It seems like only yesterday that we were introducing you to 500’s Batch 14, but Summer is gone, the demos have been done, we’ve picked our favs and it’s time to introduce you to the next group going through 500’s accelerator — 500 Startups’ Batch 15.
500 Startups has a thesis of investing in many startups, some that they consider “unsexy,” because they make money (most of the companies in this batch are already doing anywhere between $10k-$100k in revenue) *gasp*, and some that they know might not survive in the real world…but it’s worth giving it a shot.
This batch has everything.
There’s on-demand snow plowing, a platform for students to find off-campus housing, a DIY Minecraft computer, sub-sea drones, toys and treats for your puppy, window treatments, freestyle raps, a Google for nature (huh?) and an easier way to manage all of your fines and parking tickets.
Most of the companies are at a later-stage seed situation.
It’s also a diverse group: 43 percent of the companies in this batch are international (Canada, India, Hong Kong, Argentina, Thailand, Brazil, Vietnam, Japan, Denmark, Italy, Chile) and 33 percent have at least one female founder.
While there’s never really a formal “theme” going on over at 500 Startups, the team is looking at developer tools and platforms and unusual markets like crocheting and postpartum care to fill out its portfolio.
Here’s 500 Startups’ Batch 15 (and if your company is interested in applying for the next batch, applications are open):
- Barn & Willow – Premium window treatments and home decor basics at an accessible price.
- Beeketing – A Marketing Automation platform for small and medium E-commerce businesses.
- Cirrus Identity – We manage user login so businesses can focus on core product and engage customers faster.
- Clicky Inc. – A membership program for sports fields, gyms, and fitness classes.
- Code4Startup – Learn to code by cloning real-life startups.
- Cooleaf, Inc. – A tool for modernizing talent retention efforts.
- DataCulture, Inc. – Predictive automation that powers modern supply chain.
- Drivio, Inc. – The easiest way to manage and pay your government fines.
- Fulfil.IO – A bundle of software services for SMBs to manage their inventory, accounting, manufacturing, and purchasing.
- #links – Ultimate personalized & visual job hunting app for startup & digital jobs.
- Hivebeat – Powerful way for student organizations to promote and manage events on campus.
- iWABOO – The first online marketplace for successful Kickstarter, maker & hardware startups products.
- Kanler – General contractor marketplace.
- Kitterly, Inc – Sells curated knitting & crochet kits that are matched by skill level.
- LafaLafa – India’s mobile first eBates and its digital assistant helps consumers find the best savings online.
- LawnGuru – On-Demand Lawn Care and Snow Plowing.
- LawTrades – A service that completes legal work in a few text messages at 60% off normal prices by cutting out fancy law firms and going directly to lawyers.
- Mahmee – A hub for ongoing, integrated healthcare for new moms and their infants.
- Mejuri – An affordable fine jewelry brand powered by influencers and award winning designers.
- MentorCloud, Inc. – A social learning solution for enterprises to help their employees discover, connect and learn from experts inside their own organization.
- Metadata – B2B Demand Generation on Auto-Pilot – Metadata analyzes your inbound signups and automates b2b user acquisition by targeting new look-alike prospects.
- MetaMixis – Google for nature.
- MOBINGI – SaaS for Cloud application lifecycle management.
- Moveha Inc – Moveha is a housing platform that helps students find off campus housing and make reservations online.
- Nobal Technologies – Interactive Mirrors for Hotel and Retail.
- O-Robotix – O-Robotix makes sub-sea drones to help operators automate underwater inspection tasks.
- Piper – A DIY Minecraft computer for building gadgets and hands-on learning.
- PupBox – Toys, treats, and training guides customized for your puppy.
- QMágico – Personalized learning plans by teachers, which save time and engage students.
- QueueDr – A product that intelligently optimizes doctors’ schedules to help them reclaim the $30 billion lost from missed appointments.
- Quicklegal – Attorney On Demand – Via Video Chat.
- Rapchat – Create, share, or discover freestyle raps.
- Sales Huddle Group – Gamify your training.
- Set Scouter Inc. – A marketplace that makes video production easy — starting with location rentals.
- SimpliRoute – A service that optimizes routes for any company with multiples deliveries reducing fuel cost and time on route.
- Sqoop – A service that helps journalists discover what’s happening before it becomes news by unlocking company information from public data sites.
- Squeezy.co – Buy from US stores from anywhere.
- SynapseMX – A platform that transforms commercial aircraft maintenance, saving an enormous amount of time and money.
- Whiplash – The shipping department for eCommerce.
- WoowUp – SaaS Platform to help online stores in Brazil create their own loyalty program.
The A-Z doesn’t end here. See something you dig and want to learn how to invest? Well, 500 is glad you asked. They’re teaching a course on it. It’s two weeks long and starts next February.