The 282 startups that were accepted into Y Combinator’s latest batch are all showing a lot of promise. And at Demo Day, which took place on Thursday, we got our first look at them in action. Some of the finalists include a social networking platform for gamers, an app that helps people get a good night’s sleep, and an enterprise software company that makes it easier for companies to outsource tasks.
Wednesday’s demos showcased a variety of artificial intelligence and open source projects. Cerebral Valley, a startup that aims to develop AI-powered chatbots, was among the most popular exhibits. Other popular companies on Wednesday included EV charger credit cards and Snowflake, which offers sensor data analysis tools to businesses.
It seems that crypto is definitely back, with several interesting projects being demoed. There seemed to be a lot of interest in the accountant tech stack, which could be a promising option for small businesses. And it looks like we’re starting to hear more about cloud marketplaces! This is definitely an encouraging trend, and one that we expect to continue growth in 2017.
If you’re looking for an investment opportunity with a bit of flair, check out Pigeon. This startup is turning to pigeons as its main form of communication and transport, and it’s already gathered quite a following from those in the know. Not only do the birds provide an eco-friendly alternative to traditional communication methods like SMS and email, but they’re also incredibly fast – meaning replies can be sent quickly and efficiently.