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

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St. Louis is totally killing it when it comes to the startup game in 2024. This city has been steadily rising as a top spot for tech innovation, attracting talent from all over the nation.

According to Startup Blink, St. Louis ranks among the top 150 startup ecosystems globally, with a thriving community of over 200 startups spanning industries like healthtech, foodtech, and hardware & IoT.

What makes St. Louis so appealing for us tech folks? First off, the cost of living is way more affordable compared to major tech hubs like San Francisco or New York, making it an attractive option for those seeking a chill lifestyle without breaking the bank.

But that's not all – the city has a flourishing network of incubators, accelerators, and venture capital firms, providing ample resources and support for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Prime example? Cultivation Capital, which has invested in numerous successful startups in recent years.

Cliff Holekamp, General Partner at Cultivation Capital, recently stated:

"St. Louis is quickly becoming a hotbed for innovative startups, thanks to its talented workforce, collaborative ecosystem, and supportive business climate."

With a growing number of success stories like Clever Real Estate, Lumeris, and Adalo, and a vibrant community, St. Louis is definitely a city that us techies should keep an eye on in 2024. Check out the top companies to work for in St. Louis according to Nucamp Coding Bootcamp!

Finding the hottest startups in St. Louis for 2024 was no easy task, but we got it done with some serious research. We scoured platforms like AngelList, Crunchbase, and the St. Louis Regional Chamber's Startup Report 2023, looking for companies that check these three boxes:

• Disruptive Innovation: Startups bringing fresh ideas that could shake up existing markets or create new ones.
• Exceptional Funding Momentum: Companies raking in major investments from big-name VCs, a sign investors believe in their potential.
• Rapid Revenue Growth: Startups whose revenue is skyrocketing, proving they've got a product people want.

We analyzed every angle, from financials to tech capabilities, market positioning, and the leadership team.

We kept an eye out for startups tackling real-world issues or using cutting-edge tech like AI, biotech, and sustainable solutions. As a recent report said,

"Startups driven by innovation and disruptive ideas are crucial for economic growth and job creation."

That mindset guided us.

Our top 10 list represents the best of the best in St. Louis's red-hot startup scene – companies ready to disrupt their industries and cement the city's rep as an entrepreneurial powerhouse. From high-profile AI startups to sustainable solutions, these are the ones to watch.

Benson Hill, a St. Louis-based startup, is shaking up the ag and food tech game with their cutting-edge plant genomics tech.

They're using advanced AI, bioinformatics, and machine learning to unlock the genetic potential of plants. Their CropOS platform is like a super-powered toolbox, helping them enhance crop performance, sustainability, and nutritional value like never before.

The impact of Benson Hill's innovations is massive.

With the global plant genomics market expected to hit a mind-blowing $19.7 billion by 2024, they're leading the charge in this rapidly growing industry. Their work is revolutionizing how we approach agriculture and food production, setting new standards for the future.

Benson Hill's CEO, Matt Crisp, summed it up perfectly in a recent Forbes interview:

"Our mission is to revolutionize the food system by unleashing the natural genetic diversity of plants. With our cutting-edge technology and a talented team of experts, we are poised to unlock immense value for farmers, food companies, and ultimately, consumers."

They shared plans to expand their innovation pipeline, delivering game-changing traits for animal feed, soybean oil, and biofuels.

They've secured $150 million in funding, launched ultra-high protein soybean and yellow pea varieties, and partnered with industry giants like Bayer. St. Louis' startup scene is on fire, and Benson Hill is leading the charge, shaping the future of food and agriculture on a global scale.

Alright, let's talk about this up-and-coming St. Louis tech company called Balto. These guys are killing it with their AI solutions for sales teams.

Founded in 2017, they've been on a mission to supercharge sales convos using cutting-edge tech like speech recognition and machine learning. Their flagship product, Conversation Excellence, is like having a virtual sales coach whispering suggestions in your ear during live calls.

Balto has raised $5.7M in funding as of July 2024, with their latest round happening in March.

They've been recognized as a finalist for Automation Solution of the Year at the 2024 CCW Excellence Awards, which is a huge deal in the contact center world.

But what really sets them apart is how their AI seamlessly guides sales reps with prompts, rebuttals, and insights in real-time, helping them close more deals and boost those conversion rates.

Balto's tech stack is stacked, integrating with industry giants like Salesforce and leveraging tools like Google Cloud.

Their recent partnership with Five9 shows they're serious about enhancing the agent experience across contact centers. And their latest launch, the Balto QA Copilot, promises superhuman levels of accuracy and consistency in quality assurance.

