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Pepperdine's Most Fundable Companies of 2020 Graziadio Business School announces third annual list and highest participation to date.
Congratulations to the 2020 Pepperdine Most Fundable Companies®. In our third year, more than 4,500 early-stage U.S. startups from across all 50 states vied for a space on the list, making it the most competitive year yet. All 20 winners are worthy of serious investor consideration based on several company variables including financial projections, market opportunity, intellectual property, competitive advantage, and management-team expertise. As a free resource to assist startups in securing capital to accelerate meaningful innovation across industries and communities, our program educates founders on investor diligence and provides critical assessments - ultimately providing more than just a competition.
At Pepperdine Graziadio, we believe that developing Best for the World Leaders involves connecting early-stage companies with the resources needed to be one step closer to positively impacting the business marketplace. Supporting aspiring entrepreneurs is part of Graziadio's core focus, and our Most Fundable Companies qualifier survey provides valuable insights on how businesses will appear to top investors, driving beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders.
The 2021 Most Fundable Companies competition is now open.
The Most Fundable Companies for 2020 are:
PLATINUM
BNNano, Inc.BNNano, Inc.
Founders: Steven Wilcenski and Jason Taylor
Location: Burlington, NC
Industry: Nanotechnology
bnnano.com
BNNano leverages cutting-edge materials innovations to transform and return value to industrial commodities, facilitating applications such as aerospace, hypersonics, thermal management, and additive manufacturing.
Calviri, Inc.Calviri, Inc.
Founders: Stephen Albert Johnston, and Kathryn Sykes
Location: Tempe, AZ
Industry: Biotechnology
calviri.com
Calviri aims to end cancer deaths worldwide via development of new diagnostic and therapeutic products, such as a chip for early detection of antibodies in blood and preventive vaccines.
Terecircuits CorporationTerecircuits Corporation
Founder: Jayna Sheats
Location: Mountain View, CA
Industry: Electronics Materials
terecircuits.com
Terecircuits has developed a new class of polymer and novel circuit assembly techniques to support microassembly and mass transfer for advanced displays and electronics.
GOLD
Athena, Inc.Athena, Inc.
Founder: Simone Spence
Location: New Orleans, LA
Industry: Software Technology
athenacollects.com
Athena (originally Don't Get Mad Get Paid) enables users to collect back child support in less time and for less money.
Ai Software, LLC d/b/a CapacityAi Software, LLC d/b/a Capacity
Founder: David Karandish
Location: St. Louis, MO
Industry: Software Technology
capacity.com
Capacity is a new kind of helpdesk, powered by artificial intelligence, which automates support for your customers and employees.
Flower Turbines, Inc.Flower Turbines, Inc.
Founder: Daniel Farb
Location: Lawrence, NY
Industry: Renewable Energy
flowerturbines.com
Flower Turbines makes small wind turbines with aerodynamic innovations that allow them to change the world market for uses near people and buildings.
RRTC, Inc.RRTC, Inc.
Founder: Rik Riman
Location: Belle Mead, NJ
Industry: Materials
rrtc-tech.com
RRTC is a platform-manufacturing technology company. Patented, low-cost, sustainable solidification technology creates novel composites with a performance edge for a wide range of applications.
SILVER
Agtools, Inc.Agtools, Inc.
Founder: Martha Montoya
Location: Irvine, CA
Industry: Software Technology
ag.tools
Agtools is a SaaS Food and Ag worldwide supply-chain platform offering real-time actionable intelligence data to increase profitability and avoid food waste. 2019 Microsoft ML/AI award winner.
Baby BaristaBaby Barista
Founder: Cara Armstrong
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Industry: Consumer Products
mybabybarista.com
Baby Barista’s connected machine revolutionizes infant formula feeding by making the perfect bottle in under 30 seconds and delivering organic formula right to your doorstep.
