The Startup Factory

Mira Inc. is a New York-based company that specializes in crowd analytics for digital advertising. Founded in 2014, the company has developed a platform that customizes outdoor advertising screens based on the interests and demographics of individuals in proximity to these screens. This innovative approach allows for the delivery of relevant advertisements in various locations, such as Times Square, taxis, and shopping malls. By anonymously measuring the average consumer at a specific site, Mira triggers tailored advertising content that aligns with the identified audience. In addition to enhancing advertising effectiveness, Mira's platform serves as a valuable tool for businesses, enabling them to gain insights into the demographics and interests of consumers frequenting their locations. The company leverages its data capabilities to offer a visualization tool that analyzes shopper profiles across a wide range of attributes.

BoomboxFM is a direct-to-fan distribution platform designed to support independent artists by facilitating music discovery and streaming. The platform enables users to explore and enjoy undiscovered music tailored to their personal preferences, which is delivered directly to their individual Boombox pages. By focusing on connecting indie artists with new listeners, BoomboxFM enhances the visibility of emerging talent in the music industry.

AnyCloud is the only secure web service where consumers can centrally find, manage, and enjoy all their photos – from any photo service, cloud storage, social network, or email – neatly organized on one web site. Given the flood of photos that consumers have spread across multiple services, AnyCloud provides a central portal that helps them save time and enjoy their photos more with family and friends. The AnyCloud team has deep expertise in managing distributed services through centralized portals within companies like Fanfare, SkyPilot, and Turnstone. The team understands the complexities of deep API integration with 3rd-party services, knows how to build and scale cloud services, and has experience with exposing APIs to external developers. To complement the team, AnyCloud has recruited an advisory board from companies like Mint, LimeLife, and Lemon with significant experience in consumer customer acquisition, partnerships, and branding. AnyCloud has five provisional patents already filed to provide “credential brokering”, which allows users to share and transfer content between online services. AnyCloud is the only software-only company that is poised to provide consumers with an easy-to-use and elegant solution to managing and mastering the flood of digital photos from across their connected life. Given that the AnyCloud service does not actually store content but instead acts as a software bridge and portal across services, AnyCloud operates strictly as a cloud software company.

CareLuLu, Inc. operates an online platform that assists parents in searching for daycares and preschools in various regions, including Washington, D.C., parts of Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and California. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Oakland, California, the company provides a comprehensive marketplace that enables parents to compare childcare options based on their specific needs, such as budget and teaching philosophy. CareLuLu offers personalized search capabilities, detailed profiles of daycare providers—including tuition rates and photos—and verified parent reviews. This streamlined approach helps parents avoid the complexities of sifting through numerous websites, ensuring they can easily find safe, affordable, and high-quality childcare and early education for their children.

Orate is a marketplace for event organizers and public speakers to find one another, providing access to more opportunities for both. Orate's mission is twofold: 1) Make the task of finding quality speakers, with any size budget, quick and easy; 2) Assist speakers in the transition from an unpaid, emerging speaker to a paid thought leader Organizers can find, book, and provide feedback for speakers all in one place. Speakers can create a profile, search for events seeking speakers, and market their brand on this one simple, yet comprehensive platform. Join us on www.orate.me.

Our mobile-first, real-time feedback platform captures true audience sentiment, increasing participation and conversions. We are personalized, two-way feedback for the mobile generation.

SnapYeti Inc. operates a platform designed for sharing photos, where users can compete for prizes and deals while promoting meaningful causes. Incorporated in 2013 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, SnapYeti allows businesses to incentivize their current and potential customers to advocate for their brand through shared images. This approach leverages the fact that a significant majority of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over traditional marketing methods. By encouraging users to showcase their enthusiasm for products and services, SnapYeti creates an engaging environment that enhances brand visibility and fosters community support for various initiatives.

