The weather may be getting cooler, but Austin startups are heating up -- and we've deemed 50 of them as being on fire.
Today, we’re officially announcing 50 people and companies that, based on our review of nominations and analysis of the local tech startup ecosystem, are rising to the top. In fact, the field was so strong, we added an 11th category -- Inno Picks.
We invite you and your team, friends, family -- and anyone that’s interested or invested in Austin startups -- to join us at a big party stocked with tasty bites, cocktails, craft beer and wine at Capital Factory in downtown Austin on Oct. 16. At the event, we’ll announce the 11 people and companies, one from each category, that a panel of esteemed judges have selected as the Inno Blazer winners (category winners). Get tickets here.
By unveiling the 50 now and gathering everyone at the event, we allow for the community as a whole to celebrate those that are driving Austin forward.
So, now to the most important question: What makes a company or individual on fire? We’re looking at startups that have had a banner year -- people and companies with new funding, recent product launches, hot hires and innovative approaches to solving problems.
Now, let's get to the list ...
Software/AI
DISCO - While it was founded in Houston, some of legal tech startup DISCO's biggest moments have come after it moved to Austin. Earlier this year, the ediscovery company landed an $83 million investment that made it the best funded legal startup in its space -- as well as one of the best funded local startups on the scene today with $135 million-plus. The company says it has hired 125 people in the past 12 months. And they needed it. They also added 238 new corporate clients. The company plans for that to continue -- with as many as 400 new hires in the next two years.
Hypergiant Industries - Few startups have hit the Austin startup scene with as much splash and as many ambitious projects as Hypergiant Industries. Part AI startup, part consultant, part venture capital firm, part R&D shop, this company has made waves every month this year. One of the big ones was in June when it landed strategic investments — the amount undisclosed — from Sumitomo Corporation of Americas and Dallas-based venture capital firm Perot Jain, the VC branch of Perot Companies. It now has 180-plus employees across offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and beyond. Its clients include NASA, Apple and Twitter. The company has said its on track to reach $100 million in revenue — an astounding pace for a company that just emerged from stealth a little more than a year ago.
New Knowledge - Authenticity is under attack, especially on social media channels where bots, spies and competitors have been known to spread false information, which can damage reputations in a matter of minutes. New Knowledge has built software to track disinformation campaigns, and it's growing fast, with around 50 employees currently and about 10 positions open. In July, it announced a $3 million investment from Austin-based BuildGroup and Menlo Park, Calif.-based Lux Capital to help it build out a new enterprise platform later this year and add new talent to its team.
AlertMedia - We live in a volatile and dangerous world. That means companies with teams spread out across the globe and out in the field have to be aware when weather events, mass shootings and lesser-known but still important events may impact their teams. That's where AlertMedia has made its play, and it's growing at a fast clip, most recently fueled by a $25 million Series C round.
Molecula - Born out of Austin startup Umbel, Molecula has established itself as one of Austin's formidable deep tech startups, using a mix of open-source tech and private software to prep data from a wide variety of sources for AI analysis. It's all about speed and versatility in data. Its recent $6 million seed round, as well as its prominent backers and advisors, make it one of Austin's 50 on Fire.
CPG
Briggo Coffee -- After debuting in Austin at the airport and convention center, robotic coffee startup Briggo has expanded to corporate campuses of Dell and Samsung and out to the Houston Convention Center and San Francisco's airport, where it seemed to outwit a San Francisco-based startup that also wanted to put machines there.
PHLUR -- Scents are big business, just look to any local candle store. But bringing a sleeker design, natural ingredients and new business models has the potential to remake the industry. And Austin-based PHLUR is among the best-suited to do it. The company, which raised a $7 million Series A earlier this year, has tapped into investors and partnerships that give it strong potential. It also recently acquired Austin-based Texas Beauty Labs, further boosting its revenue tables.
Snack Jack Jerky - Jerky is one of the stalwarts of convenience and grocery store aisles. But it's been getting a lot of sort of healthy updates, and Snack Jack's plant-based take on it using jackfruit has already found its way to Whole Foods, and given the startup some press coverage and promising partnership leads.
Naturally Austin -- In a way, Austin has always been a CPG town, making all kinds of beverages and crafts. But never has the scene been so well-nurtured. Bringing newfound funding and mentorship to the scene is Naturally Austin, which launched in March with a list of board members that include many of the city's most successful CPG entrepreneurs. And it's part of a broader network based in Colorado, which gives it connectivity atop its local commitments.
