CodeLaunch, the famously energetic startup conference from the U.S. produced by Improving and presented by Cyrannus, is coming to Guadalajara, Mexico on August 30th for its first international event! We are thrilled to be amplifying the voices of six Mexico-based startups through the competition who will compete on stage LIVE at the Tec De Monterey Campus Guadalajara. You can get your tickets NOW!

CodeLaunch is a combination of a seed accelerator competition, a tech tradeshow, a startup conference, and a raucous networking event. The touring competition has given more than $1.4 Million USD in services to its finalists and overall winners since it started over a decade ago. CodeLaunch has helped launch noteworthy startups like CharaChorder, ProsRent, StyleRow, KidStrong, Autix, Evva Health, and more since its inception in North Texas in 2013.

“We are very excited to be the first international host for CodeLaunch. All the Improvers, the tech ecosystem in the city, and even people in other cities are very excited to be part of this amazing event! We are looking forward to showing the amazing talent that Mexico has to the world.”

– Guillermo Ortega Simon, Improving Guadalajara President & Mexico Operations

CodeLaunch Mexico 2023 Finalists

Ready to meet your finalists who will compete for the CodeLaunch trophies? The following six startups have advanced as Finalists to CodeLaunch Mexico 2023!

Let’s dive in and learn how each finalist describes their startup’s mission.

Norman Cognitive Agriculture: “To feed the world population by 2050 food production must grow 70%. The only way to increase productivity will be with new technologies in the crop fields. In difference to the competition who only focuses on providing measuring stations, we at Norman offer a Decision Support System analyzing correlations between variables that allow us to show the farmer an action to reaction relationship pointing information to the main cost centers in the farm.”

Romio: “Romio is pushing to do something no one has been able to accomplish in Mexico: Create a scalable car-sharing marketplace. Learning from the hardships of founders and companies such as Turo who’ve attempted in the past, Romio brings a solution completely custom to the Mexican market.”

VEX: “VEX is the marketplace of in-person courses, workshops and experiences made for and by the locals. The name is short for Value Experiences and it’s exactly what we provide both to B2C and B2B markets, generating a total revenue of over $25K this past year. We aim to revolutionize the education and entertainment industries in Mexico and Latam while spreading the philosophy behind the brand: generate a positive impact in our communities and having fun in the process.”

Gabu: “For parents that want their kids to have a safe and fun online gaming/social experience, but don’t know how, we provide a platform where they have all the information and tools to keep their kids safe and to help them become good digital citizens.”

Hoko! SalesMatch: “Our mission is to shake things up and make companies more efficient and cost-effective in how they approach sales prospecting. Picture this – tapping into the power of good old-fashioned word-of-mouth, supercharged by the technology of a dedicated social network. That’s exactly what HOKO! aims to do – tackling the everyday challenges faced by millions of salespeople worldwide!”

BizBat: “Musicians spend about 30% of their time and income in developing their career with little results, mainly due to the lack of connectivity: access to the right people and visibility to job opportunities. 9/10 musicians and industry professionals quit their careers. BizBat is a digital community that enhances professional interactions between every occupation within the music spectrum (B2B2C), providing tools for an organized and self-manageable career. Our end game is to become the much-needed LinkedIn for the music industry for millions of unattended professionals and businesses!”

CodeLaunch Mexico 2023 PCL Hackathon Teams

The six professional hackathon teams will be provided by these leading software consulting brands:

Contollo + Norman Cognitive Agriculture
Softeq + Romio
Dalton Labs + VEX Experience
Blue People + Gabu
DW Software + Hoko! Salesmatch
Improving + Bizbat

These six startups will be provided 24 hours of professional software development work on their product by their hackathon team, then they’ll go on stage to present their product to a live audience who will vote for who they believe should be named “Best Startup in Mexico”!

Cyrannus 150K Investment Challenge

All startup founders who advance to the semifinal round of CodeLaunch will be in the running for the Cyrannus $100K investment challenge, as well as the $50K challenge for Impact Startups! 

Cyrannus Founder Lee Mosbacker wants to reward CodeLaunch participants with the opportunity to get real cash into their business. A Cyrannus spokesperson says there could be two separate winners, but if one winner scored the highest for both challenges, they can receive $150K in investments in total.   

“Not only will they get the cash, but also be introduced to a network that will help them refine their idea and get ready for their first big fundraiser.”– Lee Mosbacker, Cyrannus Founder

You can learn more about the 150K challenge here.

Local Support

The unwavering support of these incredible groups has played a pivotal role in spreading the word about CodeLaunch. Each will be supporting our efforts through Conscious Capitalism to foster the growth of Mexico’s startup community during CodeLaunch on August 30th. They have helped amplify our message far and wide, helping us reach a broader audience and empowering aspiring entrepreneurs across Mexico.

“CodeLaunch is exactly what our startup had been missing, it represents combining our vision with the technical ability necessary to build something rock solid. We’ve been leading this movement for 2 years now and it’s time to take the next step, and CodeLaunch gives us the chance to do so.”

– Laura G. Furber, Co-Founder, VEX Experience 

Join Us at CodeLaunch Mexico 2023! 

CodeLaunch Mexico 2023 will be held at Tec De Monterey Campus Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico on August 30th! Get your tickets now!

Media, Exhibit, and Sponsorship Inquiries 

You and your brand are invited to CodeLaunch. There is still time for your brand to align with CodeLaunch and Conscious Capitalism. Parties interested in exhibit space, media, and sponsorship may contact Jason W. Taylor. 

CodeLaunch is on Tour!

In the world of startups, the journey from a humble beginning to a lucrative exit is often a winding path fraught with obstacles and challenges. That journey is often made possible through strategic startup funding, a crucial aspect of any venture’s growth and success. This story of such triumph is embodied in the rise of ProsRent, a unique startup that grew from its initial presentation on the CodeLaunch IV stage in 2016 to a $20M exit in 2023. 

During a recent We Code, You Launch podcast episode, CodeLaunch Founder, Jason W. Taylor, sat down with Nick Powell, CEO, and Pearson Brock, CRO, of ProsRent to discuss their startup’s journey from CodeLaunch to exit. Check out Episode 42 of We Code, You Launch in its entirety using the inline player below. 

The Crucial Role of CodeLaunch in Startup Funding 

In 2016, ProsRent was an embryonic-stage startup with a vision of becoming the ‘Airbnb’ for heavy equipment rentals in the commercial construction industry. At the time, “everything” was managed through Google Sheets, which was a daunting and time-consuming process for their team. In order to scale their venture, the ProsRent stakeholders knew they needed a more efficient solution and they received their first taste of seed funding through the support of CodeLaunch – a significant milestone that would set the trajectory for the success of ProsRent. 

ProsRent CEO, Nick Powell, credits a substantial part of the company’s startup funding journey to their CodeLaunch experience. ProsRent Founder, John Clark, introduced Powell to the transformative power of startup competitions like CodeLaunch in providing initial funding for early-stage ventures. 

Ironically, the decision to apply for CodeLaunch was not initially on their radar. In fact, 30 days prior to making their pitch, ProsRent was still just an idea. Clark had called Taylor to discuss possible ideas for website development when the topic of entering CodeLaunch was brought up. 

“Had it not been for CodeLaunch, ProsRent would simply not exist,” said Clark. He views his experience as ‘one huge, valuable focus group,’ and CodeLaunch provided ProsRent with the exposure and feedback they needed to validate that their concept fulfilled a real need in the marketplace.  

ProsRent’s strong business model, pitch deck, and relentless involvement propelled them into the Finalists round of the competition, where they were paired with a professional software development team to build out an MVP of their solution. You can read more about ProsRent’s CodeLaunch experience here. 

The CodeLaunch event not only served as a springboard for ProsRent’s success but also allowed the team to redefine their product roadmap. CodeLaunch, operating as a startup incubator, contributed to the initial phases of building the complex technology ProsRent needed to escalate their business model. 

Understanding the Need for Pivot: A Crucial Lesson in Startup Funding

The ProsRent team soon discovered the necessity for pivots in their startup journey. The original plan was to integrate with other companies for rapid product delivery. However, the team quickly realized that these companies were not open to sharing information, a hurdle many startups face when seeking funding. 

In response to this challenge, ProsRent adapted in 2019, opting to build the tech themselves. This pivot was not only a strategic decision but also a critical component of their startup funding journey, as it demonstrated to investors their capability to adapt and innovate in the face of obstacles. 

In the words of Pearson Brock, CRO of ProsRent, “We held each other accountable and came as a team to launch new ideas that became solutions for our client base.” This mentality not only served to keep the team cohesive but also appealed to potential investors, who are always on the lookout for resilient teams when considering offering funding to startups. 

Decoding the Complex Dance of Startup Fundraising

Fundraising is a crucial part of securing startup funding, and for ProsRent, this was no different. The team had to navigate the complex process of attracting investors. By 2021, ProsRent realized they needed to identify strategic investors to align with their vision and growth plans. 

“Fundraising is about more than just seeking funds. It involves educating investors about your company, its ROI, and the timeline of your startup. Having a clear structure for investor meetings is key,” advises Nick Powell. Powell also cautions startups against giving away too much equity to investors early on, a valuable lesson for any startup on the lookout for funding. 

