NYC Tech Awards: This Year’s Startup Honorees

We’re spotlighting the bold visionaries, passionate founders and CEOs, and groundbreaking technologies transforming industries from health tech to security to social networks.

Collage art features founders and CEOs of Kustomer, Coast, Ethic, Oshi Health, Pearl Health, Axonius, Pickle, Stepful, and POSH.Collage art features founders and CEOs of Kustomer, Coast, Ethic, Oshi Health, Pearl Health, Axonius, Pickle, Stepful, and POSH.

New York City has always been a hub of innovation, but in 2024, the city’s startups made especially big waves. At this year’s NYC Tech Awards, we’re shining a spotlight on the bold visionaries, passionate founders and CEOs, and the groundbreaking technologies transforming industries from health tech to artificial intelligence to social networks. From solutions revolutionizing healthcare and sustainability to cutting-edge security and privacy tools, the honorees of this year’s event exemplify the spirit of New York’s drive.

As we gather to celebrate the achievements of these trailblazing startups, we look at how their innovations are not only pushing boundaries but also reshaping how we live, work, and connect. Whether in enterprise SaaS or marketplaces, these companies are setting the pace for the future—proving that in NYC, the best ideas don’t just thrive; they take flight. Let’s take a closer look at this year’s honorees who are shaping the future of NYC, one technological breakthrough at a time.

A big thank you to all the cohosts helping us celebrate these founders on 1/31: Newmark, 500 Global, AlleyCorp, Anomaly, Avenir, BAM Elevate, BBG, Brex, Cooley, Dave Partners, Deloitte, Exbo, FIFCollective, Fintech Collective, Flybridge, Goodwin, Gunderson Dettmer, HumanX, Kustomer, Neuberg Gore, NYSE, Oak HC/FT, Perkins Coie, Rho, Softbank, Sterling Strand, Stifel, Tech:NYC, TroopHR, ArmHR, Velvet Sea Ventures, Vestwell, and WSGR.

HEALTH TECH

Kate Ryder, Founder and CEO of Maven Clinic

After seeing friends experience challenges while raising their families, Kate Ryder founded Maven Clinic in 2014 to offer a virtual health clinic for women and families. In October 2024, the startup raised $125 million in a Series F funding round, bringing its valuation to $1.7 billion.

Shiv Rao, Founder and CEO of Abridge

In 2018, practicing cardiologist Dr. Shiv Rao founded Abridge, an app that uses AI to transcribe and summarize medical conversations, easing clinicians' documentation burdens. In February 2024, the team announced a $150 million Series C funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners.

Sam Holliday, Michael Goodman, and Sameer Berry, Cofounders of Oshi Health

Oshi Health, founded by Sam Holliday, Michael Goodman, and Dr. Sameer Berry in 2019, is a virtual-first gastrointestinal care clinic available nationwide. In October 2024, the team closed a $60 million Series C funding round led by Oak HC/FT.

Michael Kopko and Jeffrey De Flavio, Cofounders of Pearl Health

Founded in 2020 by Michael Kopko and Dr. Jeffrey De Flavio, Pearl Health supports providers with a data platform to deliver higher-quality, value-based patient care. Michael was named EY's Entrepreneur of the Year New York Award winner in 2024.

Daniel Hanover and Toni Oloko, Cofounders of Dandy

Daniel Hanover and Toni Oloko met at university and went on to found Dandy, an end-to-end platform for digitizing dental practices, in 2020. By the end of 2024, Dandy had raised a total of $172.42 million in funding and treated over 650,000 patients through digital dentistry.

Zachariah Reitano, Saman Rahmanian, and Rob Schutz, Cofounders of Ro

Founded by Zachariah Reitano, Saman Rahmanian, and Rob Schutz in 2017, Ro is a direct-to-consumer telehealth startup that covers everything from diagnosis to medication delivery. To date, Ro has raised more than $1 billion in funding.

Samir Malik and Ananth Lalithakumar, Cofounders of Firsthand

Firsthand, founded in 2021 by Samir Malik and Ananth Lalithakumar, offers a network of peer recovery specialists and resources for individuals affected by Serious Mental Illness (SMI). In 2024, Firsthand opened an office in Tacoma, WA, serving 28 communities across the U.S.