Made In -- The kitchen is constantly being disrupted. And when you can find a niche, like say the Vitamix, there's a lot of opportunity to go big fast. Made In is one of those startups that has a shot. It sells pots, pans, knives and other home cookwares direct to consumers, has developed a business in two short years that now has a multi-million dollar run rate and landed a spot as one of TIME Magazine’s best inventions of the year. This year, it closed a $5 million seed funding round led by Brian Spaly, founder of Bonobos and Trunk Club, and Ezra Galston of Starting Line Ventures. Made In was founded by Jake Kalick and Chip Malt.
Cybersecurity
SpyCloud - It's back. SpyCloud made our 50 on Fire list last year. And it is one of just a few startups back on the list this year because of its expanding footprint and new funding. About that funding -- its $21 million Series B was led by Microsoft's M12 venture group. That's helping fuel international outreach and expand its product.
JASK - JASK may have its roots in San Francisco, but it made Austin its sole headquarters earlier this year, and it's running at a fast clip. Its $25 million Series B round last year, led by Kleiner Perkins, brought its total funding to $39 million. Its contract values have been growing rapidly, and it has more than doubled its headcount to nearly 100 employees.
Threatcare - Data breaches never seem to end, and that's kind of good for business for cybersecurity startups. And Threatcare, which provides attack simulation software, is well-situated to help other companies avoid those headline-grabbing breaches. This year, its founder, Marcus Carey, and Jennifer Jin, its head of marketing, wrote a book drawing on knowledge from many unsung hackers called "Tribe of Hackers." Meanwhile, the company launched its incident response services for companies that have already had a data breach.
Factom - Perhaps better known for blockchain technology than cybersecurity, Factom is a power player in a variety of document and records technologies. It helps other companies integrate blockchain technologies, which can cut their costs while providing the inherent security of blockchain. It has raised about $15 million from firms including Draper Associates and Medici Ventures.
AthenaSecurity - In an age of mass shootings, quickly spotting a threat has become an important skill. Athena Security is using computer vision and AI to help spot threats the moment they emerge. It automatically sends an alert to authorities to expedite response. It also masks the people it captures on video to avoid profiling based on race and other factors before letting AI analyze the footage. Earlier this year, it landed a $5.5 million seed round led by Pathfinder, which is part of Founders Fund.
Design/Marketing
Handsome - From big clients (like Dell Technologies) to smaller ones (like Richard's Rainwater) Handsome has moved swiftly through the digital marketing ecosystem in a high tech way. Their work, including VR experiences with Dell and FedEx, brings together design, content, technology and more.
Ketner Group Communications - Ketner kept branching out throughout the year, opening an office in Nashville, adding to its Austin HQ and New York City office. It keeps a family vibe despite its national footprint.
Kickstand Communications - After being on last year's list, is was going to take a lot for Kickstand to come back. But with their expansion to Boston and continued growth (doubling headcount), they're back in this year's 50 on Fire.
Red Fan Communications - Its revenues are up, its client base is growing and it launched two new services. The women-led business also has some of the coolest offices among agencies in town; it has worked with a lot of great local startups; and its e-book on narrative lab and branding gives startups seeking spotlight something to chew on.
Scribe Media - It's amazing that books are still so powerful in the age of Twitter. But it's true, and Scribe Media is making publishing even more accessible while also creating an interesting work culture with powerful benefits.
EdTech
Acadeum - Formerly known as College Consortium, Acadeum is growing quickly and raising a Series A, which includes backing from Socratic Ventures, a new local firm focused on edtech. It helps schools share online courses and credits to provide more access to students and schools.
A Cloud Guru - This Austin transplant offers online cloud computing training and skill development courses to prepare for certification exams. The startup, founded by brothers Sam and Ryan Kroonenburg in 2015, is expanding its training offerings on the heels of raising $33 million in growth equity funding led by Summit Partners. The company, which is based in the U.K. and has its North American headquarters in Austin, had previously reported raising about $9 million from Boston’s Elephant Venture Capital.
UpSwing - Founded by Melvin Hines and Alex Pritchett, UpSwing moved to Austin in 2014, and it has added new colleges to its client list, raised a total of about $4.8 million and grown its team to about 30 people since. It most recently announced a partnership with Clafin University, which became the eleventh historically black college and university to team up with Upswing.
Trashbots - On the 50 on Fire list for the second year in a row, Trashbots has reached commercial volume shipments this year with the support of a Chinese manufacturing partner. They've won over backers on Indiegogo, and continue to prove that low-cost science and engineering kits have a role in education today.
SchooLinks - Growing quickly is tricky in edtech, but career and college readiness startup SchooLinks has recently added big districts, including Dallas ISD, to its list of partnerships.
