2020 Best Tech Startups in North Carolina

March 17, 2020November 3, 2022 thetechtribune

The Tech Tribune staff has compiled the very best tech startups in North Carolina. In doing our research, we considered several factors including but not limited to:

Revenue potential
Leadership team
Brand/product traction
Competitive landscape

Additionally, all companies must be independent (unacquired), privately owned, at most 10 years old, and have received at least one round of funding in order to qualify.

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1. SmartSky Networks

Founded: 2011

Also honored in:

“Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, SmartSky Networks was formed in 2011 by senior aviation and telecommunications executives seeking to transform aviation through the use of disruptive communications technologies and related tools. Working with leading aerospace and technology partners, SmartSky has begun the rollout of its innovative, air-to-ground network, SmartSky 4G LTE. The network takes advantage of patented spectrum reuse, advanced beamforming technologies and 60 MHz of spectrum for significantly enhanced connectivity. SmartSky 4G LTE delivers data to the aircraft at rates comparable with next generation satellite solutions and provides unmatched capacity for data transmissions from the aircraft to the ground. This real-time, low latency, bidirectional data link makes SmartSky 4G LTE a key enabler for the new and enhanced apps, services, and hardware that will usher in the digitization of the aviation industry.”

2. nCino

Founded: 2012

Also honored in:

“nCino is the worldwide leader in cloud banking. With its Bank Operating System, built on the Salesforce platform, financial institutions can deliver the speed and digital experience that customers expect, backed by the quality and transparency that bankers need.”

3. Pendo

Founded: 2013

Also honored in:

“Pendo is a product experience platform that helps product teams deliver software users love.

Pendo provides insights from product usage patterns and user sentiment for making better product decisions. From these same insights, you can easily set up in-app messages, guides and walkthroughs to help users get the most value from your products.”

4. PrecisionHawk

Founded: 2011

Also honored in:

“PrecisionHawk is a global leader in developing and integrating commercial drone technology. With market analysts expecting businesses to spend $13 billion on drones over the next three years, we are focused on the opportunity ahead!

From farming to disaster response, PrecisionHawk is using aerial technology to drive innovation by improving efficiency, increasing safety, generating additional revenue, and ultimately changing the way businesses view their assets and manage resources.”

5. Passport

Founded: 2010

Also honored in:

“Passport is transforming mobility management for cities, empowering them to create more livable and equitable communities. Passport’s mobility platform enables clients to digitally coordinate all modes of transportation and implement real-time, data-centric management of their curbside and streetspace through its enterprise software. Trusted by nearly 1,000 cities, universities and agencies, including Chicago, Toronto, London, Los Angeles, and Miami, Passport is one of the fastest growing companies on the Inc. 5000 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 lists. Passport is backed by Bain Capital Ventures, Grotech Ventures, MK Capital, and Relevance Capital. For more information, visit passportinc.com.”

6. Prescient

Founded: 2013

Also honored in:

“Prescient’s digital design-build system is an efficient, collaborative, turnkey approach used to design and build multi-unit housing and hotel structures.

Created to revolutionize the multi-family construction industry, Prescient uses the power of technology to link the discrete disciplines of architectural design, engineering, manufacturing and assembly. Through its proprietary digital thread, Prescient is reducing time, costs and risks across the entire development, construction and operating value chain.”

7. Baebies

Founded: 2013

“Baebies, guided by the vision that “everyone deserves a healthy start,” delivers innovative products and services for newborn screening and pediatric testing. SEEKER® is the first newborn screening platform authorized by the U.S. FDA for lysosomal storage disorders. Still under development, FINDER™ is a small volume near-patient testing platform designed for pediatrics. FINDER™ is not available at this time for sale or use in any territory. By bringing new technologies and new tests to the healthcare community, Baebies is providing hope to parents and the chance at a better life for all children.”

8. ArchiveSocial

Founded: 2011

Also honored in: 2020 Best Tech Startups in Durham

“ArchiveSocial empowers agencies and organizations to actively participate on social networking channels by ensuring they can fulfill legal requirements and avoid lawsuits. Our cloud-based archiving and analytics technology is trusted by more than 2,000 public agencies.

Our office is located in the heart of Downtown Durham, NC, walking distance from the Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham Bulls Athletic Stadium, American Tobacco Campus, the American Underground (a Google for Entrepreneurs Tech Hub), and some of the best food in the Southeast.”

9. Stratifyd

Founded: 2015

Also honored in:

“Stratifyd is designed to equip business leaders worldwide with deep intellectual business insights in minutes instead of months. With the launch of Stratifyd Platform 2015, we are beginning to achieve this reality. Stratifyd Platform is an Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) powered Data Analytics platform that analyzes and visualizes complex unstructured and structured data sets. The platform is built on our patented algorithms that leverage Machine Learning(ML) and Natural Language Processing(NLP) for any businesses.”

10. Airwavz Solutions

Founded: 2013

Also honored in:

“Airwavz Solutions is a telecommunications infrastructure company that optimizes wireless network capacity and offers unique operational solutions for the major wireless carriers. We design, install, own and operate wireless infrastructure primarily inside private commercial and government buildings allowing the wireless carriers to improve service and increase capacity throughout their networks.”