Carl Madi, Tressia Hobeika, and Edoardo Serra, Cofounders of Stepful

Stepful, a mission-driven startup offering affordable AI-powered training programs for the next generation of healthcare workers, was founded by Carl Madi, Tressia Hobeika, and Edoardo Serra in 2021. The team closed a $31.5 million Series B funding round led by Oak HC/FT in November 2024 to launch advanced healthcare programs, expand its B2B offerings, and strengthen partnerships with health systems across the US.

Niren Gandra and Aditya Pandyaram, Cofounders of Trovo Health

In 2024, Dr. Niren Gandra and Aditya Pandyaram launched Trovo Health with $15 million in seed funding led by Oak HC/FT. Combining AI with expert clinical teams, Trovo Health aims to support physician groups to improve care while streamlining their operations.

Sina Chehrazi, Founder and CEO of Nayya

Sina Chehrazi founded Nayya in 2019 to connect people’s most important information so they can thrive in their health and wealth. Powered by AI, Nayya transforms complex benefits experiences into intuitive, seamless, and ongoing interactions—meeting people's real-world needs.

Avihai Sodri, Carine Bell-Feder, Dr. David Zlotnik, and Ben Enosh, Cofounders of Antidote Health

Antidote Health is revolutionizing healthcare by providing affordable and accessible health insurance and care. Their virtual-first approach, combined with cutting-edge technology, allows members to manage their health on their terms, all in one place with virtual 24/7 virtual doctor visit, low to no copays, discounted referral programs, $0 medication benefits. 

Eric Litman, Founder & CEO of Aescape

Aescape was founded in 2017 by Eric Litman as an endeavor to make wellness and self-care more accessible through the use of robotics and AI to deliver therapeutic services to its clientele. In 2024, Aescape moved out of stealth mode with a media campaign that saw coverage in more than 45 publications and engaged influencers across several sectors.

Jason Prestinario, CEO of Particle Health

Particle Health, founded by Troy Bannister and Dan Horbatt in 2018, is a data platform aggregating patient medical records through APIs. Led by Jason Prestinario since 2023, Particle joined CommonWell Health Alliance's Qualified Health Information Network in 2024.

Jake Cooper, Manoj Kanagaraj, and Alan Ni, Cofounders of Grow Therapy

Founded by Jake Cooper, Manoj Kanagaraj, and Alan Ni in 2020, Grow Therapy is a platform that helps therapists manage their practice and supports patient access to mental health care. In April 2024, the team raised $88 million in Series C funding led by Sequoia Capital.

Michael Gao and Joshua Geleris, Cofounders of SmarterDx

After leading AI as Medical Director for Transformation at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Michael Gao founded clinical AI startup SmarterDx alongside Dr. Joshua Geleris in 2020 to capture net new revenue, enhance quality care metrics, and combat claims denials. In May 2024, the team secured $50 million in Series B funding led by Transformation Capital.

Andrew Zengilowski, Wesley Haydon, and Eric Di Bari, Cofounders of CoachCare

CoachCare – which provides remote patient monitoring and virtual health management tools – was founded in 2014 by Andrew Zengilowski, Wesley Haydon, and Eric Di Bari. In 2024, the team raised a $48 million strategic growth investment led by Integrity Growth Partners and Topmark Partners in July, followed by an additional $11 million from Catalyst Investors in December.

Alexander Rives, Tom Sercu, and Sal Candido, Cofounders of EvolutionaryScale

Founded by former Meta researchers Alexander Rives, Tom Sercu, and Sal Candido in 2023, EvolutionaryScale trains AI language models for biological applications and has unveiled ESM3, a model trained on 2.78 billion natural proteins that can create new proteins. In June 2024, the team raised $142 million in seed funding led by Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, and Lux Capital.

SUSTAINABILITY

James McGinniss, Cofounder and CEO of David Energy

With a background in physics, math, and mechanical engineering, James McGinniss founded David Energy in 2019 to find ways to operate the grid entirely on clean energy. The startup, a tech-powered retail electricity provider, received a $23 million financing round in September 2024, led by Cathay Innovation.

