GrepBeat’s 2024 Startups To Watch: Meet This Year’s Honorees

On Thursday night, GrepBeat hosted its fourth annual “Startups To Watch” event, showcasing and honoring some of the most promising early-stage startups from around the Triangle. We welcomed a crowd of founders, investors, and others from around the ecosystem to The Rickhouse in Durham, where a good time was had by all.

Before we get to our 2024 honorees, it’s important to note that it would not have been possible to hold this event without nominations from the community and support from our sponsors. The GrepBeat team extends its sincere thanks to everyone who nominated a startup (we received ~100 such nominations), as well as to our sponsors for the evening: Dualboot Partners, Hutchison PLLC, Whitley Recruiting, Fourscore Business Law, Robinson Bradshaw, and EisnerAmper.

Of note, before we get to the list: Our Startups To Watch nominees/honorees include only early-stage tech and tech-enabled startups—no agencies, life science, or biotech. There are also no repeat winners (though you can and should take a look back at past winners in our recaps for 2021, 2022, and 2023).

And now, without further ado, here are GrepBeat’s 2024 Startups To Watch nominees!

Nimble Energy

HQ: Chapel Hill
Year Founded: 2023
CEO: Jeff Soplop

Description: Nimble Energy assists schools, government offices, and businesses with efficient clean energy transitions. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, they help clients organize data, identify cost-saving opportunities, and develop plans for long-term, sustainable practices. Their software also employs tactics like gamification to make energy management more accessible and engaging.

(You can learn more in our past feature on Nimble Energy, and catch CEO Jeff Soplop in his Friday Nooner appearance.)

Ooga Technologies

HQ: Durham
Year Founded: 2020
CEO: Dr. Ajay Pasupuleti

Description: Ooga Technologies is improving the problem-solving process in non-destructive testing (NDT). This is a practice by which components of infrastructure (in pipelines, bridges, etc.) are tested without being damaged. When problems arise, though, inefficient, on-site services have typically been the only remedies. Ooga Technologies is offering better solutions by leveraging cloud technology to connect clients with vetted NDT experts. These connections, coupled with additional tools like project management, training, and certification, and are making the industry more efficient and cost-effective.

Simpliworks

HQ: Raleigh
Year Founded: 2020
CEO: Malik McCray

Description: Simpliworks provides a RevOps platform that is streamlining ecommerce marketing for small brands and businesses selling products online. Such businesses are often limited when it comes to marketing products and managing sales channels effectively. But by unifying data, automating advertising, and generating insights—all in one service—Simpliworks is leveling the playing field and helping smaller brands maximize ROI.

(Read more in our past feature on Simpliworks—incidentally one of our most-read stories in 2020!)

Social Cascade

HQ: Raleigh
Year Founded: 2021
CEO: Scott McQuiggan

Description: Social Cascade is making it easier for physicians to engage with parents and caregivers online. Specifically, their platform uses AI to connect licensed physicians and reputable content partners with parents and caregivers who might be scanning social media in search of healthcare options or advice. This drives patient engagement and acquisition, and ensures that parents and caregivers are finding trusted, accurate information.

(Learn more in our past feature on Social Cascade, and through appearances on In The Soup and the Friday Nooner.)

Tromml

HQ: Durham
Year Founded: 2023
CEO: Lauren McCullough

Description: Tromml provides ecommerce analytics solutions in the automotive industry. Specifically, they are helping people and entities (from resellers to manufacturers and enterprise brands) gather the data they need to sell automotive parts online. Tromml compiles said data from sources such as inventory feeds, supplier purchase orders, and more in order to lend vital business intelligence to sellers.

(Check out our past feature on Tromml, as well as CEO Lauren McCullough’s Friday Nooner appearance.)

eBoxchain

HQ: Durham
Year Founded: 2018
CEO: Suraj Chanda

Description: eBoxchain is helping pharmacies adjust to the ever-growing demand for delivery. Pharmacies themselves aren’t typically equipped to manage the complex logistics that come with overseeing deliveries. To solve that problem, the eBoxchain platform integrates with existing Pharmacy Management Systems through its API to provide processing, tracking, and communication solutions. This makes deliveries more efficient and keeps pharmacy employees from becoming overworked.

(Learn more in our past feature on eBoxchain.)

RepVue

HQ: Chapel Hill
Year Founded: 2018
CEO: Ryan Walsh

Description: RepVue is empowering sales professionals to assess organizations and work opportunities with greater clarity. With the aim of solving the problem of rampant turnover in the sales industry, this startup provides a platform on which sales professionals can objectively and anonymously rate their employers across several key categories—as well as identify the factors most important to them. This helps sales professionals and recruiters alike approach the market with greater transparency.

(Read more in our past feature on RepVue.)

ScoutIt

HQ: Raleigh
Year Founded: 2022
CEO: Davide Giacobbe

Description: ScoutIt is enabling a “true circular battery economy” with regard to electric vehicles. Specifically, this startup uses a portable device, machine learning, and AI to generate reports and analyze battery health. This provides businesses and consumers alike with an accurate sense of valuation and helps with decisions concerning repurposing versus recycling. ScoutIt also supports a B2B marketplace connecting EV battery owners with entities specializing in storage and reuse.

(Check out our past feature on ScoutIt.)

Keebler Health

HQ: Durham
Year Founded: 2023
CEO: Isaac Park

Description: Keebler Health is using AI to make effective risk adjustment more feasible for healthcare providers by compiling patient notes, histories, labs, and more to provide relevant clinical evidence. For those who may not know the term, “risk adjustment” in this context has to do with “value-based care,” a system by which providers are compensated not for individual procedures or services, but based on how well they preserve patients’ health. On its own, this system could theoretically incentivize providers to prioritize healthier patients. But through accurate risk adjustment, the amount provided can be adjusted to allow for the fact that sicker or more high-risk patients may require greater medical expenses.

(We have a past feature on Keebler Health, but it was pre-pivot… and you can learn about what that pivot entailed in CEO Isaac Park’s Friday Nooner appearance.)

CheQRboard

HQ: Raleigh
Year Founded: 2023
CEO: Brandon Kashani

Description: CheQRboard provides a software service that is revolutionizing customer experiences in venues including museums, gardens, zoos, and more. Specifically, this startup is transforming static QR codes into dynamic, interactive experiences that can be placed strategically throughout venues. This in turn allows those venues to craft unique, enjoyable visitor experiences in ways that incentivize engagement. The venues are able to drive membership, sales, donations, and more, all while making their visitors even happier.

Congratulations again to all of our 2024 honorees!

Feel free to flip through some photos of the event below. And for those who weren’t nominated, or who were nominated and not selected, we encourage you to put your name up next year!