The Startup Factory

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

HomeWellness, founded in 2012 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, provides an innovative employee benefits program tailored for organizations, particularly Fortune 100 corporations. The company focuses on creating sustainable home improvements that enhance employees' quality of life while aiding employers in reducing carbon emissions. HomeWellness operates a web-based platform that allows users to evaluate their home's energy efficiency, choose energy-efficient upgrades, and manage contractors. Additionally, the platform helps employees access financing, tax credits, and other incentives, thereby promoting healthier, happier, and more productive workforces. Through its services, HomeWellness makes corporate sustainability both personal for employees and significant for employers.

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.

Trinket is the easiest way to make your class website interactive. Trinket's powerful open teaching platform lets teachers to create, prepare, and teach their courses all in one place. Everything on Trinket is open licensed, so teachers can create the best course materials by finding and sharing their word for lesson plans/curriculum] with others teaching the same thing.

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.

Tanjo uses machine learning to animate customer personas.

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.

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.

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.

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.

All too often, creditors misreport consumer credit data. Since even a single error on your credit report can cost you thousands of dollars, erroneous credit reporting is something the average American just can’t—and shouldn’t have to—pay for. Alekto can save you from that nightmare. Using a patent-pending transaction management system, Alekto makes sure that your credit report is properly updated. That way, you never have to worry, spend time, or money trying to correct your report after the damage to your credit score has already been done. An accurate credit report can get you better loan rates and ensure that you’re not denied credit, a home, or even employment. Let Alekto get you the credit you deserve for paying your bills today!

Offline Media, Inc. operates an online platform designed to help users discover local events and experiences in their cities. Founded in 2012 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Offline curates daily listings of activities, enabling users to explore and engage with their surroundings effectively. The platform also integrates users' LinkedIn profiles to facilitate professional networking through group events. By providing tailored recommendations, Offline aims to foster a deeper connection between individuals and their communities, helping them to appreciate and enjoy their city and everyday life.

Able Device, Inc. provides SIMbae licensed software and tools to enable purpose-built machines, such as utility meters and security systems to embed and execute a remote monitoring and control application on a mobile operator’s SIM card rather than an external CPU. It serves developers and service providers. The company was incorporated in 2012 and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Arcametrics trims waste from online advertising through full custom "lookalike" audiences. Our audiences enable advertisers to selectively show ads only to consumers with a high probability of converting on a specific offer. By combining advanced predictive analytics with vast data assets in an automated workflow, Arcametrics is bringing the power of big data to any advertiser at any budget. Early customers are seeing a 3X average lift in campaign ROI using our platform.

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.

Ruzuku, Inc. operates an online software platform that facilitates the creation of online courses and learning communities. Founded in 2012 and based in Durham, North Carolina, Ruzuku provides tools for authors, coaches, speakers, and consultants to develop, host, and sell online courses or coaching programs. The platform is designed to be user-friendly, focusing on essential features that enhance the learning experience. By enabling individuals to share their knowledge, Ruzuku aims to make learning convenient and efficient for users.

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.

ArchiveSocial, Inc. specializes in social media archiving and risk management solutions designed to help organizations comply with public records laws and protect their online presence. Founded in 2011 and based in Durham, North Carolina, the company provides features such as authentic capture, social media replay, continuous archiving, and advanced search capabilities. Its services are particularly beneficial for government entities, law enforcement agencies, and industries such as financial services and healthcare, enabling them to engage with their communities on social media while ensuring that all content and metadata are securely archived and easily accessible. ArchiveSocial's automated record-keeping addresses the challenges of managing social media compliance, allowing clients to mitigate risks and maintain control over their digital communications.