Frank Reig and Paul Suhey, Cofounders of Revel

Founded in 2018 by Frank Reig and Paul Suhey, Revel began as a moped-sharing startup before pivoting to electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. In December 2024, Revel announced plans to install 24 EV fast chargers at JFK Airport in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Lauren Schulte Wang, Founder and CEO of Flex

Motivated by her frustrations with traditional menstrual products, Lauren Schulte Wang started Flex in 2016 as a way to develop more comfortable and sustainable alternatives. In 2024, the team raised an undisclosed multimillion-dollar investment from MLB star Justin Verlander and model Kate Upton to launch the brand's Bamboo pads and liners.

FINTECH

Eric Glyman, Karim Atiyeh, and Gene Lee, Cofounders of Ramp

Longtime friends Eric Glyman, Karim Atiyeh, and Gene Lee founded Ramp in 2019 to offer a platform for managing corporate credit cards and expenses in one place. In April 2024, Ramp completed a $150 million Series D-2 funding round, co-led by Khosla Ventures and Founders Fund, upping its valuation to $7.65 billion.

Ankur Jain, Founder and CEO of Bilt Rewards

Bilt Rewards, founded in 2021 by Ankur Jain, is a nationwide loyalty program that allows renters to earn points on rent payments and local spending. In January 2024, the Bilt team secured $200 million in funding, led by General Catalyst, and by August, it raised an additional $150 million, bringing its valuation to $3.25 billion.

Daniel Simon, Founder and CEO of Coast

Founded by seasoned entrepreneur Daniel Simon in 2020, Coast wants to modernize expense management for US businesses operating vehicle fleets. In July 2024, the team announced a $40 million Series B funding round led by ICONIQ Growth, bringing its total equity financing to nearly $100 million.

Don Muir and Nick Lombardo, Cofounders of Arc Technologies
Arc Technologies, launched by Don Muir and Nick Lombardo in 2021, is the first asset-light commercial bank, powered by AI. Backed by Y Combinator, Arc has thousands of active banking clients and hundreds of active lenders representing over $100B AUM on platform.

Nico Simko, Cofounder and CEO of Clair

Ex-JPMorgan associate Nico Simko cofounded Clair in 2020 to build a solution enabling employees to get paid immediately after they clock out. Nico was included in Forbes' 30 Under 30 in Finance in 2024, with Clair receiving $195 million of equity and debt financing to date.

Kelly Littlepage and Stephen Johnson, Cofounders of OneChronos

Founded in 2015 by Kelly Littlepage and Stephen Johnson, OneChronos aims to optimize electronic trading for institutional investors and traders with AI-driven tools. In November 2024, the team landed a $32 million funding round, led by Addition.

Doug Scott, CEO & Cofounder of Ethic

Doug Scott is CEO and Co-founder of Ethic, a personalized and values-aligned investment platform for advisors and institutions. Ethic manages over $6 Billion in assets (as of 12/31/24), and is backed by venture investors including Oak HC/FT, Nyca, Fidelity, UBS, and Sound Ventures.

Carmelle Cadet, Founder and CEO of Emtech

After working in payments and blockchain at IBM for a decade, Carmelle Cadet went her own way in 2019 and founded EMTECH, a fintech aiming to modernize central banking infrastructure with SaaS platforms focused on regulatory compliance and financial inclusion. In September 2024, EMTECH raised an undisclosed investment from Accenture Ventures.

Chris Pento and Sachin Kumar, Cofounders of Clear Street

Founded by Chris Pento and Sachin Kumar in 2018, Clear Street is a cloud-native fintech aiming to refresh the brokerage ecosystem for the modern age. In 2024, Clear Street acquired Fox River Algorithmic Trading Business from Instinet in October, improving its capabilities in electronic trading.

Daragh Murphy and Gaurav Ahuja, Cofounders of Imprint

Imprint, founded by Daragh Murphy and Gaurav Ahuja in 2020, helps brands launch credit card programs to boost customer engagement. In October 2024, the team secured $75 million in a Series C funding round led by Keith Rabois at Khosla Ventures, bringing its valuation to $600 million.

Matan Bar, Ilan Atias, and Ziv Paz, Cofounders of Melio

Melio – founded in 2018 by Matan Bar, Ilan Atias and Ziv Paz – simplifies B2B payments for small and medium-sized businesses. In October 2024, the team announced $150 million in a strategic funding round led by Fiserv, Inc to fuel further growth through partnerships.

