5 Promising Early-Stage Startups to Watch

We’ve all heard or read the statistics – 90% of startups fail. The the question is, how do you find a needle in an haystack? That is the challenge investors face everyday in finding promising early-stage startups. Since there is no crystal ball to show you which startups will succeed in the future, then we are left with using available data points, key indicators, external factors and technology trends to guide us into predicting which of these startups have the potential to succeed. We’ve compiled a list of 5 early-stage startups to watch in the coming year.
Throtle wants to power the future of second generation of data onboarding and identity resolution.
What it is: Throtle is a 2nd generation data onboarding company focused on deterministic matching, identity resolution and closed loop enablement, powering brands and companies with their omnichannel marketing efforts. Their data centric onboarding approach provides the highest level of accuracy, scale, and customer connectivity for our clients who want to showcase their products to their known customers.
Founded: 2015 by Paul Chachko
Funding: $50 million Series B funding from TransUnion and others.
Ouster is developing the world’s most capable LiDAR sensing technology that is available on the market today
What it is: Ouster develops hardware and software for robotics and computer vision. Its OS1 represents a step-change in LIDAR sensing technology that is available on the market today, with marked improvements in mass, form factor, and power requirements. The 64-channel LIDAR sensor, which also matches the resolution of the highest performing automotive LIDAR technology on the market today, has begun shipping to customers, and is rapidly ramping up commercial-scale production at a price point approximately 85% below that of its competition. Ouster is a privately held, venture backed Cox Enterprises, a company located in San Francisco, California.
Founded: 2016 by CEO Angus Pacala, co-founder and former head of engineering of Quanergy Systems, and CTO Mark Fricht
Funding: $27M Series A financing round led by Cox Enterprises.
Cog Systems is a cyber security startup that aims to build and enable the world’s most secure connected devices.

Cyber Security on the Mechanism of Metal Gears.
What it is: Cog Systems is an Australion cyber security company that seeks to build and evolve a new set of foundations built around the concepts of modularity with fundamentals of security, trustworthiness, robustness, fault tolerance, and adaptability. The startup goal is to both build and enable the world’s most secure connected devices. It also provides advanced operating system and platform development products and services for connected and IoT devices.
Founded: 2014 by security industry veteran Dr. Daniel Potts
Funding: $3.5 million in Series A Funding round. Backers include Grok Ventures and Rampersand.
Affirm is a financial technology startup that lets consumers at the point of sale, pay off their purchase over time in easy and fixed monthly payments.
What it is: Affirm is a San Francisco-based financial service startup that offers installment loans to consumers at the point of sale. Its aim is to improve the banking industry to be more accountable and accessible to consumers. Founded in 2012, Affirm lets shoppers pay for purchases across multiple months with transparent, fairly-priced fees built into every payment, and increases conversion and basket size for e-tailers at less than the cost of credit cards.
Founded: 2012 by Jeffrey Kaditz, Max Levchin, Nathan Gettings
Funding: Over $720 million in total funding and recently raised $200 million in new funding round from Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, GIC Singapore
Biolinq is making the next generation of continuous glucose monitoring sensor that is needle free.
What it is: Biolinq develops skin-applied electronic sensors. It is a a digital health startup specializing in minimally invasive continuous glucose monitoring. Biolinq is redefining how biomedical innovations can be imagined and commercialized. While conducting his post-doctoral research at the University of California, San Diego in the laboratory for NanoBioElectronics, Josh saw the potential to bring nanotechnology to the medical world. Combining forces with Jared, a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, the two saw the opportunity to bring their minimally-invasive technology to the diabetes space. Finally, people with diabetes will have a better CGM experience that is not only more affordable, but also pain-free.
Founded: 2012 by Jared Tangney, PhD, Co-founder & CEO and Joshua Windmiller, PhD, Co-founder & CTO
Funding: Raised $10 million in Series A financing led by M Ventures, in collaboration with Hikma Ventures.