Acquisition: The Ultimate Startup Funding Milestone

As ProsRent’s journey evolved, so did its competition. A major player in the market, Big Rentz, was always a large competitor. However, in a strategic turn of events, the ProsRent board identified a merger/acquisition scenario with Big Rentz as a viable strategy for growth. 

The acquisition process began in May 2022 and was structured to retain and build upon the ProsRent book of business. The acquisition, being a significant milestone in the startup funding journey, promised the stakeholders at ProsRent a return of 3x-5x their original investment. 

Giving Back to the Startup Community

Despite their remarkable growth, ProsRent has remained loyal to its roots. They have continued to support CodeLaunch over the years, recognizing the integral role it played in their journey.  

ProsRent regularly sets up a booth at CodeLaunch expos, contributing to the community that once served as their startup funding lifeline. 

In conclusion, the story of ProsRent is a testament to the power of strategic startup funding. Their journey from the CodeLaunch stage to a $20M exit serves as a beacon of hope and a roadmap to success for budding startups around the globe. 

Do you have a vision for a startup like ProsRent? CodeLaunch is heading to Guadalajara, Mexico in August, and applications are now open! Don’t miss the deadline on June 16th. Apply here for your chance to kickstart your own startup funding journey. 

CodeLaunch, produced by Improving and presented by Cyrannus, made a tremendous mark on the Atlanta startup community during the second event in the Peach State.

Congratulations to CASTU for winning the event! They worked with their hackathon sponsor, Improving Atlanta, throughout the week to claim the title of “Best Startup in Atlanta”. 

CASTU Founder Taylor Ri’chard says he could not have won CodeLaunch without the help of his team’s professional hackathon sponsor, Improving.

“It felt so good. Not only were they excited about working on our project, but they believed in it.”

Taylor Ri’chard, CASTU Founder

Improving’s John Ruznick says the feeling is mutual. The team had a blast working with CASTU and saw their vision for the future.

“They are a great bunch of folks that we had a pleasure working with. It was a whirlwind 24 hours developing for them.”

John Ruzick, Professional Hackathon Team Member for Improving

FundHub also went home a winner! The startup won over the judges and was given the Judge’s Choice award.

Tim Butler, FundHub’s founder, tells us he did not make it to the finals for the previous CodeLaunch. He was determined to make the stage this time around and is honored to take home the award given by CodeLaunch judges.

“I’m so excited. It has been a 4 1/2-year journey for us, and I would not take anything from our journey now.

Tim Butler, FundHub Founder

Our judges for CodeLaunch ATL 2023 were Cyrannus Founder, Lee Mosbacker, Technology Association of Georgia Director, Dr. Loretta Daniels, Contract Sprint Chief Visionary, Jonathan Page, and THRIVE Coworking Chief Revenue Officer, Chris Smith.

CodeLaunch attendees were also able to enjoy the event’s various exhibitors before and after the competition. This brought an extensive amount of networking to the lobby of the gorgeous Buckhead Theatre.

We want to give a major thank you to our presenting sponsor, Cyrannus for their support during CodeLaunch ATL 2023. The show would not have been such a spectacular success without you! 

Also, thank you to our Professional Hackathon Sponsors who worked tirelessly with our finalists to ensure their technical products were accelerated and that they can close a seed round of funding. 

• Contollo + Wise Assistant 
• Build Technology Group + FundHub 
• Abel Solutions + Agrippon 
• PS-AI + Practice-Quest 
• Improving Nearshore + UnicornForms 
• Improving Atlanta + Cast-U 

Shoutout to all of the CodeLaunch ATL 2023 finalists who will now go on to launch viable startup companies! 

View the CodeLaunch ATL 2023 photo gallery here.

All About CodeLaunch

CodeLaunch is a traveling seed accelerator and startup expo that connects early-stage startups with invaluable seed services critical to stimulating their business. Unlike many startup accelerators, CodeLaunch is completely free to apply, and no equity is surrendered. 

The professional hackathon is one way that CodeLaunch is truly unique. Each finalist is paired with a professional development team that accelerates product development and builds out as much of their MVP as possible in a 2-day time frame. During the pitch competition, the product is demoed live and for the first time in front of a live audience, who then votes for the overall winner. 

CodeLaunch ATL 2023 went above and beyond our expectations! We are thankful for everyone who came out to support the event and the Atlanta startup community. 

CodeLaunch Mexico is Around the Corner!

CodeLaunch is going international and you can apply to be a part of the competition NOW!

We are headed to Guadalajara, Mexico on August 30th. The event is open to Mexico-Based startups who want to succeed and evolve through our unique spin on the seed accelerator model.

Our application portal is open now until June 16th for startup founders and teams to apply at no cost. This event is open to Mexico-based startups only. Learn more about what you need to apply and about this First International CodeLaunch Competition by reading this blog post.

CodeLaunch ATL 2023 Hackathon Teams

CodeLaunch, produced by Improving and presented by Cyrannus, is making its way back to Atlanta for the second time on May 10^th, and you can get your tickets now! 

CodeLaunch helps early-stage startups succeed using our unique spin on the seed accelerator model. It’s a combination of a seed accelerator competition, a tech tradeshow, a startup conference, and a rousing networking event. The touring competition has given more than $1.6M in services to its finalists and overall winners since it started a decade ago. 

“CodeLaunch is a startup and rock-n-roll show like nothing you’ve ever seen before!”

– CodeLaunch President and Founder Jason W. Taylor  

CodeLaunch has helped launch noteworthy startups since its inception in North Texas in 2013. Companies like CharaChorder, ProsRent, StyleRow, KidStrong, Autix, Evva Health, and more were launched and accelerated through the competition. 

CodeLaunch ATL 2023 will be held at the Buckhead Theatre. The six professional hackathon teams will be provided by these leading software consulting brands: 

• Contollo + Wise Assistant 
• Build Technology Group + FundHub 
• Abel Solutions + Agrippon 
• PS-AI + Practice-Quest 
• Improving Nearshore + UnicornForms 
• Improving Atlanta + Cast-U 

CodeLaunch ATL 2023 Finalists 

One of our finalists, Timothy Butler, tells us this is his second time applying for CodeLaunch.

“After failing to make the top draft as a semifinalist in CodeLaunch Houston, I drove overnight from Tulsa to Houston on a shoestring budget, even sleeping in my car, to exhibit and learn. When I arrived at the event, I saw rich opportunities in Houston for Atlanta and then pursued it alongside my team.

Timothy Butler, FundHub Founder and CodeLaunch ATL 2023 Finalist

The FundHub founder says he looks forward to continuing his startup’s work of shrinking the wealth gap and providing for-profit and nonprofit founders access to grant funding so they can transform their respective communities.

“At CodeLaunch Atlanta, we look forward to the chance to: compete for cash and in-kind services, create awareness of FundHub on a larger scale, build critical tech for our platform, connect with VCs, ecosystems, fellow founders, and networks in need of our grant services, and recruit beta testers for our platform.”

Timothy Butler, FundHub Founder and CodeLaunch ATL 2023 Finalist

CodeLaunch ATL 2021 Success Stories 

CodeLaunch ATL 2021 winner, Evva Health, has passed a lot of milestones since then. Founder Carl Hanna tells us their equity crowdfunding was successful, as they raised a quarter of a million dollars. Evva Health’s next goal: product launch. 

“When you interact with anyone at CodeLaunch, you can tell they care and are passionate about helping startups. We are gearing up for our product launch hopefully in Q2, and CodeLaunch gave us the boost we needed to get here.”

– Carl Hanna, Evva Health Founder

Contract Sprint Chief Visionary, Jonathan Page, will be a judge for CodeLaunch ATL 2023. Contract Sprint is also a sponsor of the competition.

“We are thrilled and eagerly anticipating the upcoming CodeLaunch event that we have proudly sponsored. It is an honor to be a part of this community and we can’t wait to see the amazing things that will come from it.” 

– Jonathan Page, Contract Sprint Chief Visionary

Another great sponsor and supporter of CodeLaunch is Dell for Startups. The team is delighted about the opportunity to partner once again for this event. 

“We are constantly incorporating new partners that get us in front of entrepreneurs and create relationships. CodeLaunch is exactly the type of partner we want, and we are very excited to participate in the Atlanta CodeLaunch competition.”

– Lucas Chaya del Pino, Head of Dell for Startups 

Cyrannus 150K Investment Challenge 

All startup founders who advance to the semifinal round of CodeLaunch will be in the running for the Cyrannus $100K investment challenge, as well as the $50K challenge for Impact Startups! 

Cyrannus Founder Lee Mosbacker wants to reward CodeLaunch participants with the opportunity to get real cash into their business. A Cyrannus spokesperson says there could be two separate winners, but if one winner scored the highest for both challenges, they can receive $150K in investments in total.   

“Not only will they get the cash, but also be introduced to a network that will help them refine their idea and get ready for their first big fundraiser.”

– Lee Mosbacker, Cyrannus Founder  

You can learn more about the 150K challenge here.

Join Us at CodeLaunch ATL 2023! 

CodeLaunch ATL 2023 will be held at Buckhead Theatre on May 10^th. Get your tickets here!