ImNext Inc. operates a website that connects users with local contractors, including plumbers, HVAC specialists, and electricians. The platform facilitates the search for contractors who are available for work in the user's area. Additionally, ImNext provides a mobile application called ImNext For Contractors, which allows contractors to update their location and availability, enhancing communication with potential customers. The company is headquartered in Oklahoma.

Bring Me That is a technology platform that facilitates online food ordering from a wide range of restaurants across the United States, including those that do not have their own online ordering systems. The platform addresses a significant gap in the food delivery market, where many restaurants remain inaccessible to consumers due to the lack of digital ordering options. By providing a comprehensive solution, Bring Me That enables customers to order from over 40,000 restaurants nationwide, with plans to expand this number significantly. The platform offers secure payment options, ensuring a seamless experience for users who wish to enjoy food delivery from their local eateries.

Curagami is a developer of tools focused on content curation, gamification, and marketing, specifically tailored for the crowdfunding sector. The company specializes in curating and filtering crowdfunding content from various online sources, assisting small to medium-sized businesses in navigating the complex landscape of crowdfunding. By leveraging its tools, businesses can identify funding opportunities, engage in relevant conversations, and refine their brand strategies. This approach enables them to create sustainable and profitable online communities, enhancing their overall marketing effectiveness and community engagement.

PopUp, Inc. is a technology company based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, founded in 2012. It has developed a mobile application for iPhone that allows users to leave location-based notes for their followers. The PopUp application enables individuals and brands to share relevant information such as jokes, suggestions, reviews, and updates that can be discovered at specific physical locations. Users receive messages automatically on their phones as they navigate their environment, creating a dynamic communication platform akin to Twitter but focused on places. The app also allows users to generate their own popups, facilitating interaction and information sharing among friends and followers. This innovative approach makes it simple for anyone, including individuals and brands, to deliver targeted content tied to real-world locations.

Sell more by knowing who clicks your email links and visits your website with RocketBolt's intelligent lead tracking.

Brevado is a technology company based in Hauppauge, New York, specializing in the development of interactive visual timelines for project-based businesses. The platform is designed to enhance client communication by providing a clear and intuitive overview of project milestones and steps. As tasks are completed, both clients and team members receive automatic progress updates, ensuring transparency and continuous engagement throughout the project lifecycle. Users can track their projects easily, leaving comments, feedback, and files, which fosters collaboration and keeps clients informed without invasive check-ins. Brevado's emphasis on simplicity and visual clarity makes it an effective tool for businesses looking to enhance client relationships and project management.

Trinket operates an open-source teaching platform that enables educators to create interactive class websites and manage their courses seamlessly. The platform allows teachers to write and run code directly in any browser or device, facilitating an efficient teaching and learning environment. With a focus on collaboration and content sharing, Trinket empowers educators to develop high-quality course materials by reusing and adapting open resources. This approach eliminates the need for complex logins or software installations, making it accessible for users and enhancing the overall educational experience.

Our artificial intelligence technologies learn your likes and interests to serve you what you’ll love.

4Soils is a company focused on engaging children with biblical teachings through interactive mobile applications. It offers a range of iOS apps that include Bible Heroes, which combines Bible stories with games, music, and features that support reading. Additionally, 4Soils provides a portal for parents to monitor their children's engagement with the content. The company is set to expand its offerings with the upcoming release of Sproutville, a mobile virtual world designed for children that will also serve as a platform for partnerships. Through these initiatives, 4Soils aims to connect the mobile generation with their faith in a meaningful way.

Tuee is a guest relationship management tool designed for service-based businesses, particularly restaurants, to enhance customer retention and operational efficiency. By utilizing a tablet system, Tuee captures experiential and contact data from approximately 80% of guests at the point of sale. This data is then leveraged to send real-time operational alerts, personalize communication via email and social media, and implement loyalty campaigns. Currently, Tuee is utilized in 67 restaurants across eight states, focusing on fostering personal relationships between restaurants and their customers.

