?? Southern Startup Report: June 11-24, 2020

The Southern Startup Report is a twice-monthly, curated newsletter covering the latest tech startup happenings in the American Southeast. It is produced by LookFar, a New Orleans-based software development studio, and Club Discovery, a co-working space for innovators, entrepreneurs and technologists in the heart of New Orleans' Bywater neighborhood. Learn more about sponsoring the SSR or subscribe here to get the SSR delivered to your inbox.

Google for Startups (which is headed by Atlanta's Jewel Burks Solomon, co-founder of Collab Capital) recently announced a new three-month digital accelerator program for Black founders. The accelerator is part of Google's recent $175M commitment to support Black businesses. Applications are being accepted until June 30.

Backstage Capital's Backstage Crowd syndicate recently made its first accredited deal. In details shared via Backstage's email newsletter, they present a new deal each month or so and investors can choose which deals to participate in and how much to invest. (Backstage says that they typically put $250K - $1M checks behind underestimated founders, with Backstage Crowd investors committing $2K-$5K per person per deal on average.) If you're interested in investing alongside Arlan Hamilton and Backstage in underestimated founders, you can apply here. 

~ Mallory Whitfield, Editor of the Southern Startup Report for LookFar, a New Orleans-based software development studio.

New Orleans, LA - The 3rd annual Black Tech NOLA conference is almost here and it promises to be the biggest event yet, with a fully virtual conference that is free to attend this year. Kicking off on Monday, June 29 the event will focus its first day on inclusive innovation for employers, followed by a spotlight on tech startup founders on June 30, and the creative intersection of tech, art and culture on July 1; learn more & register here. New Orleans eyewear startup Krewe is in hot water as numerous current and former employees have come out against its founder, Stirling Barrett, with allegations of sexism and racism. Tulane University's Newcomb Institute Technology Showcase offers a a student-produced digital symposium addressing the gender gap in STEM, while Tulane's Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship is offering free virtual mentor sessions with experts in marketing, finance, HR, & more. Delgado Community College and Cox Communications are partnering to offer business development training via an eight-week program called the Small Business Growth Academy. Louisiana Economic Development has opened enrollment for its SEBD Roundtable business leadership program. Panasonic recently named New Orleans-based identity verification tech firm IDScan.net its Innovation Partner of the Year for 2019.

Atlanta, GA - Atlanta-based freelance talent platform Incluzion is making strides and preparing to launch a learning platform similar to Udemy called #IncluzionLearning as well as a Remote Jobs board for their community of Black & Latinx professionals. Hypepotamus editor Mike Jordan recently interviewed Barry Givens and Justin Dawkins, two of the co-founders of Atlanta-based investment fund Collab Capital, about their $50 million venture fund for Black tech founders. Shila Nieves Burney's Zane Venture Fund, which is currently raising a $25 million seed fund to invest in underrepresented founders, was recently featured by Crunchbase. Zane Venture Fund is also teaming up with accelerator program Launchpad2X to invest in more women founders. BioIQ has released a new at-home saliva test to detect Covid-19, flu, and other illnesses.

Austin, TX - A new report from careers site Hired shows that Austin leads the tech world in salary growth, though women and Black tech workers continue to get lower salaries. Austin Technology Council recently hosted an open forum on diversity in tech, while some of Austin’s most prominent tech startups, accelerators and digital companies have signed an open letter for action on racial justice and they are encouraging more local organizations to do the same. Australian online graphic design platform Canva recently announced its plans to open an Austin office. Tesla is still seeking to bring 5,000 new jobs to its proposed Austin manufacturing plant, but it wants $60 million-plus in tax breaks in return. ScaleFactor, which had once been one of Austin's fastest rising startups, is shutting down, while GoDaddy is also closing its Austin office and laying off 331 people. 

Birmingham, AL - Seven Alabama startups recently squared off at the virtual Alabama Launchpad finale, where MOXIE IoT took home the $100K grand prize and Field Culture Compost won $50K. Bham Now recently put together a list of local startup resources plus local organizations helping folks who want a career in tech.