Health Care/MedTech
Adrianna Cantu - Few startups have an end goal as admirable as Revealix. Its imaging tech aims to one day save people's limbs by providing early detection of conditions that could lead to problems in Diabetic patients. It was recently part of the TMCX Health Innovation program, one of the most prestigious in the nation.
KindHealth - Everyone knows the health care system is a mess. KindHealth is doing its best to help folks navigate and catch errors that could save them a lot of money. For example, they note a $4 box of tissues should not be billed and coded as a $274 nasal recovery system. With 300-500 percent growth on most metrics and about $7.4 million in funding, the company is taking on the individual health insurance market with a lot of momentum.
Medici - This company has won strong investments for bringing patients and doctors closer together on a HIPAA-compliant messaging app. It recent acquired Chiron Health following a $22 million Series A. It provides real-time translation of all chat-based consults in over 20 languages.
ClosedLoop - Using predictive AI, this startup is helping spot patients who may need extra care and even forecast chronic disease and dozens of other factors. It has raised about $3 million from investors including Meridian Street Capital, Central Texas Angel Network, Capital Factory, Greycroft and Joyance Partners.
Advanced Scanners - Using 3D optical scanners and machine vision, this startup helps brain surgeons avoid errors known as "brain-shift" that can complicate brain surgery and impact recovery. It has been part of MassChallenge Texas, Texash Health Catalyst and Capital Factory.
AR/VR
HookBang - They simply have some of the coolest AR products in town, but, we'll probably never see many of them because they work with some big clients who don't say a lot about their partnerships -- those include DARPA, Google and Intel. Meanwhile, the company, which recently moved into new offices downtown, also makes interactive business cards, consumer apps and games. The company was founded in 2012 by Frank Roan.
Interplay Learning - With a fresh $5.5 million Series A in its coffers, Interplay is bringing its digital training courses to all formats -- from VR to desktop. Its first market has been the HVAC industry, which uses it to train workers on a variety of skills in near real-world scenarios. Its SaaS clients grew 40 percent month-over-month in the past year, with growth on track to hit 400 percent this year, the ABJ reported.
Immersed - This Techstars startup helps people collaborate in VR workspaces. It launched virtual coworking earlier this year, and it has raised about $1 million, according to Crunchbase.
SuperWorld - A digital layer surrounds us, and that means there's a lot of real estate for messages private and commercial. It's a competitive world, of course, and SuperWorld, led by co-founder Hrish Lotlikar, has been raising a seed round and making key hires in hopes that SuperWorld's timing can match the almost inevitable market AR-based real estate.
Subvrsive - Whether you want an AR overlay to help envision a store layout or design -- or want to incorporate AR technology into other apps, this Austin startup has a wide range of experience in VR, AR and 360 video. It has raised about $4 million.
Inno Picks
Flo Recruit - Recruiting event software may not sound hot. But imagine how much value there is in capturing real insights and real talent from the often costly and laborious process of recruiting new clients. Flo Recruit's backend software integrates into other companies' systems and helps track candidates, allowing them to pre-register via mobile phone and get feedback and other insights. It was part of the summer Y Combinator program and landed $150,000 from the prestigious accelerator. That came in addition to a prior $240,000 in pre-seed money.
ScaleFactor - An undeniable powerhouse, accounting software startup ScaleFactor raised $100 million or so in less than 12 months. It has doubled its staff. It has new offices. It pretty much defines being "on fire" as we define it in this list of awesome Austin startups.
Osano - Every day we get another reminder that our data is being collected and shared for all kinds of purposes. Osano is helping consumers understand the data practices and policies of the websites they visit with a browser plugin, and it's business line gives companies insights into how to better protect their users. When we wrote about them in May, Osano has raised about $3 million in venture capital, in a round with LiveOak Venture Partners, Next Coast Ventures, Capital Factory, Social Starts and a variety of angel investors — many of them locals in Austin.
Apptronik - If you dig robots, like we do, you gotta love Apptronic, which develops robots that can work alongside humans anywhere from the factory to on a spaceship. It has raised a small pre-seed round at the beginning of this year and it currently has robots competing in the latest DARPA challenge. It was born out of UT-Austin’s Human Centered Robotics Lab.
Eterneva - Death is the hardest business, but Eterneva is hoping to bring a soft touch by creating diamonds made from cremated ashes to reflect the person or pet behind it with personalized notes and other content. It was founded by Adelle Archer and and Garrett Ozar. It recently raised $1.2 million, including support from Eric Korman, Brett Hurt, Dan Graham, Brant Barton, David Rubin, Brian Cruver, Manish Patel and John Banczak.
