Pepperdine Graziadio Business School’s Most Fundable Companies of 2023
Congratulations to the 2023 Pepperdine Graziadio Business School’s Most Fundable Companies® presented by the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship. In our sixth year, more than 3,000 early-stage US startups from across all 50 states vied for a space on the list. All 17 winners are worthy of serious investor consideration based on several variables, including financial projections, market opportunity, intellectual property, competitive advantage, and team-management expertise. Serving as a free resource for startups looking to source capital and accelerate innovation across industries and communities, our program educates founders on investor diligence and provides critical business assessments. At Pepperdine Graziadio, we believe that developing purpose-driven leaders involves connecting early-stage companies with the resources needed to positively impact the business market. Supporting aspiring entrepreneurs is at the core of Graziadio’s mission, and our Most Fundable Companies assessment provides valuable insights on how businesses will appear to top investors—driving beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders.
The 2024 Most Fundable Companies competition is now open.
The Most Fundable Companies for 2023 are:
PLATINUM
AGED (Active Genomes Expressed) Diagnostics Corp.AGED (Active Genomes Expressed) Diagnostics Corp.
Founders: Rachel Zayas
Location: Bethesda, MD
Industry: Biotechnology
AGED Diagnostics is developing the first accurate blood test for fatty liver disease to aid in early detection, intervention, and improved outcomes.
Valqari, LLCValqari, LLC
Founders: Ryan Walsh
Location: Lombard, IL
Industry: Drone Software Technology
Valqari leads the drone delivery revolution with our secure, fully automated, end-to-end solution. Powered by AI-enabled, agnostic software, offering customization and scaling for advanced capabilities.
ViCardia Therapeutics, Inc.ViCardia Therapeutics, Inc.
Founders: Michael Kokesh, Dr. Ahvie Herskowitz, Dr. Thilo Bayrhoffer, John Callaghan
Location: San Francisco, CA
Industry: Biotechnology
ViCardia’s GP-531 is a first-in-class treatment for acute heart failure, the cardiovascular epidemic of the 21st century. GP-531 improves healthspan to achieve optimal lifespan.
GOLD
AllSides Technologies, Inc.AllSides Technologies, Inc.
Founders: John Gable, Joan Blades, Scott McDonald
Location: San Francisco, CA
Industry: Software Technology
AllSides combats a global crisis of credibility by addressing media bias, misinformation, and social divides, reviving news media, schools, workplaces, organizations, and democratic societies worldwide.
Franklin Junction, Inc.Franklin Junction, Inc.
Founders: Rishi Nigam
Location: Atlanta, GA
Industry: Software Technology
Franklin Junction is a unified eCommerce technology platform for restaurants that allows them to unlock high margin incremental revenue in less than 30 days.
Making Space (Zetta, Inc.)Making Space (Zetta, Inc.)
Founders: Keely Cat-Wells
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Industry: Software Technology
Making Space is a talent acquisition and learning experience platform that offers accessible education, prequalifies talent, and helps companies access underrepresented talent with data-driven profiles.
NuvOx Pharma, LLCNuvOx Pharma, LLC
Founders: Evan Unger, Jennifer Johnson
Location: Tucson, AZ
Industry: Biotechnology
Hypoxia, lack of oxygen, causes death and morbidity. Following simple IV injection, NanO2TM safely restores oxygen levels. NuvOx Pharma has advanced clinical trials leveraging non-dilutive funding.
SeeMedX, Inc.SeeMedX, Inc.
Founders: Deborah Simpson, Dr. Kevin Ferguson, Dr. Marc O’Griofa
Location: Sacramento, CA
Industry: Medical Technology
SeeMedX’s technology can detect heart failure 72 hours in advance. We replace dangerous & expensive surgeries with a safe 5-minute noninvasive scan.
SILVER
Alyve Medical, Inc.Alyve Medical, Inc.
Founders: Yvonne Bokelman, Matteo Mantovani, John Winslow
Location: Denver, CO
Industry: Biotechnology
Alyve Medical’s pioneering technologies are transforming musculoskeletal care and rehabilitation using advanced sensors, proprietary algorithms, and biofeedback, revolutionizing treatment for optimal motion and outcomes.
Data Safeguard, Inc.Data Safeguard, Inc.
Founders: Sudhir Sahu
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Industry: Software Technology
Data Safeguard helps enterprises meet data privacy compliance and prevent synthetic fraud financial losses.
iCover, LLCiCover, LLC
Founders: Hari Srinivasan, Nicole Mwesigwa
Location: Chesterfield, MO
Industry: Software Technology
iCover has created the best life insurance buying experience by designing the fastest e-app in the market powered by AI and algorithmic underwriting.
Ready. Set. Food! (Prollergy Corp.)Ready. Set. Food! (Prollergy Corp.)
Founders: Daniel Zakowski, Katie Marks-Cogan, Andrew Leitner
Location: Sherman Oaks, CA
Industry: Consumer Products
Ready. Set. Food! has created a patented guided system to make it easy to follow food allergy prevention medical guidelines and give babies the best chance at a life free from food allergies.
RemotelyMe (Aretanium Executive Group, Inc.)RemotelyMe (Aretanium Executive Group, Inc.)
Founders: Bill Reed, Steve Doolittle, Tony Stewart
Location: Chula Vista, CA
Industry: Software Technology
RemotelyMe solves a $9T workforce problem with generative AI, visual neuroscience, and a ChatGPT LinkedIn app. We have a seasoned team, customers, revenue, and blue-chip CxO board advisors.
BRONZE
Novuson Surgical, Inc.Novuson Surgical, Inc.
Founders: Stuart Mitchell
Location: Bothell, WA
Industry: Biotechnology
Novuson is clearing the way for safer surgeries with the world’s first Direct Therapeutic Ultrasound surgical instruments for minimally invasive, robotic, and other surgical specialties.
OneFul Health, Inc.OneFul Health, Inc.
Founders: Edison Hudson, Danny Barnes
Location: Durham, NC
Industry: Pharmaceuticals
OneFul Health’s patented robotics make personalized “polypills” combining from three to seven FDA-approved pharmaceuticals into a single capsule or packet matching a doctor’s prescriptions, optimized to your genomics.
Opus Medical Therapies, LLCOpus Medical Therapies, LLC
Founders: Jaime Sarabia, Dr. Vivek Rajagopal, Yen Liao
Location: Smyrna, GA
Industry: Biotechnology
Opus Medical Therapies aims to develop a safe, simple, and novel transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve replacement system.
WedFun, Inc.WedFun, Inc.
Founders: Marc Conneely, Patrick Whitfield, Simon Whitington
Location: Manhattan Beach, CA
Industry: Media & E-commerce
WedFun is a fashion- and beauty-led wedding planning platform and WedFun streaming channel uniquely combined in the same app by the team that built MTV.
Our Methodology
All startup submissions generate objective, personalized feedback through our scoring system to improve readiness for funding. Approximately 100 companies proceed to the semifinals, completing a more in-depth qualitative assessment to further refine and verify scores. During the final stages, a review panel interviews and selects the winners. View all list winners and semifinalists on our website.
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