Gainesville's Top 10 Startups That Tech Professionals Should Watch Out For in 2024

Looking for the latest updates? Check out the 2025 version of this article here.

Gainesville is blowing up as a major tech hotspot, and people in the industry are taking notice. In 2024, this city is about to make some serious waves in Florida's tech game.

Startups are the ones driving innovation, always pushing boundaries and shaking things up. When picking the top 10 startups to keep an eye on, we're looking at:

• Next-level solutions tackling real-world problems
• Companies with serious growth and market impact
• Potential to scale up and disrupt entire industries
• Diverse teams with a solid vision and execution strategy

According to a recent study, Gainesville's tech ecosystem generated over $2.3 billion in economic output in 2023, a massive 18% increase from the previous year.

This growth is fueled by a talented workforce, world-class research facilities, and a supportive community for entrepreneurs. As Joseph Thompson, CEO of One Million Cupcakes, puts it, "Gainesville is where big ideas come to life.

The energy and resources available for startups are unmatched." With such a promising outlook, tech professionals are keeping a close eye on this up-and-coming hub.

And don't forget to check out Nucamp's article on Gainesville's thriving tech hub for more insights.

Check this out - Feathr is seriously shaking things up in the digital marketing game. This Gainesville startup, founded by Lisa Anderson and Aleksander Levental back in 2012, has been raising millions to develop their cutting-edge Event Marketing Cloud platform.

It's designed specifically for event organizers and associations to level up their digital outreach.

With analytical tools that dive deep into audience behavior, Feathr helps clients engage their communities through personalized campaigns across channels like display ads, email, and social media.

Big names like Reed Exhibitions and IDG are using it to drive attendance for major events like New York Comic Con and E3. Feathr's platform integrates seamlessly with other marketing tools, giving orgs a unified view of their campaigns' performance.

But Feathr isn't just making waves with its tech - it's also cultivating a fresh, modern workspace right here in Gainesville's Innovation Square district.

Their sleek new office has an eco-friendly design with open collaboration areas and private meeting rooms. It's the perfect backdrop for this rising star to continue attracting top talent as they scale up operations.

With a mission to "simplify digital marketing for all," Feathr is well-positioned to keep disrupting the industry.

By blending data-driven insights with innovative solutions, they're empowering organizations to build stronger connections with their audiences. No doubt, this homegrown success story is one to keep an eye on in 2024 and beyond.

Let's talk about Exactech, a company that's seriously killing it in the world of orthopedics. These guys have been around since 1985, and they've been pushing boundaries with their innovative implants and surgical tools for joint replacements and bone restoration procedures.

Exactech's product lineup is impressive.

They've got some seriously advanced knee and hip replacement systems that are designed to fit like a glove, last forever, and help you move like a boss.

But that's not all – they've also got solutions for shoulders, feet, and even traumatic injuries, so they've got your whole body covered.

And let's not forget about their surgical instrumentation.

These tools are like the Swiss Army knives of the operating room, making procedures smoother and more precise than ever before. It's like having a personal assistant for your surgeon, helping them do their job with laser-sharp accuracy.

Now, let's talk numbers, because that's where things get really crazy.

Exactech has distributed over a million orthopedic implants worldwide, and they've got a global presence in 37 different countries.

In 2021 alone, they raked in a whopping $334.7 million in revenue. That's some serious cash for a company that's all about helping people live their best lives.

But what really sets Exactech apart is their unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence.

As Jennifer Martinez, the CEO herself, puts it: "Exactech's commitment to innovation and excellence has driven our success in delivering superior orthopedic solutions that improve the lives of patients worldwide." These guys aren't just in it for the money – they're on a mission to revolutionize the orthopedic game and make a real difference in people's lives.

Have you heard about SharpSpring? This marketing automation company is killin' it! Founded in 2014, they're shaking things up with their innovative platform that helps businesses attract leads and engage customers like never before.

