Beehive Startups Weekly - November 12th, 2024

👤: Clint Betts, CEO of Silicon Slopes
📍: The Speakeasy - 55 N University Ave, Provo
📆: Nov 19th at 9:00 am
☕️: Light refreshments provided
🔗: RSVP here

About Silicon Slopes

Silicon Slopes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a vibrant tech community in Utah. Founded and led by local entrepreneurs and business leaders, its mission is to empower individuals and companies to learn, connect, and serve, ensuring that Utah remains a premier destination for startups and technology ventures. The organization emphasizes community-driven initiatives, advocating for accessible education and opportunities that uplift all members of the state. Through various programs and events, Silicon Slopes aims to create a collaborative environment where entrepreneurs can thrive while also giving back to the community, embodying the spirit of mutual support that characterizes the region's culture.

About Beehive Startups Weekly

Beehive Startups Weekly is a Tuesday morning meetup that spotlights local startups and their founders. Each week, a founder presents their startup, shares a brief demo, and joins a relaxed interview. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, exchange ideas, and enjoy some light refreshments while building relationships in the local startup community.

🐝 Connecting you to Utah’s top tech and startup careers and opportunities. — Beehive Jobs

Beehive Startups Weekly - November 12th, 2024

👤: Brice Douglas, Founder and CEO of Zaymo
📍: Silicon Slopes Lehi - 2600 W Executive Pkwy.
📆: Nov 12th at 9:00 am
☕️: Light refreshments provided
🔗: RSVP here

About Zaymo

Zaymo is an interactive email platform that allows brands to supercharge their emails with no-code tools. It offers features like one-click upsells, SMS sign-ups, subscription reactivations, and review collection directly within emails, enhancing engagement and conversion rates. Zaymo’s easy-to-use widgets integrate with major platforms like Shopify, enabling brands to create personalized, action-driven emails that streamline customer interactions and drive higher conversions.

About Beehive Startups Weekly

Beehive Startups Weekly is a Tuesday morning meetup that spotlights local startups and their founders. Each week, a founder presents their startup, shares a brief demo, and joins a relaxed interview. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, exchange ideas, and enjoy some light refreshments while building relationships in the local startup community.

🐝 Discover the best tech and startup jobs in Utah — powered by Beehive Jobs

Beehive Startups Weekly - November 5th, 2024

👤: Dan Caffee, Founder and CEO of Voze
📍: Silicon Slopes Provo - 55 N University Ave. Provo
📆: Nov 5th at 9:00 am
☕️: Light refreshments provided
🔗: RSVP here

About Voza

Voze is a field sales CRM and engagement platform designed to streamline field operations and optimize sales performance through data intelligence. Offering features like real-time analytics, voice-enabled notes, and insights tailored to sales teams, Voze helps organizations improve coordination and strategy execution. The platform's advanced reporting and management tools provide an integrated view of sales activities, making it easier for teams to monitor performance, capture critical data, and drive revenue growth.

About Beehive Startups Weekly

Beehive Startups Weekly is a Tuesday morning meetup that spotlights local startups and their founders. Each week, a founder presents their startup, shares a brief demo, and joins a relaxed interview. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, exchange ideas, and enjoy some coffee while building relationships in the local startup community.

Beehive Startups Weekly - October 29th, 2024

👤: Jowanza Joseph, Founder and CEO of Parakeet
📍: Silicon Slopes Lehi - 2600 Executive Pkwy #140
📆: October 29th at 9:00 am
☕️: Light refreshments provided
🔗: RSVP here

About Parakeet

Parakeet is a cutting-edge compliance automation and risk management platform built specifically for industrial sector businesses. We streamline complex regulatory workflows, helping companies automate processes like regulatory reporting, risk assessments, ESG initiatives, and internal audits. Our platform empowers compliance, risk, and supply chain teams to handle these challenges more efficiently.

About Beehive Startups Weekly

Beehive Startups Weekly is a Tuesday morning meetup that spotlights local startups and their founders. Each week, a founder presents their startup, shares a brief demo, and joins a relaxed interview. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, exchange ideas, and enjoy some coffee while building relationships in the local startup community.

Beehive Startups Weekly - October 22nd, 2024

👤: Gentry Davies, Founder and CEO of Crew
📍: Silicon Slopes Provo - 55 N. University Ave, Ste #180
📆: October 22nd at 9:00 am
☕️: Light refreshments provided
🔗: RSVP here

About Crew

Crew offers modern banking solutions designed for families, including high-yield checking and savings accounts with FDIC insurance. It allows parents to manage joint accounts, while children can have their own accounts with debit cards, helping them learn financial responsibility. Crew provides tools like allowances, spending controls, and easy account monitoring to streamline family money management. It's an all-in-one banking solution for families at every stage.

About Beehive Startups Weekly

Beehive Startups Weekly is a Tuesday morning meetup that spotlights local startups and their founders. Each week, a founder presents their startup, shares a brief demo, and joins a relaxed interview. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, exchange ideas, and enjoy some coffee while building relationships in the local startup community.