Media, Exhibit, and Sponsorship Inquiries 

You and your brand are invited to CodeLaunch. There is still time for your brand to align with CodeLaunch and Conscious Capitalism. Parties interested in exhibit space, media, and sponsorship may contact Jason W. Taylor. 

CodeLaunch is Going on Tour!

In the high-stakes world of startup entrepreneurship, the narrative of CharaChorder stands out not only as an example of innovative product development, but also as a masterclass in securing startup funding. 

CharaChorder’s startup journey began in 2019 when Riley Keen strolled into the CodeLaunch office clutching a peculiar-looking device – a concept that would later revolutionize how we type. Now, in 2023, CharaChorder boasts a thriving business, multiple product lines, and a global user base.

The genesis of CharaChorder is rooted in its mission – to vastly accelerate the average human typing speed from 40 words per minute to 250 words per minute, mirroring the pace of human reading comprehension. In under four years since the product’s grand reveal at CodeLaunch 7, the company has made giant strides toward achieving this ambitious goal.

Startup Funding and CodeLaunch: A Defining Moment

So, what exactly is CharaChorder? Unlike the QWERTY-based typing method we are accustomed to, CharaChorder utilizes a state-of-the-art chorded keyboard that allows users to input the letters of a word both individually and simultaneously while the internal processor automatically arranges the letters on the screen in real time.

This hyper-fluent interface was inspired by Riley’s personal experience living at home with his non-verbal father. This groundbreaking device would now allow him to communicate at the same speed that we speak.

The first version of CharaChorder, dubbed CharaChorder One was showcased for the first time at CodeLaunch and operates via the movement of the device, replacing the need for standard typing. This innovative concept harmoniously combines traditional and novel typing methods, underpinning CharaChorder’s success.

“CodeLaunch was a significant turning point for us, marking the first public display of our product, years in the making,” reminisces Riley Keen, CharaChorder’s founder. The platform not only presented the perfect timing but also the ideal audience for unveiling the fruits of their labor.

Startup Funding and Beyond: The CharaChorder CodeLaunch Experience

Despite not securing the winning title at CodeLaunch 7, CharaChorder still emerged victorious. They gained access to free software development services through the startup competition, along with a platform to showcase their innovation. Connections established at CodeLaunch continue to be integral to Riley’s network, encompassing investors and a team member of the winning startup, 3GStrong, who currently uses CharaChorder at their workplace.

After CodeLaunch, the CharaChorder team explored other avenues of startup funding. They attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), attracting the interest of angel investors. Crowdfunding through Kickstarter was also leveraged, enabling customers to pre-order their inaugural commercial product. Their startup funding journey culminated in a profitable year in 2022.

Harnessing social media, Riley also built a following of over 150K on TikTok, which proved instrumental in promoting their product without heavy advertising expenditure.

A Unique Take on Startup Funding: Riley’s Advice to Founders

With only about half a million dollars in startup funding, CharaChorder’s financial trajectory deviates from the norm of multi-million dollar funds associated with startup success. Riley’s take on startup funding emphasizes not relying solely on investments. He believes in minimizing undue pressure on entrepreneurs and investors, which often results in premature product launches that could jeopardize the company or product’s viability.

Riley’s sage advice to startups: Utilize your investments to expand your brand and products, but don’t let them be your lifeline. CharaChorder has made strategic decisions regarding its investors, inviting contributions from lawyers who offer additional contract-related advice and technology industry insiders who help refine their products.

Future Goals: The Road Ahead

With their startup funding journey behind them, CharaChorder’s 2023 goal is straightforward. They aim to ramp up their product delivery to weekly schedules (a vast improvement from the previous 3-4 month wait time) and incorporate customer feedback to enhance their offerings.

“We owe our accomplishments to our community. Their unique insights guide us to improve every day. That’s how you elevate a company,” says Riley. This inclusive approach reflects the team’s belief that creating something for marginalized groups can have widespread benefits.

For more insights about CharaChorder, its products, and its mission, visit its website here. Hear more from Riley on our podcast We Code, You Launch, a live weekly interactive session open to our growing Discord community every Monday from 4:30-5:30 CDT. Listen to Riley’s episode now.

Finally, as we gear up for our second competition in Atlanta on May 10th, we invite you to join us and experience the exciting world of startup funding and launches. Find out all about this startup event here!

CodeLaunch, produced by Improving and presented by Cyrannus, made a tremendous mark on the Houston startup community. 

Congratulations to E 360 for winning CodeLaunch HOU 2023! E 360 worked with their hackathon sponsor Honeycomb Software throughout the week to claim the title of “Best Startup in Houston”. They also went home with the Judge’s Choice award.

“CodeLaunch is such an amazing event. The production quality was just out of this world. The stage, the lights, the music, it was all just so professional, I felt like a rock star. We are so honored to have been both the judge’s and voter’s choice winners. I would highly recommend any startup or early-stage business to apply for CodeLaunch.” – E 360 Founder Matt Bonasera

Our judges were The ION Senior Director of Ecosystems, Joey Sanches, Continuum Solutions Founding Partner Allison Hardy, GCC/HOME DEPOT VP of Software Development Tim Coonfield, and Cyrannus.IO CEO Michael Camp.

This CodeLaunch was unique because it was the final event for Houston Tech Rodeo, which is a series of events organized by Houston Exponential. The Rodeo corrals the greatest minds in the global and local tech community. Because of this, a mayoral debate took place before our competition.

Audience members enjoyed being entertained by comedian Josh Stramiello before the competition began as the show opener. This was Josh’s third time opening for a CodeLaunch competition.

There were 47 exhibitors at CodeLaunch. They were a blend between startups and CodeLaunch community partners and sponsors. So, there was an extensive amount of networking before and after the main competition.

A major thank you to our presenting sponsor, Cyrannus for their support during this CodeLaunch HOU 2023. The show would not have been such a spectacular success without you! 

Also, thank you to our Professional Hackathon Sponsors who worked tirelessly with our finalists to ensure their technical products were accelerated and that they can close a seed round of funding. 

• Softeq + Gophr
• Honeycomb Software + E 360
• BJSS + Drinkicks
• Contollo + Inpathy
• Blue People + Drivingo
• Improving + AnyShift

Shoutout to all of the CodeLaunch HOU 2023 finalists who will now go on to launch viable startup companies! 

View the gallery from CodeLaunch HOU 2023 here

All About CodeLaunch 

CodeLaunch is a traveling seed accelerator and startup expo that connects early-stage startups with invaluable seed services critical to stimulating their business. Unlike many startup accelerators, CodeLaunch is completely free to apply, and there is no equity surrendered. 

The professional hackathon is one way that CodeLaunch is truly unique. Each finalist is paired with a professional development team that accelerates product development and builds out as much of their MVP as possible in a 2-day time frame. During the pitch competition, the product is demoed live and for the first time in front of a live audience, who then votes for the overall winner. 

CodeLaunch HOU 2023 went above and beyond our expectations! We are thankful for everyone who came out to support the event and the Houston startup community. 

CodeLaunch ATL 2023 is Around the Corner 

CodeLaunch is heading back to Atlanta for its second competition there. Our application portal is open now through Friday, March 10^th at Midnight! Click this link to learn more and then apply here if you are a founder who wants to change the trajectory of your startup. 

After Atlanta, we are going international! Guadalajara, Mexico will be our third stop of the year. Learn more here. 

CodeLaunch is going on tour!

Learn about each final startup before the final competition on March 2nd!

Professional Hackathon Team: Blue People

Tell us about Drivingo:

Drivingo is the world’s first completely automated Drive-Thru system. It uses ASL-based gestures trained by machine learning to take users’ orders without ever needing to speak with an employee. As it stands, many companies within the quick-service-restaurant industry are suffering from a multitude of lawsuits, as a direct result of their gap in accessibility and lack of sensitivity training. Companies know this is an issue, but don’t know how to solve it; that’s where Drivingo comes in. We offer much-needed sensitivity training as well as our own software that allows anyone to order quickly and easily. In addition, our software also eliminates some identified issues within this industry, such as inaccurate sensors, leading to faulty data when reviewing lead times.  

What are you looking forward to when it comes to CodeLaunch?

Codelaunch provides an amazing stage for us to present Drivingo to such a diverse audience. We’ve also been given access to incredible resources, pushing us further along our goals than we could have ever done ourselves at such an early stage in our start-up. Being a member of the Codelaunch family gives us an opportunity to make meaningful and impactful connections with potential partners and investors.  

Professional Hackathon Team: Contollo

Tell us about Inpathy:

Inpathy is a social app creating empathetic communities through transparency, normalizing moods, and recreating the social media experience to better serve people’s well-being and digital identity formation. 

Inpathy’s mission is to create a social platform that promotes emotional intelligence and mental wellness, rather than contributing to the increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and dissatisfaction among young people. At Inpathy, we believe social media has connected us for a greater purpose beyond use as a tool for entertainment, networking, and monetization. Therefore, we believe social media is not in its final form. Inpathy will be the future of social tech that uses social media and AI to provide digital mental health solutions. 

What are you looking forward to when it comes to CodeLaunch?

Team Inpathy is looking forward to taking the stage and showing Houston, Texas why we set out on this bold initiative to #SpreadInpathy! We are excited to display all the hard work that Contollo and our Founding team have put into making sure that we deliver passion, entertainment, and vision to Codelaunch HOU 2023. We have no doubt that we will leave this event with the tools, direction, and resources needed to accelerate Inpathy toward our next successful milestone.

