Venture for America

Umami Meats develops cultured seafood based on a proprietary, low-cost, and sustainable formulation of growth factors.

Sendspark Inc. is an online platform founded in 2019 and based in San Antonio, Texas, that enables businesses to create and send personalized videos. The platform provides tools for users to record videos directly from their browser, customize landing pages, and share content via email or public URLs. Additionally, it offers analytics tracking, allowing businesses to monitor engagement and effectiveness. By facilitating personalized video outreach, Sendspark aims to strengthen customer relationships throughout various stages of the sales funnel.

Balto Software Inc. is a company that specializes in developing sales software utilizing artificial intelligence and real-time conversation analytics to enhance the performance of sales representatives during phone calls. Founded in 2017 and based in Saint Louis, Missouri, Balto's platform provides live guidance by listening to both sides of a conversation and offering prompts to agents, enabling them to address objections, recognize buyer signals, and maintain an effective dialogue. The software alerts representatives to errors in real-time, allowing for immediate self-correction and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Additionally, it automatically populates dashboards with detailed conversation data for managerial review, helping to identify areas for improvement. Balto's solutions cater to various sectors, including sales leadership, customer service, and compliance, ultimately aiming to improve conversion rates and enhance customer experiences.

PathSpot Technologies, Inc. is a New York City-based company that develops a system designed to protect food service establishments and their customers from food-borne illnesses. Founded in 2017, PathSpot's technology scans employees' hands to detect harmful pathogens in under two seconds, utilizing a unique algorithm that filters, processes, and analyzes fluorescent light. In addition to hand scanning, the device can also indicate the presence of harmful bacteria on work surfaces and cooking utensils, allowing clients to quickly identify and mitigate threats. By providing reliable and efficient pathogen detection, PathSpot aims to enhance food safety and safeguard both patrons and employees.

Healthy Roots is a toy company that utilizes a doll, book and app to teach natural hair care to young girls of color. Our dolls come in different skin tones, facial features and hair textures to represent the diversity of the african diaspora. Our dolls hair can be styled in a variety of ways with the guidance of the Big Book of Hair. The big Book of Hair is an illustrated manual to natural hair care. Our app allows users to track their hair health and get curated content for their specific hair needs based on data they input. All three products culminate to the perfect teaching tool for children in a language they understand.

TernPro, Inc. is a company based in Detroit, Michigan, that specializes in video production for organizations by utilizing the perspectives of their participants. The company assists clients in capturing video footage during various activities, events, or expeditions by providing camera equipment and facilitating participant engagement. TernPro not only captures this footage but also edits it into a cohesive video that can be shared widely. Additionally, TernPro offers a software solution called Slope, designed to streamline the planning, tracking, and collaboration of marketing and creative projects. As of January 2019, TernPro operates as a subsidiary of Smartsheet Inc.

They (Rickey and James) started Zest tea because they love quality tea, but they also love the energizing boost they get from a cup of joe. Yes, most teas have some caffeine, but sometimes some doesn't cut it. You know those mornings. They were sick of trading in their delicious, healthy, tea, for that sludge they call coffee at the office, so they set out to find quality energizing tea. Unfortunately, they didn't exist. Instead of whimpering and moving on (well maybe a little whimpering) they starting making their own blends of caffeine infused teas using their favorite high quality blends.