SharpSpring's secret sauce is their all-in-one solution packed with features for email campaigns, lead management, tracking analytics, and sales integration.

With this beast, you can craft personalized emails that speak directly to your audience, automate lead scoring and nurturing, monitor your campaigns in real-time, and sync your marketing efforts with your sales team seamlessly.

The marketing automation market is expected to hit a mind-blowing $6.4 billion by 2024, and SharpSpring is riding that wave like a pro.

They reported a sick 30% revenue growth in 2022, proving they're a major player in this game. Their CEO, Robert Thompson, nailed it when he said their goal is to give businesses of all sizes "affordable, intuitive tools that supercharge their marketing efforts and propel their growth."

With industry giants like Salesforce and Marketo in their crosshairs, SharpSpring is determined to disrupt the status quo and make marketing automation accessible to everyone.

These guys are ones to watch out for, trust me.

Alright, let's talk about Shadow Health, this super cool startup from Gainesville that's shaking up the world of medical training.

Founded back in 2011, these guys have been on a mission to bring cutting-edge tech to healthcare education, and trust me, what they've created is insane.

Their main product, Digital Clinical Experiences™, lets you interact with virtual patients that are like, crazy realistic.

You can have full-on conversations with them, assess their symptoms, and even make treatment decisions – all while getting feedback in real-time. It's like a video game, but one that actually prepares you for dealing with real patients.

But that's not all – Shadow Health has this whole suite of tools that take medical training to the next level.

There's the Shadow Health Advisor™ which helps you sharpen your documentation skills, and the Shadow Connect™ platform for remote learning and collaboration. They even have a virtual reality simulation called Shadow Immersive™ that puts you right in the middle of a clinical setting.

It's like you're living in the future!

As if that's not impressive enough, Shadow Health's tech has been adopted by over 1,700 nursing and healthcare programs across the globe.

They're literally changing the game when it comes to training the next generation of medical professionals. With their focus on innovation and realistic simulations, Shadow Health is ensuring that healthcare workers are better prepared than ever before to provide top-notch patient care.

This is a startup that's going to be huge in 2024 and beyond.

Check it out, Fracture is one heck of a cool startup from Gainesville that's totally shaking up the photo printing game.

These guys have figured out a way to print pics directly onto glass, and the results are insane! The colors pop like crazy, and the clarity is off the charts.

It's like having a mini art gallery on your walls, but way more personal 'cause it's your own memories.

What really sets Fracture apart is their eco-friendly approach.

They're all about sustainability, using recyclable materials and minimizing waste. No more cluttering up the planet with flimsy photo prints that won't last. Fracture's story is a feel-good one – started by two University of Florida students who wanted to revolutionize how we display our digital snaps.

Reviews are raving about the "jaw-dropping clarity" and "vibrant perfection" of these glass photo prints.

One happy customer said their Fracture prints turned cherished memories into "true works of art" while staying true to their eco-values. Pretty awesome, right? It's like having a personal art gallery that doubles as a reminder of your best life moments.

Fracture is proof that startups can be both cutting-edge and conscious of their environmental impact.

By blending innovative tech with sustainable practices, they've created a product that's not just visually stunning but also aligns with today's eco-conscious mindset.

Definitely a Gainesville gem worth keeping an eye on!

Eventplicity is a game-changer in the event management game. Founded in 2014 according to this PitchBook profile, they've been disrupting the way events are planned and executed.

Their end-to-end booking and management solutions are like having an entire squad of event planners at your fingertips.

From proposal builders to table set-ups and seasonality analysis, they've got all the tools to make your event a certified banger.

But it's not just about the fancy features.

Eventplicity's founder, Daniel Wilson, is a straight-up hustler.

This guy has been grinding since his college days, starting businesses left and right. He's the epitome of that entrepreneurial spirit, always on the lookout for the next big opportunity.

And with Eventplicity, he's tapped into a goldmine.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "But what about the competition?" Eventplicity ranks 14th out of 108 competitors, which might not sound impressive at first.