Professional Hackathon Team: BJSS

Tell us about Drinkicks:

DrinKicks is a sneaker-themed consumer packaged goods company that is focused on repurposing food waste and recycled materials into sustainable goods such as shoes, sports equipment, and clothing all while educating consumers on the power of the circular economy.  Our approach will provide exposure to an important topic through the lens of sneaker culture. Our motto is Mind-Body-Laces. The users will benefit by changing how they think about consumption (Mind). Users will learn about healthy products and habits for both themselves personally and the Earth (Body). Users will be more educated and have the threads (Laces) to tie everything together. 

What are you looking forward to when it comes to CodeLaunch?

We are looking forward to working with BJSS and creating amazing technology that will help shift how people think about recycling and sustainability. We are so excited and grateful to have this opportunity and we cannot wait to experience the entire CodeLaunch process. 

Professional Hackathon Team: Softeq

Tell us about Gophr:

Gophr App Inc. is a marriage between Software as a Service and Delivery. We are a delivery technology platform that provides same-day and expedited shipping, and a simple delivery solution for any business.  From pharmacies and machine shops to construction sites, to flower shops and more, we offer seamless delivery innovation. Snap a photo, instantly receive a quote and submit. Let Gophr handle all the headaches and costs of logistics for you. 

We believe Gophr is the ultimate one-two combination of local marketplace and delivery solutions. For customers, our mobile app combines convenient local shopping with same-day delivery from their favorite local retail businesses. For commercial and industrial merchants, our platform connects them with a fleet of vehicles that spans from compact cars to big rigs for affordable on-demand deliveries. Gophr is focused on helping local businesses thrive, while also having a nationwide long-term goal.  

What are you looking forward to when it comes to CodeLaunch?

We are looking forward to pitching in front of potentially thousands of people and introducing them to our services. 

Professional Hackathon Team: Improving

Tell us about AnyShift:

AnyShift is an on-demand platform connecting flexible workers with businesses in the retail, hospitality, and warehousing industries.

What are you looking forward to when it comes to CodeLaunch?

We recently moved to Houston. So, we are very excited to be presenting our product and the demo designed by Improving to an audience of 2000+ people! 

Professional Hackathon Team: Honeycomb Software

Tell us about E 360:

E 360 is a holistic building solution. We monitor both the energy efficiency and indoor air quality of commercial buildings and help customers save energy, greenhouse gas emissions and cost all while also dramatically improving the indoor air quality. We do this by monitoring vast sums of IOT data and then using Machine Learning and real-time monitoring we adjust the building to optimize its performance.  This is a revolutionary way to look at commercial buildings. The vast majority of buildings are both incredibly inefficient as well as dangerous to their occupants; due to the dangerous levels of compounds in the air. We solve both these complex problems at the same time. This is unheard of in our industry. 

What are you looking forward to when it comes to CodeLaunch?

We are looking forward to meeting industry leaders and investors who can help take the product to the next level. 

CodeLaunch, produced by Improving and presented by Cyrannus, is making its way back to Atlanta for the second time on May 10th and you can be a part of the competition! The application portal is open NOW until March 10th!

CodeLaunch helps early-stage tech startups close angel, pre-seed, and seed round funding. It’s a combination of a seed accelerator competition, a tech tradeshow, a startup conference, and a rousing networking event. The touring competition has given more than $1.4M in services to its finalists and overall winners since it started a decade ago.

“CodeLaunch is a startup and rock-n-roll show like nothing you’ve ever seen before!” – CodeLaunch President and Founder Jason W. Taylor 

CodeLaunch has helped launch noteworthy startups since its inception in North Texas in 2013. Companies like CharaChorder, ProsRent, StyleRow, KidStrong, Autix, Evva Health, and more were launched and accelerated through the competition.

CodeLaunch ATL 2023 will be held at the Buckhead Theatre. Improving, Contollo, and Build Technology Group have already signed on to be professional hackathon sponsors, which means these leading consulting brands will provide teams to work with finalists, ensuring their technical products are accelerated and founders can close a seed round of funding.

Evva Health passed a lot of milestones since they won CodeLaunch ATL 2021. Founder Carl Hanna tells us their equity crowdfunding was successful, as they raised a quarter of a million dollars. Evva Health’s next goal: product launch.

“When you interact with anyone at CodeLaunch, you can tell they care and are passionate about helping startups. We are gearing up for our product launch hopefully in Q2, and CodeLaunch gave us the boost we needed to get here.” – Carl Hanna, Evva Health Founder

BowlNow.com Founder and CodeLaunch ATL 2023 Judge said he is eager to see the talent that will come out of this event.

“I’m greatly anticipating the innovative minds of Atlanta who have taken the leap to engage in an entrepreneurial journey. The individuals who are bold enough to step up and put it all on the line for an idea are the ones changing the world, and it will be an honor to participate.” Dan Mowery, BowlNow.com Founder

Cyrannus 150K Investment Challenge

All startup founders who advance to the semifinal round of CodeLaunch will be in the running for the Cyrannus $100K investment challenge, as well as the $50K challenge for Impact Startups!

Cyrannus Founder Lee Mosbacker wants to reward CodeLaunch participants with the opportunity to get real cash into their business. A Cyrannus spokesperson says there could be two separate winners, but if one winner scored the highest for both challenges, they can receive $150K in investments in total.  

“Not only will they get the cash, but also be introduced to a network that will help them refine their idea and get ready for their first big fundraiser.” – Lee Mosbacker, Cyrannus Founder 

You can learn more about the 150K challenge here.

Important Applicant Information

CodeLaunch is a free amenity for startups. It costs nothing to apply, and it does not take equity. All you need is a pitch deck, code-ready mockups, and passion. It’s important to note that CodeLaunch competitions are open to founders from any geography or market, not just the host market. 

If you are selected as a finalist, your mockups should be what you hope to build in your 2-day professional hackathon. This is one way that our competition stands out from the crowd. Each finalist is drafted by a professional development team that accelerates product development and builds out as much of the MVP as possible. During the pitch competition and showcase event on May 10th, each startup product is demonstrated live for the first time in front of an audience, who then interactively votes to determine winners.

Ready to apply? Go to our application portal now through March 10th! You can also learn more about CodeLaunch ATL 2023 here. 

Brands who want to support and align with our Conscious Capitalism-inspired mission at CodeLaunch can find out more by emailing jason@codelaunch.com.

CodeLaunch is going on tour!

CodeLaunch, produced by Improving and presented by Cyrannus, is making its way back to Houston for the second time on March 2^nd after a spectacular debut last Spring, and you can get your tickets now!

CodeLaunch helps early-stage startups succeed using our unique spin on the seed accelerator model. It’s a combination of a seed accelerator competition, a tech tradeshow, a startup conference, and a rousing networking event. The touring competition has given more than $1.4M in services to its finalists and overall winners since it started a decade ago.  

“CodeLaunch is a startup and rock-n-roll show like nothing you’ve ever seen before!” – CodeLaunch President and Founder Jason W. Taylor 

CodeLaunch has helped launch noteworthy startups since its inception in North Texas in 2013. Companies like CharaChorder, ProsRent, StyleRow, KidStrong, Autix, and more were launched and accelerated through the competition.

“CodeLaunch created an energetic environment in Houston! In 2023 it will be twice as big! I believe CodeLaunch is a catalyst for growth in Houston.” – Joey Sanchez, Cup of Joey Founder and The Ion Houston Senior Director of Ecosystems

CodeLaunch HOU 2023 will be held at 713 Music Hall. The six professional hackathon teams will be provided by these leading Houston software consulting brands:

• Softeq + Gophr
• Honeycomb Software + E 360
• BJSS + Drinkicks
• Contollo + Inpathy
• Blue People + Drivingo
• Improving + AnyShift

CodeLaunch HOU 2023 Finalists

Softeq is back for its second year after working with Codiac last March.

CodeLaunch HOU 2022 Success Stories 

Startup ResQ TRX won CodeLaunch HOU 2022 last March. TRX is a platform dedicated to trucking logistics recovery launched its product and is now raising $5M through crowdfunding.

After Clutch won Judges’ Choice, it closed a pre-seed round worth 1.2M with partners from San Francisco-based Precursor Ventures, as well as investments from Capital Factory and HearstLab.

Another finalist founder, Ben Ghazi, says CodeLaunch was extremely powerful for his startup, Codiac. 

“Codelaunch was great. We gained customers, investors, and a lot of local notoriety. It was the best event we had all last year!” – Ben Ghazi, Codiac Founder

Cyrannus 150K Investment Challenge

All startup founders who advance to the semifinal round of CodeLaunch will be in the running for the Cyrannus $100K investment challenge, as well as the $50K challenge for Impact Startups!

Cyrannus Founder Lee Mosbacker wants to reward CodeLaunch participants with the opportunity to get real cash into their business. A Cyrannus spokesperson says there could be two separate winners, but if one winner scored the highest for both challenges, they can receive $150K in investments in total.  

“Not only will they get the cash, but also be introduced to a network that will help them refine their idea and get ready for their first big fundraiser.” – Lee Mosbacker, Cyrannus Founder 

You can learn more about the 150K challenge here.