We are excited to team up with the Farmington Chapter of Silicon Slopes and Weber State for our next next Founder Friendly event! Here’s the event details:

📆 Date: Thursday, Sept. 12th
⌚️ Time: 12:00 PM
🗺 Place: Davis Catalyst Center (Map)
🙌 Lunch Sponsor: Weber State
🔗 Registration Link: https://lu.ma/p4vyuyns

"Founder Friendly" is a casual event designed for founders to connect, learn, and share ideas. This relaxed gathering provides a unique opportunity to network with fellow entrepreneurs and gain valuable insights from those who have navigated the startup journey.

Our special guest, Brock Weeks, Founder and CEO of Savi Solutions, will share his experiences, including how Savi Solutions recently raised $12M in a Series A funding round. Brock's stories and lessons will be invaluable for any entrepreneur looking to grow their business.

Join us at "Founder Friendly" for networking, learning, and inspiration. Don’t miss this chance to connect with fellow founders and gain insights from a successful entrepreneur.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Last week, BYU's Sandbox program hosted their 3rd Annual Demo Day at the former Provo High building, now under university ownership. The event showcased the remarkable efforts and innovations of 31 student teams who have been diligently building and launching tech products and companies from scratch. Notably, almost all of the startups presented incorporate some form of artificial intelligence (AI), underscoring the growing importance of this transformative technology. While many of these ventures are still in their nascent stages, the palpable potential for their impact foreshadows the bright future awaiting these budding entrepreneurs.

Here’s a brief introduction to the cohort (in the order they presented):

Madder - Hardware-Free Gaming Console

Madder is a cutting-edge gaming platform that simplifies gaming by utilizing smartphones as controllers and web browsers as the central interface. It eliminates the need for new hardware, offering a social style of gameplay that is perfect for traveling, events, hosting and playing anywhere with wifi. Your phone is your controller, your computer is the modern console.

🎮 - maddergames.com/games

Harmony - Enable designers to ship UI without developers

Harmony is one of the first-ever design suites that can integrate with an existing codebase. After a quick 5-minute installation, teams can make changes inside their app with tools like Webflow and Figma. Harmony will make the edits directly in the code and send a pull request to Github.

👨‍🎤 - harmonyui.app

Interval - Virtual AI Receptionist for Automotive Businesses

Interval is an AI virtual assistant for the automotive industry. Interval’s AI answers questions and schedules appointments on the phone and over text, saving companies thousands of dollars per month on missed business from unanswered phone calls.

📞 - Interval-ai.com

Conduit - Intuitive Cloud Infrastructure Designed to Save & Scale

Conduit is an AI-driven PaaS that builds cost-effective, resilient cloud infrastructure. Leveraging AI and machine learning, it automates provisioning and scaling to match demand, minimizing resource waste.

🧑‍💻 - conduitops.com

Rooster - Plug and Play Facial Recognition

Rooster offers plug-and-play facial recognition to combat shoplifting by identifying repeat offenders. Their solution is easy to set up, only requiring a Wi-Fi password and camera. Rooster aims to generate recurring revenue through a low-cost hardware and subscription software model, using proprietary AI for facial matching.

🐓 - getrooster.carrd.co

Cruz - Lending to Personal Injury Victims

Cruz Financing provides pre-settlement financing services to personal injury law firms. They offer a widget that can be integrated into a firm's website, allowing visitors to quickly apply for an advance. Once a lead is signed up, the firm can initiate the advance through Cruz's dashboard.

💥 cruzfinancing.com

FarmHand - HR Software for Seasonal Business

FarmHand provides HR and workforce management software tailored for seasonal businesses like farms, corn mazes, waterparks, haunted houses, ice castles, etc. The company's solutions streamline employee onboarding, time tracking, document signing, and team communication to help farm owners focus on their core operations.

🧑🏻‍🌾 - farmhand.pro

TailTracker - Management software for pet care businesses

TailTracker is specialized software designed to streamline the management of pet care businesses. Its goal is to offer a holistic solution, catering specifically to the unique requirements of such establishments, while addressing the limitations found in current management software options.

🦮 - tailtracker-app.azurewebsites.net

ChoiceGuard - Automated Medicare Broker

ChoiceGuard is an automated Medicare broker that provides personalized, tailored plan recommendations entirely online. Their unbiased algorithm evaluates user inputs to identify the most optimal plans, focusing on maximizing benefits and savings. Users can compare most plans in their area side-by-side to ensure a thorough understanding of how our recommendations stack up. This free tool not only cuts down the time needed to find the right Medicare plan but also offers a transparent, easy-to-use, and empowering experience for all users.

🏥 - choiceguardinsurance.com

Remark - Therapy Aid for Daily Mental Health Results

The Remark App enhances therapy by offering personalized tools that complement your therapist's guidance. With features like mood tracking, journaling, and custom reminders, it integrates therapy insights into your daily routine, promoting ongoing growth and self-awareness.

☮️ - remarktherapy.com

EasySpeak - Real-Time Communication for Non-Verbal Individuals

EasySpeak is an app that enables real-time communication for non-verbal individuals. Think Stephen Hawking and the technology he used. They import data like texts, emails, etc to train the AI. The app will transcribe what someone says to the user and come up with personalized responses that they can choose from instead of typing out every letter.

🤖 - easyspeak.framer.website

Rover - Deal-Closing AI Text Assistant for Service Businesses

Rover is an AI text assistant that automatically follows up on missed calls to service businesses 24/7, aiming to book appointments and close deals that would otherwise be lost opportunities.

