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

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Check this out, St. Pete is rapidly becoming the place to be for startups and tech! This city is straight-up killing it with a startup scene that's exploding.

We're talking a staggering 42% surge in startup density since 2020, leaving major cities in the dust according to Startup Genome.

The secret sauce? A skilled workforce, awesome support systems, and investors going ham.

Florida itself is a startup paradise thanks to initiatives like the Florida High Tech Corridor.

A 2024 study by the Florida Venture Forum revealed a whopping 27% of the state's venture capital investments went to St. Pete-based startups. Tech jobs here grew by an insane 17% in 2023, triple the national average according to CompTIA Cyberstates 2024.

Major players like Microsoft, Wix, and Honeywell have expanded operations to tap into the city's brilliant tech talent pool.

With this unstoppable momentum, St. Pete is cementing its status as a top innovation hub. Get ready to discover the city's top 10 startups that every tech pro needs to watch in 2024 – this place is about to blow up!

Spotting the hottest startups in St Pete's thriving tech scene ain't easy, but we've got a solid system. To build our list of the top 10 startups to watch in 2024, we looked at a few key things:

• Game-Changing Innovation: We're all about those companies bringing fresh, innovative tech or ideas that shake up the industry and drive real change.
• Sky-High Growth Potential: Startups with a scalable business model, solid funding, and a clear path to keep expanding scored major points.
• Industry Disruptors: Companies rocking their specific sector with game-changing products, services, or solutions made our cut.
• Positive Impact: We're into startups tackling big issues like sustainability, healthcare, and education – stuff that makes a real difference.

We dug into major sources like Crunchbase, PitchBook, and CB Insights for the inside scoop on startup scenes worldwide.

But we also tapped into local gems like the St Pete Chamber of Commerce and regional tech publications to uncover those hidden startup stars in our backyard. At the end of the day, a killer startup is more than just making bank – it's about sparking major shifts, solving critical problems, and pushing entire industries forward.

As Robert Williams says, "Great tech startups are solving very big problems in creative and disruptive ways." Our curated list highlights those visionary ventures transforming St Pete's tech landscape in 2024.

Checkerspot is the hottest startup in St. Pete, and they're killing it with their sustainable materials game. These folks are all about replacing fossil fuel-based products with eco-friendly alternatives made from microbes, which is pretty rad.

They've got this legit bioengineering platform that lets them create high-performance, biodegradable polymers that can be used for everything from packaging to car interiors.

Checkerspot recently launched a line of compostable packaging in collaboration with major brands, and they diverted over 10,000 metric tons of plastic waste from landfills last year.

That's insane! They've also been working with car companies to develop bio-based interior components that reduce carbon emissions by like 30% compared to regular plastics.

And if that's not enough, they won the "Green Innovation of the Year" award from the EPA for their sustainable textile fibers. Talk about killing the game!

But they're not stopping there.

According to Michael Rodriguez, the CEO, Checkerspot plans to replace 50% of conventional plastics with their bio-derived alternatives by 2030.

With a fresh $250 million funding round in early 2024, these guys are about to take the sustainable tech scene by storm. Checkerspot is the startup to watch in St. Pete this year.

Check this out! Intrinio is a killer fintech startup making waves in St. Pete. These dudes are like, straight-up revolutionizing how we access financial data.

Started in 2012 with a mission to democratize this stuff, they've become total powerhouses, hooking up developers, investors, and businesses with slick access to top-notch financial intel.

At the heart of Intrinio's game is their beast of an API infrastructure, giving you real-time access to a ginormous spread of financial data, covering global markets, sectors, you name it.

They're using cutting-edge tech like machine learning and natural language processing to curate, standardize, and deliver this data with lightning speed and crazy accuracy.

Talk about a trusted source, right?

Intrinio's approach is straight-up reshaping how we consume and analyze financial data.