Bring Me That is a technology platform that facilitates online food ordering from a wide range of restaurants across the United States, including those that do not have their own online ordering systems. The platform addresses a significant gap in the food delivery market, where many restaurants remain inaccessible to consumers due to the lack of digital ordering options. By providing a comprehensive solution, Bring Me That enables customers to order from over 40,000 restaurants nationwide, with plans to expand this number significantly. The platform offers secure payment options, ensuring a seamless experience for users who wish to enjoy food delivery from their local eateries.

Tuee is a guest relationship management tool designed for service-based businesses, particularly restaurants, to enhance customer retention and operational efficiency. By utilizing a tablet system, Tuee captures experiential and contact data from approximately 80% of guests at the point of sale. This data is then leveraged to send real-time operational alerts, personalize communication via email and social media, and implement loyalty campaigns. Currently, Tuee is utilized in 67 restaurants across eight states, focusing on fostering personal relationships between restaurants and their customers.

TabSprint Inc. is a company based in Durham, North Carolina, that has developed a mobile application aimed at enhancing the payment experience in bars, clubs, and restaurants. The app allows users to order drinks and make payments quickly without the need to open or close tabs at point-of-sale devices, thereby reducing the time spent on financial transactions. Additionally, TabSprint provides users with access to local drink specials, as well as comprehensive bar menus and pricing information. The application is currently available in select venues within the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill area, and the company is open to partnering with additional venues to expand its reach.

Rented.com operates a wholesale marketplace focused on short-term rentals, providing homeowners with options for guaranteed income or commission-based earnings from their properties. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company assists property managers by granting access to new rental properties. Rented.com specializes in revenue management services for vacation rental managers, utilizing industry expertise, data, and pricing tools to enhance their clients' profitability. The company emphasizes the importance of tailored pricing strategies, adapting to market changes to optimize revenue potential. By leveraging Rented.com’s services, property managers can experience significant revenue increases while saving time, allowing them to concentrate on other aspects of their business.

Taggs, Inc. is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based company that operates a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform designed for visual content marketing analytics. The platform enables brands and agencies to enhance social media engagement by providing insights into the effectiveness of their social media imagery. Utilizing advanced analytics and machine learning, Taggs offers real-time analysis of the visual web, allowing businesses to adapt their advertising strategies to current trends and maximize engagement. Its client roster includes well-known brands such as ALDO, Tommy Hilfiger, Lancome, and Avon, highlighting its relevance in the competitive landscape of digital marketing.

TabSprint Inc. is a company based in Durham, North Carolina, that has developed a mobile application aimed at enhancing the payment experience in bars, clubs, and restaurants. The app allows users to order drinks and make payments quickly without the need to open or close tabs at point-of-sale devices, thereby reducing the time spent on financial transactions. Additionally, TabSprint provides users with access to local drink specials, as well as comprehensive bar menus and pricing information. The application is currently available in select venues within the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill area, and the company is open to partnering with additional venues to expand its reach.

Offline Media, Inc. is a technology platform that provides users with curated access to local events and experiences. Founded in 2012 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, the company focuses on helping individuals discover engaging activities in their cities. By leveraging users' LinkedIn profiles, Offline creates a professional event platform that enhances networking opportunities. The service hand-picks various local events and activities, editorializes them, and delivers personalized recommendations directly to users. This approach encourages exploration and fosters a sense of community, ultimately aiming to help users develop a deeper appreciation for their cities and lifestyles.

AI Patents operates a sophisticated search engine that enables users to efficiently find relevant patent information using natural language queries. This platform allows individuals to input ideas in their own words, copy and paste patent claims, or upload entire invention disclosures, making it accessible even to those without expertise in patent searching. By leveraging advanced algorithms and insights from patent examiner reports, the search engine provides a ranked list of pertinent documents, facilitating a thorough discovery process. The service caters to a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 companies, patent pools, tech start-ups, and individual inventors, serving needs across legal, business development, research and development, and valuation sectors. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, AI Patents aims to streamline the patent research process for various users.