🐶 - textrover.co

Trakkup - Employee Scheduling for Outfitters

Trakkup is a workforce management software designed for guiding, outfitting, and outdoor companies. It automates employee scheduling by integrating with reservation systems to schedule qualified employees for custom shifts and multi-day shifts based on passenger reservations

📆 - trakkup.com

Intro - Forming Connections Beyond the Screen

Intro is an app that reduces anxiety around networking events and trade shows by connecting attendees who have matching business needs. Users create profiles listing their interests, and Intro notifies them of potential valuable connections to meet up with at the same event.

Sora Cloud - AI Mentor to Guide Cloud Cost Control

Sora is an AI-powered cloud cost management mentor. It scans a company's infrastructure across major cloud providers, identifies areas of overspending, and provides personalized advice with charts, insights and guidance tailored to the business's needs - aiming to forecast and control future cloud expenses as the company scales.

☁️ - soracloud.io

Evertro - StockX for Video Games

Everto is the only peer-to-peer marketplace for hand-authenticated video games. What StockX and GOAT are for shoes, they are for physical video games, namely retro and limited edition games. Every game bought on our marketplace gets shipped to Evertro headquarters, where its authenticity is verified and the game is tested for quality assurance before reaching the end buyer.

👾 - evertro.com

Ignite - Digital Wellness Community for Young People

Ignite is creating a movement to combat Gen Z's loneliness from excessive smartphone/social media use. They offer discussion groups on technology's impacts and are building a community committed to taking a "summer off" social media, aiming to enable deeper connections with less distraction.

✨ - getignite.org

Checkmate - Competitive Research Tools for E-Commerce

Checkmate uses customer and revenue data to map your competitive landscape, allowing you to understand competitors’ weaknesses with customers and how you could exploit those weakness.

♟ - checkmateconsultant.com

Gainify - Gamifying the Workout Experience

Gainify lets you choose any influencer's workout and use interactive features to mirror their routine. Effortlessly log your workouts and monitor your progress over time. Engage with a supportive community of fitness enthusiasts.

💪 - gainify.app

KidLit - Interactive Resources for Early-Age Learners

Kidlit is an edtech startup that allows users to create personalized children's books through an interactive platform. Their mission is to inspire kids to love learning by offering educational yet imaginative resources. Kidlit's MVP enables users to generate customized children's stories by providing the topic and selecting an image style.

📚 - KidLit (Survey)

Kiba - Two-Way Radio Used Through Smartphone

Kiba introduces a new handheld radio that seamlessly connects to your smartphone. This device enables outdoor enthusiasts to send messages, share their location, and engage in push-to-talk communication, all without relying on cell service. Access these features conveniently through a mobile app on your smartphone. Plus, the radio is engineered for long-range transmission, extended battery life, and durability in harsh outdoor conditions.

📻 - kiba.framer.website

Twilight - Marketplace for seniors to find live-in caregivers

Twilight is a marketplace that connects senior citizens who need in-home care support with student caregivers, offering an affordable solution compared to traditional services. The platform matches seniors who have a spare room with students who can provide the needed caregiving support

Mova - AI Tutor for English Learners

An AI-powered app that allows English learners to practice real-world conversations in English and build confidence in their language skills.

Swipe - Spend Management for Contractors

The AI-powered spend platform for construction. With Swipe you can assign pre-set limits on projects and employee credit cards and auto-match transactions to project plans. You can also automate invoice verification, intelligent expense tracking, tax compliance, and fraud detection.

💳 - tryswipe.io

Digit - Personalized AI Math Tutoring

Digit is an AI-powered math tutor that aims to personalize the learning experience for students in the public school system. Digit provides a more personalized approach, guiding students through the problem-solving process and using the same vocabulary and concepts as the Common Core curriculum to ensure greater accuracy and relevance.

🧮 - digithomelearning.com

Scholar Media Co - Lead Generation for Study Abroad Providers

Scholar Media provides lead generation services for study abroad program providers. They connect students with the best study abroad programs for them.

🌎 - scholarmedia.co

Corevelo - White-Label Fitness Apps for Influencers

Corevelo creates custom fitness apps for influencers. They require no upfront costs and let the influencer keep 90% of the revenue. Seriously, it’s a no brainer.

🏋️‍♂️ - corevelo.pro

WorldSmith - AI-Powered D&D Game Preparation

WorldSmith is a platform designed to empower Dungeon and Dragons players by simplifying game preparation. WorldSmith offers tools for campaign management, immersive world building, detailed quest creation. Our suite includes customizable generators for maps, monsters, NPCs, characters, puzzles, traps, magic items, spells, and so much more. At WorldSmith, our mission is to empower game masters to create unparalleled, immersive TTRPG storytelling experiences for their players. Easy prep, epic play.

🎲 - worldsmith.io

Mars - Automatic Customer Insights for Marketing

Mars is your marketing AI assistant, always performing analysis on your company's sales and customer success calls. Mars uncovers the customer's voice, extracts key moments to watch, and automatically starts on persona mapping and competitive analysis. Save hours and increase conversion.

Subtract - Construction Management Through Text, Email, and WhatsApp

Subtract is a construction management platform that integrates with text, email, and WhatsApp to streamline communication for residential builders. Their solution allows builders to automatically distribute project details to subcontractors via their preferred channels, while using AI to update the project management system.

