Arch Grants, the St. Louis nonprofit that annually awards $75,000, equity-free grants to startups, said Thursday it is providing nearly $1.9 million in funding to 22 startups in its 2023 class.
Of the 22 companies, 13 are based in the St. Louis region. The 2023 cohort also includes companies relocating to St. Louis from other U.S. states and countries, including India, Canada and Argentina. As part of the Arch Grants award, each company will commit to operating their business from St. Louis for at least one year.
"Our goal at Arch Grants is to empower entrepreneurs who are at the forefront of innovation and to help them thrive in St. Louis," said Gabe Angieri, Executive Director of Arch Grants, in a statement. "We believe that by supporting these entrepreneurs, we're not just investing in individual companies – we're investing in the future of this city. And with an uptick in international startups awarded this year and more than 80% of the cohort led by underrepresented founders, that investment is driven by Arch Grants’ commitment to inclusive economic growth."
Through this year’s cohort, Arch Grants is providing $1.88 million in nondilutive funding to startups. Each company receives a $75,000 grant, and those located outside the St. Louis region are given $25,000 for relocation. In addition to the funding, each company will receive free or discounted business services, as well as access to workshops and networking opportunities. The winning companies were selected from more than 500 applicants, Arch Grants said.
The companies selected to win Arch Grants are:
- 9Line Software (St. Louis): Led by CEO Mark Turpin, 9Line’s software is designed to provide location information for 911 calls.
- 12 Pentagons (St. Louis): The company, launched by co-founders Allison Wheatley and Jon-Paul Wheatley, makes “handcrafted, heirloom-quality, limited edition” soccer balls.
- Aegis Digital Health (St. Louis): Led by CEO Stephen Von Rump, Aegis is developing health care products focused on virtual care and remote patient monitoring.
- Chippin (Arlington, Virginia): The firm makes “high-quality, low ‘eco pawprint’” pet foods. It is led by founder and CEO Haley Russell.
- Constituent Connections (St. Louis): The local firm, led by CEO Spencer Toder, has developed what it describes as the “first voter relationship management platform,” designed for use by political candidates and elected officials.
- Forcyte (St. Louis): Founded by Mike Seper, Forcyte is developing technology and products for drones.
- Gateway Quantum Electronics (St. Louis): The firm is focused on developing hardware products for quantum computing. It is led by founder and CEO Jordan Russell.
- Golden Gems (St. Louis): Golden Gems describes itself as a lifestyle brand that sells accessories, apparel, stationary goods and home decor. It is co-owned by Amanda Helman and Susan Logsdon.
- GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness (St. Louis): Led by founder and CEO Marcus Howard, GreaterHealth operates pharmacy locations in the St. Louis region. Its pharmacies are designed to serve specific communities by employing Black and culturally diverse staff members who go through training on issues pertinent to under-represented groups in health care.
- Habitat Financial (St. Louis): Habitat has created a financial platform built to be used by those music and audio fields. It is led by CEO Calvin Windschitl.
- Honeydew (New York): Led by founder and CEO David Futoran, Honeydew operates a platform that provides virtual dermatology care.
- King of the Curve (St. Louis): The company has created a mobile app that can be used to study for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), as well as other standardized tests. It is led by co-founders Heath Rutledge-Jukes and William Kelly.
- Midgard Raven LLC (Ashburn, Virginia): Midgard Raven, led by CEO Adam Simmons, provides geospatial analysis.
- Module Building Systems (West Kelowna, Canada): The company says it has developed a modular, panelized construction system. It is led by founder and CEO Mark Turnbull.
- Pana Mina (Jaipur, India): Pana Mina is a clothing company that uses “natural, eco-friendly fabrics to make custom-sized garments.” Its co-founders are Eleanore Swanstrom and Dhananjay Sharma.
- Seed Matriz (Rio Cuarto, Argentina): The company has developed seed technology it says improves plant growth and that provides data to track a crop as it grows. It is led by CEO Federico Cola.
- Seoul Juice (Marina Del Rey, California): The beverage company sells Korean pear juice. Its founder and CEO is Luis Manta.
- Shades of Color (St. Louis): The company, led by founder and CEO Tashara Earl, operates an online beauty marketplace.
- The Girls Co. (Salt Lake City, Utah): Led by co-founder and CEO Abby Warner, The Girls Co. has created a heating pad to provide relief from menstrual cramps.
- Top Tutors for Us (St. Louis): Top Tutors for Us provides tutoring services for Black students. It is led by founder and CEO Angelica Harris.
- VetVerifi (Washington, Missouri): The company has developed technology to track vaccination records for pets. VetVerifi’s co-founders are David Servodidio and Tim Ridgway.
- We Hear You (Peoria, Illinois): The company is focused on developing technology that can assist those with disabilities. It has created a device It says can “open handicap doors from up to 20 feet away via a wearable and attachable device.” It is led by founder and CEO Pierre Paul.
Arch Grants has given $16.4 million in grants to 252 startups since 2012. Its portfolio companies have raised more than $696 million in follow-on capital, produced $743 million in revenue and created 3,598 jobs locally, according to the organization.
