DENVER (March 10, 2025) - Techstars, the largest pre-seed investor in the world with investments in over 4,800 early-stage startups, today announced the 2025 class of the Workforce Development Accelerator. Eleven innovative startups have been selected to join the program’s fifth cohort, focusing on addressing the challenges of the modern dynamic labor market through cutting-edge technologies. 

The selected startups are tackling complex workforce needs ranging from accessible career pathways to upskilling solutions to education navigation and financial support services. 

"With the Techstars Workforce Development accelerator, we're not just investing in companies—we're investing in visionaries who are fundamentally reimagining how we work, learn, and grow in today's rapidly evolving economy," said Dave Cass, Managing Director of the Techstars Workforce Accelerator. "The eleven startups in our 2025 cohort stood out from hundreds of applicants by demonstrating both innovation and pragmatism in addressing critical workforce challenges. Each of these founders brings a unique perspective and solution to the table, and I couldn't be more excited to roll up my sleeves alongside them as they build the future of work."

The 2025 Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator Class

• Arbol (Buffalo, NY)

A student financial success platform that empowers universities to help students manage their finances effectively, increasing retention and reducing operational strain.

• Cantaloupe AI (New Orleans, LA)

An instant AI-powered pre-screening tool for the hospitality industry workforce that screens applicants via voice-based interviews, assessing personality, adaptability, and role compatibility.

• Earn & Learn (Walnut Creek, CA)

Democratizes access to opportunity by connecting employers to learners through scalable, work-based learning solutions.

• Exitous (Redlands, CA)

For workers expecting or experiencing the stressful impact of a layoff, Exitous empowers them with personalized, AI-powered, human-vetted exit strategies in a caring, wellbeing-focused environment.

• Hardly (Pittsburgh, PA)

Streamlines the job search with AI-powered tools that ATS-optimize resumes, track applications, and improve collaboration between workforce development staff and job seekers.

• Immigify (Oklahoma City, OK)

Streamlines the U.S. immigration process for businesses with international teams using AI workflow agents.

• Kaya (Birmingham, AL)

An AI-powered people analytics platform that blends organizational psychology with predictive insights to help HR and L&D teams enhance workforce well-being, engagement, and productivity while driving measurable improvements in organizational health.

• Pique (Oakland, CA)

An AI-powered note-taking platform that transforms lectures and meetings into personalized learning experiences, with a focus on supporting neurodivergent learners.

• Speak (Boulder, CO)

Leverages advanced AI to enable businesses to rank, score, and predict candidate performance with unprecedented speed and accuracy, enhancing recruiting efficiency while reducing costs and biases.

• Studious (New York, NY)

Building the future of upskilling with AI-driven, competency-based learning, making skills education smarter, faster, and more accessible for the modern workforce.

• Work Simplr (Denver, CO)

Connects students with paid remote work opportunities, allowing them to gain valuable experience and develop skills like online research and AI, while also helping businesses access cost-effective services from a pool of future talent.

Program Details

The 2025 class begins March 10 and will be run in partnership with the Strada Education Foundation and World Education Services (WES), which bring deep expertise in career and education alongside valuable mentorship capabilities.

Over the next three months, these startups will receive:

• Seed investment

• Mentorship through Techstars’ worldwide network of business leaders, including Denver’s business community

• Business coaching through the program’s educational components

The program has a proven track record of success, with the first four cohorts producing 44 companies that have collectively raised over $70 million.

About Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator

The Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator focuses on investing in startups addressing the challenges of the modern dynamic labor market through innovative technologies. The program provides selected companies with the support, mentorship, and resources needed to scale their vision and impact.

The Workforce team is led by Dave Cass (Managing Director) and Sasha Green (Program Manager), working closely with Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Alison Griffin and Program Operations Associate, Shannon Plumb.

For more information, visit the Workforce Development Accelerator and follow us on LinkedIn.

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