The Target + Techstars accelerator, a program for retail startups from around the globe, kicked off its third annual class in Minneapolis earlier this week.
Over the next 12 weeks, this new batch of 10 retail startups will receive capital and mentorship from industry experts as part of the accelerator.
Two of this year's startups, ProcessBolt and Runerra, are from the Twin Cities. The other companies, tackling issues ranging from ill-fitting clothes to food waste, are traveling from as close as Detroit and as far as London.
Companies that participated in last year's Target + Techstars Retail accelerator have been making moves since the program wrapped up during Twin Cities Startup Week last fall. Earlier this year, Minneapolis-based insurance startup Upsie raised $1.7 million, and Twin Cities food startup Local Crate closed on $1.4 million. Chicago-based AddStructure, a member of the first Target + Techstars Retail class, was acquired by Austin-based marketing tech company Bazaarvoice in February of this year.
Collectively, graduates of the Techstars Retail program have raised more than $50 million to date, said Managing Director Ryan Broshar.
The Target + Techstars Retail accelerator arrived in the Twin Cities in 2016. Techstars recently added a second startup accelerator to the Twin Cities, Farm to Fork, which focuses on agriculture and technology. The first Farm to Fork class, led by Brett Brohl, a former entrepreneur in residence for the Techstars Retail program, also began this week.
Here are the 10 startups participating in this year's Target + Techstars Retail accelerator:
Clicktivated
- Headquarters: Detroit, Michigan
- Description: Clicktivated connects viewers to products and information inside videos by just a click or touch.
Cooklist
- Headquarters: Dallas, Texas
- Description: Cooklist transforms the grocery shopping experience by enabling users to choose recipes instead of products.
Flashfood
- Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario
- Description: Flashfood is a sustainable marketplace designed to reduce food waste.
ProcessBolt
- Headquarters: Twin Cities
- Description: ProcessBolt is a collaborative and easy way to conduct vendor risk assessments.
Runerra
- Headquarters: Twin Cities
- Description: Runerra is the best way for users to get what they need, when they need it. The platform helps neighbors run errands for each other.
Satisfi Labs
- Headquarters: New York City
- Description: Satisfi Labs creates end-to-end artificial intelligence solutions for brands looking to communicate the right information at the right place in real time.
Sozie
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- Description: Sozie connects shoppers with the same body shape and style to share outfits in the store and online.
Staffless.ai
- Headquarters: Miami, Florida and Sweden
- Description: Staffless.ai creates solutions that make it possible for you to open a store or start a service with less staff and better service.
To the Market
- Headquarters: New York City
- Description: To the Market connects businesses and consumers to ethically-made, social impact products created by "vulnerable communities" from around the world.
Type W
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
- Description: Type W is automating the collection of sell-through data for vendors.