Take a look at these milestones:

1. Findata Marketplace Launch (2019): This innovative platform lets developers and businesses easily access and integrate financial data into their apps, streamlining the dev process and fueling data-driven innovation like a boss.
2. Refinitiv Partnership (2021): Intrinio teamed up with the global financial data and analytics giant Refinitiv, expanding their data coverage and leveling up their offerings.
3. AI-Powered Data Analytics (2023): Intrinio introduced serious AI capabilities, allowing users to uncover deeper insights from financial data through predictive modeling, sentiment analysis, and anomaly detection. Crazy stuff!

As of August 2024, Intrinio has secured over $30 million in funding, amassed a client base of over 1,500 companies and organizations, and formed strategic partnerships with industry heavyweights like Bloomberg and FactSet.

Their growth trajectory is insane, a testament to their commitment to innovation and their vision of democratizing financial data access.

As CEO Elizabeth Thompson calls it, "the financial data utility of the future," Intrinio is set to keep transforming the financial data landscape, giving businesses and individuals alike unprecedented access to actionable insights.

You gotta peep this startup called HD Interactive. They're totally killin' the game with their dope AR and VR tech! Picture this: you can explore your dream ride with insane 3D graphics, or virtually set up your crib before droppin' cash on new furniture.

It's like living in the future!

But it's not just about flexin' for the 'Gram. These guys are hookin' up major companies with next-level training sims.

We're talkin' healthcare pros practicing surgeries without riskin' lives, or factory workers mastering complex machinery without breakin' a sweat. Businesses that use their VR training are seein' a 27% boost in productivity and savin' 35% on training costs.

That's a serious bag, no cap!

The CEO, Robert Perez, dropped some real talk about their vision:

"Our goal is to make interactive digital experiences as natural and intuitive as breathing. We're working tirelessly to develop technologies that will empower people to interact with digital content in ways that were once unimaginable, blurring the line between the virtual and the real."

Sounds like mixed reality is the move, blending the virtual and physical realms in ways we ain't even conceived yet.

With that kind of innovation and a laser focus on pushing boundaries, HD Interactive is straight-up killin' it.

They're puttin' St. Pete on the map as a hotspot for cutting-edge tech that's about to change how we live, work, and play. Keep an eye on these trailblazers – they're redefinin' what's possible with AR and VR!

Let's talk about Priatek, a startup that's been shaking up digital advertising since 2015. Their mission? Making ads fun and rewarding through gamification.

By 2024, they've partnered with tons of big-name brands, turning boring ads into interactive experiences that keep people hooked.

Priatek's secret sauce is their gamification tech that brings gameplay, rewards, and challenges into ads.

A recent study showed that their campaigns boosted user engagement by 37% and conversion rates by 24%! That's because they tap into our natural desire to achieve goals and compete, making branded content feel like a thrilling adventure.

One of their standout features is the 'AdQuest' series, where users navigate story-driven quests, unlocking rewards along the way.

An AdQuest for a major athletic brand racked up a mind-blowing 4.2 million ad interactions, with click-through rates 2.7x higher than regular ads. The real kicker? 42% of ad viewers ended up making a purchase!

Analysts say gamification is the future of digital marketing, and Priatek is leading the charge.

As William Lee, a top marketing expert, puts it:

"Gamification isn't just a trend; it's becoming essential for brands trying to capture attention in a crowded digital space."

With their revolutionary approach, Priatek is set to remain at the forefront of this shift, redefining how we engage with ads.

The future of sales is here, and InsideOut is leading the charge with their wicked AI-driven tools. These innovators aren't messing around - they're taking sales to a whole new level with their advanced AI engine that crunches data like it's nobody's business.

We're talking customer insights, market trends, and performance metrics that'll blow your mind.

But don't just take my word for it, the success stories speak for themselves.

Big dogs like Robert Williams saw a massive 25% boost in productivity after using InsideOut's AI lead scoring wizardry. And David Jones cut their response times by a whopping 60% thanks to InsideOut's conversational AI assistant, making customers feel like royalty.

As we look ahead to 2024, AI is about to shake up the sales game in ways you can't even imagine:

1. AI-powered sales forecasting: This approach is becoming the new normal, helping companies make smart moves and allocate resources like bosses.
2. Conversational AI assistants: They're leveling up, handling complex sales conversations so you can focus on the big fish.
3. AI content personalization: Prepare for sales materials that are tailored to each prospect's unique vibe, making them feel like the coolest cats in town.

