A look at what's happening at Buffalo startups.
Helpt seeking helpers
Buffalo-based startup Helpt is launching Nov. 24, seeking to build an online marketplace for small business contractors and handymen.
To spread the word, co-founders Matthew Cavanaugh and Clarke Thrasher plan to hit the streets of Buffalo during a busy slate of weekend events.
That includes a launch event Nov. 24 at the Buffalo & Erie County Central Library. People will see them at pre-Thanksgiving festivities on Chippewa Street, the YMCA Turkey Trot, at local malls on Black Friday and then the World’s Largest Disco event at the Buffalo Convention Center on Nov. 27.
The specific goal is to recruit helpers onto the platform in Buffalo, a strategy that borrows from the growth stories of Uber, Airbnb and others. That includes everything from people who clear gutters to snow removal to interior cleaning services.
“Our marketing efforts are strictly targeting the supply side,” Thrasher said. “We are hoping the helpers market themselves, which will lead us to the demand. That’s when we’ll know we have product-market fit.”
Thrasher says Helpt software will validate the contractors on his platform, giving customers confidence in hiring them. While Helpt has a ways to go – proving itself in Buffalo and then growing from there – he says there is room for a national leader amidst a fractured market.
“Once we prove ourselves in the Buffalo market, we’ll have proved to VC firms and to investors everywhere that Helpt’s got game and is ready to take over the on-demand service industry,” he said.
Strayos accepted into Halliburton Labs
Strayos has been accepted into the Halliburton Labs program alongside three other startup companies.
Strayos came to Buffalo in early 2020 after winning the $1 million grand prize in the 43North competition. The goal of the Halliburton program is to advance clean energy projects. The startups receive “industrial capabilities, technical expertise, and mentorship to scale their respective businesses.”
Strayos uses artificial intelligence to support cement and mining companies.
“The strategic collaboration with Halliburton Labs will allow us to expand the capabilities of our technology, and its global presence and industry leadership will help us scale our technology around the world and drive the future of more sustainable mining,” CEO Ravi Sahu said.
WeRadiate scores in Grow-NY competition
WeRadiate has gotten a $250,000 boost through the Grow-NY competition. The cleantech startups founded by Sashti Balasundaram creates high-quality composting products
Grow-NY, a state-funded competition in the model of 43North, seeks to boost innovation in food, beverage and agriculture in Central New York, the Finger Lakes and the Southern Tier. This is the third year of the competition.
