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Just like that, 2018 is almost over. As everyone takes a moment to look back at what’s happened in the past 12 months, we’re busy looking ahead.
We cover the Richmond area's startup scene every day, which you can read about on our site or in our twice-weekly newsletter, The Beat. If you read that, you probably already know who made big moves in 2018. But which startups are poised for huge things in 2019?
We’ve been exploring that question by reaching out the venture capitalists, founders, accelerator leaders and checking our own notebooks and past stories to pull out the 19 Richmond Startups to Watch in 2019.
A few of the names on this list are already pretty well-known — so well-known they’ve won national pitch competitions and completed top-class accelerator programs. Others have some of the top investors and rising Richmond tech stars behind their name, but they’ve spent the better part of the past year heads down. What they all have in common is the opportunity to blow up this year, whether through a big Series B round, all-star client addition or national expansion.
Without further ado, here’s our list of 19 startups to watch in 2019.
AnswersNow
This summer, Richmond-born platform AnswersNow was one of 10 companies nationwide participating in the inaugural round of the MetLife Digital Accelerator. The tech startup aims to give parents of children with autism support and resources daily by pairing them with a clinician and offering a communication channel. Its first pilot was launched in summer 2017, when it went through the Lighthouse Labs accelerator, and so far has raised about $300,000 from 12 angel investors and an additional $100,000 from Techstars.
ARTGlass
Richmond-based augmented reality startup ARTGlass closed on a $1.3 million angel round in November as it launches in more Mid-Atlantic museums. The company makes smart glasses that museum visitors can wear to superimpose information on artifacts during a tour. Most of the funds came from nearby Virginia investors, including Trolley Ventures, Cavalier Angels, Central Virginia Angels, Charlottesville Angel Network and the Center for Innovative Technology.
Brandefy
Brandefy, an app that gives grocery shoppers quick and accurate quality and ingredient comparisons between name-brand and generic products, closed an angel funding round in June and won first place in the Lighthouse Labs pitch competition in October. It launched this summer and has about 1,200 product comparisons along with 2,000 users. Brandefy plans to expand the number of stores where it does product comparisons to either Target or Costco soon.
Buddy
Buddy has built an online platform offering supplemental accident insurance for outdoor recreation. About 140 million Americans participate in outdoor activities every year and founder Charles Merritt said the startup is looking at a $6 billion market. It went live and sold its first policy in Arizona in late October, and plans to go national in a hurry. Also this fall, Buddy was one of 10 startups selected for the inaugural class of the MetLife Digital Accelerator.
CrowdLobby
After a successful $35,000 Kickstarter campaign this summer, Richmond-based startup CrowdLobby launched its online platform where users can crowdfund money to hire lobbyists to work on specific legislative issues. The site launched in September with nine active fundraising campaigns, five of which are legislative issues specific to Virginia. It’s now developing a mobile app that should go live in 2019.
Digital ReLab
Digital ReLab grew out of work in 2012 for Bob Dylan Music Co. to digitize and manage the musician’s vast archive of tapes, photographs and other media. Since then, it has signed on a lengthy client list including the New York Philharmonic, Billy Joel and Universal Media Inc. It recently closed a seed-stage investment round and has plans to significantly grow its customer base over the next 18 months.
Dippy
Two years after its founding, Richmond startup Dippy is on the verge of some significant expansion. The platform is used by local restaurants to create exclusive deals that are sent to users’ phones as they walk in. It has built a local client base of dozens of businesses and plans to expand into nine new markets including Virginia Beach, Philadelphia and Austin. Dippy was one of five companies selected for the 757 Accelerate program this fall, where it received $20,000 among other benefits.
EdConnective
Founded in 2013, EdConnective offers school districts an online platform for new teachers to receive 1-on-1 feedback and mentoring from experienced educators. Its coaching sessions last between one and six weeks and cost between $835 to $1,500. And the price point has been well received so far: It’s signed partnerships with Norfolk Public Schools, the Philadelphia School District and Henrico County Public Schools, among others.
Grenova
Chesterfield-based health tech startup Grenova in September raised at least $550,000 in a funding round of up to $1 million, its first foray into outside funding since launching with seed money from now-defunct HDL. The company, founded in 2014, makes devices that reduce waste in medical labs with a focus on sustainability. With the new cash, Grenova expects to expand its manufacturing space and dive into international markets in the new year.