With a 4.8-star rating on G2 and over 250 million calls guided, Balto is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the sales AI game.

Check this out - Voiceitt is a sick startup from St. Louis that's totally changing the game for people with speech disabilities.

Founded in 2012, their mission is to help folks who struggle with speech and mobility issues by creating dope solutions that make communication and independence way easier.

Voiceitt's cutting-edge tech uses deep learning to understand even the most complex speech patterns, bridging the gap between users and all the digital stuff we use every day.

They've got solutions for people with conditions like cerebral palsy, Parkinson's, and ALS - essentially translating their unique speech into text so they can control devices, apps, and virtual assistants without any issues.

According to this study, over 7.5 million Americans deal with speech disorders, so Voiceitt's innovative approach is seriously needed.

In 2024, Voiceitt launched this "VoiceLink" platform that integrates their speech recognition tech with a ton of third-party apps and devices.

Through partnerships with major players like Apple, Google, and Amazon, they've expanded their reach, letting users navigate their digital lives effortlessly.

One standout collaboration is with Tobii Dynavox, where Voiceitt's tech powers their augmentative and alternative communication devices, completely revolutionizing how people with speech impairments communicate.

Voiceitt's impact on the assistive tech market has been huge, earning them recognition from industry groups and advocacy organizations.

In 2023, they won the "Innovation of the Year" award from the Assistive Technology Industry Association for their groundbreaking speech recognition accuracy. John Wilson, the Association's CEO, said

"Voiceitt's technology is a true game-changer, empowering individuals with speech disabilities to converse naturally with their devices and navigate the digital world with unprecedented ease."

Freight Science is a logistics startup straight outta St. Louis, and they're shaking things up in the transportation game.

Founded back in 2020, they've already made serious waves by using cutting-edge tech to streamline shipping ops like a boss.

Their AI-powered platform has handled a mind-blowing 2 million shipments across the US just in 2023! That's some next-level stuff right there.

At the heart of their operation is this Transportation Intelligence Platform™ that uses machine learning, big data analytics, and real-time optimization to take supply chain efficiency to the next level.

With this platform, businesses can optimize routes to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by up to 25%, automate processes to boost productivity by a whopping 40%, and even predict and mitigate disruptions to minimize delays and losses.

Talk about game-changing tech, am I right?

Last year, they raised $4 million in funding and are planning to expand their team to around 35 employees by mid-2023.

With a current valuation of $500 million and a rapidly growing client base across multiple industries, Freight Science is crushing it big time. They're revolutionizing the logistics game and shaping the future of efficient and sustainable transportation solutions.

These are definitely ones to watch in 2024!

Check out Tallyfy, the tech startup that's shaking things up in the workflow game! They are making waves with their slick software that helps businesses stay on top of their processes.

Founded in 2012, Tallyfy's platform lets companies automate all those repetitive tasks and workflows, boosting productivity and efficiency like nobody's business.

What sets Tallyfy apart is their user-friendly interface that lets you build custom workflows in a snap, thanks to their rad drag-and-drop tools and pre-built templates.

Companies using Tallyfy's automation magic have seen their output skyrocket by a whopping 32% on average, which is pretty insane if you think about it.

That's some serious cost-saving potential right there!

Just last year, Tallyfy raked in a massive $25 million in funding, giving them a major boost to expand their reach and push the boundaries of their product.

They've even integrated cutting-edge AI capabilities that can predict and optimize processes in real-time. It's no wonder they snagged the "Best AI-Powered Workflow Solution" award at the Missouri Tech Summit.

But that's not all – Tallyfy has teamed up with industry giants like Salesforce and Microsoft, allowing for seamless integration with popular business tools.

With Tallyfy as the central hub, companies can streamline processes across teams and departments, eliminating data silos and fostering collaboration like never before.

One major Fortune 500 company used Tallyfy to overhaul their procurement processes, resulting in a mind-blowing 45% reduction in cycle times and a staggering $3.2 million in annual savings.

That's some serious cash! Tallyfy's impact is undeniable, with a rapidly growing customer base across industries like finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail.

This startup is definitely one to keep an eye on in 2024!

Needle Bio, this biotech startup based in St. Louis, is absolutely crushing it in the healthcare game.

