Techstars

PairAnything is an innovative company focused on enhancing the wine experience for consumers and wineries alike. By leveraging advanced mobile e-commerce and engagement solutions, it connects wineries with customers beyond traditional tasting rooms, promoting a customer-centric and data-driven approach to Direct-to-Consumer sales. The platform also features a food and beverage pairing tool that provides personalized pairing recommendations, catering to both restaurants and individual users. This capability allows restaurants to improve customer satisfaction and boost sales, while individuals can discover new culinary combinations to elevate their dining experiences. Through its proprietary technology, PairAnything is driving digital transformation within the wine industry, which is valued at $70 billion in the U.S.

Sweetkiwi is a food manufacturing company that specializes in producing frozen whipped Greek yogurt. The company focuses on creating delicious and nutritious desserts made from premium, natural ingredients. Sweetkiwi offers a variety of options that cater to different tastes and dietary needs, allowing customers to choose products that align with their preferences. With its commitment to quality and functionality, Sweetkiwi aims to provide a satisfying dessert experience while promoting healthier eating habits.

Software powering logistics for the global food & beverage sector.

BEERMKR is a business that manufactures and sells automated beer brewing machines designed for home use. Their product allows users to brew, ferment, carbonate, and serve beer conveniently, with over a gallon of craft beer possible in each batch. The company operates on a subscription-based model for consumables, targeting the estimated 97 million beer enthusiasts in the USA.

Bevz is a company focused on enhancing the snack and drink industry by serving convenience stores through its innovative SaaS platform. The platform enables these retailers to efficiently stock products that meet customer demand and facilitates sales both in-store and across various e-commerce channels. Bevz's technology automates and integrates inventory management, allowing convenience stores to streamline their ordering processes from snack and drink distributors. Additionally, it includes delivery app capabilities specifically designed for independent liquor stores, helping them manage stock levels effectively and avoid shortages. By providing small retailers with essential technology, data, and support, Bevz aims to empower them in a competitive market.

Chamba is a staffing platform focused on the food and beverage industry, specifically catering to back-of-house (BOH) and front-of-house (FOH) positions. The company facilitates connections between employers and a large pool of job seekers, enabling restaurants and hospitality businesses to find qualified candidates efficiently. Through its application, Chamba allows employers to view candidate profiles and send direct messages to interested applicants, streamlining the hiring process. Additionally, Chamba provides job seekers with valuable information regarding opportunities, further supporting their search for employment in the sector.

Tastebase is a food and beverages discovery platform designed for modern food enthusiasts. Founded by a team of passionate food lovers, the company aims to transform the outdated culture of the consumer packaged goods industry by providing innovative products, engaging content, and enhanced shopping experiences. Tastebase connects customers with new tastes from emerging brands through a unique platform that features a taste quiz and consumer taste profiles. These tools help users explore and discover products tailored to their preferences, curated by fellow food enthusiasts. By leveraging consumer insights and product tags, Tastebase fosters connections between customers and growing brands, creating a vibrant marketplace for diverse culinary experiences.

MilkRun, Inc. is an online platform that facilitates direct grocery purchases from farmers and producers, allowing consumers to buy a variety of products including bakery items, meat, seafood, and beverages. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Canby, Oregon, the company serves as a retail channel for small and mid-sized producers, enabling them to connect directly with their customers. Through its end-to-end solution, MilkRun enhances the distribution and fulfillment of locally sourced goods, significantly improving efficiency for producers by utilizing a pre-industrial distribution model tailored for local food systems.

Vervet is a manufacturing company focused on the production and distribution of craft canned cocktails and beer. The company aims to provide consumers with bartender-crafted drinks that incorporate house-made bitters, vermouth, and Amari sourced from California farms. By offering these premium cocktails in a portable format, Vervet enables customers to enjoy high-quality beverages on any occasion, effectively bringing the craft cocktail experience to a wider audience.

