9Mile Labs

Hopthru, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company that specializes in mobile ticketing solutions for public transit agencies. Founded in 2016, Hopthru offers a mobile app that allows riders to purchase transit passes using credit cards, debit cards, or commuter benefits cards, which can be stored for later use. In addition to its ticketing platform, Hopthru provides comprehensive ridership analytics, helping transit agencies make data-driven decisions to enhance service quality. By integrating and analyzing existing performance data, the company delivers insights through a user-friendly dashboard, enabling transit agencies to optimize routes and improve overall ridership experiences.

More than 30% of all SaaS tech is selected, implemented and integrated by business users - with out support from engineering. But every QA and Monitoring toolkit requires the ability to code - leading to quality and monitoring issues from broken integrations or misconfigurations. Automaton is the first quality platform developed for the business user. Beginning with the Marketing, Advertising, Privacy Compliance, Analytics and Sales, Automaton brings DevOps-style quality and monitoring to business users

Instant Teams, Inc. offers a remote workforce management platform that connects businesses with high-quality talent, primarily drawing from military spouses and underserved communities. The company's technology platform, Arti, assists hiring managers by defining talent needs and timelines, while matching them with pre-qualified, native English-speaking team members. In addition to recruitment, Instant Teams provides comprehensive management tools for payroll, compliance, time tracking, and reporting, supporting the entire employee lifecycle. Founded in 2016 and based in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Instant Teams aims to address the challenges of talent acquisition and retention in customer support and operational roles. Its client roster includes notable companies such as Walmart, Amazon, and CrowdStrike, demonstrating the effectiveness of its plug-and-play solution for scaling support operations.

Revi specializes in developing self-service kiosks and software solutions designed to enhance customer engagement for local businesses. The company offers an application that enables users to order, customize their selections, make payments, and collect rewards. Additionally, Revi provides the ZYRL Kiosk, an intelligent self-service solution that streamlines the ordering process and improves overall customer experience. The company also creates an AI-powered chatbot that facilitates intelligent marketing for small businesses, allowing them to set objectives and create tailored campaigns. Established in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Revi aims to foster vibrant local ecosystems where customers can safely connect with and support the businesses they cherish.

Strix Leviathan, LLC is a Seattle-based company specializing in the development of an enterprise-grade cryptocurrency investment management platform. Founded in 2018, it caters to large entities such as hedge funds, banks, and traditional enterprises that require a robust trading infrastructure without the need to build one from scratch. The platform features a data ingestion and transformation engine, proprietary trading algorithms, and a trade execution engine. This enables institutional investors to automate their trading processes, implement programmable automated trading strategies, and optimize their trading strategies to mitigate risks in volatile cryptocurrency markets. The team comprises technologists and data scientists with extensive experience in computing, cloud infrastructure, and entrepreneurship.

VIAR is an innovative startup focused on providing accessible virtual and augmented reality solutions that enable individuals and businesses to explore new experiences. The company offers a cloud-based content management system that simplifies the creation of interactive virtual reality experiences from photographs and videos. This system features a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, allowing non-technical users to develop VR content that incorporates interactive elements. VIAR's mission is to empower businesses worldwide by reducing the complexity and knowledge required to leverage virtual reality as a practical tool. With a team of experienced professionals who have previously contributed to major companies like Disney and Microsoft, VIAR is positioned to revolutionize how organizations utilize immersive technology for storytelling and engagement. Their products, Viar360 and REWO, cater to diverse creative needs, enabling effective distribution across various digital platforms.

SaaS platform to plan sales strategy and manage large B2B enterprise sales teams. Transparency and prediction for "Lead-to-Close-to-Renewal" workflow. Friction-less deployment. Out-of-the-box widgets to expose historical sales trends, future forecasts and coaching tools for VP / Head of Sales, Sales Operations and Sales Management. - Sales Pipeline Management - Account Based Sales - Deal Prediction - Sales Productivity and Sales Coaching

Seamless.AI is a provider of sales automation software designed to streamline the process of contact organization and accessibility. The platform utilizes artificial intelligence to efficiently gather accurate email addresses, phone numbers, and professional insights, allowing users to automate essential tasks such as list building, contact research, and data entry. By leveraging real-time people search engines and customizable filters based on various criteria like industry and company size, Seamless.AI enables its clients to build targeted pipelines, reduce sales cycles, and enhance deal closure rates. This innovative approach to sales automation supports businesses in creating valuable relationships and seizing new opportunities.