Lifestyle
Backtracks - Podcasts are the new radio, in essence. And Backtracks is helping monetize the new landscape for podcasters. Its platform tracks behavioral and performance metrics to help podcast creators and the advertisers who may want to partner with them find new ways to target listeners with relevant information and generate revenue. Earlier this year, it landed a $2.1 million seed round led by Moonshots Capital, and it also has backing from Capital Factory, Sputnik ATX, Next Coast Ventures and Bull Creek Capital — as well as Montreal-based BNSG Capital.
Home Run Dugout - You might think of it as Topgolf for baseball, but in any case, it's the newest iteration of America's favorite game, and the startup has the backing of Nolan Ryan's Ryan-Sanders Baseball and an initial location at Dell Diamond, with more planned in coming months. It has raised $2 million so far, and its team includes uShip alumni.
Fluence by OSRAM - Photosynthesis is part of the growing process, and Fluence is fueling it with LED lighting for the cannabis industry. It has grown revenue 100 percent year over year and is headed to an even faster pace. Yes, it was acquired by OSRAM, but it maintains its Austin location and is expanding while helping Canadian cannabis grow.
Hitch - Uber can't win the entire market. Hitch, founded by two University of Texas students, has teamed up with uShip talent and raised some early venture backing to help folks make those city-to-city trips in a cost-effective and cozy way.
Patchr - Circuit boards are just for super geeks and developers anymore. And Patchr, founded by inventor Eric Schneider, has landed some initial funding and scored early customer wins to help bring printed circuit board design and delivery to a whole new market of consumers and makers.
Social Impact
data.world - This B Corp has been expanding through big, impactful partnerships that help provide better access and insight into nonprofit financial information, energy use and more. It also helped the local startup community, in a sense, when it acquired Capsenta, which spun out of the University of Texas. It's also working with The Linux Foundation's DataPractices.org project.
Icon - Housing is one of the world's most pressing needs, and Austin-based Icon has developed perhaps the fastest scalable way to build houses using an industrial scale 3D printer. It has raised $9 million-plus.
Diligent Robotics - One of Austin Inno's 2019 Makers to Watch, Diligent Robotics is combining AI and robotics in an assistant named Moxi that assists health care organizations with tasks in hospitals. That can be replacing dirty sheets on a bed, bringing water to patients and night time errand runner. Its CEO and co-founder, Andrea Thomaz, was named one of Texas Monthly's most influential Texans. Co-founder and CTO Vivian Chu meanwhile is a Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholar and has worked in labs at IBM, Google X and Honda Research Institute.
Aunt Bertha - This startup, which closed a $16 million Series C in June, is helping connect people with social services. It plans to double headcount from 75 to 150.
EQO -- Invasive species mess up our ecosystem, and EQO is heling stop that with ealry detection of aquatic investive species to help protect our lakes and rivers. Its revenues keep climbing, and it has landed investment from Central Texas Angel Network and joined MassChallenge Texas as an alumni in residence.
Supporters
Amos Schwartzfarb - A familiar face across the local tech startup ecosystem, Schwartzfarb is having a big year, not only in his role leading the local Techstars program but out talking about his recently published book "Sell More Faster: The Ultimate Sales Playbook for Startups."
Austin Technology Council - With its new CEO, Amber Gunst, ATC is taking on the huge task of scaling to the next level of revenue generation wth new sessions teaching MBA-level skills to helps startups get to those big $10 million and $100 million milestones -- as well as other skills sessions, women's roundtable discussions and industry-specific meetups.
Austin Mosaic Awards - A majority of tech organizations seem to be talking about diversity and inclusion in their hiring practices and company policies. The Mosaic Awards set out to identify the best practices among Austin companies and celebrate them. The awards not only help promote local startups but also generate conversations about how to make our workplaces reflect our broader communities across race, gender and other distinctions. It was created by Janice Omadeke, founder and CEO of The Mentor Method; Rubén Cantú, founder of SocialGood.us and a professor at the University of Texas; and Naji H. Kelley, founder and CEO of BLNDED Media.
Gordon Daugherty - Daugherty has helped dozens, probably hundreds, of Austin startups through his work and mentorship with Capital Factory. But he's not slowing down. His latest effort is a book to guide you to your next round, called "Startup Success."
The Center for Social Innovation - Social impact is what this coworking and real estate organization is all about, and it has brought together some of Austin's most creative and innovative organizations in one place in East Austin.