MilkRun, Inc. is an online platform that facilitates direct grocery purchases from farmers and producers, allowing consumers to buy a variety of products including bakery items, meat, seafood, and beverages. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Canby, Oregon, the company serves as a retail channel for small and mid-sized producers, enabling them to connect directly with their customers. Through its end-to-end solution, MilkRun enhances the distribution and fulfillment of locally sourced goods, significantly improving efficiency for producers by utilizing a pre-industrial distribution model tailored for local food systems.

MilkRun, Inc. is an online platform that facilitates direct grocery purchases from farmers and producers, allowing consumers to buy a variety of products including bakery items, meat, seafood, and beverages. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Canby, Oregon, the company serves as a retail channel for small and mid-sized producers, enabling them to connect directly with their customers. Through its end-to-end solution, MilkRun enhances the distribution and fulfillment of locally sourced goods, significantly improving efficiency for producers by utilizing a pre-industrial distribution model tailored for local food systems.

MilkRun, Inc. is an online platform that facilitates direct grocery purchases from farmers and producers, allowing consumers to buy a variety of products including bakery items, meat, seafood, and beverages. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Canby, Oregon, the company serves as a retail channel for small and mid-sized producers, enabling them to connect directly with their customers. Through its end-to-end solution, MilkRun enhances the distribution and fulfillment of locally sourced goods, significantly improving efficiency for producers by utilizing a pre-industrial distribution model tailored for local food systems.

Noir Food is a global community focused on connecting local food and wine producers with enthusiasts around the world. The company is dedicated to supporting these producers while promoting sustainable practices. Noir Food offers its members exclusive content that includes insider tips, behind-the-scenes videos, and extensive expert tasting notes. Members also receive curated wine flights delivered to their homes, along with gastronomic treats and access to exclusive pop-up events. Through these offerings, Noir Food creates exceptional culinary experiences, allowing individuals to savor fine food and wine from the comfort of their own homes.

Qi Aerista specializes in innovative tea-making solutions, providing a range of tea products, including black, green, oolong, white, dark, and floral teas. The company develops a WiFi-enabled smart tea brewer featuring a patented multi-infusion system that allows users to brew hot, cold, or strong tea. This technology enhances the brewing experience and gives tea enthusiasts access to a wide variety of premium teas. Qi Aerista also facilitates direct purchases through its online platform, enabling consumers to buy tea products and brewers conveniently via a web browser or mobile app.

FRESCO is revolutionizing the cooking oil market in order to allow anybody to make any dish tastier and healthier, transforming a commodity, like olive oil, into a premium and emotional product. For this reason they developed the first solution to make the best condiment ever, the fresh olive oil. Fresco experience is easy and exciting: all you need is EVA, the first mini-oil mill, and his frozen olives Pulps. Thanks to their multi-skilled team and outstanding partners, they concluded the prototyping phase and they raised €1,0M. In May 2018 they have entered the B2B market with a pre-order campaign and they have already sold 50 subscription plans.

Somm'It is a digital sommelier platform designed to enhance the beverage management experience for restaurants. Recognizing the challenges faced by restaurateurs due to low profit margins and complex beverage management, the company provides an automated solution that simplifies the creation of personalized wine lists and ensures optimal pricing strategies. By leveraging data intelligence, Somm'It enables restaurants to efficiently manage their beverage inventory and ordering processes, fostering improved service and customer experiences. Through its user-friendly platform, Somm'It empowers all restaurateurs, regardless of their sommelier expertise, to optimize beverage offerings and drive profitability.

Bybe, Inc. is a technology company based in Columbus, Ohio, founded in 2017, that specializes in developing a mobile platform designed for retailers to manage alcohol promotions. The company focuses on creating an integrated application that facilitates the management of offers related to beer, wine, and spirits. Bybe's platform streamlines the processes of offer creation, distribution, validation, remittance, and customer support, while also providing data visualization tools. It ensures compliance with state-specific regulations regarding alcohol promotions and integrates seamlessly with retail applications and e-commerce platforms. Bybe aims to enhance the connection between alcoholic beverage brands, retailers, and consumers through effective digital promotion strategies.