StormX Inc is a Seattle-based company that specializes in blockchain advertising technology and gamification platforms. Founded in 2015, it has developed the Storm Play application, which allows users to earn cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, by engaging in games. Additionally, StormX offers the Storm Makers application, which helps businesses generate campaign awareness, collect machine learning data, and gain business insights. The company also features the Storm Token application, designed to facilitate transactions within a secure and gamified marketplace. With a strong focus on providing crypto cashback, StormX has achieved over 32 million downloads of its app across iOS and Android, distributing more than $2.8 million in rewards to users globally.

TALK Accounting codes and verifies your transactions to automate bookkeeping via voice-to-data system.

Adszio is a provider of an advertising automation platform to generate properly formatted audio directly from a video ad. The company runs ad campaigns for the ad market segments with moderate turnover and relatively high prices. It also offers adaptive re-budgeting of in-stream digital advertising and multi-trigger campaign launch based on social media activity and business logic. The company was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Articentral is a cloud-based platform designed to assist sellers of handmade items in managing their multi-channel eCommerce businesses. The platform offers tools for syncing inventory and automating order fulfillment through Fulfillment by Amazon. In addition to these core functionalities, Articentral provides features such as data-driven marketing, administrative support, forecasting, inventory management, decision support, and data visualization tools. This comprehensive suite of services aims to streamline operations and enhance the efficiency of handmade eCommerce businesses.

StormSensor, Inc. is a company based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in stormwater management solutions aimed at tracking and preventing flooding, sewage overflows, and other stormwater issues. Founded in 2015, it develops Scute sensors that provide real-time monitoring of stormwater systems. Additionally, StormSensor offers Terrapin, a cloud-based software platform that allows users to visualize data on maps and time-series, correlate it with real-time weather information, and receive alerts for significant flow events. This system automates workflow for inspections, data monitoring, and regulatory reporting, thereby helping clients streamline compliance processes in a complex regulatory environment. By providing critical insights into urban flooding, illicit discharges, and the impacts of climate change, StormSensor enables its clients to respond effectively to climate-driven risks and make informed decisions regarding infrastructure maintenance and improvements.

Talentful.io is HR Technology focused Start-Up company based in Vancouver, Canada. We are focused on delivering the best candidate sourcing experience for Recruiters and Hiring Managers. Our team possess deep experience in technology, management and recruitment. Here in Canada, competition has become increasingly more difficult for hiring managers as companies are all recruiting for the same skill sets. This makes finding individuals with the required skill set increasingly difficult. Moreover, sometimes approaching these candidates can be even more difficult because the recruiter does not know their interests and what they’re currently working on. At Talentful.io, we take a snapshot of the industry and link potential technical candidates through their social profiles and networks to create a visualization of their work history and interests. By measuring things such as the type of code they input on platforms like Github, we can see how well they work on collaborate projects with others. Through social media and Meetup, we can see what type of things they’re interested. Through these findings, our proprietary analytics allows us to rank them based on their skill and social influence. Our vision is to deliver exceptional value to employers, recruitment agencies and executive search firms by providing a high level of confidence in their candidate search process. We provide an added level of comprehension and insight on candidate profiles that was not readily available in-house, and save the recruiter time, effort and money.

Exit 7C Inc. is a digital retailer specializing in fuel and gas delivery services, established in 2016 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company operates a mobile application and website that allows users to sign up for convenient gas delivery. In addition to delivery services, Exit 7C sells gas at branded pumps co-located at traditional gas stations across several cities, including Milwaukee, St. Louis, Fort Wayne, Columbus, Houston, Durham, and San Diego. The company also focuses on mobile payment solutions, utilizing a digital fuel card system that enables real-time, secure payments for gasoline through a centralized dashboard featuring fuel type selection and gas station locations. Exit 7C aims to enhance the efficiency of fuel management and related services for transportation fleets.