Dallas, TX - At Capital Factory’s recent ‘Women in Tech’ Summit, Neuro Rehab VR took first prize in the event's virtual pitch competition. An app created by local firm Bottle Rocket, that is meant to help the visually impaired navigate a space through machine learning, was a winner in in Google’s Android Developer Challenge. INC Tutoring is changing its name to INC Education as it plans to open a second headquarters in Atlanta; the startup's founder Jay Veal has also launched a new nonprofit, Black Tutors of Social Media. Electric motor systems company Linear Labs is getting a $69M grant from the city of Fort Worth to create a hub of ‘energy 2.0’. Southern Methodist University is launching a new bootcamp for teen entrepreneurs, while agtech startup Farm Shield has emerged from stealth. 

Houston, TX - At the recent 20th annual Rice Business Plan Competition, Atlanta-based music publishing startup Aurign won first place and took home a total of $375,000. Massachusetts-based cleantech startup incubator Greentown Labs announced plans to open its Houston location in Spring 2021. A recent survey by Houston Exponential shows that local startup founders are optimistic about the prospects of their business recovery, despite the pandemic. 

Miami, FL - Black leaders in Miami's tech community are pushing back, with Code Fever Miami and Black Tech Week co-founder Felecia Hatcher stating in a recent op-ed, "Tech community must do more than tweet support. It needs to invest." Digital Grass Innovation & Technology founder Michael Hall added that, "All of you are confused as to why you’re receiving push back, and it’s because black people in Miami’s startup community didn’t just show up. We’ve been here. Where have you been?" Coding academy Wyncode spotlighted some of their graduates, who shared what it's like to be Black in tech, while Wyncode is teaming up with eMerge Americas and Code Fever to host a virtual hackathon on July 2 that aims to unite the Miami technology community to fight racism. A new report from Startup Genome offers next steps for growing the Miami region as an innovation hub.

Nashville, TN - Annual entrepreneurial event 36|86 Festival has begun to announce some of the speakers that will be featured during its fully interactive digital experience, August 17-28. Margaret Dolan is stepping down from her role as president and CEO of LaunchTN to return to the private sector to lead an early stage company that is focused on impact investing. Local entrepreneur Danielle McGee has launched Black Owned Nashville, a database spotlighting any and all black-owned businesses in Nashville. Knoxville Entrepreneur Center has announced the seven companies that will participate in The Works 2020, its regional startup accelerator.

Raleigh-Durham, NC - Wilmington-based cloud banking startup nCino has filed for an IPO to raise $100 million, while the creators of the popular Fortnite game, Epic Games, continue their growth trajectory. Black-owned Durham startup CourtRoom5 is helping people who can't afford lawyers find justice in the courts. Raleigh-based content marketing firm Creative Allies recently hosted a contest to provide five black-owned businesses with free logo designs. Longtime Southern Startup Report supporter Jim Roberts recently penned an op-ed for WRAL Tech Wire (plus one for GrepBeat Triangle Tech News) stating that, "Southern coastal cities need to attract more resources for entrepreneurs – tech talent will follow."

Tampa, FL - St. Petersburg-based early stage investment firm Seedfunders has launched a new Opportunity Fund to make pre-seed investments in Black-owned startups across Florida. Tampa tech industry veteran Deon Bradley has launched a new national non-profit, Hire or Wire Now, that aims to help minorities find funding and tech jobs, while local tech recruiter Jesus Vidaurri is launching a local chapter of the national organization Blacks In Technology. University of Florida spinoff VetGuardian, which uses technology to help veterinarians provide more efficient and effective animal care, won the $5K Seedfunders’ pitch event at the recent Synapse Converge virtual event. 

Alpharetta, GA - Aptean - undisclosed

Asheville, NC - Ideal Medical Technologies - $200K

Atlanta, GA - Urjanet - $14.65M Series D

Atlanta, GA - Steady - $15M Series B

Atlanta, GA - TendoNova - undisclosed

Austin, TX - CognitOps - $3M Seed

Austin, TX - TeleVet - $5M Series A

Austin, TX - Veros Systems - $2.2M Series C

Charlotte, NC - AvidXchange - $8M

Charlotte, NC & NYC - EasyKnock - $20M Series B

Dallas, TX - BALANCED - $3.5M Seed

Duluth, GA - CINC Systems - undisclosed

Durham, NC - BIOMILQ - $3.5M Seed

Durham, NC & Austin, TX - Shattuck Labs - $118M Series B

Frisco, TX - Trivie - $5M Series A

Greensboro, NC - Soelect - $1M 

Houston, TX - SecurityGate.io - undisclosed

Raleigh, NC - TopCourt - $1.25M

June 26 - Chattanooga, TN - CO.LAB Consumer Goods Accelerator Application Deadline

