The Techstars Washington DC powered by J.P Morgan Accelerator has announced the 2024 Fall class of startups.
According to the program, this diverse group of companies is pushing the boundaries of innovation across various industries, from healthcare and logistics to fintech and sustainability.
“We are thrilled to welcome this talented cohort of entrepreneurs to our accelerator program,” said Adam H Phillips, Managing Director of Techstars. “These companies are not only driving technological advancements but also making a significant impact on their respective industries and communities.”
A total of 20 startups from across the globe will take part in the program with Africa represented by four innovative firms from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Lagos.
The new class of startups includes:
Apexloads (Nairobi, Kenya):Apexloads is on a mission to revolutionize Africa’s logistics sector by providing innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, transparency, and reliability, empowering 3PLs to overcome industry challenges and drive economic growth across the continent. The startups was founded by Charles Thuo.
Apexloads Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Charles Thuo noted, “This is a platform to showcase our solution, work with an amazing network of mentors in the Techstars universe and refine. I anticipate to have the support system to ensure that Apexloads is the first logistics startup to go public in Africa.”
REXIAL (Kampala, Uganda): REXIAL automates recurring payments in Africa using direct debits for bills directly from customer’s Bank or Mobile Money accounts.It was founded by Aeko Ongodia.
LyfPlus (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania): LyfPlus provides a software infrastructure for health facilities to set up custom digital health products that suit their patient needs. The startups was founded by William Mduma.
Cargoplug Logistics (Lagos, Nigeria): Cargoplug is a logistics company specializing in cross-border solutions via air, sea, and road transport, founded by Ujama Akpata.
SportsMarkit (Washington, DC) :SportsMarkit is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform for NIL athletes and the sports industry that addresses the chaos of sourcing NIL deals, processing and disbursing NIL payments. The firm’s CEO is David Gibson.
Musa (Sydney, Australia):Musa is an award-winning venture health assessment and tracking platform for SMB financiers, offering a Bloomberg terminal-like solution for insights and opportunities. The firm is led by Tando Matanda.
Odaptos (Montpellier, Fance): Odaptos is on a mission to revolutionize user experience research by leveraging AI-driven emotional analysis to provide businesses with deep insights into customer behavior and emotions, enabling them to create more empathetic and effective digital interactions. The founder is Felipe Restrepo.
WeRadiate (Rochester, NewYork):WeRadiate, a seed-stage climate tech company, empowers low-income and disadvantaged groups like farmers, municipalities, and organic recyclers to profitably engage in organic recycling. Its comprehensive offering includes a software platform, hardware sensors, data analytics, and training services. The startup’s founder is Sashti Balasundaram.
TimeCredit (Boston, Massachusetts): The firm safeguards employee data through AI to prevent doxxing and hacks, ensuring a secured and productive workforce. The CEO is Ndonga Sagnia.
Terralytiq (Austin, Texas):Terralytiq helps manufacturers reduce supplier emissions by automating hybrid Scope 3 data collection and managing decarbonization initiatives. Founder is Alexander Pfeiffer.
Instant Car Fix (Ashburn, VA):Instant Car Fix is an online platform for car & fleet owners providing mobile auto repair services at their home or office , led by Gaurav Gupta.
Utopia Global Wellness (Durham, NC): Utopia Global Wellness (GW) is revolutionizing self-care, empowering workplaces and the world to show up as their best selves. The CEO is Naya Powell.
Logra (Mexico, Mexico): The startup AI Advisor guide LatAm SMBs grow daily, enhancing their access to financial services. The company founder is Ianis Defendini.
Hilltop (Washington, DC): Hilltop is the first voter-facing civic engagement platform that facilitates voters’ active participation in the political process. The founder is Aubrey Ottenstein.
Rifbid (Castries, Saint Lucia): Rifbid is an AI powered e-procurement platform connecting government procurement agencies and suppliers. The Co-founders are Keeghan Patrick, and Shergaun Roserie.
GustoMarket (Ithaca, NY): It is a standardized platform to automate and digitize procurement. The CEO is Franco Mora de Regil.
Melagen Labs (San Francisco, CA): Melagen Labs mission is to provide the next generation of space-faring tech and adventurers with reliable, durable, and cheap radiation shielding. The founder is Muhammad Hunain.
Goodszilla (Toronto, Canada):Goodszilla is a fintech company revolutionizing how businesses integrate social impact into their payment processes. The CEO is Toju Ogbeide.
Pairgap (Brooklyn, NY): Pairgap is a co-buying platform that connects friends, family, and non-married partners to purchase property together. The firm empowers buyers to combine their financial resources, increasing their buying power while reducing the risks associated with shared property ownership.CEO – Nikki Merkerson.
Discrepancy AI (Toronto, Canada): Discrepancy AI is a document review platform powered by an Optic AI system, which converts any document into structured data, replacing traditional OCR. The firm is led by Listen Kaci.
The companies will have access to mentorship, funding, and a global network of entrepreneurs and investors.
Techstars offers a 90-day mentorship-driven accelerator program with lifetime access to its worldwide network of entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and alumni companies.
Participants receive up to $120,000 in funding, access to over $4 million in perks, and exposure to potential investors through Demo Day.
Techstars helps companies raise additional funding after the program, with an average of $1-2 million raised post-Demo Day. While the initial funding is valuable, companies may need more capital to achieve long-term success.
“We are committed to supporting these entrepreneurs as they grow their businesses and make a positive impact on the world,” said Phillips.
Techstars is a global network of startup accelerators, venture capital funds, and corporate innovation programs that helps entrepreneurs from all over the world turn their ideas into sustainable companies.
J.P. Morgan is a global financial services firm providing investment banking, asset management, commercial banking, and consumer banking services.