VR Motion specializes in developing virtual reality products aimed at enhancing experiences in the transportation sector. The company creates advanced software and hardware solutions specifically designed to improve driver training. Its platform offers ultra-realistic virtual reality training systems that cater to a variety of clients in the public, commercial, and private sectors. By focusing on logistics and distribution, VR Motion helps transportation industry clients minimize hiring and retention costs while reducing associated risks.

CakeCodes offers BitMaker, an application that enables its users to earn bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies by engaging in advertisements, applications, games, and more. CakeCodes enables businesses to advertise their products and services through their application. CakeCodes was founded by Calvin Hsieh in 2014. It is based in Seattle, Washington.

CharityCheckin is a SOCIAL MARKETING PLATFORM that delivers a higher ROI for marketing investments by allowing brands to be positioned in consumers’ Facebook news feeds as an active player for positive social change. By being placed in valuable organic user generated content on Facebook, brands can raise visibility, reach and engagement. By checking-in to physical locations using the CharityCheckin mobile application, consumers will have a mico-donation made to a social cause of their choice. In exchange for providing the donation, brands are recognized in the user’s Facebook feed along with the preferred cause. CharityCheckin builds a bridge between corporate social responsibility and brand messaging by appealing directly to consumers who are motivated by social consumerism. CharityCheckin is a: - 9Mile Labs Cohort VI B2B Startup Accelerator alumni - Ignite Northwest Startup Accelerator Spring 2016 alumni - Runner-up at the 2015 SXSW Eco Startup Showcase in the Social Impact category - Finalist for 2016 RaizLabs XLR8 startup accelerator - Facebook FbStart incubator member - Microsoft BizSpark Premier incubator member CharityCheckin aims to become the largest charitable giving engine in the world!

Trenzi, Inc. is an online marketplace based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in connecting social media influencers with businesses seeking promotional assistance for their products and services. The company offers a social commerce platform that evaluates the value of social media posts based on the influencer, their audience, and the economics of the product. Trenzi facilitates transactions between brands and influencers, enabling influencers to receive compensation, product discounts, or other benefits for endorsing various products. The platform also tracks performance and adjusts strategies in real-time, allowing for effective marketing collaborations.

Muze is a provider of a cloud-based DJ simulator platform for bars, lounges, and small business owners that allow them to automate the DJ atmosphere for their customers.

Jodone Inc. specializes in developing gaming software for robots, aiming to address automation challenges across various industries. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the company offers a range of products, including Trash Mining, which assists robots in collecting waste, and Pick & Box, which allows robots to sort and package items efficiently. Additionally, Jodone provides Job'sDone, a comprehensive software system designed for controlling robots in intricate work environments, such as mining operations, close-quarters combat, and tunnel construction. Through its innovative platform, Jodone combines human intelligence with robotic precision to facilitate complex, valuable, and repeatable automation tasks, ultimately enhancing productivity for its users.

IoTfy, Inc. is a company that specializes in providing a comprehensive Internet of Things (IoT) suite aimed at enabling hardware organizations to integrate IoT capabilities into their products. Founded in 2014 and based in Seattle, Washington, IoTfy offers a cloud-based platform that includes device onboarding tools such as open SDKs, libraries, messaging channels, and APIs for data access. Their services encompass Platform as a Service for IoT and machine-to-machine hardware devices, along with mobile applications compatible with Android and iOS for end consumers. The platform is designed to assist enterprises and developers in efficiently managing and monitoring connected devices, thereby facilitating the development of IoT solutions across various industries.

Pingle Inc. is a Seattle-based company that provides a software as a service (SaaS) platform designed for verified credential management, particularly in the maritime industry. Founded in 2014, the platform enables professionals to efficiently manage, store, and share their credentials while also offering features such as renewal reminders and access to relevant classes. Additionally, certification schools can use the platform to enroll students, list classes, and facilitate online registration. For businesses, Pingle helps maintain compliance by enabling the recruitment of professionals with verified skills and offering tools to monitor employee compliance through a dedicated dashboard.