Einat Steklov and Rishi Kumar, Cofounders and CoCEOs of Kashable

Founded by Einat Steklov and Rishi Kumar in 2013, Kashable provides financial educational tools and socially responsible loans to employees through its platform. In January 2024, the company secured $25.6 million in a Series B funding round co-led by Revolution Ventures and Moneta Ventures.

ENTERPRISE, SAAS, & WORKFLOW

Jack Kokko and Raj Neervannan, Cofounders of AlphaSense

After meeting at The Wharton School, Jack Kokko and Raj Neervannan went on, in 2011, to founding AlphaSense, a market intelligence search engine platform. In June 2024, the company raised $650 million in funding, boosting its valuation to $4 billion.

Minna Song and Stoyan Stoyanov, Cofounders of EliseAI

EliseAI, founded in 2017 by Minna Song and Stoyan Stoyanov, is on a mission to transform the housing and healthcare industries with its AI-driven conversational platforms. In August 2024, the company secured $75 million in a Series D funding round led by Sapphire Ventures, pushing its valuation to over $1 billion.

Kareem Amin and Varun Anand, Cofounders of Clay

With Clay, cofounders Kareem Amin and Varun Anand are on a mission to support sales and marketing teams with a suite of tools designed to drive business growth. In June 2024, the team raised a $46 million Series B funding round at a $500 million valuation led by Meritech Capital.

Issam Freiha and Vinay Menda, Cofounders of Blank Street

Issam Freiha and Vinay Menda founded Blank Street as a coffee cart in Brooklyn in 2020. Since then, it has grown into one of the most recognized QSR brands globally, expanding to 87 locations across seven cities in the U.S., England, and Scotland.

Michael Seckler, CEO of Justworks

Founded in 2012, Justworks is an HR technology company leveling the playing field for small businesses. Justworks provides access to payroll, benefits, global HR, compliance support, and award-winning customer service all in one easy-to-navigate platform. The company supports over 12,000 small businesses across the U.S., helping them manage and grow their teams with confidence.

Jenny Podewils and Kajetan Armansperg, Cofounders and CoCEOs of Leapsome

Founded in 2016 by Jenny Podewils and Kajetan Armansperg, Leapsome is an all-in-one HR platform dedicated to nurturing, engaging, and retaining talent. Initially bootstrapped, the startup was reportedly cash-flow positive when it raised its $60 million in Series A funding from Insight Partners and opened its first office in NYC in 2022.

Yotam Cohen, CoFounder & CEO of Daisy

Yotam volunteered to serve his building's co-op board to address issues ranging from poorly managed budgets to building repairs, and soon discovered an opportunity for improvement. Daisy is a tech-driven, full-service condo and co-op management company, reimagining how buildings are run. Boards govern easily, neighbors live better, and home feels like home.

Brad Birnbaum and Jeremy Suriel, Cofounders of Kustomer

Serial entrepreneurs Brad Birnbaum and Jeremy Suriel founded Kustomer in 2015 to revamp customer service experiences with its integrated conversational CRM platform. Acquired by Meta in 2022, Kustomer spun out as an independent company in May 2023, securing $60 million in funding, co-led by previous investors Battery and Redpoint, and unveiled a rebrand last year.

Zach Lloyd, Founder and CEO of Warp

With over 20 years of developer experience, including roles at Google and TIME, Zach Lloyd founded Warp in 2020 to bring a fresh take to development workflows with its modern command line terminal, combining AI and collaborative features. In 2024, Warp reportedly had "hundreds of thousands" of developers on its platform, including paying customers.

Evan Smith, Peter Swartz, and Raphael Tehranian, Cofounders of Altana

Altana, founded by Evan Smith, Peter Swartz, and Raphael Tehranian in 2019, is an AI-powered supply chain management platform that provides insights into global supply chain networks – from the origins of raw materials to the processing and sale of finished goods. In July 2024, Altana secured $200 million in Series C funding led by the US Innovative Technology Fund, lifting its valuation to $1 billion.

Songe LaRon and Dave Salvant, Cofounders of SQUIRE

Founded in 2015 by Songe LaRon and Dave Salvant, Squire offers an end-to-end business management platform tailored for barbershop owners. In November 2024, Squire secured $35 million in debt financing from Silicon Valley Bank to further innovate and expand its service.

