The entrepreneurial community on the First Coast is home to a number of intriguing startups, with 2021 seeing an expansion of their ranks. ¶ Whether the companies were founded by seasoned veterans collecting money from venture capitalists or teenagers looking to grow a new social media platform, several startups are a must-watch for 2022. As First Coast Inno expands its coverage of the area’s innovation economy, here’s some of the companies we’re keeping an eye on.
Jacksonville-based Tauruseer, a cybersecurity software developer, is hot off a big year of partnerships and patents. The company is planning to leverage that momentum for another round of funding and growth.
What was your biggest accomplishment in 2021?
We got the first cohort of paying customers. That was exciting. Even better, we are starting to see contract renewals for this year already. We strategically identified channel partners that aligned with our vision and we're starting to get customers through that pipeline now as well. Looking forward, these partnerships are starting to net a full pipeline of customers moving forward.
What are your goals for 2022?
We pushed our investment round into 2022 simply because we wanted to prove ourselves. We're now doing that. We pivoted towards a different client base and will be focusing on those relationships this year.
Are you seeking another round of investment? If so, what are you looking for/any details that you can share?
We're seeking a seed round of investment. We've engaged with people locally and in some of the major hubs around the country.
What, if any, hurdles do you foresee having to overcome to accomplish your goals?
Talent acquisition will be a challenge we have to overcome this year. Speed of capturing new customers will also be challenging. Both of those things go hand-in-hand with new funding. We need to be able to execute our plans and goals when the right time arises. But as far as talent specifically, we've got a good network and we're pretty comfortable we are going to be able to find the type of people we need.
What makes your company unique in the industry, and/or locally?
We sometimes run into problems locally when we approach investors because we a high-tech Silicon Valley-like cybersecurity organization. When you are talking about complex issues such as these, investors that don't normally invest in tech or understand the industry, it can be daunting. But that also helps us distinguish ourselves from other startups or tech companies locally. Industry-wide, we're kind of alone. A lot of companies are adjacent to us, but because of how we tackle the problem and the solutions we offer, we're filling unmet demand.
Anything else in closing you want to add about your company or the near future?
I want Jacksonville's tech scene to grow. We're prod to be in Jacksonville and hope to help put the city on the map, from a tech perspective. So anyone else that is working toward that goal... we want to meet them and work with them to make Jacksonville what it could be.