Prolaera's ethos revolves around making Continuing Professional Education (CPE) more convenient, more flexible, and more valuable. We aim to do this by providing: An easy way for any professional to teach CPE, earn money, & demonstrate their expertise. High-quality, diverse, & valuable courses that facilitates practical growth. Mobile-friendly technology and a great learning experience. Time savings with short course modules and automated license tracking. Multiple learning formats to best suit individual learning styles. Learn more, in less time, easier than ever.

Variat is software-as-a-service that provides manufacturers a simple way to collect inspection data on the shop floor, use that data to improve quality through real-time statistical process control and shop floor collaboration tools, and share that data with their customers anywhere in the world.

Kodu Care is a collaborative care platform focused on mental health, designed to facilitate patient success management. The platform connects patients with healthcare providers, including physicians and mental health professionals, enabling users to receive care at home without the need to travel to clinics. By providing an accessible and scalable solution for in-home care, Kodu aims to improve the overall patient experience and health outcomes in the mental health sector.

Camp Native, Inc. is an online marketplace based in Burien, Washington, that facilitates the listing, discovery, and reservation of campsites for outdoor enthusiasts. Founded in 2015, the platform connects campers with a variety of camping experiences, ranging from backyard sites to more remote locations. It allows users to easily find and book their preferred campsites, while also providing tools for planning trips, tracking reservations, and sharing reviews. By streamlining the camping experience, Camp Native aims to enhance outdoor adventures for individuals and groups alike.

Unoceros Corporation, founded in 2012 and based in Kirkland, Washington, develops a distributed computing network that leverages the processing power of idle mobile devices worldwide. By utilizing an app, Unoceros allows cellphone users to transform their devices into a computing network, providing access to users’ CPU cycles when the devices are not in active use. This innovative approach offers a cost-effective and scalable alternative to traditional high-performance computing solutions, catering to the needs of scientists and researchers engaged in compute-intensive tasks such as optimization, simulation, machine learning, and bioinformatics. Unoceros aims to optimize existing technology for societal benefit by facilitating advanced research through its unique computing platform.

Buildpulse Inc. is a building analytics service based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in providing actionable insights for building owners and operators. Following its acquisition by CopperTree Analytics in November 2018, Buildpulse has focused on delivering a cloud-based platform that integrates with both legacy and modern building automation systems. The platform enables users to audit and manage commercial buildings by identifying issues and faults efficiently, thus prioritizing workflows for resolution. Buildpulse primarily serves universities and school districts across the United States, offering detailed reports that allow users to analyze problems at various levels, from individual buildings to specific systems. This approach helps clients unlock valuable data and enhance the performance of their HVAC and lighting systems.

FastBar Technologies, Inc. is a company that specializes in a cashless payment solution designed for events and parties, enhancing attendee satisfaction while boosting bar revenue. Founded in 2014 and based in Kirkland, Washington, FastBar provides users with a wristband linked to their credit cards, enabling seamless transactions for drinks, food, and merchandise by simply tapping the wristband on a point-of-sale reader. This efficient payment system not only streamlines the purchasing process but also eliminates long queues at bars. At the conclusion of each event, FastBar automatically processes payments and sends users an email receipt, ensuring a convenient and user-friendly experience.

Jydo, Inc. is a technology company based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in developing a platform for managing hardware in meeting rooms. Founded in 2014, Jydo's platform integrates various devices such as displays, conferencing hardware, and lighting, allowing them to function cohesively through a single interface. This solution simplifies the setup and operation of meeting spaces, reducing user frustration. Jydo also tracks device usage, providing valuable analytics and notifications to facilities and IT support. By leveraging usage data, the platform can automate pre-meeting preparations, enhancing efficiency without user input. Additionally, Jydo is designed to be flexible and developer-friendly, enabling custom integrations and modifications, thus offering organizations an adaptable alternative to traditional, complex hardware systems.

MyaNUMBER provides a helpful dedicated phone number for families that rings multiple phones until answered. MyaNUMBER is a local phone number that rings up to five people in a family’s network of caregivers. The phones ring consecutively in a predefined order and continue ringing until answered. A single number to help ensure children are always able to reach a trusted adult. It was founded in 2012 and headquartered in Tacoma, Washington.

KustomNote make it possible for users to capture, structure and organize information. In contrary to note taking apps and to databases, KustomNote makes it transparent and convenient for professionals and businesses to build structured storage as powerful as DBs and as simple as note taking.

