Announcing the Class of Techstars LA 2020
Jul 13, 2020
By Anna Barber, Managing Director of Techstars Los Angeles Accelerator
We’re excited to announce the ten companies that make up Techstars LA 2020, which kicks off today. While we received hundreds of applications from across the world and chose these companies while socially distanced, we have stuck with our commitment to invest in and support the best companies in the greater LA region. Nine of the 10 companies in this year’s program are headquartered in Los Angeles, with the final company joining us from New York City.
For this year’s class we selected 10 resilient companies that can grow in an economic downturn and thrive in a world where social distancing remains the reality. We chose teams that have grit, curiosity, a learning mindset and a deep commitment to positive impact by way of a bold vision. The enduring motif of Techstars LA is that personal growth drives company growth — and all of this year’s founders have shown the willingness to rise to the occasion that 2020 has presented by embracing growth and change.
If there’s a strong theme to this year’s class, it’s heath and wellness.These teams are tackling teletherapy for intersectional communities, cancer care coordination, remote evaluation of ADHD and learning differences, and breast milk testing to optimize infant nutrition. And we’re always interested in media and e-commerce at Techstars LA! This year’s class includes an esports analytics platform, a leading marketplace for podcasting services, a marketplace for college creatives to connect with brands, and the leading fashion and beauty marketplace by Latinx, for Latinx. Lastly, serving our ongoing quest to facilitate better, stronger connections include a AI-powered insights platform for remote communication at work and a centralized data platform for real estate operators.
Communication, connection, good health, empathy and understanding, entertainment, and social impact are what we are focused on this year. We look forward to sharing these founders’ stories as they make positive change in the world.
The Techstars LA 2020 selected class also represents our ongoing commitment to investing in diverse teams, with nine of the companies including women, Black or Latinx founders, six in the CEO seat. This year, we have seven mixed gender founding teams, which is pretty unusual, and we are looking forward to seeing how this affects the class dynamic. Research shows that mixed gender teams perform better overall when compared to all-male teams specifically.
As in past years, our class is made up of founders from both USC and UCLA. We are also proud to welcome, for the third year in a row, alums from both Grid110 and StartupBoost, our LA precelerator partners. Particular thanks to mentors and investors who referred companies we’ve accepted this year: Kate Edwards (TWO referrals!!!); Miki Reynolds; Michael Barlow; Ethan Austin; Jackie Ros; Kara Weber (back for the THIRD year on this list); and Harlem Capital, via our partnership.
Thank you to our sponsors, partners, mentors, and Techstars alumni who help to make Techstars LA successful. Please join me in welcoming the Techstars LA Class of 2020!!
Ayana Therapy
Ayana Therapy provides online therapy for minorities with an emphasis on intersectionality.
Request intro to Ayana Therapy
CLLCTVE
CLLCTVE is a platform connecting college creatives with brands targeting Gen-Z consumers.
JoyHub
JoyHub‘s enterprise software integrates multifamily operator systems into a single, centralized data platform.
Lactation Lab
Lactation Lab provides breast milk analysis and personalized recommendations for mothers to optimize their child's health and nutrition.
Request intro to Lactation Lab
Pod People
Pod People is a full-service podcast production and staffing agency with a network of over 700 audio professionals across the globe.
Preveta
Preveta is transforming cancer care by arming clinicians with data and insights to improve outcomes, and blazing a trail for providers to deliver value-based care.
Shop Latinx
Shop Latinx is the leading fashion and beauty lifestyle brand with products designed by and for the Latinx community.
Sike Insights
Sike Insights powers remote teams to work better together. Our first product, Kona, is an AI-powered Slackbot that helps you communicate.
Request intro to Sike Insights
StatsHelix
StatsHelix is a B2B gametech company focused on esports and streaming.
Thrive Education
Thrive Education provides remote tele-assessments for learning differences (LDs) such as dyslexia, ADHD, and autism.