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Go for Launch is a live webcast designed to give corporate professionals exposure to promising startups. Each episode features three startup demos in 30 minutes. After each demo, the audience and a guest expert ask a few quick questions — then we’re on to the next startup.

If you’d like to learn more about one of the startups, or see a more detailed demo, you can stick around to join them in our virtual “hallway” afterward for another 5, 10, or 20 minutes. Participation is free for startups and audience members. Startups do not get a list of audience members — but audience members will get contact info so they can reach out to startups that may be relevant to their organization. (Interested startups can apply to demo here.)

Thanks to our sponsor, Silicon Valley Bank.


Season 1 Recap:

Episode 1

  • Interviewed seeks to revolutionize the job search by using AI to detect and avoid unconscious biases and other negative factors.
  • 3XR is a company that creates augmented reality offerings for retailers.
  • Plannuh is a startup that automates marketing planning.
  • Guest Experts: Deborah Barta, Senior Vice President of Innovation and Startup Engagement at Mastercard Labs and Dan Allred, Senior Market Manager for Silicon Valley Bank

Episode 2

  • Liteboxer offers one solution for boxers of any level. Their device includes targets that light up, signaling where the user should punch next.
  • Spaces is a startup that helps teams create meaningful and collaborative virtual experiences over Zoom by creating virtual meeting spaces.
  • Rugged3D offers a portable and durable 3D printing solution that is engineered to operate in harsh environments.
  • Guest Experts: Sandy Kreis Lacey, Assistant Vice President of Advanced Technologies at John Hancock and Russell Follansbee, Director of Technology Banking at Silicon Valley Bank

Episode 3

  • Tertill is a robotic gardener created by the inventor of Roomba, whichpulls weeds without the need for herbicides, hauling mulch, or putting down ugly plastic films.
  • Diana AI allows teams to sort through enterprise data through voice commands, making searching for information easier.
  • Appsmith is an open source system for companies to build custom internal tools using low code.
  • Guest Experts: Paul Gaffney, Chief Technology Officer of Kohl’s and Matt Perlow, a Vice President of Silicon Valley Bank

Episode 4

  • Welnys enables fitness and wellness providers to create their own digital content and generate revenue from corporations who have workplace wellness programs.
  • Veriphix measures the emotional triggers behind how consumers perceive a brand and service.
  • LEAD makes it easy to launch virtual coffee or group lunches, encourage peer to peer meetups for learning opportunities, and helps build internal networks for new hires and existing employees.
  • Guest Experts: Priscilla Beal, who leads technology prospecting at Bayer and Kevin Longo, Managing Director of Life Science and HealthTech at Silicon Valley Bank

Episode 5

  • Rendever targets loneliness in senior living communities with its accessible approach to virtual reality.
  • Spatio Metrics provides a space planning and communication toolkit that saves countless hours of manually evaluating your company’s return-to-office strategy.
  • Bedestrian‘s B1 robot delivers medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, and interacts with medical staff and patients to enhance the hospital experience
  • Guest Experts: Nico Arcino, Senior Director of Partnerships at Kaiser Permanente and Matt Griffiths, Director of Healthtech and Devices at Silicon Valley Bank

Episode 6

  • Bitreel creates a photorealistic digital twin of stores so shoppers can easily navigate through stores on desktops or mobile devices.
  • Thimble provides online classes taught by technology professionals to help children build their own robots.
  • Kura makes the widest field-of-view and lightweight AR headset, for the masses.
  • Guest Experts: Brian Tilzer, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Best Buy and Mark Gallagher, Head of Corporate Venture Capital at Silicon Valley Bank

Episode 7

  • Hydrow re-engineers the rowing machine and makes each stroke feel like you’re out on the water.
  • Crayon is a market and competitive intelligence company that enables businesses to track, analyze, and act on everything happening outside their four walls.
  • Eightfold AI is the industry’s first talent intelligence platform, built for enterprises, to address talent acquisition and management in a holistic fashion.
  • Guest Experts: Atif Rafiq, President of Customers, Commercial & Growth at MGM Resorts International and Sophie McNaught, Director for Silicon Valley Bank’s Corporate Relationship Management Group

Episode 8

  • Structural is a dynamic people directory and internal opportunity marketplace that unlocks potential, saves time, and makes work better.
  • Sotero allows you to search, share, and monetize data without ever decrypting, falling out of compliance, or exposing private information.
  • Sophya is an online office where employees can interact through their avatars.
  • Guest Experts: Chris Varley, who runs the External Science and Technology Program at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Dan Allred, Senior Market Manager at Silicon Valley Bank

Episode 9

  • X.ai is a productivity tool powered by artificial intelligence that lets you schedule meetings effortlessly.
  • Powow AI is a SaaS platform that uses proprietary AI algorithms to transcribe and analyze operational meetings, transforming them into actionable insights.
  • Riff Analytics uses vocal data to monitor interactions during video meetings and in text chats, and its AI-powered program can then gauge how effectively the team communicated.
  • Guest Experts: Ben Cooper, Head of Corporate Commercial Innovation at Flex and Alex Choy, Director of Enterprise Software at Silicon Valley Bank

Episode 10

  • Aryballe combines biochemical sensors, advanced optics, and machine learning in a single objective solution to collect, display, and analyze odor data so companies can make better decisions.
  • Alyce helps create personal bonds with your prospects, customers, and partners that deliver results through one-to-one gifting.
  • Owl Labs is a company that makes 360° video conferencing devices called the “Meeting Owl” and the “Meeting Owl Pro.”
  • Guest Experts: Tom Catalini, Senior Director of Information Systems and Technology Services at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Minh Le, Market Manager for Silicon Valley Bank

Other Key Details

  • The presenting startups are all at a stage where they are ready to pilot test or deploy their products with customers (these are not “cocktail napkin” concepts seeking to raise money).
  • We curate the startups so they have broad applicability to multiple industries. While we intend to focus primarily on B2B startups, we will include consumer startups on occasion.
  • Startups need to be newly-launched, or have a major new feature that has launched, in the current quarter.
  • Each episode features a “Guest Expert” who will lob questions at some of the startups, and share their take at the end of the webcast.
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