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, GiftStarter is an online platform that enables users to divide their ideal gifts into virtual ‘tiles’, thereby allowing their friends and family to contribute towards its purchase by buying as much or as little tiles as they want. Users have to go on the GiftStarter catalog to select what they want, start a campaign with a story, and share this on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Once the item is fully funded, the company sends it to the user along with a handmade card featuring a message from each gifter. GiftStarter was launched in 2014.

MetaCraft Inc., founded in 2014 by Gabe Ingram, Dave Switzer, and Danny Wasserman, is based in Seattle, Washington. The company specializes in designing and developing inventory and waste management software tailored for bars and restaurants that serve draft beer. Its technology platform provides real-time stock and cost management services, allowing establishments to effectively control and maintain their inventory. By addressing the unique challenges of the beer ecosystem, MetaCraft aims to enhance operational efficiency and reduce waste for its clients in the hospitality industry.

Mowdo matches local mowers and lawn care professionals with neighbors who request lawn care through our app or website. 1/3 homeowners uses a contractor to mow their lawn, nearly $74B was spent on lawn care last year in the US alone.

Ghostruck is a mobile application designed to connect users with professional movers for itemized moving services. Founded in 2013 by Matt Hocking and Nathanael Nienaber and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the platform allows consumers to share images of items they need to transport, facilitating a match with movers who have available space or downtime. By providing a user-friendly interface, Ghostruck simplifies the process of moving bulky items, enabling efficient and convenient relocation solutions.

Pawzii is an animal shelter's best friend and the easiest way to manage pet licensing programs online. We believe software applications for shelters should help them earn more money, not cost them existing capital. Pawzii empowers animal shelters, humane societies, and government animal control groups to generate new revenue through our innovative software platform. With an intense focus on customer needs, stellar user experience, and 24/7/365 connectivity, Pawzii is currently helping shelters self-fund their life-saving operations. Current partners and/or service areas: Kitsap Humane Society, Seattle Animal Shelter, Regional Animal Services of King County

Resale Therapy (formerly Connect Consignment, Inc.) believes that consumers value local, personalized, and expert in store service. Consumers also value the convenience, product range, and pricing available online. The company provides an cloud based marketplace through which shoppers can see products and matches their preference settings before they purchase the good

Angles Media is an early-stage startup that makes it easy for people to find relevant news impacting their communities while connecting them with businesses and merchants. They are backed by 9MileLabs, The Pacific Northwest premier B2B startup accelerator. Their mission is to empower B2B technology marketers to more efficiently using digital content in their lead generation, sales closing, and customer loyalty-building efforts. At the center of all they do is their belief in the power and value of meaningful analytics, simplicity, and uncompromising customer service. It was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Theme Dragon believes in making business videos as impactful as possible. We help marketing directors plan videos, produce them, and then measure success. Our customers have access to best practices, case studies and actionable recommendations based on intelligent strategy.

TouchMail is a beautifully designed mobile solution to email overload that uses touch and visual signals instead of just lists. With TouchMail we have made email visual. People spend four hours a day managing their email at work and on the go. TouchMail’s approach is "mobile first" with an experience designed specifically for mobile devices. Using TouchMail feels natural because of the intuitive touch interface which allows you to scan many emails at a glance putting finding, filtering and organizing at your fingertips. Our brains process visual signals much faster and intuitively than text so with features like one-touch delete, color-coded messages, and profile pictures in your mail, managing your inbox is faster and more efficient. Whether it’s your personal or business messaging accounts, TouchMail is an an elegant solution to the problem of email overload.

Airometric Wireless specializes in wireless analytics tailored for wireless products, networks, and systems. The company offers innovative tools and systems that leverage advanced technology and internet techniques to enhance wireless performance and customer experience. By capturing and analyzing customer interactions, Airometric Wireless provides actionable insights that allow businesses to optimize their networks and products. Their solutions support various testing needs, including field testing, device testing, and customer issue resolution, ultimately aiming to improve customer satisfaction with wireless technology. Additionally, the company has developed a cloud-based platform that enables developers to test mobile applications across different devices and networks, helping to enhance overall application performance.