Catch us at the Houston Tech Rodeo 

CodeLaunch will continue to partner with Houston Tech Rodeo after a wonderful relationship last year. Houston Tech Rodeo is a series of events organized by Houston Exponential. 

The Rodeo corrals the greatest minds in the global and local tech community. This helps the mission of Houston Exponential, which is to develop a collection of resources in order to connect Houston Stakeholders with the global tech and innovation community to further the city’s economic growth. 

“Houston Exponential could not be more excited about our partnership with CodeLaunch Houston. They are a fantastic ally in Houston’s efforts to serve its growing startup community and CodeLaunch is an incredible fit for the capstone of the 2022 Tech Rodeo. Finishing off Tech Rodeo with CodeLaunch’s exciting atmosphere will be a highly anticipated event for the Houston innovation ecosystem after an engaging week of programming.” – Houston Exponential CEO Natara Branch

Join Us at CodeLaunch HOU 2023!

CodeLaunch HOU 2023 will be held at 713 Music Hall on March 2nd. Get your tickets here!

Media, Exhibit, and Sponsorship Inquiries

You and your brand are invited to CodeLaunch. There is still time for your brand to align with CodeLaunch and Conscious Capitalism. Parties interested in exhibit space, media, and sponsorship may contact Jason W. Taylor.

CodeLaunch, produced by Improving and presented by Cyrannus, is making its way back to Houston for the second time on March 2^nd after a spectacular debut last Spring, and the application portal is open NOW until December 16^th at Midnight! 

CodeLaunch helps early-stage startups succeed using our unique spin on the seed accelerator model. It’s a combination of a seed accelerator competition, a tech tradeshow, a startup conference, and a rousing networking event. The touring competition has given more than $1.4M in services to its finalists and overall winners since it started a decade ago.  

“CodeLaunch is a startup and rock-n-roll show like nothing you’ve ever seen before!” – CodeLaunch President and Founder Jason W. Taylor 

CodeLaunch has helped launch noteworthy startups since its inception in North Texas in 2013. Companies like CharaChorder, ProsRent, StyleRow, KidStrong, Autix, and more were launched and accelerated through the competition.

“CodeLaunch created an energetic environment in Houston! In 2023 it will be twice as big! I believe CodeLaunch is a catalyst for growth in Houston.” – Joey Sanchez, Cup of Joey Founder and The Ion Houston Senior Director of Ecosystems

CodeLaunch HOU 2023 will be held at 713 Music Hall. The six professional hackathon teams will be provided by these leading Houston software consulting brands: Improving, Softeq, Honeycomb Software, BJSS, Contollo, and Blue People. 

SoftEQ is back for its second year after working with Codiac last March.

CodeLaunch HOU 2022 Success Stories 

Startup RESQ TRX won CodeLaunch HOU 2022 last March. TRX is a platform dedicated to trucking logistics recovery launched its product and is now raising $5M through crowdfunding.

After Clutch won Judges’ Choice, it closed a pre-seed round worth 1.2M with partners from San Francisco-based Precursor Ventures, as well as investments from Capital Factory and HearstLab.

Another finalist founder, Ben Ghazi, says CodeLaunch was extremely powerful for his startup, Codiac. 

“Codelaunch was great. We gained customers, investors, and a lot of local notoriety. It was the best event we had all last year!” – Ben Ghazi, Codiac Founder

Cyrannus 150K Investment Challenge

 All startup founders who advance to the semifinal round of CodeLaunch will be in the running for the Cyrannus $100K investment challenge, as well as the $50K challenge for Impact Startups!

Cyrannus Founder Lee Mosbacker wants to reward CodeLaunch participants with the opportunity to get real cash into their business. A Cyrannus spokesperson says there could be two separate winners, but if one winner scored the highest for both challenges, they can receive $150K in investments in total.  

“Not only will they get the cash, but also be introduced to a network that will help them refine their idea and get ready for their first big fundraiser.” – Lee Mosbacker, Cyrannus Founder 

You can learn more about the 150K challenge here.

Catch us at the Houston Tech Rodeo 

CodeLaunch will continue to partner with Houston Tech Rodeo after a wonderful relationship last year. Houston Tech Rodeo is a series of events organized by Houston Exponential. 

The Rodeo corrals the greatest minds in the global and local tech community. This helps the mission of Houston Exponential, which is to develop a collection of resources in order to connect Houston Stakeholders with the global tech and innovation community to further the city’s economic growth. 

“Houston Exponential could not be more excited about our partnership with CodeLaunch Houston. They are a fantastic ally in Houston’s efforts to serve its growing startup community and CodeLaunch is an incredible fit for the capstone of the 2022 Tech Rodeo. Finishing off Tech Rodeo with CodeLaunch’s exciting atmosphere will be a highly anticipated event for the Houston innovation ecosystem after an engaging week of programming.” – Houston Exponential CEO Natara Branch

Houston Tech Rodeo 2023 will feature CodeLaunch on March 2^nd as part of our partnership.

Important Applicant Information

CodeLaunch is a free amenity for startups. It costs nothing to apply, and it does not take equity. All you need is a pitch deck, code-ready mockups, and passion. It’s important to note that CodeLaunch competitions are open to founders from any geography or market, not just the host market. 

If you are selected as a finalist, your mockups should be what you hope to build in your 2-day professional hackathon. This is one way that our competition stands out from the crowd. Each finalist is drafted by a professional development team that accelerates product development and builds out as much of the MVP as possible. During the pitch competition and showcase event on March 2nd, each startup product is demonstrated live for the first time in front of an audience, who then interactively votes to determine winners.

“In the year after the first Houston CodeLaunch, we have seen explosive growth in the community and investment. This year we are coming back with bigger plans, more community partners, and a lot of momentum. The impact of this event will be significantly bigger than last year, and I am excited to see the next steps in the journey of Houston becoming THE top innovation and startup city in the country.” – Devlin Liles, Improving CCO and Houston President

Ready to apply? Go to our application portal now through December 16th at midnight! You can also learn more about CodeLaunch HOU 2023 here. 

Brands who want to support and align with our Conscious Capitalism-inspired mission at CodeLaunch can find out more by emailing jason@codelaunch.com.

CodeLaunch is going on tour!

CodeLaunch DFW 2022, produced by Improving and presented by Cyrannus and Confluent, was the most attended CodeLaunch DFW event in history! As the 10th consecutive annual competition in the Metroplex, the competition definitely made a mark on the DFW community.

CodeLaunch DFW 2022 Winner

Congratulations to Damn That’s Cheap for winning CodeLaunch DFW! Damn That’s Cheap worked with their hackathon sponsor Contollo throughout the week to claim the title of “Best Startup in Dallas”!

“CodeLaunch was a blast and it was super exciting to win! We’ve worked on this for years, but until you’re in front of an audience like that, it’s hard to know if the mass public would get it. Getting feedback and winning validates that our product will be successful.” – Damn That’s Cheap Founder Jeremy Cate

Concession Team went home a winner too. After applying to CodeLaunch five times, the startup received the Judges’ Choice award during the event.

“CodeLaunch has been a springboard to our early success. We’re forever grateful for the community CodeLaunch has built. It was another way for us to see how much we believe in ourselves and the confirmation from professionals that we’re on the right path.” – Concession Team Founder Kaymon Farmer

Our judges were Cyrannus Founder Lee Mosbacker, Director at Cyndx Drew Donahoe, Head of Dell for Startups Lucas Chaya del Pino, and Geniant Chairman & co-CEO David Lancashire.

“CodeLaunch was the most entertaining startup event I have ever been involved with. There isn’t another pitch competition out there where the judges, contestants, hosts, and audience all have an absolute blast!” – Judge Drew Donahoe

Audience members enjoyed being entertained by comedian Josh Stramiello before the competition began as the show opener. This was Josh’s second time opening for CodeLaunch.

This was the first time that CodeLaunch was held at Gilley’s Dallas and over 600 people were in attendance!

Shoutout to all of our finalists who will now go on to launch viable startup companies!

A major thank you to our presenting sponsors, Cyrannus and Confluent, for their support during this CodeLaunch DFW 2022. The show would not have been such a spectacular success without you!

Also, thank you to our Hackathon Sponsors who worked tirelessly with our finalists to ensure their technical products were accelerated and that they can close a seed round of funding.

View the gallery from CodeLaunch DFW 2022 here

All About CodeLaunch

CodeLaunch is a traveling seed accelerator and startup expo that connects early-stage startups with invaluable seed services critical to stimulating their business. Unlike many startup accelerators, CodeLaunch is completely free to apply, and there is no equity surrendered.

The professional hackathon is one way that CodeLaunch is truly unique. Each finalist is paired with a professional development team that accelerates product development and builds out as much of their MVP as possible in a 2-day time frame. During the pitch competition, the product is demoed live and for the first time in front of a live audience, who then votes for the overall winner.

CodeLaunch DFW 2022 went above and beyond our expectations! We are thankful for everyone who came out to support the event and the DFW startup community.

CodeLaunch HOU 2023 is Around the Corner

CodeLaunch heads back to Houston, TX in March 2023 for our second event there. We will be in Houston on March 2nd and applications are now open! Click this link to learn more and apply here if you are a founder who wants to change the trajectory of your startup.