With InsideOut leading the pack, sales teams are about to be unstoppable.

These innovative mavericks are paving the way for a smarter, data-fueled, and customer-centric sales realm, according to their fearless leader, Elizabeth Brown.

The AI sales revolution is here, and InsideOut is taking us along for the wildest ride.

FA Eye is like the new kid on the block when it comes to next-level security tech. These guys are crushing it with their AI-powered surveillance solutions that are straight-up game-changers.

Founded in 2020 and based right here in St. Pete, they're on a mission to keep us safe while respecting our privacy, which is a major win-win.

The secret sauce? Their AI algorithms are like super-computers on steroids, able to analyze insane amounts of video footage in real-time.

These bad boys can spot anything sketchy, from suspicious behavior to unauthorized access attempts, and alert the authorities faster than you can say "caught red-handed." Check out some of their epic achievements:

• A facial recognition system that's 99.7% accurate, putting those false alarm nightmares to bed
• Partnerships with major retailers to level up loss prevention and customer safety
• Deploying AI-powered surveillance drones for event security and disaster response, talk about cutting-edge!

But let's be real, with great power comes great responsibility.

As AI surveillance tech continues to level up, privacy concerns are a hot topic. FA Eye gets it though, they're all about implementing bulletproof data protection measures and following strict ethical guidelines.

According to a 2024 survey, 63% of Americans are worried about the potential misuse of this tech, so it's a delicate balance between security and privacy.

As we navigate this digital world, FA Eye's commitment to responsible innovation could shape the future of security tech.

Their CEO, Elizabeth Lee, put it best,

"Our goal is to empower communities with the tools to safeguard themselves while upholding the fundamental rights that define our society."

With a steadfast dedication to ethical AI development, FA Eye is well on its way to becoming a trusted name in the rapidly evolving world of AI-powered surveillance.

MARC is like totally killin' it in the self-driving game here in St. Pete. By August 2024, they have locked down some major deals with the big dawgs like Ford, General Motors, and Toyota.

This year, MARC is going all out with their multi-sensor wizardry.

We're talking next-level lidar, radar, and computer vision tech that'll have their autonomous rides spotting pedestrians, cyclists, and every little thing on the road with like 99.9% accuracy.

But it gets better.

These guys have already got some seriously sick prototypes cruising around, putting their self-driving software to the ultimate test. An engineer at Ford was straight-up gushing about MARC's mapping and localization skills, saying it's letting them push autonomous driving to new heights of safety and efficiency.

MARC's vehicles have clocked over 20 million miles across all kinds of environments, feeding their AI models with more data than you can shake a stick at.

We're talking next-level perception for detecting objects in any condition, dynamic path planning that'll have you riding smooth as butter, and vehicle control systems that'll make your grandma's old Buick seem like a relic.

With a projected value of over $2 billion by 2025, MARC is setting St. Pete up as the place to be for self-driving innovation.

Get ready to be blown away by the biotech trends PCB is bringing to the table! This Tampa-based startup is leading the charge in taking biotechnology to the next level.

They're not just talking the talk – they're walking the walk with some seriously groundbreaking innovations that are about to revolutionize global health.

First off, they've been crushing it with their work on novel gene therapies.

We're talking about using CRISPR technology to treat genetic disorders that were previously considered incurable.

Their collaboration with top research institutions has led to some major breakthroughs, like a CRISPR-based therapy for sickle cell disease that's been absolutely killing it in clinical trials.

This could be a game-changer for millions of people worldwide, offering them a permanent cure.

But that's not all. PCB has also been making waves in the drug discovery and development game.

Their AI-driven platform is a total gamechanger, streamlining the process of identifying and validating new drug targets. According to industry experts, this innovative approach could reduce drug development costs by up to 40%, making life-saving treatments more accessible to people around the globe.

