The latest startups to come out of the Boomtown accelerator want to help you find a parking spot, a good deal on an extended warranty for your iPad, or teach your kid to write code.
The nine startups from the Boulder, CO-accelerator made their pitches to investors Wednesday.
Boomtown is a startup accelerator launched earlier this year and was co-founded by advertising industry legend Alex Bogusky, the former principal of Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Its focus is to find seed-stage Internet, mobile, and software startups, primarily in the media, design, marketing, and ad tech sectors. This is the second group of startups to go through the program, with the first class graduating in June.
In addition to being an accelerator, Boomtown also is working to create a “connected device lab” in Boulder, which it hopes will make the city an important hub in the emerging connected device industry.
The graduates are:
Bitsbox makes software that teaches children as young as six how to program computers thorough “byte-sized code projects for kids.” The Boulder-based startup has developed a website kids can use to create apps for mobile devices, and the projects teach Javascript/HTML5. Users who pay for a monthly subscription can access dozens of programming projects.
Derive takes raw data from sensors and converts it into human language. The intent is to make the Internet of Things more user-friendly and useful and to help companies get insights from data generated by connected devices.
Factivate creates cloud-based spreadsheets that can be automatically updated with real-time information. The goal is to enable business users to create spreadsheets that become workflow tools, business process tools, online dashboards, and more.
Kickfurther is a crowdfunding site that helps companies connect with people who provide them with working capital when they need to develop and ship products. When a company needs to pay for inventory, it creates a campaign and promises to give funders a cut of the proceeds when the products are sold.
MediaNest has developed a Web app that manages videos across multiple online channels. It helps companies manage, distribute, promote and analyze the effectiveness of online video campaigns.
Parkifi uses sensors and software that can provide real-time data about the availability of parking spots. The Denver-based company is developing mobile apps for parking lot operators, cities, and consumers.
Peach helps consumers find, compare, and buy extended warranties for electronics. The Boulder-based company’s app lets shoppers scan barcodes and searches for the best and most affordable plans.
Thrivepass is putting a new spin on Flexible Spending Accounts, which people use by setting aside an amount of money they plan to spend on healthcare in a year. The Boulder-based company calls its product a Wellness Spending Account. Companies create accounts for employees and contribute funds, which employees can use to pay for preventive healthcare or “wellness” activities such as yoga, weight loss programs, and therapeutic massages. Data collected from the accounts can be used to find ways to keep healthcare costs down and manage employee wellness programs.
Truthly is developing what it says is the world’s largest database of scientific research that’s focused on health and medical conditions. The startup has a team of researchers that will vet content for accuracy, and the online service does not accept advertising, which it says frees it of conflicts of interest. Truthly says the research comes from research institutions like Johns Hopkins.
