Techstars San Diego Powered By San Diego State University Announces Inaugural 2023 Class

Sep 12, 2023
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The very first class of the Techstars San Diego powered by San Diego State University (SDSU) accelerator kicked off September 11, 2023. Before sharing the 12 amazing companies who were part of the ~1% of applicants selected to participate in this prestigious program, here are a few notable pieces of information and updates.

Firstly, we couldn’t be more grateful for our partnership with SDSU and the incredible efforts of Hala Madanat, Vice President for the Division of Research & Innovation and Cathy Pucher, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship Initiatives for bringing the Techstars/SDSU partnership to life. 

While SDSU is known for its academic excellence, it’s also leading the charge to bring innovation to the San Diego region, specifically the Mission Valley area, with their SDSU Mission Valley Innovation District. 

The goal of this strategic initiative is to help solidify San Diego as a strong tech and innovation hub. Including Techstars in these efforts, with our reputation for attracting forward-thinking founders, was an intentional choice that’s already generating positive outcomes. 

One such outcome is the arrival of this first batch of startups who will be working together in person out of SDSU’s ZIP Launchpad from September to December 2023.     “We are incredibly excited for the Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU startups to create mutually beneficial partnerships with our student interns and faculty experts, and to broaden our local community of entrepreneurs,” said Madanat.

Working with the founders full time in the space will be:

  • Ryan Kuder, Managing Director, who leads the entire Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU program.

  • Misti Cain, Investor, handles the program’s investor and alumni network as well as the startup recruiting efforts. 

  • Ben Greenlea, Program Manager, will be responsible for all program operations and ensuring that each founder has an unforgettable and highly valuable experience. 

  • Maddie Light, Program Coordinator, who assists with operations and manages the administrative functions that make the program run.  

In addition, the Techstars Team is proud to bring on three Entrepreneurs In Residence (EIRs) who will act as super-mentors for the founders throughout the program.  

And with that, let’s take a look at the Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU’s inaugural 2023 class:


Airbuild | San Diego, CA

Algae panel green roofs for commercial buildings that allow for carbon sequestration and energy production.


Babba | San Diego, CA

Enables parents to feed their baby on the go with the world’s first bottle cooler and warmer.


Cargo Shot | San Diego, CA

A “proof of condition” platform that enables shippers and logistics providers to deliver global supply chain accountability and performance.


CoBroker AI | El Paso, TX

An AI-powered assistant accessible via SMS or WhatsApp that automates research and streamlines marketing operations for brokers.


Craitor | San Diego, CA

Rugged, portable, intelligent 3D printers that can manufacture military-grade parts where and when they’re needed


General Folders | San Diego, CA

Cross-company, cloud-agnostic data collaboration software that allows companies to transfer data securely, monitor the transmission in real time, and easily validate the correct data is being sent.


Mosqitter | New York, NY

A software-driven, non-toxic, outdoor mosquito control solution that protects people from mosquitoes and the diseases they transfer.


Nevemind | Stockholm, Sweden

A desktop application that automatically replies to all your emails and messages


Oblio | Boston Massachusetts, CA

An email-based AI tool that allows college admissions counselors to craft personalized messages for admitted students, leveraging existing data to easily prioritize and communicate.


Remix | Pleasant Hill, CA

A virtual teleporter that lets users freely interact and share complete physical environments from anywhere in the world. 


Site Bionics | San Diego, CA

Computer vision and digital twin technology that gives retailers operational insights about their physical space.


Steno | San Diego, CA

A personalized AI-powered market research copilot that extracts insights from digital content to help brand owners research their market and competition.

Photo Courtesy: Techstars San Diego Powered by SDSU | Rachel Crawford

About the Author
Author
Misti Cain

Misti Cain is the Investment Manager for Techstars Anywhere and Techstars San Diego powered by San Diego State University. Follow her on Twitter or on LinkedIn