Ben Sesser and Theodore Chestnut, Cofounders of BrightHire

BrightHire, founded in 2019 by Ben Sesser and Theodore Chestnut, created the category for AI-driven interviewing platforms. Companies like Canva, Ramp, Rippling, and Attentive use BrightHire to raise the quality of their hiring while making the process vastly more efficient. In 2024, the startup pioneered powerful new ways to apply AI responsibly in hiring, cemented industry-first distribution partnerships, and eclipsed 1 million candidates interviewed globally.

Kris Beevers, Jeremy Stretch, Salil Jani, Bill Lapcevic, Mark Coleman, and Shannon Weyrick, Cofounders of Netbox Labs

NetBox Labs, specializing in network automation and management solutions, was spun out of the firm NS1 in 2023, and secured $20 million in Series A funding led by Flybridge Capital the same year. Cofounded by Kris Beevers, Jeremy Stretch, Salil Jani, Bill Lapcevic, and Mark Coleman, NetBox Labs announced more than 60 customers and seven Fortune 500 companies in 2024.

Bowie Cheung, Ivana Tesanovic, and Chetan Narain, Cofounders of Pepper

With years of experience in food distribution and data analytics, Bowie Cheung, Ivana Tesanovic, and Chetan Narain founded Pepper in 2019 to provide an eCommerce platform that streamlines operations for independent food distributors. In May 2024, the team raised $30 million in a Series B funding round led by ICONIQ Growth.

Raj Dutt, Torkel Ödegaard, and Anthony Woods, Cofounders of Grafana Labs

Grafana Labs, founded in 2014 by Raj Dutt, Torkel Ödegaard, and Anthony Woods, develops open-source software for visualizing and monitoring operational data. In August 2024, the company secured $270 million in funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, pushing its valuation to over $6 billion.

Dan Friedman and Sam Gerstenzang, Cofounders of Moxie

Founded by Dan Friedman and Sam Gerstenzang in 2022, Moxie equips medical professionals looking to launch and manage their own medspas with its business tools. In September 2024, the team raised a $10 million Series B funding round led by Lachy Groom.

Ethan Feldman, Founder and CEO of Peruse

Peruse, founded by Ethan Feldman in 2022, uses AI to streamline document review and auditing processes for the transportation and logistics industry. The startup is currently bootstrapped.

Alex Schmelkin, Jane Tran, and Brian Moseley, Cofounders of Sixfold

Sixfold is a generative AI platform for insurance underwriting, founded in 2023 by Alex Schmelkin, Jane Tran, and Brian Moseley. In June 2024, the team raised a $15 million Series A funding round led by Salesforce Ventures to boost R&D efforts and expand to the UK and EU.

Stephanie Daniel and Shaina Shiwarski, Cofounders of Legends

Stephanie Daniel and Shaina Shiwarski founded Legends in 2021 to help brands tap into customer data to create personalized travel experiences. In 2024, the team was included in Amadeus' list of startups "set to make waves".

Steve Martocci, Cofounder of Splice

Steve Martocci is a four-time cofounder behind renowned startups such as Splice, Blade, GroupMe, and, most recently, SuppCo.

David Politis, Founder of BetterCloud

BetterCloud, founded in 2011 by David Politis, is a SaaS management platform that allows IT teams to automate workflows securely. In November 2024, the team announced its acquisition of Tricent, a file-sharing governance firm.

AI

Alejandro Casas and Santiago Gomez, Cofounders of Simetrik

Simetrik, founded in 2017 by Alejandro Casas and Santiago Gomez, is an AI-powered financial and operational platform streamlining and automating tasks like reconciliation and account closure controls. In 2024, Simetrik announced a $55m funding round led by Goldman Sachs to expand its operations outside of its current regions.

Austin Esecson, Nic Hippenmeyer, and Sam Logan, Cofounders of Rinsed

Founded by Austin Esecson, Nic Hippenmeyer, and Sam Logan in 2019, Rinsed is a customer relationship management platform built specifically for car washes with an audience base of over nine million members. In 2022, Rinsed raised $12m in Series A financing from Bedrock Capital and Founders Fund. VMG Partners supported Series B financing for Rinsed in 2023.