After an appearance by Conscious Capitalism representative Daniella Mairs during CodeLaunch DFW, Jason revealed the 2023 CodeLaunch Tour destination markets! watch that video below to see where we are going next year!

CodeLaunch is going on tour!

Get your tickets here!

CodeLaunch, produced by Improving, and presented by Cyrannus and Confluent is making its way back to the DFW area for its 10th consecutive annual competition in the Metroplex, helping early-stage startups succeed using our unique spin on the seed accelerator model.

As the longest-running annual startup event in the DFW, CodeLaunch supports the startup ecosystem by awarding deserving startups with the invaluable services they need to launch. We have given over $1.3M in services to Finalists and Overall Winners since 2013 and have launched notable startups such as CharaChorder, ProsRent, StyleRow, KidStrong, Autix, and more.

This year, the final event will take place in the City of Dallas for the first time! It will be held at Southside Music Hall at Gilley’s.

CodeLaunch DFW 2022 presented by Cyrannus and Confluent Finalists Announced!

Congratulations to our finalists who will compete in our main event on November 16th! Each of these incredible startups will receive a professional product development hackathon from one of our professional hackathon team sponsors before competing in our big show.

Professional Hackathon Team Sponsors:

• Contollo + DAMN THAT’S CHEAP
• Dialexa + BeONE Sports
• Frogslayer + Concession Team
• Improving + Echelon
• Leverture + WeddingSeat
• Virtuous + ChangeFinder

CodeLaunch could not happen without these outstanding hackathon sponsors. Each company puts together a team and works absolutely free of charge during our hackathon. They work tirelessly with our finalists to ensure their technical products are accelerated and that they can close a seed round of funding. While only one startup will win, every finalist will walk out with valuable investments already made to their startup because of the time their hackathon team spent working on their product. 

“Honestly this is a part of our culture, so it’s a perfect alignment,” said Kristen Darby, Dialexa’s VP of Marketing. “It’s a beautiful shared community conversation that happens within these special professional hackathons. It is incredibly competitive, but it’s also cooperative.” 

FirstGen Agency Founder Raheel Malik is our emcee, assisting with curation and production. This is his sixth CodeLaunch event.

Presenting Sponsors: Cyrannus & Confluent

We are extremely thankful for our presenting sponsors, Cyrannus and Confluent! 

Cyrannus is a network of experts trying to add rational insight into a growing venture capital market. They are developing tools to connect founders with experts and create bullet-proof strategies. Founders can confidentially submit areas of their business plan, pitch deck, technology, or product. Experts can anonymously interact with founders in an iterative process to generate answers to questions and get quantitative scoring. The Cyrannus website also includes a blog that works to help investors and venture capitalists learn about and avoid fraud and deception. 

Learn more about Cyrannus in our featured blog, then go to the Cyrannus website to read their latest articles.

Confluent was founded by the original creators of Apache Kafka®️ and is pioneering a new category of data infrastructure focused on data in motion. With Confluent’s cloud-native offering, any organization can easily build and scale next-generation apps needed to run their business in real time.

Confluent is designed to be the intelligent connective tissue enabling real-time data, from multiple sources, to constantly stream across the organization. With Confluent, organizations can meet the new business imperative of delivering rich, digital front-end customer experiences and transitioning to sophisticated, real-time, software-driven back-end operations.

Find out more about Confluent by heading over to their website.

First-Time Sponsor: Dell for Startups

We are excited to announce that Dell for Startups is sponsoring CodeLaunch for the first time! Dell’s program, Dell for Startups, was created to guide startups in their technology journey. The program provides expertise from Dell advisors, giving founders scalable solutions to grow their startups. 

During CodeLaunch, you will hear from Dell for Startups Lead Lucas Chaya del Pino, who is delighted to experience CodeLaunch for the first time. 

“We are constantly incorporating new partners that get us in front of entrepreneurs and create relationships,” Lucas said. “CodeLaunch is exactly the type of partner we want, and I am very excited to participate in the event.” 

Dell also has a yearlong pitch competition that is going on right now! Learn more about it here. 

What is CodeLaunch?

Produced by Improving, CodeLaunch is a combination of a seed accelerator competition, tech tradeshow, startup conference, and raucous networking event! In short, CodeLaunch is impactful venture-tainment.

“CodeLaunch is a startup and rock-n-roll show like nothing you’ve ever seen before,” CodeLaunch President and Founder Jason W. Taylor said.

CodeLaunch sponsors and partners put thousands of dollars in professional seed services behind the winners of its national seed accelerator competition. 

CodeLaunch was founded in 2013. Jason wanted to help startups who were investible but their technology held up closing funding deals. With Code Authority’s (now a part of Improving) resources, he made it happen. 

What makes CodeLaunch truly unique is the professional hackathon. Local “dev shops” come together and compete with each other to build out as much of each finalist’s MVP as possible. The Finalists then demo these products live and for the first time in front of the CodeLaunch audience, who then vote for a winner. 

CodeLaunch is aligned with the ideals of Conscious Capitalism, believing that businesses can be socially responsible and, ultimately, ethically good. One of the ways we exemplify this philosophy is by making the competition free to apply with no equity surrendered by the applicants. This means startups have nothing to lose and everything to gain by applying. In addition, CodeLaunch gives away surplus exhibitor space to local startups for free, allowing them to network with angels and investors. 

Exciting and Interactive New Format

At this event, CodeLaunch will be rolling out an exciting and new interactive format inspired by our new Community Partner Digital Fight Club. Audience members and judges will interactively vote for multiple rounds culminating an exciting new experience depicted by this graphic below.

Join Us at CodeLaunch DFW 2022!

CodeLaunch will take place at Southside Music Hall at Gilley’s on November 16th. Get your tickets here!

Media, Exhibit, and Sponsorship Inquiries

You and your brand are invited to CodeLaunch. There is still time for your brand to align with CodeLaunch and Conscious Capitalism. Parties interested in exhibit space, media, and sponsorship may contact Jason W. Taylor.

Don’t Miss CodeLaunch DFW 2022 on Nov 16 in Dallas, TX

All you need is 99 seconds, and you could change your startup’s path through Founders Live! This weekly pitch competition is one of CodeLaunch’s global community partners. We caught up with Founder and CEO Nick Hughes to get more details on their quickly growing community. 

What Is Founders Live? 

During the competition, startup founders get 99 seconds to pitch their idea to a live audience. Then, they get 4 minutes of questioning by the people in attendance. Anyone from family members to VCs are usually at the live event. 

“The confidence boost that happens at our competitions can put someone on a different path,” Nick said. “Even if they do not win, Founders Live polishes their message and gets them in front of an audience sometimes for the first time, causing them to become more successful.” 

Founders Live is held in almost 100 cities in 35 countries. The competition started in Seattle in 2014 to celebrate entrepreneurship throughout the local community. It did so well that it became a staple in the Seattle startup community until the word got out to other major metropolitan areas across the country and even the world. 

Without hesitation, Nick decided to take his competition on tour and that’s how it became the global competition we know today. 

“Our vision is to be the world’s largest ecosystem and brand that drives early-stage entrepreneur activities,” Nick said. 

CodeLaunch x Founders Live Partnership 

CodeLaunch and Founders live have similar missions: to help seed startups grow and become successful! However, Nick told us there are a lot of things that CodeLaunch can provide to his audience that they do not. He said this is what makes the partnership so special. 

“We’re clearly pointing in the same direction,” Nick said. “But it’s cool that CodeLaunch and Founders Live have different specific things we can provide. We continue to point our startups toward CodeLaunch and we will for a long time.” 

The Future of Founders Live 

As Nick and his team learned how to continue Founders Live throughout the pandemic, a new idea emerged called Center Stage. This is a digital show that happens exactly an hour before the weekly live event. They also now stream the pitch competition to let their global audience stay engaged. They are hoping to grow this virtual community while also keeping Founders Live a locally-centered event. 

“While these events are about community and in-person fun, we also want to make it a global experience through online venues,” Nick told us. 

You can go to the Founders Live website to learn more about the event series and to find out if one is happening near you! 

Remember, CodeLaunch is making its way back to Dallas on November 16^th. Find out more about this event here! 

There’s another spoke on the CodeLaunch wheel, and it will make a meaningful impact on the startup community! 

The CodeLaunch Fuel Fund is an investment opportunity that will help further accelerate high-performing CodeLaunch finalists. This quarter, the CodeLaunch Fuel Fund invested in CodeLaunch DFW 2019 finalist Charachorder and CodeLaunch DFW 2021 winner AUTIX™. 

CodeLaunch Founder Jason W. Taylor is the Managing Director of the CodeLaunch Fuel Fund. He works alongside Improving CEO Curtis Hite to decide which startups the company wants to invest in. They plan to evaluate startups from the CodeLaunch community once each quarter.

“Having started CodeLaunch with a dream of impacting startups a decade ago here in DFW and to see it now travel throughout the US and world, being the managing director of a real early-stage venture fund is a dream come true,” Jason said. 

Charachorder Founder Riley Keen said his CodeLaunch experience was a huge milestone for the company. They started with only a prototype and idea, and now only three years later their biggest issue is meeting customer demand.  