Able Device, Inc. specializes in providing SIMbae licensed software and tools that enable the development of embedded wireless applications for purpose-built machines, such as utility meters and security systems. Founded in 2012 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, the company focuses on simplifying the integration of remote monitoring and control applications by allowing them to operate directly on a mobile operator's SIM card rather than relying on external CPUs. This innovative approach enhances the efficiency of M2M (machine-to-machine) applications, significantly reducing costs and development complexity while future-proofing the technology. SIMbae is designed to address quality, security, and application standard challenges faced by IoT devices, facilitating a seamless interaction between mobile networks and connected devices. The company serves developers and service providers, contributing to the growth of the M2M sector.

Alekto Corporation, founded in 2012 and based in Durham, North Carolina, specializes in transaction management systems designed to manage consumer transactions and credit scores. The company addresses the common issue of erroneous credit reporting, which can lead to significant financial repercussions for consumers. Alekto's patent-pending technology ensures that credit reports are accurately updated, helping individuals avoid the costly consequences of mistakes in their credit data. By providing services that prevent credit errors, Alekto enables consumers to achieve accurate credit reports, which can lead to better loan rates and prevent denials in credit applications, housing, or employment opportunities.

Arcametrics Systems specializes in enhancing online advertising efficiency by utilizing advanced predictive analytics and correlation technology. The company creates custom "lookalike" audiences that allow advertisers to target consumers who are most likely to respond positively to specific offers. By leveraging extensive data assets within an automated workflow, Arcametrics enables advertisers to optimize their campaigns, regardless of budget size. Early adopters of the platform have reported an impressive average increase of three times in campaign return on investment. Through its innovative approach, Arcametrics aims to reduce waste in digital advertising and provide valuable consumer insights to enhance marketing effectiveness.

Entasso, Inc. is a talent market platform based in Durham, North Carolina, founded in 2011. The company specializes in job search services that connect recent college graduates with entry-level positions. Entasso differentiates itself by allowing users to showcase their skills, interests, and personalities through interactive games, quizzes, and applications. This approach helps in matching candidates to jobs that are well-suited to their profiles. Moreover, Entasso assists employers in articulating their hiring needs, including cultural fit and specific skills, thus enhancing the recruitment process. By fostering long-term relationships with well-matched candidates, Entasso enables employers to streamline their hiring efforts and reduce the challenges associated with traditional job boards and applicant tracking systems.

RxAnalytics helps athletes improve their fitness and health by providing personalized recommendations driven by predictive analytics. Founded by PhD geneticists and statisticians who are collegiate athletes and competitive CrossFitters, RxAnalytics combines in-depth domain expertise with proprietary machine learning analytics to create a novel platform for behavior, training and performance analysis. One individual, one roadmap to increased performance, fitness and health.

Berst is a mobile app that makes it really easy to connect around a moment, a time, and a place. Our lives are a series of events and Berst uses your location as the primary means of sharing your thoughts and photos with others.

Ruzuku, Inc. operates an online software platform designed for the creation of online courses and learning communities. Founded in 2012 and based in Durham, North Carolina, Ruzuku enables authors, coaches, speakers, and consultants to easily create, host, and sell their courses and coaching programs. The platform emphasizes user-friendly technology and essential features that facilitate the delivery of engaging learning experiences. By allowing users to integrate activity-based learning communities, Ruzuku helps clients expand their business and enhance their knowledge-sharing capabilities.

Optimere is the leading provider of digital compliance, accessibility, and records management solutions. With Optimere, regulated organizations worldwide can embrace rapid shifts to online environments and consistently provide an inclusive and secure digital experience. Optimere was formed in December 2021 from the integration of ArchiveSocial, Monsido, and NextRequest and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.