Matchaful LLC, founded in 2015 and based in Brooklyn, New York, specializes in the production and distribution of organic matcha tea and related equipment. The company offers hand-selected, nutrient-dense ingredients aimed at promoting health and wellness. Matchaful's product line includes organic matcha tea, matcha-making accessories, and gift cards, catering to cafes, offices, and individual consumers. The matcha tea is noted for its high antioxidant content, providing a natural source of energy and health benefits, including higher chlorophyll levels compared to regular green tea. Through its offerings, Matchaful seeks to empower individuals to lead healthier lives.

NaCa Fermentation, Inc. is a company located in Beaverton, Oregon, that specializes in manufacturing fermentation tanks and yeast encapsulation technology for the beverage industry, specifically targeting distilleries, breweries, and wineries. By transforming the biological process of fermentation into a mechanical one, NaCa Fermentation aims to address issues such as stuck, slow, and unpredictable fermentations. Their innovative fermenters and patent-pending technology enable consistent fermentations that can be completed in 24 hours without compromising product quality. Additionally, the company offers its technology for licensing, allowing producers to enhance their production capacity while optimizing the use of their existing facilities.

Drinkeasy is a personalized shopping assistant that specializes in premium and craft spirits, facilitating purchases through a text-message-based platform. By combining artificial intelligence with human expertise, Drinkeasy offers a unique conversational shopping experience, allowing users to discover and buy hard-to-find liquors from distilleries around the globe. The service enables customers to access a curated selection of crafted spirits and beverages that are often unavailable at local liquor stores. From rare scotch priced at $2,000 to small-batch tequila, Drinkeasy provides tailored recommendations based on individual tastes, making it a valuable resource for both connoisseurs and casual drinkers seeking exceptional options.

IntelligentX is a brewing company that has developed an innovative system to produce beer using artificial intelligence. Their approach involves leveraging complex machine learning algorithms to create a premium beer that evolves based on customer feedback. By utilizing an online feedback system, IntelligentX gathers data on customer preferences and uses this information to refine and adjust the brewing process. This allows the company to offer personalized beers that cater to individual tastes, setting it apart in the beverage industry.

TONX is a specialized coffee company focused on providing high-quality, freshly roasted coffee to consumers for home or office brewing. The company prides itself on sourcing the finest beans from around the world, ensuring that they are roasted shortly before being shipped to customers. By allowing consumers to order coffee online, TONX aims to deliver a superior coffee experience that rivals that of the best cafes, all at a more affordable price. With a small team of experts, TONX emphasizes the simplicity of brewing exceptional coffee in everyday settings.

TONX is a specialized coffee company focused on providing high-quality, freshly roasted coffee to consumers for home or office brewing. The company prides itself on sourcing the finest beans from around the world, ensuring that they are roasted shortly before being shipped to customers. By allowing consumers to order coffee online, TONX aims to deliver a superior coffee experience that rivals that of the best cafes, all at a more affordable price. With a small team of experts, TONX emphasizes the simplicity of brewing exceptional coffee in everyday settings.

TONX is a specialized coffee company focused on providing high-quality, freshly roasted coffee to consumers for home or office brewing. The company prides itself on sourcing the finest beans from around the world, ensuring that they are roasted shortly before being shipped to customers. By allowing consumers to order coffee online, TONX aims to deliver a superior coffee experience that rivals that of the best cafes, all at a more affordable price. With a small team of experts, TONX emphasizes the simplicity of brewing exceptional coffee in everyday settings.

Appetite Ventures operates a digital platform that connects food and beverage entrepreneurs with investors, facilitating funding for their ventures. The company also produces content, including a newsletter, podcast, and networking events, to inspire and support entrepreneurs in the food industry.