Women-owned startups are getting a local boost thanks to two Tampa Bay startup supporters.
The Tampa Bay Wave revealed 13 Floridian, women-owned startups that make up their first ever TechWomen Rising Accelerator cohort.
The cohort, which was announced in February, is the result of a $500,000 two-year grant from JPMorgan Chase, intended to be split between the Wave and innovation hub Embarc Collective. Members will go through a 90-day accelerator program, which the Wave will take the lead on with mentorship and business development training. Embarc Collective coaches will help participants by measuring business milestones and collecting data for a "Glaring Gap" report, which will study the barriers women in tech have.
"While women are increasingly at the forefront of innovation in tech, they still struggle to receive ample funding and support for their companies,” Michele Grace, South division director for Chase Business Banking, said in a statement. “The TechWomen Rising Accelerator program helps women entrepreneurs in Florida overcome these challenges and provides the boost, encouragement and confidence women need to help bridge the gap between men and women in the startup ecosystem.”
The 13 startups in the cohort are listed below.
20Lighter
Location: Boca Raton
20Lighter is a unique program helping clients achieve better health through reductions of inflammation and visceral fat, the holy grail of cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
AfroCurators
Location: Tampa
AfroCurators is a digital media and entertainment brand that connects multigenerational Africans through social experiences.
Cuemby
Location: Boca Raton
Cuemby aims to help companies with custom software achieve 5x performance, 10x productivity and 35 percent cost reduction by optimizing cloud infrastructure and automating workflows.
Goldn: The Family App
Location: Tampa
Goldn is a family care management application that helps unpaid care takers to pay bills, set reminders and locate wanderers so that they have an inclusive way to empower loved ones while giving the caretaker the resources that they need.
IVF Options
Location: Tampa
IVF Options provides fertility benefits to self-pay patients, negotiating discounted rates on fertility treatment, medication and genetic testing to make treatment more affordable to cash patients. IVF Options has helped over 2,000 patients in their fertility journey in both the U.S. and abroad.
Kinstak
Location: Tampa
Kinstak provides private cloud storage that automatically organizes photos, videos and files into personalized categories that are easy to find and share privately with friends and family.
MARVLoUS
Location: Tampa
Multimedia Augmented Reality Vocabulary Learning (MARVL) is an augmented reality application that teaches vocabulary in two languages simultaneously. MARVL presents dynamic, interactive, vocabulary instruction using evidence-based best practices for learning new words.
Tepey
Location: Tampa
Tepey is a web-based matching and project management software solution that eliminates the guesswork of how to build a physical product, and where to find contractors and manufacturers at an affordable price.
The Natural Nipple
Location: Tampa
The Natural Nipple is designed for seamless and stress-free breast and bottle feeding, with a nipple that is researched and designed to mimic a mother’s shape, feel and flow.
UBQFit
Location: Boca Raton
UBQFIT, is a two-sided marketplace where livestream fitness training sessions are organized between trainers and trainees.
Vacayou
Location: S. Petersburg
Vacayou is poised to capitalize on the fastest growing sector of the travel industry — wellness travel.
Wedzee
Location: St. Petersburg
Wedzee is a C2C/B2C marketplace that is designed to connect former and future brides, wedding planners and small business owners, while providing them a way to buy and sell new, used and custom wedding and event-related items online.
weRise Investments
Location: Tampa
weRise Investments facilitates building wealth and revitalizing underrepresented communities by connecting friend and family groups to a technology-enabled platform to pool funds and socially invest in diversified portfolios.