“This fund will help us finance the inventory so we can make products faster and get them into the hands of customers,” he said. “There are a lot of amazing startups that go through the competition, so it’s a huge honor to be chosen for one of the first Fuel Fund investments.” 

Riley said he is excited that they now have this official partnership with CodeLaunch since it accelerated Charachorder so intensely. 

“CodeLaunch was a huge milestone for our company,” he said. “It helped us get attention, credibility, and presence that allowed us to launch multiple products and get us exposure to get more investments. We also got to meet with other entrepreneurs and network.” 

AUTIX Founder & CEO, Jake Hamann has also seen a lot of success since he graced the CodeLaunch stage. Jake said the investment will assist in bringing awareness to AUTIX as the team travels to the SEMA tradeshow in early November as a Top 15 semifinalist for their Launch Pad pitch competition. This event is the largest in the world for automotive manufacturers and distributors, which is a major audience they want to attract. 

“Our CodeLaunch victory last November has helped us make significant traction not just in the DFW area, but nationally,” said Hamann. “We love to promote the entire CodeLaunch experience everywhere we go, so the decision to take this investment made a lot of sense and we’re extremely grateful to be one of the initial recipients.” 

The goal of the CodeLaunch Fuel Fund is to see a positive return on investments, then use that money to increase the size of the fund.  

“We have a growing stable of rockstar finalists,” Jason said. “And Improving is helping CodeLaunch have a bigger impact.”

The next CodeLaunch competition will be in Dallas on November 16^th. Learn more here. 

Watch the CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 Hackathon Teams video

CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 presented by Cyrannus was a spectacular success! This was the first CodeLaunch to happen in Ohio and we can certainly say it made a mark on the MidWest startup hub.

CodeLaunch Ohio presented by Cyrannus Winner:

Congratulations to Columbus’ own Mastery Portfolio for winning the entire competition! Not only did they win the popular vote from the audience, but they also received the Judges’ Choice award. Mastery Portfolio worked with their hackathon sponsor Enzee throughout the week to claim the title of “Best Startup in Ohio”!

Congratulations to our finalists, who will compete in our main event on August 25th at the Davidson Theatre at the Riffe Center in Columbus.

Shoutout to all of our other finalists who will now go on to launch viable startup companies!

A major thank you to our Hackathon Sponsors who worked tirelessly with our finalists to ensure their technical products were accelerated and that they can close a seed round of funding.

Enzee + Mastery Portfolio
Improving Ohio + AlignAI
QStartLabs + servUS
Tech Elevator + Metatopia Network

Another Thank You to Our Presenting Sponsor Cyrannus!

We are THRILLED to announce that Cyrannus will be our presenting sponsor throughout the rest of 2022 and all of 2023!
Cyrannus is a network of experts trying to add rational insight into a growing venture capital market. We are developing tools to connect founders with experts and create bullet-proof strategies. Founders can confidentially submit areas of their business plan, pitch deck, technology, or product. Experts anonymously interact with founders in an iterative process to generate answers to questions and get quantitative scoring.

“You can have the best idea in the world, but the biggest challenge would be finding the right technical team to build the product or just MVP,” Founder Lee Mosbacker said. “What I love about CodeLaunch is that it kind of decouples that challenge. You’re seeing ideas and possibly connecting those ideas to capital. And if you make it to the finals, you get access to a professional team of coders who care about the outcome.” 

Lee served as one of our judges and we are truly grateful for his support! You can learn more about Cyrannus here.

All About CodeLaunch

CodeLaunch is a traveling seed accelerator and startup expo that connects early-stage startups with invaluable seed services critical to stimulating their business. Unlike many startup accelerators, CodeLaunch is completely free to apply, and there is no equity surrendered.

The professional hackathon is one way that CodeLaunch is truly unique. Each finalist is paired with a professional development team that accelerates product development and builds out as much of their MVP as possible in a 2-day time frame. During the pitch competition, the product is demoed live and for the first time in front of a live audience, who then votes for the overall winner.

CodeLaunch Ohio went above and beyond our expectations! We are thankful for everyone who came out to support the event and Columbus’s startup community.

CodeLaunch DFW 2022 is Around the Corner

CodeLaunch heads back home in November! We will be in Dallas on November 16th. Click this link to learn more and apply here if you are a founder who wants to change the trajectory of your startup!

CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 presented by Cyrannus is making its way to Columbus for the very first time, helping early-stage startups succeed using our unique spin on the seed accelerator model. Aligned with the ideals of conscious capitalism, CodeLaunch supports the startup ecosystem by awarding deserving startups with the invaluable services they need to launch. We have given over $1.2M in services to Finalists and Overall Winners since 2013 and have launched notable startups such as CharaChorder, ProsRent, StyleRow, KidStrong, and more.

CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 presented by Cyrannus Finalists Announced

Congratulations to our finalists, who will compete in our main event on August 25th at the Davidson Theatre at the Riffe Center in Columbus.

For the first time, we have an all-local finalist group! Each of these incredible startups will receive a professional product development hackathon from one of our professional hackathon team sponsors before competing in our big show on August 25th.

Professional Hackathon Team Sponsors:

• Centric Consulting + ParaWave
• Enzee + masteryportfolio
• Improving Ohio + AlignAI
• QStartLabs + servUS
• Tech Elevator + Metatopia Network

CodeLaunch could not happen without these outstanding hackathon sponsors. Each company puts together a team and works absolutely free of charge during our hackathon. They work tirelessly with our finalists to ensure their technical products are accelerated and that they can close a seed round of funding. While only one startup will win, every finalist will walk out with valuable investments already made to their startup because of the time their hackathon team spent working on their product. 

Ohio-Based company QStartLabs will provide a hackathon team for CodeLaunch Ohio 2022. Chief Technology Officer Jeff Lamb says they are thrilled to get started with the competition.

“Most of the time they’re working right next to each other, but working on separate projects,” Jeff said. “So, a chance to really work together on the same project is really exciting. This will be high pressure and a lot of fun. CodeLaunch is going to be great for the local startup community and will continue to make Columbus a hotspot for startups.”

FirstGen Agency Founder Raheel Malik is our emcee, assisting with curation and production. This is his fifth CodeLaunch event.

Presenting Sponsor: Cyrannus

We are extremely thankful for our presenting sponsor, Cyrannus! Cyrannus is digging into the deception that unfortunately takes place in the startup and tech worlds. The newly launched blog is working to help investors and venture capitalists learn about and avoid fraud and deception. 

“Cyrannus is a technical due diligence blog for investors and venture capitalists to assess high-tech feasibility in their investments and technologies,” Founder Lee Mosbacker said. 

Lee will also be a judge for CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 presented by Cyrannus. Learn more about Cyrannus in our featured blog, then go to the Cyrannus website to read their latest articles.

What is CodeLaunch?

Produced by Improving, CodeLaunch is a combination of a seed accelerator competition, tech tradeshow, startup conference, and raucous networking event!

“CodeLaunch is a startup and rock-n-roll show like nothing you’ve ever seen before,” CodeLaunch President and Founder Jason W. Taylor said.

CodeLaunch sponsors and partners put thousands of dollars in professional seed services behind the winners of its national seed accelerator competition. 

CodeLaunch was founded in 2013. Jason wanted to help startups who were investible but their technology held up closing funding deals. With Code Authority’s (now a part of Improving) resources, he made it happen. 

What makes CodeLaunch truly unique is the professional hackathon. Local “dev shops” come together to build out as much of each finalists’ MVP as possible. The Finalists then demo these products live and for the first time in front of the CodeLaunch audience, who then vote for a winner. 

CodeLaunch is aligned with the ideals of conscious capitalism, believing that business can be socially responsible and, ultimately, ethically good. One of the ways we exemplify this philosophy is by making the competition free to apply with no equity surrendered by the applicants. This means startups have nothing to lose and everything to gain by applying. In addition, CodeLaunch gives away surplus exhibitor space to local startups for free, allowing them to network with angels and investors. 

Join Us at CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 presented by Cyrannus! 

CodeLaunch will take place at the Davidson Theatre at the Riffe Center in Columbus on August 25th, 2022. Get your tickets here!

Media, Exhibit, and Sponsorship Inquiries

You and your brand are invited to CodeLaunch. There is still time for your brand to align with CodeLaunch and Conscious Capitalism. Parties interested in Exhibit space, Media, and Sponsorship may contact Jason W. Taylor. 

Our CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 community partner COhatch is a coworking, meeting, and event space provider, but they also put an immense amount of effort into giving back to their communities.  

COhatch currently has locations across Ohio and Indianapolis, with many more spaces popping up over the next year. While their growth is something to be celebrated, COhatch Head of Impact Jessica Gesue told us they’re most excited about helping people through their Impact Collective Program. 

Boost Scholarship  

The Impact Collective Program provides three different kinds of scholarships in the communities COhatch serves. The Boost Scholarship focuses on local start-ups with an emphasis on minority and women entrepreneurs. 

The people who receive the scholarships get to use the COhatch spaces absolutely free of charge as they work to build their startup and bring their ideas to life.  