Prizmiq is a Seattle-based company that specializes in developing three-dimensional image scanning software for browsers and mobile devices. Founded in 2013, Prizmiq focuses on creating interactive and photo-realistic 3D shopping experiences for brands and retailers. Its platform captures and copyrights 3D product images while providing behavior analytics to track consumer interactions. This technology allows consumers to closely examine products online, enhancing e-commerce engagement without the need to visit physical retail locations.

Cloudadmin, Inc. is a Mexico-based company that specializes in developing cloud computing solutions focused on inventory management for small to medium-sized businesses. The company addresses common challenges in inventory control by offering a user-friendly service that simplifies the sales process, enabling better oversight of inventory. With an emphasis on accessibility, Cloudadmin aims to create a platform that is easy to use, even for individuals with limited technical expertise. The company's mission is to empower business owners by providing effective tools that enhance their inventory management capabilities.

GIVINGTRAX is a cloud-hosted marketplace that assists local businesses in managing their philanthropy and cause marketing initiatives while fostering engagement among employees and customers through social media. Founded in 2010 and based in Seattle, Washington, GIVINGTRAX streamlines the cumbersome process of managing donations by providing web-based and mobile tools for corporate giving, volunteerism, and fundraising. The platform allows businesses to effectively track and share their community contributions, enhancing awareness of their philanthropic activities and demonstrating the impact of their efforts. GIVINGTRAX is free for nonprofits and individuals, while offering subscription plans for businesses, thus catering to a diverse clientele that includes businesses, nonprofits, and individuals.

Ombitron is a developer of cloud-based software solutions to configure and maintain an end-to-end wireless transport system. It creates hardware and software solutions specifically for the Internet of Things (also called Machine to Machine (M2M)) market. The company specializes in cellular gateways combined with cloud-based software to provide a fully managed, easy to configure and maintain end-to-end wireless transport system. Ombitron was established in 2013 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Comr.se Corp. is an e-commerce software service company based in Seattle, Washington, founded in 2012. It specializes in providing commerce APIs that facilitate interactions with e-commerce and payment processing systems, enhancing omni-channel shopping experiences for developers, merchants, publishers, and marketplaces. Key offerings include the Sync API, which provides real-time product data and synchronizes payment, shipping, and tax information; the Product API, which delivers up-to-date product data such as pricing and stock levels; the People API, designed to identify target audiences for products; and the Cart API, which ensures accurate and instant processing of orders. By empowering marketers with tools to connect brands with interested consumers, Comr.se enhances revenue opportunities through its innovative platform.

Appuri helps online and mobile businesses keep their users longer. Appuri Backstop uses machine learning to predict which users are likely to leave and the reasons why -- so product and marketing teams can take action to stop churn before it starts. Appuri provides a full Data Platform as a Service that delivers data ingest, processing and output integrated into their existing business processes. We also deliver all data into a petabyte-scale data warehouse giving them secure, direct SQL access to their user segmentation data. Our main competitor is companies expending internal resources to build an ad-hoc solution themselves.

CadenceMD is a healthcare technology company that focuses on enhancing operational efficiency and patient experience for physician organizations. The company offers a suite of business intelligence tools, analytics, and improvement insights designed to help healthcare providers optimize their scheduling processes and improve overall clinic performance. By utilizing these innovative solutions, CadenceMD aims to increase both patient and provider satisfaction while positively impacting the financial health of medical practices.

AMP is a developer of sales presentation software for suppliers and manufacturers. It creates apps and websites that connect all of the people and organizations in the supply chain from the commodity to the consumer. It reduces time, money, and redundancies so users can increase sales and back-office efficiencies. Because of its focus, the company's products, tools, and features are ready off the shelf with easy set-up. It was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

MeritShare is an employee recognition software company that specializes in creating a social recognition platform designed for organizations and individuals. The platform enables users to publish and distribute awards online and through mobile devices, promoting a culture of recognition within the workplace. With nearly a century of experience through its parent company, Terryberry, MeritShare aims to help organizations acknowledge and reward their employees, fostering motivation and engagement. Through its innovative approach, MeritShare provides tools that inspire individuals to reach their full potential by facilitating meaningful recognition among peers.