From a team that wants to be your new internet provider to another that’s tackling mental illness with tech, these promising young companies are working on big solutions.
The startup state of mind is alive and well in Philadelphia, and we’ve got ten young companies to prove it. We put a call out to Philly’s innovation community to get a pulse on the startups we’re most excited about for 2018. The city answered the call with much momentum — we received more than 150 nominations. These startups have each identified a problem and are diligently working to advance their solutions. Presented in alphabetical order, here’s who we have our eyes on. (Plus, get a behind-the-scenes look at the startups here.)
RoundTrip
“We want to become the single touch point for all types of transportation across the country.” –Mark Switaj, RoundTrip founder and CEO
Founded: 2016 by Mark Switaj
Team: 22
Funding: $2 million raised
Problem: The country’s medical transportation system is out of whack. About 3.6 million Americans miss or delay care each year because of transportation issues.
RoundTrip’s Solution: The team has created a software platform for non-emergency medical transportation. Hospitals, health care organizations and patients can use RoundTrip’s portal to call rides.
Challenge Accepted: RoundTrip will represent Philadelphia at the international 1776 Challenge Cup held in Washington, D.C. this year.
By the Numbers: In 2017, the startup experienced a 40 percent month-to-month growth rate and expanded into seven new states from Massachusetts to Virginia.
What’s ahead in 2018: The startup is on a quest to decrease patient no-shows, a chronic issue for many hospitals and health care organizations. Their model has already worked to decrease the no-show rate at MD Anderson Cooper Cancer Center this year. They’ve amassed a lot of data, which they’ll comb through to begin telling a deeper story about how they impact outcomes.