“Throughout our years, we’ve seen just how important local businesses and ideas matter. We’ve always known that supporting local businesses is imperative to our community, but as we created a community of local entrepreneurs, we’ve seen the impact supporting local startups and businesses makes near and far.” – COhatch  

71 startup founders have gotten a Boost Scholarship, and COhatch has awarded $209,300 to local startups thus far. They also provide members and other community members a chance to “adopt a startup”. This means they will pair a startup with a mentor or supporter that can help their company grow and succeed. 

CodeLaunch Partnership 

COhatch will give the winner of CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 their own Boost Scholarship! This generous award will help them work on their startup while also getting numerous chances to network throughout the building. 

We asked Jessica why COhatch wanted to partner with CodeLaunch. She said it was a no-brainer for their company, especially since they are seeing a major increase in startups popping up throughout Ohio. 

“We love the idea of partnering with experts and want to help connect people,” Jessica said. “This includes connecting our Boost Scholars with CodeLaunch.” 

We’ve decided that the CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 semi-finalists and finalists’ announcements will be made from the COhatch Gateway location in Columbus! This space is only minutes from where the final competition will be held and we are thrilled to provide this great news to startups from such a fun space. 

COhatch also hosted our Ohio Tour at the beginning of May, which gave our Founder Jason W. Taylor the opportunity to meet startup founders throughout Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati while everyone enjoyed happy hour at the workspaces.  

Jessica said COhatch likes that people do not have to pay in order to compete in CodeLaunch and that we do not take any equity. This made us perfect partners for their mission to help Ohio startups thrive. 

More About COhatch 

COhatch is a coworking, meeting, and event space all in one! “Work. Meet. Live.” is the phrase they center everything around and believe the “live” component is their differentiating power. COhatch locations have game rooms, birthday party spaces, theater rooms, sports simulators, and more. 

“We want to treat everyone like a family and have shared resources,” Jessica said. 

The other two scholarships COhatch regularly gives are for non-profits and community members. So far, they have given $1M worth of scholarships to non-profits since July 2021. 

They also recently launched COhatch+ on May 17th! This digital platform helps members make connections with people in the COhatch community, even if they do not need a physical place to work. They have digital portals for neighborhood groups and nonprofit needs. Jessica said COhatch+ will have a startups and investors group in the future too. 

To learn more about COhatch, click here. You can find out more about their Boost Scholarship by using this link. 

Watch our CodeLaunch Houston 2022 wrap up video and get ready for an awesome experience in Ohio!

Phix Health was a finalist for CodeLaunch DFW 2021 in October. Now they’re breaking a CodeLaunch record after they secured a round of seed funding which included $3.5 million in intellectual property and cash only five months after the competition. This is the fastest that any CodeLaunch finalist has closed a round of this size.

In March, they partnered with Bill Koehler and Mike Colson, two individual entrepreneurs who invest and operate in multiple companies. Both Koehler and Colson have been in the healthcare space for a long time and saw incredible value in Phix Health’s mission. 

Because of this significant deal, Founder Mark Schultz told us they have been actively developing their app throughout the Spring. Phix Health will roll out its application’s beta version in October which will be ready for use, and the alpha version is set to be completed by July.

Mark said he started Phix Health because he noticed that wearables and every other device on the market gives historical data, but it ends there. That’s why Phix Health takes historical data, pairs it with AI, and gives the user an actionable plan to transform their health. 

They do this by bringing together multiple data sets into their single platform by integrating with wearables like Apple Watches and Fitbits. It also connects with glucose monitors, EKGs, scales, blood pressure cuffs, and any other health or wellness device. 

Mark said CodeLaunch allowed them to demonstrate how the app can take multiple devices and put the data into a singular platform to allow the user to have actionable recommendations to provide outcomes. Improving was their hackathon partner and made all of this happen. The developers helped build their website with a live demo to show people in the market how to use the app. 

“CodeLaunch is unique,” Mark said. “I’ve seen a bunch of accelerators, and we’ve been invited to a bunch since then. We’ve turned them all down because they want equity. It’s been refreshing to see that basically, CodeLaunch empowers you to be a better person and a better company.” 

He also told us CodeLaunch gave the Phix Health founder confidence that his idea could succeed. The competition helped him and his team elevate their sales pitch and helped them get in touch with investors.  

“It was market validation for us,” he said. “CodeLaunch gave us a platform that allowed us to simplify our message.” 

Phix Health’s target audience is anyone in the health space. They want to work with concierge physicians and other people in the wellness and fitness industry, as well as those in the life insurance and health insurance world. 

Mark will join CodeLaunch Founder Jason W. Taylor on Discord on Monday, May 23^rd. You can hear him speak about his journey in founding and creating Phix Health by joining the conversation. If you would like to receive similar results for your startup, do not miss out on applying to CodeLaunch Ohio 2022 which is set for August 25^th. You can apply for it here. 

To learn more about why you should apply for CodeLaunch, check out this blog post. 

CodeLaunch is making its way to H-Town for the very first time, helping early-stage startups succeed using our unique spin on the seed accelerator model. Aligned with the ideals of conscious capitalism, CodeLaunch supports the startup ecosystem by awarding deserving startups with the invaluable services they need to launch. We have given over $1M in services to Finalists and the Overall Winners since 2013. 

“I am excited about what CodeLaunch means for these finalists, and what it means for the health and continued growth of the Houston startup space. Improving is investing heavily in the community through CodeLaunch and other events. This year is GREAT, and next year will be even greater!”

– Devlin Liles, President of Improving Houston

CodeLaunch HOU 2022 Finalists Announced: 

Congratulations to our CodeLaunch HOU 2022 finalists, who will compete in our main event on March 30^th at the Bayou Music Center!

Finalists:

• Aikynetix – Katy, TX
• Clutch – Houston, TX
• Codiac – Houston, TX
• Leanr – Friendswood, TX (Student Founder)
• QFeed – Houston, TX
• SkyValet – New York, NY
• TRX – Houston, TX

Each of these incredible startups will receive a professional product development hackathon from one of our professional hackathon team sponsors.

Our Houston cohort started with 81 founders. A small group earned their way into the CodeLaunch Professional Coder League “draft” after a six-week interactive and educational gauntlet produced by the CodeLaunch curation team. 

One of those founders is Eric Goldner, who is the founder of SkyValet.

“Being an up-and-coming travel start-up, SkyValet has had an interest in CodeLaunch since 2020,” Goldner said. “CodeLaunch is a natural fit for us. After applying for the accelerator, the second time was the charm for us — nothing comes easy. We are excited for what the event will bring as we expand our product offerings for 2022 and beyond.”

The hackathon teams made up of elite professional technology architects will put in 24 hours of sweat into their drafted startup before our competition finale and showcase on March 30th. ​

FirstGen Agency Founder Raheel Malik is our emcee, assisting with curation and production. This is his fourth CodeLaunch event.

Professional Hackathon Team Sponsors:

• Axon Collective
• Blue People
• Expero
• Improving Houston
• Softeq
• Tekrevol

Houston-based technology company Axon Collective will provide a hackathon team for Aikynetix. 

“We first heard about CodeLaunch years ago when we were in Dallas, and we’ve followed them closely ever since. Our whole mission as a company revolves around enabling startups and helping them succeed, and so when we learned that CodeLaunch was coming to Houston we knew we had to participate. Aikynetix lands at the intersection of breakthrough technology and real need, and we are so excited to join them as they revolutionize running science.” 

– Axon Collective 

Only one startup will win, but every finalist will walk out with valuable investments already made to their startup because of the time their Hackathon team spent working on their product. 

What is CodeLaunch? 

Produced by Improving, CodeLaunch is a combination of a seed accelerator competition, tech tradeshow, startup conference, and raucous networking event! CodeLaunch sponsors and partners put thousands of dollars in professional seed services behind the winners of its national seed accelerator competition. 

CodeLaunch was founded in 2013. CodeLaunch Founder and President Jason W. Taylor wanted to help startups who were investible but for their technology holding up closing funding deals. With Code Authority’s (now Improving Frisco) resources, he made it happen. 

We have evolved into a traveling seed accelerator and startup expo. The first CodeLaunch event held outside of DFW was CodeLaunch ATL 2021 which was held in August. Based on the turnout and community interest in Atlanta, we have launched the CodeLaunch North American World Tour and Houston is our first stop!

What makes CodeLaunch truly unique is the professional hackathon. Local “dev shops” come together to build out as much of each Finalists’ MVP as possible. The Finalists then demo these products live and for the first time in front of the CodeLaunch audience, who then vote for a winner. 

CodeLaunch is aligned with the ideals of conscious capitalism, believing that business can be socially responsible and, ultimately, ethically good. One of the ways we exemplify this philosophy is by making the competition free to apply with no equity surrendered by the applicants. This means startups have nothing to lose and everything to gain by applying. In addition, CodeLaunch gives away surplus exhibitor space to local startups for free, allowing them to network with angels and investors. 

Join Us at CodeLaunch HOU 2022! 

CodeLaunch will take place at the Bayou Music Center on March 30^th, 2022 in Houston, TX. Get your tickets here!

Media, Exhibit, and Sponsorship Inquiries:

You and your brand are invited to CodeLaunch. There is still time for your brand to align with CodeLaunch and Conscious Capitalism. Parties interested in Exhibit space, Media, and Sponsorship may contact Max Day. 

CodeLaunch DFW 2021 | Startup Accelerator Recap