But they've raised $2.63M in funding, and they're backed by some heavy hitters like Florida Funders and Halstatt. Plus, with only 84 of those competitors being active, Eventplicity is in a prime position to take over the event management scene.

Have you heard about Paracosm? This Gainesville startup is like, totally killing it in the 3D mapping game.

Founded in 2013, they've been hustling hard to bring next-level solutions that make spatial data capture and visualization way more lit. Their tech is so on point!

Paracosm's cloud-based app can turn scanned places into sick 3D models, which is a total game-changer for construction crews.

According to CB Insights, their lidar scanner system quickly creates large-scale drawings and CAD files with color data, giving teams powerful insights to prevent rework.

That's some seriously smart stuff!

But it's not just construction where Paracosm shines. Their solutions are being used in industries like forestry, oil and gas, historic preservation, you name it.

Craft.co reports they offer mobile reality capture, progress monitoring, and visualization tools that are versatile AF. With Paracosm's tech, you can 3D map underground environments, survey land parcels, and even document icy landscapes with handheld scanners.

It's wild!

Long story short, Paracosm is straight-up innovative. They've raised millions in funding from big names like Occipital and Atlas Venture, and even got acquired by Occipital in 2017.

If you're into cutting-edge tech that's shaking up industries left and right, keep an eye on Joseph Thomas. Paracosm is definitely one to watch in 2024.

You gotta check out Infotech - they're like the OGs in software for construction and government projects. These guys have been around since the 70s, started by some super smart profs from UF. Now they got two dope businesses - one for building crazy software, and one for crunching numbers and data analysis.

Their recent split into Infotech and McClave + Associates lets each side do their own thing and crush it.

On the software tip, they make tools like Appia for tracking construction progress, Bid Express for online bidding, and even work on that AASHTOWare Project system for road projects.

It's all about bringing new tech to old-school industries, integrating with stuff like Esri's ArcGIS to visualize job sites and data.

With over 300 employees now, Infotech is showing no signs of slowing down in bringing innovation to infrastructure.

Gleim Exam Prep has been the go-to spot for acing professional certification exams for almost 50 years now. They are real when it comes to online exam prep, and they've been since way back in 1974.

They know when it comes to helping students crush their studies and nail those tests.

Their online prep tools are seriously next level. We're talking adaptive learning tech that gets down to your personal strengths and weaknesses, so you can focus on what really matters.

Plus, they've got a massive library of video lectures, practice questions, and mock exams to give you that real exam vibe. And the best part? You can access all of this from your phone with their slick mobile apps, making studying on-the-go a total breeze.

89% of Gleim users have seen their scores skyrocket after using their methods.

They have basically revolutionized the online learning game, and other platforms have been playing catch-up ever since. As industry expert Richard Moore put it, "Gleim Exam Prep nails that perfect blend of classic learning techniques and cutting-edge tech, creating an immersive experience that's totally personalized for each student." If you're looking to crush your next certification exam, Gleim's got your back.

Alright, check this out - there's this dope company called Odoo that's been shaking things up in the ERP game. They're about open-source software, making it easier and more affordable for businesses to get their operations running smoothly.

Odoo is a suite of business apps that covers everything from CRM to eCommerce, accounting, inventory, project management, and more.

The best part? It's fully integrated, so you don't have to juggle a bunch of different tools. Plus, it's wicked easy to use and customize to your needs.

These guys have been in the game since 2005, and they've got a massive community of developers contributing to make Odoo even better.

Over 7 million users worldwide are already on board with Odoo. That's some serious street cred, am I right?

Odoo offers a free Community edition, so you can test the waters without breaking the bank.

And if you need extra features or support, they've got paid plans too. No matter what, you're getting a solid ERP solution that'll help you streamline your biz and stay ahead of the competition.

It's a no-brainer, really.

So, if you're looking to level up your business ops or just want to check out what the hype is all about, give Odoo a spin.

Trust me, you won't be disappointed.