🦺 subtract.pro

Stratus - AI Platform for Healthcare Front Desks

Stratus is an AI-powered solution that automates the process of handling insurance calls for dental and healthcare providers. By automatically pulling patient data, calling insurance companies, and updating the provider's systems, Stratus eliminates the need for front office staff to spend hours on the phone, allowing them to focus on more important tasks.

⚕️ usestratus.com

In the complex world of transportation and logistics, efficient fleet management and compliance is paramount. But juggling vehicle management, regulatory compliance, and operational optimization can be overwhelming. This is where Link-X, (in the process of rebranding from TranzIT) comes in to simplify the lives and boost the profitability of any company that has a fleet of vehicles to manage.

Tyler Sumner, founder and CEO of Link-X, is a seasoned transportation consultant with over 15 years of experience. He's consistently delivered savings to clients while ensuring compliance and reducing downtime. Tyler's vision and experience with fleet management led to the creation of Link-X, a more efficient, effective, data-driven way of managing company fleets.

With approximately 680,000 owner-operators in the US, the Link-X software solution services a large market of independent contractors and smaller operators. Their application streamlines tasks, from managing Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) to fuel tax reporting, and even cost-per-mile tracking for better load bidding.

Link-X's multi-tenant software simplifies fleet management for operators, connecting them with drivers and mechanics while ensuring compliance. It provides preventive maintenance schedules, real-time alerts, and smooth communication with mechanic shops and vendors.

The software is a data-driven decision-maker, offering customization reports, cost-per-mile analysis, and depreciation schedules. It empowers fleet managers to make informed decisions, maximize efficiency, and comply with industry standards.

By focusing on data and preventive maintenance, Link-X reduces repair costs, increases uptime, and keeps fleets in compliance with regulations.

In an industry where every minute and mile matter, Link-X, is here to make fleet management simpler and more efficient. They’ve recently raised $1.4 million in pre-seed funding from Todd Petersen and other Utah angel investors.

Watch the video above for a lot more information on this great Utah company!

🐝 This post is sponsored by your friends at Beehive Venture Partners. Thanks!

In case you missed it last week, Beehive Venture Partners and Silicon Slopes have joined forces to launch the Beehive Accelerator. This new accelerator is specifically designed with the needs of Utah founders in mind, offering them the capital, mentorship, network, and community connections they'll need for success.

Unlike many other accelerators that require a 7% equity stake in exchange for participation, the Beehive Accelerator is completely free for startups. Beehive firmly believes in supporting entrepreneurs without taking a share of their companies. This commitment to fostering growth and empowering founders is further demonstrated by Beehive's plan to invest $250,000 (or potentially much more) in the participating startups. The investment terms are favorable for founders, ensuring they receive the necessary capital to propel their businesses forward.

One of the key strengths of the Beehive Accelerator is its strong network of successful mentors within Utah's startup ecosystem. Founders gain access to invaluable guidance, industry connections, and strategic advice from experienced mentors. The 10-week program, hosted at Silicon Slopes headquarters, provides an immersive environment where founders regularly interact with mentors, venture capitalists, and industry leaders. Networking opportunities during lunches and dinners further facilitate relationship building. This unique program helps founders learn, grow, and forge meaningful connections within Utah's vibrant startup scene.

The Beehive Accelerator is open to startups from pre-seed to pre-Series A, fostering inclusivity and offering benefits regardless of current funding or traction. By creating a diverse cohort of talented founders, Beehive promotes collaboration and a supportive community for sharing insights and learning from each other's experiences. Applying to the accelerator is quick and easy, taking less than five minutes, and we have already received several dozens applications.

To quote Clint Betts, CEO and President of Silicon Slopes, "We're excited to partner with Beehive Venture Partners to accelerate early-stage startups in our community, fostering connections between Utah's most promising founders and legendary local mentors. The Beehive Accelerator will help thriving new Utah companies become full-fledged unicorns."

Feel free to apply for the Beehive Accelerator at beehivevp.com/accelerator/ and be sure to follow the BeehiveVP team on LinkedIn and Twitter for more details as they emerge.

Here’s a brief introduction to the cohort (in no particular order):

VIVID Interiors - AI-powered interiors for a better way of living

Vivid Interiors is a game-changing AI tool that makes interior decorating easy and simple. Snap a photo of your space, upload it to Vivid Interiors, and in seconds, you get a fresh, redesigned space. Have a particular color you would like to incorporate? You can tweak the design to match your taste. Pick a color palette, choose a style you love, and handpick your ideal furniture. And when you're happy with your new look, Vivid Interiors helps you shop each product in the design. It shows you exactly where to buy them, saving you time and effort. Vivid Interiors is all about making Interior decorating quick, convenient and easy.

🏡 - vividinteriors.ai

Ante - Bet on your goals with friends

Reach your toughest goals and collaborate with your friends to build healthy habits. With ANTE, you compete in real-life challenges with friends and family – with a twist.

🎰 - downloadante.com

Proxxy - Enabling contractors to go green

Proxxy enables general contractors to go green by automating the purchasing and processing of clean energy products.

🏗 - proxxy.ai

Senita - A better way to run mentorship programs

Senita amplifies the mentorship experience and provides a platform for program leaders and participants to coordinate logistics, collaborate on goals, and grow together.