June 26 - United States - NASA Entrepreneurs Challenge Application Deadline

June 28 - Austin, TX - $100,000 Capital Factory Human Performance Investment Challenge Application Deadline

June 29 - anywhere - MIT Solve's The Elevate Prize Application Deadline

June 30 - Google for Startups Accelerator: Black Founders Application Deadline

June 30 - Application Deadline for $4,000 Amber Grant for Women-Run Businesses

July 3 - Dallas, TX - North Texas INNO ‘Inno on Fire’ Award Nomination Deadline

July 7 - United States - MIT Solve 2020 Indigenous Communities Fellowship Application Deadline

July 10 - Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Tech Village's It Takes A Village Pre-Accelerator Application Deadline

July 10 - Austin, TX - DivInc's 2020 Social Justice Innovation Accelerator Program Application Deadline

July 21 - Tampa, FL - Tampa Bay Wave TechWomen Rising Accelerator Application Deadline

August 21 - Baton Rouge, LA - Young Entrepreneurs Academy Application Deadline

August 28 - Atlanta, GA - Venture Atlanta Virtual Showcase Application Deadline

November 9 - United States - MIT Solve Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge Deadline

open deadline - Atlanta, GA - Startup Runway Applications

open deadline - Atlanta, GA - Apply to the Silicon Road Retail Accelerator

open deadline - Nashville, TN - Caring for 615 Small Business $50K Grant Applications

rolling deadline - United States - Lightship Capital Twitch Pitch Virtual Pitch Contest Applications

rolling deadline - Dallas, TX - The DEC Network Fast Start Mentoring Program Application for Mentors and Mentees

Until further notice, all events listed below will take place virtually. Below you'll find the date, host organization & their location, and a link for more information. To let us know about an upcoming virtual event, or a rescheduled in-person event, please email mwhitfield @ lookfar.com

June 25 - SaaS Founders of DFW (Dallas, TX) - Scale Marketing Efforts to Grow Your Tech Startup

June 25 - DivInc (Austin, TX) - DivInc Spring 2020 Demo Day

June 25 - Council for Entrepreneurial Development (Research Triangle Park, NC) - Raising Money: 2019 Innovators Report

June 25 - Tampa Bay Latin Chamber of Commerce + Tampa Bay Wave (Tampa, FL) - State of LatinX Tech Entrepreneurship

June 26 - Valor Ventures (Atlanta, GA) - Southeastern Startup Venture Capital Pitch

June 29 - July 1 - NOLAVATE Black (New Orleans, LA) - Black Tech NOLA 2020 Virtual Conference

June 30 - Mixtroz (Birmingham, AL) - Imperfect Conversations - A Time for Collision, Community & Connection

June 30 - The Nashville Entrepreneur Center (Nashville, TN) - Entrepreneurs and Imposter Syndrome

July 2 - Innovate Mississippi (Jackson, MS) - CONNECT: Networking for Entrepreneurs

July 2 - Wyncode Academy (Miami, FL) - Unite & Fight Virtual Hackathon

July 14-15 - Capital Factory (Austin, TX) - Fed Supernova Innovation Conference

July 15 - Palm Beach Tech (Palm Beach, FL) - South Florida Tech Virtual Career Expo

July 16 - Valor Ventures (Atlanta, GA) - COVID-19 and the Re-invention of Venture Capital

July 20-23 - Capital Factory (Austin, TX) - Founders Academy Essentials

July 21 - Valor Ventures (Atlanta, GA) - Markups and Multiples: Seminar for Venture Capital Investors

July 23-24 - DIG SOUTH (Charleston, SC) - DIG SOUTH Virtual Tech Summit

August 11 - Valor Ventures (Atlanta, GA) - Building Your Startup's Board

August 11 - Dallas, TX - Tech Phenomenon: Tech and Innovation Experiences

August 17-28 - Launch TN (Nashville, TN) - 36|86 Goes Global: A Fully Interactive Digital Experience

The Southern Startup Report is a twice-monthly, curated newsletter covering the latest tech startup happenings in the American Southeast. It is produced by LookFar, a New Orleans-based software development studio, and Club Discovery, a co-working space for innovators, entrepreneurs and technologists in the heart of New Orleans' Bywater neighborhood. Learn more about sponsoring the SSR or subscribe here to get the SSR delivered to your inbox.

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