, MyFavorito, Livelii, Albo, Space Products and Innovation GmbH and SATIM as particularly noteworthy.

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Today, we will examine startups from Techstars’ Atlanta (complete list available here), Los Angeles (complete list available here), and New York City programs (complete list available here), and also review the outcomes of the “Techstars & Western Union Accelerator” (complete list available here).

TechCrunch has also covered startups from the most recent Y Combinator session (part one, part two), Acceleprise, Envision, and other programs. Examining startups is a long-standing practice here – we believe they are fundamentally compelling. With that in mind, let’s proceed.

Notable Companies and Highlights

I’d like to begin with Atlanta this morning, and this isn’t solely due to the Falcons’ performance relative to my Eagles. The presence of a startup accelerator in Atlanta is encouraging, as the city is clearly a hub for new businesses, yet remains somewhat unfamiliar territory for me.

Unfortunately, selecting favorites proved difficult, as I was impressed by almost every startup presentation. Meal Me is a particularly clever concept, and as a former resident of San Francisco who rarely cooked, I wish this had been available during my time there. Swivl is also deserving of attention, as it has the potential to broaden access to data analysis. And Please Assist Me accurately reflects the needs of my generation’s young professionals.

However, the startup that resonated with me the most was Treasure, a neobank designed to educate children about financial principles. With the decline of organizations like the Boy Scouts and related activities, opportunities for learning about personal finance, such as the Personal Finance merit badge, are becoming increasingly scarce. Furthermore, many individuals lack sufficient financial literacy.

Treasure aims to teach children about saving and earning through a “payday” system. I find this approach appealing, and the availability of a free tier is a thoughtful addition.

Moving on to Los Angeles, I encountered another impressive group of startups, making the selection of highlights a challenge. Among them, Ayana Therapy stood out, focusing on mental healthcare for “marginalized and intersectional communities.” Access to therapy and mental healthcare is essential for everyone. Pod People also appears to be a well-timed venture, capitalizing on the current popularity of podcasts.

However, as an avid esports enthusiast, StatsHelix was my personal favorite. StatsHelix develops software for creating in-game data graphics – the kinds of statistics and real-time data that enhance the viewing experience – as well as post-game analysis. These are the same types of compelling statistics seen during football and basketball broadcasts, but adapted for the esports world, both during and after matches.

Given the continued growth of esports, and my own late-night viewing of recent League of Legends matches from the Worlds tournament, StatsHelix is positioned to succeed in a substantial market.

Now let’s travel to New York City, to explore the innovations emerging from this fast-paced environment. Initially, I’m uncertain about the viability of 1SM. However, the company presented a number of sophisticated concepts. The idea of automatically generating buyer personas and identifying optimal targeting channels is intriguing, and almost seems innovative. Regardless.

Coverr has considerable potential. It provides borrowing options for gig-economy workers, who may be ineligible for traditional bank loans due to their income and employment status. This model is similar to SaaS revenue-based financing, with repayments made from earnings. I appreciate this approach, as it could protect vulnerable workers from predatory lending practices.

But my top pick from the group was OnePipe. It’s the Meal Me equivalent for fintech APIs. More specifically, it consolidates APIs from both the banking and fintech sectors, simplifying the process for developers to integrate with the financial system. Fintech is a thriving industry, and API-focused startups are currently in demand. Therefore, a meta fintech API startup is a logical and exciting development. I am very impressed.

Finally, let’s consider some noteworthy ventures from Techstars’ collaboration with Western Union. These include Rise and Vested. Rise enables the 180 million residents of Nigeria to invest in dollar-denominated assets that offer higher returns than local savings options. It currently manages $4 million in AUM, with a monthly user growth rate of 35%. Vested facilitates global investing for Indian consumers, streamlining the process of opening brokerage accounts and investing in international assets by eliminating traditional paperwork, fees, and currency exchange issues.

The common thread between these two startups is their commitment to expanding financial access for everyday individuals, providing them with opportunities to participate in the global financial system. Generally, I am drawn to fintech solutions that empower individuals and reduce costs. These two companies exemplify that principle.

Feel free to explore the demo pages if you’re interested in learning more about these promising ventures. Otherwise, you can always return to Twitter and continue with your usual routine.