Movers and makers at Hardware Park for the Purilan launch Nov. 20, 2019. Photo via Facebook
Anyone who’s been paying attention to Birmingham over the past few years knows that the city is fast becoming a hub of startup activity. Even Forbes weighed in, wondering whether Birmingham will be the next Silicon Valley (probably not) or Austin (possibly). To introduce you to some of the local startups worth watching, we’ve decided to start a regular startup roundup.
We hope you’ll join us and let us know about others you’re watching. For this first installment, we decided to focus on local companies that can make your life better. Keep reading for all the details.
1—Purilan Technology
Imagine naturally flavored and functionally-enhanced water at the touch of a button. Photo via Purilan’s Facebook page
Haven’t heard of lifestyle water yet? Purlian Technology is about to change that. Imagine being able to get water that’s naturally flavored or functionally enhanced in the comfort of your own home. Buh-bye environmentally harmful single use plastic bottles. Hello, hydration and pollution-free rivers.
Not sure what functionally enhanced water is? Think vitamins, minerals, caffeine or melatonin. The idea is that Purilan makes hydration for a healthy and active lifestyle super-easy.
So far, according to Mario Carreras they’ve raised over $1M in seed funding which has allowed them to get busy building their team and brand, secure trademarks and apply for patents, develop prototypes and move into a new office at Hardware Park.
2—Case Status
Lauren Sturdivant of Case Status is bringing tech to law to improve lawyer-client communications.
If you’ve ever hired a lawyer, you know how frustrating it can be to call for an update on your case and get a hefty bill for the quick chat. At the same time, if you’re an attorney, you know how frustrating it can be to spend your time fielding calls from clients about the status of their cases.
Enter Case Status, a tech-driven solution that helps streamline attorney-client communications by providing clients with automatic updates on the status of their cases. It’s a big win-win for everyone.
3—S(w)ervice
Some people love taking care of their cars. Every trip to the shop is a chance to learn more about how the marvelous machines that get us from Point A to Point B work.
Others of us ignore the oil change light for more months than we care to admit. Or keep putting off going to get the tires rotated until the tread’s showing through on one side and we need a new set of tires.
If you’re in the first camp, rock on with your bad self. If you’re in the second, though, S(w)ervice has come up with a solution for you. You get on with the business of living while they pick up, drop off and return you car for maintenance. Or a car wash, even.
$25 will get you a one-time valet pass, whereas an $89 annual subscription will get your four trips in a year. I can see this one being a popular gift among the car afficionado Dads who want to make sure their grown kids’ wheels keep running smoothly.
4—Yente
Don’t these folks look a lot like the good people at Two Ravens? There’s a reason for that. Photo supplied
If you haven’t seen Fiddler on the Roof, you may not know that Yente came to mean matchmaker in Yiddish. That’s what the folks from Two Ravens had in mind when they launched their first startup from the Two Ravens Startup Studio.
According to their website, Yente is the best way to get a great deal on your next car. What’s not to love about that?
They’re in the early stage: they’ve proven their concept and made a sale. Now they’re looking to grow their audience here in Birmingham. Ready to start looking? Their website has all the details.
Around since: 5-6 months ago
5-6 months ago Founders: the good people at Two Ravens
the good people at Two Ravens Competitions: finalist in seed stage round of Alabama Launchpad’s recent competition
finalist in seed stage round of Alabama Launchpad’s recent competition Why Birmingham? Some of the team is from Birmingham; some isn’t. They decided to try to grow the business here instead of in a bigger city because they believe they can and it can be good for the city, according to Dave Cowart.
5—Endomimetics
This company’s one to watch because who doesn’t know someone who’s had some kind of medical device implanted in their body. Whether it’s a stent or a joint replacement, or perhaps screws on a broken limb, sometimes the body’s immune system attacks the device. When that happens, it’s not great and can lead to additional surgeries. Painful, expensive and not fun.
Endomimetics has cooked up what they call a “BioNanomatrix” (no, it’s not a smoothie and it doesn’t have anything to do with The Matrix), which basically creates a coating that mimics human tissue. Why does this matter? Because the body has an easier time relaxing and allowing the device to do its job when it doesn’t think it’s a foreign invader.
While you can’t run out and buy the BioNanomtrix, it may benefit you or someone you love in the near future, so it’s cool to know about what Endomimetics is up to.
2009, but major commercial development of the tech started in 2015 Co-founders: Brigitta Brott, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Ho-Wook Jun, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer
Brigitta Brott, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Ho-Wook Jun, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer Stage of development: all applications of the technology are in the R&D phase, with one almost ready for clinical trials, according to Joseph N. Garner, PhD
all applications of the technology are in the R&D phase, with one almost ready for clinical trials, according to Joseph N. Garner, PhD Competitions: Alabama Launchpad finalist in 2012, finalist in SEBIO in 2010
Why would a biomedical tech company like Endomimetics choose Birmingham?
The Bionanomatrix technology was initially developed in Birmingham All of the tools and talent needed to develop the technology are available either in the city or close by. The cost of living/operating is relatively low compared to other major cities which allows the company to stretch its capital further. The local biotechnology community including large companies like Evonik and Southern Research, along with UAB and its many spin out companies, provides an excellent opportunity to directly collaborate with the leading scientific, medical, and business minds in the industry without leaving home.
I don’t know about you, but as a native Birminghamian, that list, generously provided by Joseph N. Garner, PhD, of Endomimetics, makes me proud of our Magic City.
Also published on Medium.