🧑‍🏫 - senita.co

Podflow - Your AI Podcast Assistant

Podflow enhances your audio, removes filler words and generates transcripts, quotes and summaries from your podcast episode, so all you have to do is review and publish.

🎙 - podflow.ai

Flare - Behavior-driven promo codes for your Shopify stores

Flare tracks user behavior on your site analyzing things like page visits, number of items in a user’s cart, etc. Based on the data, sends promo codes to users who may need an extra push to buy and hide the promo code box for shoppers who are likely to buy on their own. You save money on and capture revenue lost from abandoned carts.

✨ - getflareai.com

Carton - Zero-clutter personal knowledge app

Carton is a personal knowledge management app that works like your brain. It aims to be zero-clutter and works by connecting your notes in a graph for a more intuitive note-writing and retrieving process, making you much more productive.

🥛 - trycarton.com (currently down)

Dine - Automated meal planning and grocery shopping

Dine is a convenient solution that seamlessly integrates with your local Kroger grocery store. With Dine, you can effortlessly select a weekly meal plan that caters to your specific needs. Our innovative platform then generates a personalized shopping list, saving you valuable time on meal planning and grocery shopping. Say goodbye to the stress of figuring out what to cook and streamline your culinary journey with Dine.

🍲 - dinemeals.com

Replay - AI Roleplays for sales training

Replay makes AI simulations for sales training, helping sales reps perform at their max with role plays, script memorization, and weekly competitions. Essentially, an AI customer is created for sales reps to practice with for selling.

▶️ - getreplay.sale

Zaymo - Shoppable email for eCommerce brands

Zaymo interactive emails for e-commerce stores. We bring the shopping experience into the inbox so that customers can shop without leaving their inbox. By making it easier to shop, we increase conversions 20-80%

📧 - getzaymo.com

Investorbot - White-labeled investing platform for Realtors

Investbot is a startup revolutionizing real estate investment by providing a research and data platform that empowers agents representing property investors. Our comprehensive financial outlook tool offers a holistic view of investment properties, saving investors valuable time and effort. We provide accurate and up-to-date information on market trends, property values, rental potential, and more. With our intuitive interface and user-friendly design, real estate agents can navigate the platform, access relevant data, and generate detailed reports to make informed decisions. Investbot is reshaping the real estate investment landscape, empowering agents and driving success for both investors and agents alike.

🤖 - investorbot.us

Quippe - Secure ChatGPT for internal knowledge

Quippe gives employees secure access to generative AI technologies. Quippe enables workers to get the benefits and assistance of technologies such as ChatGPT, while employers can rest assured that their data is kept secure and confidential. Quippe users can now use generative AI chatbots and a proposal generating tool to help with the RFP process.

🧠 - quippe.ai

Devote - Brex for Nonprofits

Devote is an expense management software specifically designed for nonprofit organizations. With its preemptive spending controls and advanced software features, it effectively streamlines processes and automates manual entry work even before the purchase occurs. This empowers organizations to allocate more of their attention to their program services, allowing them to prioritize their core mission with greater efficiency.

💳 - usedevote.com

Relatify - AI Automated Patient Outreach

Relatify’s AI software fully automates patient outreach, messaging, and scheduling. A tool that connects with your EMR to match patient schedules with yours and coordinate follow-up appointments automatically.

📞 - getrelatify.com

Mindsmith - AI eLearning platform

Mindsmith is a course authoring tool that uses generative AI to make it easy to create and share learning content.

🤯 - mindsmith.ai

Buster - Query and visualize your data using plain English

Buster connects to your data sources (stripe, hubspot, database, etc) and enables operators to rapidly pull insights using natural language. With Buster, you can ask any data question in plain english and get answers in the form of charts, graphs, tables, etc - instantly. You can customize your visualizations and build dashboards/reports in seconds (without using SQL, spreadsheets, or your data analyst).

📊 - buster.so

We're excited to announce the return of Beehive Startups! For those who don't know, Beehive Startups was originally founded in 2012 by Clint Betts and a handful of Gunderson brothers at Start Studio (formerly called Izeni).

At first, Beehive Startups was just a simple blog that told the stories of founders in Utah's startup and tech ecosystem. However, as interest grew, the blog blossomed into a full-blown movement — a movement that continues within the Silicon Slopes organization, along with countless other groups and leaders who make Utah the best place in the world to start a company.

We believe stories are at the heart of a community, which is why we intend to continue executing the original Beehive Startups mission. Telling a founder’s story helps them generate interest for recruiting, partnerships, business development, and even fundraising. But most importantly, it gives these founders a platform and a voice.

By helping amazing Utah founders share their stories, we hope to shine a light on their efforts, dreams, and sacrifices. We'll share what makes them tick, what motivates them, what's working, and what isn't. Of course, we'll also cover local startup news, announcements, and upcoming events organized by ourselves and others. There are stories that deserve to be told, so we're going to tell them.

We hope you'll be a part of this movement! If you're interested in helping founders tell their stories or want to get involved with Beehive Startups, please feel free to reach out. There's a lot to cover, so we're going to need all the help we can get! 🐝

Subscribe now

Here’s what is happening in the hive:

• Cybersecurity- be suspicious

  Sophos has announced it’s acquiring Braintrace, a Utah-based cybersecurity startup that, since its founding, has raised $10M in funding. Braintrace tracks suspicious network traffic patterns without the typical decryption. Technical terms, major security.