George Sivulka, Founder and CEO of Hebbia

Founded by George Sivulka in 2020, Hebbia focuses on providing advanced AI architecture tools that enable businesses to extract insights from complex datasets. In July 2024, the company closed a $130 million Series B funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, bringing its valuation to approximately $700 million.

Edo Liberty, Founder and CEO of Pinecone

A former research director at AWS and Yahoo!, Edo Liberty founded AI infrastructure startup Pinecone in 2019. The company's serverless vector database offering was made available on AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud in 2024.

Scott Wu, Steven Hao, and Walden Yan, Cofounders of Cognition

Founded in 2023 by Scott Wu, Steven Hao, and Walden Yan, Cognition is an AI startup best known for developing Devin – an autonomous coding assistant for software engineering teams. In April 2024, the team nabbed $176 million in a Series B funding round led by Founders Fund, ballooning its valuation to $2 billion.

John Nay, Founder and CEO of Norm AI

After a decade of researching the space where AI and law converge, John Nay founded Norm AI in 2023 to offer an AI-driven platform helping companies comply with the latest regulations in automated workflows. In June 2024, the team raised $27 million in Series A investment led by Coatue.

Dylan Babbs and James Cadwallader, Cofounders of Profound

Dylan Babbs and James Cadwallader, both Founder Fellows at South Park Commons, founded Profound in 2024 to help companies improve and analyze their brands' visibility in AI search engines. Last August, the team came out of stealth with $3.5 million in seed funding.

SOCIAL NETWORKS & MARKETPLACES

Liz Young, Founder and CEO of Realm

After working in commercial real estate, Liz Young founded Realm in 2020 to create a platform that simplifies the renovation process for homeowners through data, expert advisors, and a marketplace of vetted contractors. In the 3 years since launching the marketplace, Realm's powered almost 1 billion dollars of renovations.

Avante Price and Eli Taylor-Lemire, Cofounders of POSH

Avante Price and Eli Taylor-Lemire met while freelancing – as a DJ and photographer, respectively – and founded POSH in 2019 to create an app that facilitates in-person social experiences for small events. In July 2024, the company raised $22 million in Series A funding led by Goodwater Capital.

Emily Best, Founder & CEO of Seed&Spark

Founded by Emily Best, Seed&Spark is a marketplace for creators and audiences to work together and tell stories that celebrate diverse voices and foster vibrant conversation. With just seed funding to fuel them, Seed&Spark is increasing diversity and representation in entertainment and storytelling.

Brian McMahon and Julia O'Mara, Cofounders of Pickle

In 2021, Brian McMahon and Julia O'Mara (both former Blackstone employees) founded Pickle, a peer-to-peer clothing rental platform with door-to-door delivery. By 2024, the company reported one in four women between the ages of 18-35 use its app in NYC.

Charles Gorra, Founder and CEO of Rebag

Founded by Charles Gorra in 2014, Rebag is a resale platform for luxury pre-owned accessories. In 2024, the company teamed up with Bloomingdale's, integrating its luxury resale offerings into the retailer's five stores and eCommerce website.

Joe Wilkinson and Mario Maher, Cofounders of MILE

Joe Wilkinson and Mario Maher, behind the curated box platform HEAT, founded and launched the members-only luxury retail destination MILE in 2024. The startup has received investments from LVMH Luxury Ventures, the Hermès family, and OTB's Stefano Rosso.

SECURITY & PRIVACY

Dean Sysman, Avidor Bartov, and Ofri Shur, Cofounders of Axonius

Axonius was founded by Dean Sysman, Avidor Bartov, and Ofri Shur in 2017. Specializing in solutions for cybersecurity asset management and SaaS management, Axonius secured a $200 million Series E extension funding round led by Accel and Lightspeed Venture Partners in 2024.

Yotam Segev and Tamar Bar-Ilan, Cofounders of Cyera

Founded in 2021 by Yotam Segev and Tamar Bar-Ilan, Cyera is an AI-powered data security platform that helps companies better understand their data and security risks. In November 2024, the company announced a $300 million Series D funding round led by Accel and Sapphire Ventures, reaching a valuation of $3 billion.