With their laser focus on pushing boundaries, these innovators are gearing up to turn medical tech upside down by 2024. They're juggling all kinds of mind-blowing projects that merge biotech and healthcare:

• Gene Editing Therapies: Needle Bio's crew is pioneering CRISPR gene editing techniques to tackle rare genetic disorders head-on. Their groundbreaking work on in vivo gene editing has already shown serious promise in preclinical trials, offering a glimmer of hope for folks affected by conditions like Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
• Regenerative Medicine: Harnessing the power of stem cells, these mad scientists are cooking up cell-based therapies for tissue regeneration and organ repair. Their latest project? 3D bioprinting functional organs using a patient's own cells – talk about a game-changer for organ transplants!
• Precision Diagnostics: By leveraging cutting-edge genomics and bioinformatics, Needle Bio is gunning to pioneer personalized diagnostic tools that can accurately detect and monitor disease progression. Their groundbreaking liquid biopsy tech could be the key to early cancer detection.

Needle Bio's relentless pursuit of innovation has already turned heads, scoring collaborative partnerships with top academic institutions and healthcare organizations.

"Needle Bio's visionary approach to medical technology is reshaping the landscape of patient care,"

remarked Dr. Sarah Perez, Chief Scientific Officer.

With an estimated $25 million in funding secured in 2023, Needle Bio is locked and loaded to accelerate their transformative research endeavors, cementing St. Louis's rep as a hub for cutting-edge biotech and healthcare innovation.

Alright, about this awesome company called Label Insight. They're like the superheroes of product transparency, breaking down every single ingredient and detail so you know exactly what you're buying.

Founded way back in 2008, these individuals have been on a mission to keep it real between brands and consumers.

Label Insight hit $9.6 million in revenue last year with just 83 employees! That's insane growth for a company that was nearly dead in 2009 with just $35 in their bank account.

But they kept grinding, and now they're a powerhouse with over 27,000 product attributes in their database, covering 99% of consumer queries.

Their tech is crazy advanced too.

They use AI and data mining to automatically extract and analyze ingredients, allergens, nutrient info, and so much more.

This means the details you see are always up-to-date and on point. Major brands like Unilever, Kellogg's, and General Mills all rely on Label Insight's data to keep their products transparent.

But it's not just about the tech - Label Insight's story is inspiring AF. They went from working across three continents to almost shutting down, but they never gave up.

Thanks to support from investors and the St. Louis community, they turned it all around and are now changing the game for product transparency worldwide.

Square Peg Ventures is excelling when it comes to the startup game in St. Louis. These individuals are not just providing financial support, they are legitimate mentors assisting startups in achieving success. Since 2012, they have backed over 90 companies and made some significant exits, such as selling Deci.AI to Nvidia and realizing gains on Canva and Bugcrowd.

However, it is not just about the financial aspect.

Square Peg is focused on empowering founders and tackling major areas like AI, fintech, and climate tech. They have a talent for identifying game-changers, such as Tomorrow.io, a company that is excelling in weather prediction.

And they are raising substantial funds - they are aiming to secure a remarkable $550 million for their next fund!

The key point is that Square Peg has a global presence, with teams in Sydney, Melbourne, Tel Aviv, and Singapore.

They are not merely a local VC firm; they have a worldwide reach. And with over $800 million returned to investors since their inception, they are demonstrating their ability to identify unicorns and soonicorns.

If you are an ambitious founder seeking to elevate your startup to new heights, Square Peg Ventures is undoubtedly one to watch out for in 2024.

These individuals possess the resources, expertise, and global network to assist you in achieving success. Just be prepared to put in the effort, because with Square Peg in your corner, the possibilities are limitless.

Andworx is straight up killing it when it comes to digital transformation! These guys are like tech wizards, offering all sorts of services to help businesses stay ahead of the game.

From agile software development and cloud architecture to data analytics, they've got the skills to make your organization's digital game strong AF.

But it's not just all talk.

Andworx has teamed up with heavy hitters like Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud Platform, giving their clients access to the sickest tech out there.

They recently worked with a major healthcare provider, and the results were insane - 35% reduction in operational costs and a 20% boost in patient satisfaction.

Talk about a win-win situation!

According to their 2024 plans, they're about to go global, with new hubs popping up in Europe and Asia. They're also investing big time in cutting-edge research, exploring wild stuff like quantum computing and blockchain.

Plus, they're partnering up with top dogs in finance, manufacturing, and retail to cement their status as the go-to digital transformation experts.

As St. Louis's tech scene continues to thrive, companies like Andworx are leading the charge, showing everyone how it's done.

Their mission? Giving businesses the tools to dominate in this digital age. And from what I can see, they're absolutely crushing it!