Health Warrior
PepsiCo swooped into the River City in October to acquire local startup Health Warrior, which makes Chia Bars and other plant-based “superfood” products. The company, founded in 2011, will stay headquartered in Richmond but have the financial and scientific backing of one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. Important to note is that Health Warrior was PepsiCo’s first investment under its new emerging-trends division, “The Hive.”
Legacy Navigator
Two-year-old Henrico startup Legacy Navigator expanded its footprint north in August with the acquisition of Pennsylvania-based Moving Solutions. The company helps seniors and their families handle estate disposition, and co-founder Matt Paxton said the move is expanding its services throughout the East Coast, up to New York. Paxton plans to add 250 employees in coming years as it expands through acquisitions into more major metros, with the goal of having operations from Boston down to Miami in two years.
MajorClarity
Joe Belsterling has raised $500,000 in angel funding, opened an office in Shockoe Bottom and hired two full-time and 14 contracted employees for his edtech company, MajorClarity. The startup partners with school districts to create low-cost career exploration platforms for students. A pilot program in New York City led it to MajorClarity winning a big contract with the Virginia Beach school district, and since then has added 20 more districts. It has grown annual revenue by 600 percent since its founding in 2015 and now is operating in 10 states.
Naborforce
Recently launched startup Naborforce helps seniors with nonmedical daily tasks like making meals, household chores and transportation by connecting them with people in the community looking to provide help. It’s a member of Startup Virginia and has been bootstrapped so far. Since launching a Richmond pilot in August, about 200 people have expressed an interest in becoming Nabors and several dozen seniors have signed up. With 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day for the next 10 years, there’s bound to be a fast-growing market for in-home care, and Naborforce is poised to take advantage.
Outdoor Access
Richmond-based Outdoor Access is in the midst of a $1 million funding round as it heads into the new year. The 2-year-old company's online platform allows property owners to rent out land for hunting, fishing and hiking. It also raised $1 million in a June 2017 venture capital round. Its hundreds of listed properties are mostly concentrated in Virginia and North Carolina, but a handful stretch into Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York – a list that’s likely soon to expand.
RoundlyX.com (Coin Savage)
RoundlyX.com, formerly known as Coin Savage, is a financial services platform. It launched July 20 with the goal of being “the Airbnb of crypto advice.” The platform has a leaderboard of experts that users can turn to before investing, and experts can post content, track trading activity and interact with users, all of which moves them up or down in the rankings. The bootstrapped startup is still early in its development, but is tackling an industry ripe for disruption. Billions are spent each year on financial advice, and with cryptocurrency having a wild 2018, there’s bound to be demand for trustworthy advisers.
RoundTrip
RoundTrip, which has offices in Richmond and in Philadelphia, has developed a technology platform that lets healthcare providers book rides for patients from a network of about 200 medical transportation providers. Founded in 2016, the startup participated in the Lighthouse Labs accelerator last fall and currently is partnering with healthcare providers in 20 states, including Mount Sinai Health System in New York and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. In March, RoundTrip raised $1.9 million in seed funding from four institutional investors to fuel its expansion.
TemperPack
TemperPack, a Richmond-based manufacturer of sustainable packaging, expanded its local operations this year with plans to create 140 jobs at a new Henrico manufacturing facility. The company now has 55 full-time employees and about 300 hourly personnel. It’s been bolstering its West Coast presence since opening a second facility in Las Vegas, and recently signed a deal with Diplomat Pharmacy, one of the largest pharmacy service providers.
Trolley Ventures
Trolley Ventures, an investment fund created in 2017, has made its first three investments this year, keeping all of the money in Central Virginia. It participated in funding rounds for health tech startup Grenova, augmented reality company ARTGlass and digital media startup Digital ReLab. Trolley announced in June that it had completed an initial $4 million fundraising round from investors, and plans to close on a fund of up to $10 million by yearend.
Yay Lunch
Yay Lunch launched in Charlottesville 18 months ago and this spring expanded to Richmond. It offers parents a range of options for their children’s lunches that can be ordered ahead online and then delivered to school. The startup has signed partnerships with local vendors including Baker’s Crust, Zoe’s Kitchen, California Pizza Kitchen and B.Good, and this year began working with three area private schools. As the academic year began, it estimated delivering about 200 meals a day to Richmond students.