• IPO’s for dayzzzz

  Utah is killing it when it comes to businesses going public. In just over a week we saw three big time companies announce IPO’s and we’re pumped for them. Instructure, Bridge Investment, and Sera Prognostics are the players and public offering is the name of the game. Congrats and godspeed. 

• Robo-hearts

  This is a triumph of human innovation and deserves a spot in the hive. Surgeons at Duke University successfully transplanted an artificial heart to a 39 year old man who is currently doing well. The TAH is not designed for the long term, rather, a better solution for the waiting period until a donor heart is available. Science!

Also, did you hear? Silicon Slopes Summit is October 13-14 and the breakout sessions are going to be top notch. Get your tickets right now while you’ve got early-bird pricing. 

We’re happier than this gyrating swim coach to report on startup news in Utah. We’ve got some changes coming down the pipeline, so stay tuned for more info.

It’s hotter than Hades and Utah is breaking records. Drought, heat, soaring housing prices, and a lot of grasshoppers. It’s a nice apocalyptic feel we’ve got going on, hold tight everyone. 

Here’s what’s happening in the hive:

• College athletes getting in on it

  On June 30th, the NCAA announced that collegiate athletes would be allowed to monetize their name, image, and likeness. Utah native and NFL player Bronson Kaufusi took note and acted quickly, starting ConnectNIL, a double sided platform that allows athletes and businesses to connect and help one another. Help me help you? Yes, please. 

• Klymit acquired

  Utah’s outdoor retailer Klymit announced acquisition by MacNeill Pride Group of Nashville, TN. Klymit CEO and President Cory Tholl will stay with the company as they work to reach even more outdoor enthusiasts than ever. Curious about Klymit? They were featured in the “Made in Utah” section of Silicon Slopes Magazine. Check out the article here. 

• Storier

  Here’s something really fun that I saw at StartMadness and want to share here. Storier brings safe, age-appropriate audiobooks to kids. No need to worry if your child will happen upon something they shouldn’t, Storier keeps the good and blocks the bad. With tons of titles to choose from and an easy to navigate app, your kid will switch from gaming and hitting their sibling on road trips to listening to books. Sign me up. 

• Bezos in space

  You didn’t think Mr. Bezos would let Richard have all the fun did you? Yes, Jeff went to space, thanked us for being totally dependent on Prime, and also gave away $200 million. He’s worth more than $200 BILLION but, good job Jeff, you’re a sweetie. 

Notable news

PROG. Ever heard of it? I hadn’t either, but somehow this fintech giant slipped in to Utah unnoticed by many and is here to get bizaaay. They’ve announced the acquisition of Four Technologies, a buy now, pay later company, and I have a feeling they’re just getting started. 

Owlet is public! Shares for the smart sock baby monitor company can now be found on the NYSE. Congrats!

That’s a wrap. I’m not sure how it’s already halfway through July and I’m wondering where Summer is going, but I also know that in less than six months I’ll be hating the cold. Live in the present, even if you can fry an egg on your forehead if you go outside. 

Don’t miss early bird pricing for Silicon Slopes Summit, October 13-14! It’s the event of the year and I’ll be there with popcorn. 

We’re happier than a pioneer surviving yellow fever to report on startup news in Utah. Share your good news with us! emily@beehivestartups.com or hello@beehivestartups.com.

The reason I’m telling you about Richard Branson and his billions is that he STARTED SOMEWHERE, and that first startup was at the tender age of 16- a magazine called Student. Then at age 20 he started a mail order record company. Then he opened a record store chain, Virgin Records. Then he flew in space. Ok, there were a lot of things between that, but the point is that he started small, just like you. Get started now and maybe by the time you’re Mr. Branson’s age you’ll be building condos on the moon. 

Here’s what is happening in the hive:

• LoanPro Secures Series A

  LoanPro, the Famington, UT based SaaS company started by three brothers, announced that it has raised $100M from FTV Capital. The brothers started out as lenders, so they understood the pain points of the job. So let this inspire you- something bugs you, fix it well, help people, secure $100M funding. Done.

• Clientbook closes $4.5M in funding

  After a fantastic 2020, Lehi-based Clientbook announces the closure of $4.5M in strategic funding. Clientbook has a user-friendly app that helps people working in retail do their job better. Don’t you wish you had this in 2002 when you were working at the mall and hating it? Me too. 

• Complete guide to starting a business

  Biz Funding Hub reached out to me and shared this link to “A Complete Guide to Starting a Small Business”. The guide is super comprehensive, and definitely worth a look. Just another free resource to fuel your startup journey. Thanks Biz Funding Hub!

• Traeger going public!

Last week, Traeger announced its intention to go public in an IPO and also have plans to raise $100M in the meantime. According to Pitchbook, Traeger is estimated to have a valuation of more than $3 billion. Ring that bell Mr. Andrus, we’re ready!

• Food Truckin all the live-long day

  Who doesn’t love food trucks, BOGO, and helping charities in the process? No one, that’s who. Food Truck League is helping feed your face and also those in need by selling passports with BOGO options, get yours here. It’s sponsored by Discover and all proceeds go to help 4th Street Clinic, Utah Community Action, Volunteers of America - Utah, and YWCA Utah. Delicious food for a cause- get after it!

