In January 2023, we highlighted 23 startups worth keeping on your radar as part of Colorado Inno’s annual Startups to Watch list.
These companies were poised for growth this year, and they delivered despite a slowdown in venture capital funding.
Catch up on what these food tech, health care and consumer goods innovators have been up to.
Cubby Beds
Cubby Beds, which develops smart safety beds for people with disabilities and special needs, moved into a new, larger office this year. The startup’s new 6,500-square-foot office at The AMP at 1580 Logan St. is nearly double the size of Cubby Bed’s previous office on Blake Street. The company also plans to grow its headcount from 25 people to 40 in 2024.
Bitewell
Denver-based Bitewell had a busy year. In July, the company raised a $4 million seed round. Two months later, Bitewell moved its headquarters into a 14,000-square-foot space in RiNo, nearly 15 times larger than its previous space. In December, Bitewell CEO Samantha Citro Alexander appeared on the reality TV series “Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch” and landed a $200,000 investment from Kim Perell, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of investment firm 100.co. Bitewell is also gearing up to launch its food “farmacy” in early 2024 to provide patients with fresh or frozen food that aligns with a physician's prescription.
Posterity Health
Male fertility platform Posterity Health made big strides in 2023, including partnering with entrepreneur Mark Cuban’s company. After raising a $6 million seed round in July 2022, Posterity Health added $1.5 million to the round in January 2023. It also announced a new partnership with the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company in June to bring its digital offering to more men across the U.S.
You:Flourish
You:Flourish is a Denver-based digital wellness platform for the LGBTQ+ community. It connects queer patients with vetted mental health providers and introduces them to a community of peers, resources and counseling services. In December, the startup raised a $200,000 multi-year grant from the Colorado Health Foundation. This recent raise will help the startup continue developing its app. A beta version of You:Flourish’s app is expected to launch in Colorado in spring 2024, according to a statement.
Guest House
Tech-enabled home staging platform secured a $3.5 million equity raise in June. The Denver-based startup partners with realtors and home décor brands to stage homes digitally and then in person. Consumers can also purchase the furniture and décor used to stage each property. The equity raise will allow Guest House to expand into Orange County, California. The platform also serves Denver, Boulder, Vail and San Diego, California.
Goodie Bag
Boulder-based Goodie Bag expanded its reach in 2023 to serve Fort Collins and Denver eateries and customers. Founded in 2022, the startup helps consumers purchase and pick up surplus food from local restaurants, grocers and other food providers at discounted prices. The food is sold in “goodie bags” for 50% to 70% off retail price. Goodie Bag also joined a Techstars Farm to Fork accelerator, which focuses on businesses helping solve challenges in the food system.