ECFXECFX
Founders: Dan O'Day, Nelson Quintero, and Bill Burch
Location: Venice, CA
Industry: Software Technology
goecfx.com
ECFX provides a cloud-based enterprise notice management system using intelligent automation to streamline the entire electronic court notice workflow with firmwide administration and analytics.
ExpressCellsExpressCells
Founders: Matthew Handel and Oscar Perez-Leal
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Industry: Biotechnology
xpresscells.com
ExpressCells is a revenue-generating genetic engineering company that creates knock-in cell lines for biological research more quickly than competing technologies and enabling better experiments.
Global ThermostatGlobal Thermostat
Founders: Graciela Chichilnisky and Peter Eisenberger
Location: New York, NY
Industry: Renewable Energy
globalthermostat.com
Global Thermostat commercializes its advanced, multi-patented technology to transform carbon dioxide from a global liability into an opportunity for global prosperity.
Target Arm, Inc.Target Arm, Inc.
Founders: Jeffrey McChesney and Ryan Bigham
Location: Ridgefield, CT
Industry: Aeronautics
targetarm.com
Target Arm's device, Tular, enables launch and recovery of both rotary wing and fixed wing drones from any moving vehicle, autonomously, and even during windy conditions.
WinSanTor, Inc.WinSanTor, Inc.
Founders: Stanley Kim, Nigel Calcutt, Lakshmi Kotra, and Paul Fernyhough
Location: San Diego, CA
Industry: Biotechnology
winsantor.com
WinSanTor is developing what may be the only disease-modifying treatment for peripheral neuropathy, a debilitating neurodegenerative condition that affects the lives of hundreds of millions of people.
BRONZE
Adranos, Inc.Adranos, Inc.
Founders: Brandon Terry and Chris Stoker
Location: West Lafayette, IN
Industry: Defense and Space
adranos.com
Adranos has developed a high-performance solid rocket fuel, ALITEC, that can increase the range or payload capacity of launch systems by up to 40 percent.
Cast21Cast21
Founder: Ashley S. Moy
Location: Chicago, IL
Industry: Healthcare
cast21.com
Cast21 is changing the way the world heals with QUINTM technology, a waterproof alternative to a cast or brace for broken bones.
Hope TrustHope Trust
Founders: Daria Placitella, Joshua Fishkind, and Russell Fishkind
Location: Holmdel, NJ
Industry: Software Technology
hopetrust.com
Hope Trust automates the special-needs planning process, allowing families to ensure that the complex, interdisciplinary needs of their loved one will be fulfilled.
Perfitly, LLCPerfitly, LLC
Founders: Dave Sharma, Kash Vyas, and Raghav Sharma
Location: New York, NY
Industry: Software Technology
perfitly.com
Perfitly’s AR/VR-AI platform enables online apparel shoppers to try on and visualize garments in 3D before buying, reducing returns and increasing sales.
Perytor Therapeutics, Inc.Perytor Therapeutics, Inc.
Founders: Ramon Coronado and Joshua Shaver
Location: San Antonio, TX
Industry: Biotechnology
perytor.com/welcome
Perytor Therapeutics discovered a new category of drugs extracted from placental tissue that can be used to promote regeneration, while reducing pain and inflammation.
Wind Talker Innovations, Inc.Wind Talker Innovations, Inc.
Founders: Matthew Perdew and Ryan Luther
Location: Anchorage, AK
Industry: Telecommunications
windtalker.com
Wind Talker Innovations develops solutions to transcend the limitations of existing networks, allowing instantaneous and high-speed communications between users on- or off-grid.
The 2021 Most Fundable Companies competition is now open.
Ron HallOur Methodology
All qualifier survey submissions generate objective and customized feedback and scoring to improve readiness for funding. Approximately 100 companies proceed to the semifinals, completing a more in-depth fundability assessment to further refine and verify scores. During the final stages, a review panel interviews and selects list winners. See all semifinalists and learn more on our website.
Lifeboat Ventures; TVA; J.P. Morgan