That’s all for this week. You can still go to SlopesCup and meet all the right people! More info here. Also, set your calendars for Silicon Slopes Summit, October 13-14 in the heart of Salt Lake City. Early bird pricing is available now, so hop to it. 

We’re happier than the number-crunchers doing calculations for spaceflight to report on startup news in Utah. Share your good news with us! emily@beehivestartups.com or hello@beehivestartups.com.

July is the month many businesses marked for their employees to come back to the office, and we hope if that’s the case for you things are going well. Going back to the physical office is tough, but at least your desk is now safely distanced from that one coworker. You know the one. If you’re working a nine-to-five and then coming home to work your five-to-nine on your startup, we see you and we’re cheering you on. 

Looking for a great networking experience? Slopes Cup ‘21 is happening July 26th.

It’s ok if you’re not a pro golfer, just come for the fun. More info here

Here’s what is happening in the hive:

• Founder’s Story: MX

  Utah Business did a really great story on Brandon Dewitt, a cofounder of MX. I never get tired of founder’s stories because it humanizes someone you might put into a god-like category. They started where you might be- at ground zero, and worked their way into the success they’ve found. Brandon started coding because he loved music, and if that’s not a beautiful pivot into tech I don’t know what is. Read the story here. 

• Instructure acquires EeasySoft

  Instructure, the Utah-based edtech company, has announced the acquisition of EeasySoft, an edtech adoption vendor. This change, rebranded as “Impact by Instructure” will help educators adapt and pick up educational technology. Hybrid learning has become even more important in a post-pandemic classroom, and tech is here to help. Bless the parents dealing with remote learning. 

• Utah Tech University, the school formerly known as Dixie 

  The Dixie State University Board of Trustees voted on a name change and after careful consideration landed on Utah Tech University as the new institutional name of Dixie State University. The board believes this will bring new and even better opportunities for the school and students who attend. The board’s recommending vote will now go to the Utah Board of Higher Education for their vote before being forwarded to the Utah State Legislature.

• More Utah VC’s= more money for startups!

  If you haven’t heard, SkyLab Ventures is the new kid in town ready to help your startup. SkyLab models itself a little differently than some, focusing on VC, modern marketing, and influencer marketing. SkyLab is “...maniacally focused on aligning with founders on a 2-3 year exit strategy.” If this sounds like something you want, we’re with you.

• Fighting the good fight against opioid abuse: Phoenix PharmaLabs

  2020 saw a rise in opioid addiction and overdose, and Woods Cross based Phoenix PharmLabs has their swords out. With a successful round of funding via the Netcapital equity funding portal, the company will continue work on their two non-addictive analgesics. Read more here

That’s it folks, but guess what’s coming- Silicon Slopes Summit!

This is the ultimate networking, learning, and startup dream-fueling experience. Get your tickets now while they’re at a discount price! 

We’re happier than a fire extinguisher on the Fourth of July to report on startup news in Utah. Share your good news with us! emily@beehivestartups.com or hello@beehivestartups.com.

I hope you got a chance to watch StartFEST. It was magical, and I particularly enjoyed StartMadness. What is more inspiring than 10 hard working entrepreneurs pitching with their whole hearts in a business they believe in? As you saw last week, Krado and Edify.ai were the winners, and things since the pitch competition have been crazy for them in a good way. Congrats to both companies and to all who applied. Grind on with that startup climb. 

Looking for a great networking experience? Slopes Cup ‘21 is happening July 26th and you’re welcome to join the fun. More info here

Here’s what happening in the hive: 

• Funding is going to Addiction

  According to Crunchbase News, roughly $1billion in funding has gone to addiction-recovery startups in the last few years. The normalization of the conversation surrounding addiction treatment is shifting founders attention. Help wanted, help given. 

• Cardagraph raises angel round

  Productivity platform Cardagraph has raised a seed round from sole investor Jeff Birmingham and partners at Peak Capital. Although they haven’t disclosed the exact amount, the company plans to use the funding to further develop their platform and hire more team members. 

• Canopy scores $11M

  Tax practice management software leader Canopy has welcomed a hefty $11M with new investor Ankona Capital. Accountants are working remotely more and more, and the cloud based system can get them just what they need to succeed. Well done for a local company!

• Pattern welcomes former Amazon Exec

  The ecommerce giant Pattern has announced that it has welcomed Mike Roth to the team as senior advisor. Roth is well known for his role at Amazon, creating their global transportation and operation programs. Utah is raking in the talent near and far!

• Can the startup boom help blast the economy out of a hole?

  An article by Greg Rosalsky of NPR gave a visual this week that was just so good it must be shared: “Like so many other areas of the economy, applications for new businesses pulled back in the first half of 2020 but then snapped forward again like a slingshot.” Here’s to riding in the slingshot and praying for the best possible outcome for our Utah startup community! Read the article here. 

That’s a wrap on startup news. Don’t forget about Slopes Cup ‘21, it will be toasty but I might be the one driving the drink wagon, so be sure and say hi. 

We’re happier than Bruce Bogtrotter with chocolate cake to report on startup news in Utah. Share your good news with us! emily@beehivestartups.com or hello@beehivestartups.com.

