Betaworks is a startup studio that builds and invests in next generation internet companies. Founded in 2008, betaworks is a company of builders. A tightly linked network of ideas, people, capital, products and data brought together in imaginative ways to build out a more connected world. At first glance we seem to do many things. But first and foremost, we're builders, seeking to create a more sustainable innovation model. The more we build, the more we learn, the more we get ideas for peripheral things, all related, connected -- in a loosely coupled network of products and companies. betaworks is structured as a company-- a single company that owns larger pieces of the things it has built and smaller pieces of the things it has invested in. It operates as a network: a tightly linked network of ideas, people, capital, and data united to build out a more inspired and useful connected world. betaworks makes seed-stage investments in this ecosystem. To us, seed investing means "first money in." Our typical investment size is $150,000-200,000. We always invest as part of a syndicate of angels and early stage VCs. Our requirements from an investment perspective are simple, though narrow. Investments must be early stage, heavily tech focused, and have a working (public or private) prototype. We are a powerpoint-free zone. We build and work closely with companies that we view as core to our vision, examples include: [Summize/Twitter Search](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/summize/), [bitly](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/bitly-2), [TweetDeck](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/tweetdeck), [Chartbeat](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/chartbeat). And more recently, [Digg](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/digg/), [Dots](http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/01/dots-the-most-beautiful-mobile-game-ive-ever-seen/), [Giphy](http://www.Giphy.com) and [Instapaper](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/Instapaper), which betaworks acquired in April of 2013. We attract the kind of people who could start their own company, but they don't necessarily want to run a company. They'd rather be the co-founder of eight things than tied down for years as the sole founder of one. They'd rather build.
Classy is a social enterprise that helps nonprofits maximize their impact through a suite of world-class online fundraising tools. The company also hosts the Collaborative and Classy Awards to recognize excellence in social innovation. Since 2011, they've powered tens of millions of donations from over 190 countries and raised over $2 billion for social good.
1.5 billion people worldwide live with chronic pain, and the best option they have are drugs like Vicodin that have terrible side effects and make people feel sick. ENSO has developed the first opioid-free, wearable device clinically proven to solve pain better than Vicodin. It works by delivering a patented electrical stimulation treatment that relaxes the muscles and calms the nerves wherever it is applied, and it's all controlled via an app on your smartphone. Enso is being used to solve chronic and acute pain at over 100 medical centers in the US such as Stanford, Harvard and Cedars-Sinai. The device is covered by the VA Hospitals and workers compensation insurance plans and is expected to be covered by major commercial insurance plans by 2021.
eToro is a social trading investment network that enables users to watch the financial trading activities of other users, copy them, and make their own trades. The company’s product, OpenBook and WebTrader, allows traders to learn from each other, share live trading information, and capitalize on their collective power. Launched in 2007, the company has registered offices in Cyprus, Israel, and the United Kingdom.
Getaround empowers users to instantly rent and drive great cars shared by people in their city. Cars can be rented by the hour, or the day, with a $1M insurance policy and 24/7 roadside assistance included. By using its app, people skip the lines and paperwork at traditional rental car counters, and the hassle of buying and maintaining a car.Powered by Getaround ConnectTM, the patented connected car technology, Getaround creates a fun and safe carsharing experience is without the need to meet the car owner, carry an access card, or coordinate picking up a car key. People share everything from a Prius to a Tesla and earn thousands in extra income each year, offsetting the high cost of car ownership while also making a positive impact on the environment.
HONK is an innovative roadside assistance platform that uses both technology and a unique business model to turn what used to be a day-ruining catastrophe into nothing more than a bump in the road. Customers can order directly from HONK via mobile web or our app to find a nearby professional and track the location and ETA of their tow truck in real-time. Roadside assistance professionals work with HONK to receive payment quickly and grow their businesses on their own terms. Insurance companies, auto OEMs, and fleets use our transparent platform and fully managed contact center to reduce wait times by over 50%, improve customer satisfaction, harness their roadside assistance data and receive industry leading NPS scores.
Life360 is a platform for today’s busy families, bringing them closer together by helping them better sync, communicate with, and protect the people they care about most. Their mobile app provides millions of families in over 140 countries with services such as private location sharing, location history, drive details, crash detection, roadside assistance and help alerts through our free and paid membership subscription. Life360 has raised +$100M in Bessemer Venture Partners, DCM, Fontinalis Partners, BMW iVentures, Allstate, Bullpen Capital, Founders Fund (FF Angel), Launch Capital, Kapor Capital, and 500 startups. Founded in 2008, Life360 is based in San Francisco with offices in San Diego, Las Vegas, and Ft. Lauderdale.
