This morning, Techstars Austin announced its first cohort of 2016. We spoke with Managing Director Amos Schwartzfarb for a sneak peak at the 10 companies headed into the three-month program.
Authors.me
This service standardizes the book publishing process, not unlike the way the common app simplifies a student’s route to college. Like any tech service that reduces redundancy in an antiquated process, Schwartzfarb said “it’s being met with wide open arms.”
Bamba Group
In places where it’s difficult to gather public data like school attendance, Bamba Group offers incentives to providing it. In Kenya, they reward teachers with bonus wireless minutes for completing attendance surveys on their cell phones.
“It’s web-based data collection for the public good,” Schwartzfarb said.
CarServ
Founder and CEO Marshall Mundy didn’t know how to code, but in a short amount of time, he managed to cobble together an app for auto mechanics to run their shops. Now his Austin-based startup, CarServ, handles CRM and workflow for garages, with plans to add ERP functions such as inventory management in the future.
Casabots
Deepak Sekar was tinkering with his 3D printer at home when he got the idea to make a robot chef. It would be easier to keep clean than human hands, Sekar reasoned, and the lower liability would probably be attractive to restaurants.
“He didn’t think he’d have a prototype ready for a long time,” Schwartzfarb said. “But it’s already making salads.”
The company’s name and logo suggest those bots will be eventually do plenty more.
FieldVine
Similar to CarServ, FieldVine offers a solution to a job you may not associate with software much: General contracting. But handymen have to know a lot about building codes and keeping projects in compliance, which FieldVine’s founders learned a lot about while working as contractors themselves.
“They built this for themselves first,” Schwartzfarb said. “When you see how they’re going about it, it makes a lot of sense,” he said.
The Helper Bees
This company brings the booming industry of elderly care into the on-demand economy. Users can support aging loved ones who live alone by scheduling visits from helpers for daily household tasks, extending independence and forestalling the cost of assisted living.
Kandid.ly
This Austin-based startup is a marketplace for photographers to compete on rates and reviews. As a user, you can hire them by the hour to document events and outings, allowing you to be in the moment — and in your photos — without having to capture the shots yourself. Read more of our coverage here.
PenPal Schools
Founded in 2012 by a former NPR reporter, PenPal Schools attempts to deliver on the promise of an open and connected planet by pairing students from different regions for coursework that gives them a glimpse of culture and learning in another part of the world.
The startup won the Dell World 2014 Pitch Slam and has been on Schwartzfarb’s radar for a while.
“Joe [Troyen], the CEO, is really passionate about that from the socially conscious standpoint,” he said. “They have the potential to be a massive global education company.”
Popup Play
PopUp Play was founded by Bryan Thomas and Amelia Cosgrove, a couple who wanted to connect the digital toys of today with the pillow forts of their past. They combined their backgrounds in solar tech and engineering to create a four-and-a-half-foot fiberboard castle playset and an iPad app children can use to customize it. We’ve written about them before — read the full story here.
Remidi
Remidi is the first wearable musical instrument. It’s basically a MIDI controller controlled by hand motions, like a mashup of Gest and something from Livid Instruments. Actually, this Austin-based company does feature something from Livid: CTO Mark DeMay.
Have a tip for us or know of a company that deserves coverage? Email us at [email protected].