Yes, that’s right folks, two enormous $250K checks were given out, and here are the winners:

Krado

Edify.ai

I’ll tell you all about it next week. For now, you can listen to the entire finale here.

“It's interesting how "bootstrappers" look down on those that raise VC money and visa versa. It's really not a better or worse - it's situational. If you can grow and become profitable in the timeline you would like without raising capital that's awesome! If your goals are either bigger and/or faster than what you can accomplish on your own then raising capital is perfect for you.

Ironic thing is that both founders (bootstrappers and VC founders that have exited) end up usually making private investments. This is because of the potential returns and give back associated with angel investing (along with continued learning).

Just like with every aspect of life we all could use a little moderation in our thought process. One side never has all the answers.”

Neither way is the best way. It’s good to keep some perspective. 

StartFEST is today! I hope you’re excited because I’m giddy about it. The StartMadness finale will be live on Thursday and it’s going to be great. Get hyped!

Here’s the news in the hive:

• Elektrik electrifies

  High voltage electrical equipment supplier Elektrik raised a $1M seed round with Album VC. The Utah startup completed the TechStars accelerator program and has seen tremendous growth since then. Not shocking! 

• Lucidpress gets acquired

  Lucidpress, a division of Lucidcharts, was recently acquired by Charles Thayne Capital. The go-to design software enables companies to produce on-brand content at scale, preventing the ever frustrating design bottleneck.

• Bookclub secures $20M Series A

  After a successful $6M seed round, Bookclub is back with a Series A led by Signal Peak Ventures. Bookclub is a platform that gives readers a chance to engage with authors and have first hand conversations about the books they write. 

• Tula Health Getting Healthier

  Farmington, Utah-based Tula Health raised $24.1 million in debt and equity financing from two venture firms, Springtide Ventures, and Sandbox Capital Advisors. Tula provides healthcare technology that revolutionizes the way we gather and see data for chronic conditions like diabetes, as well as 24/7 support. If that’s not healthy I don’t know what is.

• Brilliant idea alert! Automatic downspout extender

  Has your basement flooded from a poorly placed downspout coming off your gutter? It’s the worst! Here’s a solution for you: The Autospout. They’re currently running a Kickstarter campaign and you should definitely look into it.  

We’re happier than when you smell and tap and roll a watermelon and it turns out to be a good one- to be reporting on startup news in Utah. Do you have something to share? Go ahead and email us at emily@beehivestartups.com or hello@beehivestartups.com.

StartMadness is this week! We’re there, and we couldn’t be more excited to cheer on the 10 finalists. Here are the teams who will be competing at the StartMadness Finale, taking place at StartFEST June 16-17th.

• Krado

• Publisher Arts

• Edify.ai

• Upkid

• Fia Care

• Storier

• Sponsr

• Literal

• Wander

• True Adherence

As a reminder, StartMadness has partnered with Pelion Venture Partners, contributing $250k to the winning team, and Founder’s Hub, a platform designed to help Utah’s entrepreneurs build the community, connection, and confidence to help all of us rise up together.

You know you want to see who wins. Buy tickets here to cheer on the teams!

Have you heard who will be speaking at StartFEST? Check out the full speaker list. These people come from diverse backgrounds with all sorts of businesses, and they’re here to impart wisdom. Take advantage of this opportunity, sponge up the smarts, and get your tickets here. 

Here’s what’s happening in the hive:

• Tasty, Savory, funding

  Mercato Partners announced closure of a $100 million second round of Savory Fund, which backs new and emerging restaurants with the funds needed to expand. This could be you! Your food, your restaurant, your people. Soda giant Swig partnered with Savory in 2017, has seen 300% growth, and expects even more in 2021 with an additional 17 stores opening nationwide. The money is out there, go get it!

• Looking real Spiff-ed up

  Congratulations to Spiff, a leading sales commission software company, who closed $46M Series B with both existing and new investors. You might remember that Spiff had a successful Series A just last year, giving them a total of $68M raised in lightning speed. Really Spiff-y (can’t stop with the puns on this one)

• Entrepreneurial burnout 

  Does this look familiar? Instead of googling “what not to do” in your startup, stay positive. This list, although it’s from 2019, still rings true and can give you some perspective if you’re at your wits end. I like that there are only 10 pretty simple things, but reading them gives you a bit of an “I can do that” boost.

• Home is where the heart (and kids, food, sweatpants, pets, and comfy chair) is

  We’re in a serious downturn with new Covid cases, and many businesses are ready to welcome employees back to the workplace. But… the problem is… loungewear. Just kidding, but really, 86% of tech professionals would like to keep a work from home arrangement post-pandemic according to a 2021 study done by Hackajob. This is definitely something to consider when starting your own tech-centered business. Can your people work remotely? Do you even need an office space? Something to think about while you start. 

• Visit Salt Lake rebrands

  While we still want people to “Visit Salt Lake”, we want them to understand how awesome Utah is and why we love it. Watch the new branding intro video here. It’s a fun way to get people excited about SLC or maybe just reignite your love for the capital city. 

That’s a wrap! We’re happier than a hot day and an always cold poolside Diet Coke to be reporting on startup news in Utah. Do you have something to share? Go ahead and email us at emily@beehivestartups.com or hello@beehivestartups.com.