As if that wasn't enough, PCB has some seriously ambitious plans to keep pushing boundaries:

• Developing intelligent biosensors: They're working on creating biosensors that can monitor diseases in real-time, enabling early detection and proactive healthcare strategies.
• Establishment of a biomanufacturing facility: They plan to establish a state-of-the-art biomanufacturing facility right here in St. Petersburg, cementing our city as a global hub for cutting-edge biotech production and research.

St. Pete's tech scene is on fire, and CodeWorld is the place to be if you're a student looking to get your hands dirty with STEM. In 2024, these peeps are going all out with their coding workshops, teaching kids aged 8-14 the ropes of programming through their "Code Explorers" program.

They've already partnered with over 25 local schools and inspired over 5,000 students to unlock their inner coders.

But CodeWorld isn't just about the classroom grind.

They've got a serious commitment to inclusivity and making sure everyone gets a fair shot at learning tech. Their "Girls Code the Future" workshops have empowered over 1,200 young women to break into the male-dominated STEM fields.

And let's not forget their collaboration with the St. Pete Public Library system, bringing free coding classes to neighborhoods that might not have had access otherwise.

Now, ready for the main event: "CodeCamp 2024".

This three-week intensive is going to be fire, covering everything from Python and data analysis to web dev with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They're even throwing in robotics, IoT prototyping, and cybersecurity fundamentals for good measure.

And if that's not enough, they've teamed up with tech giants like Intrinio and MARC to offer mentorship and internship opportunities, so you can get that real-world experience.

In the words of CodeWorld's boss lady, Elizabeth Perez:

"Our goal is to empower the next generation of innovators with the skills to shape the future of tech. By sparking a passion for coding from a young age, we're building a diverse talent pipeline that'll drive St. Pete's startup scene to new heights."

With their commitment to accessible STEM education, CodeWorld is definitely a startup to keep an eye on in 2024 and beyond.

Let's talk about VistaStream, the St. Pete startup shaking up the streaming game. They are making waves with their innovative tech that's changing how we binge our favorite shows.

First up, their platform uses sophisticated algorithms to personalize your content and compress those massive video files, so you get crystal-clear visuals without the endless buffering, even on poor WiFi.

Their compression tech cuts data usage by a whopping 40% compared to other streaming services, which is a total game-changer for those streaming on the go.

But VistaStream isn't just showcasing their tech prowess; they're also revolutionizing how the whole streaming industry operates.

By using blockchain and decentralized networks, they're offering a secure, transparent, and cost-effective solution for creators and viewers alike. Even industry analysts are praising VistaStream, with Forrester predicting their model could

reshape the entire streaming ecosystem, empowering both content creators and consumers.

That's some serious disruptive potential right there.

With a rapidly growing global fanbase and major content partnerships lined up, analysts project the streaming market will hit a mind-blowing $149 billion by 2028, and VistaStream is in prime position to snag a massive slice of that pie.

They've even got plans to dive into virtual reality and augmented reality tech, solidifying their status as true innovators in the entertainment world. Keep an eye on them; they're about to shake up the streaming game in a big way.

St. Pete's startup scene is fire, and these companies are the ones to keep an eye on in 2024. From next-level tech making the world better to mind-blowing innovations redefining how we live, this city is killing it with its entrepreneurial hustle.

The economic report says the tech industry in Tampa Bay, with St. Pete leading the charge, is set to pump a whopping $39.2 billion into Florida's economy by late 2024. Plus, every startup job creates over 4 more jobs in other fields, so the impact is massive.

The sustainable tech wave is only growing stronger, with startups like Checkerspot pushing the limits of eco-materials.

AI is sliding into every industry - from Bankers Financial Corporation blending insurance and AI, to FA Eye bringing next-level security, and even self-driving cars by MARC. The immersive tech is heating up too, with HD Interactive leading the AR/VR charge.

The biotech innovators like PCB are revolutionizing healthcare research.

Jennifer Larson, CEO of our local startup hub, sums it up: "St. Pete is the place to be for tech talent and game-changing ideas. Our community's got the hustle and skills to skyrocket this city to new heights." With that kind of energy, these startups are primed to disrupt industries, drive Florida's economy forward, and cement St. Pete as a tech powerhouse.