Top Los Angeles Startups to Watch (and Work for) in 2023

GOAT

Shop new sneakers, apparel, and accessories.

Headquarters

Culver City, California

Industry

Consumer, Marketplace, Fintech

Founded

2015

Funding

$492.6 million

Valuation

$3.7 billion

Traction

As of June 2021, GOAT did $2 billion in GMV in its last 12 months, grew 100% YoY in sneakers, and 500% YoY in apparel.

As of June 2021, GOAT has 30 million users and 600,000 sellers.

As of May 2023, GOAT Group (the parent company) has over 50 million users across its platforms GOAT, Grailed, Flight Club, and alias.

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Acelerate

One place to start, manage, and grow your restaurant online.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Restaurant

Founded

2019

Funding

$14.4 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of July 2021, Acelerate has signed three restaurants as brand licensing partners.

As of May 2023, Acelerate has signed at least eight restaurants as brand licensing partners, including Nash’s Hot Chicken, Wing Spot, Tendies Chicken Tenders, Super Smash Burgers, Supreme Breakfast Sandwiches, Fatties Philly Cheesesteaks, Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Deli, and Egghead Breakfast Burritos.

As of July 2021, Acelerate had thousands of customers using its software product and hundreds of restaurants licensing the Acelerate brands.

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The Expert

Book video consultations with the world's top interior designers.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Consumer, Homecare, E-commerce

Founded

2021

Funding

$15 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of March 2022, The Expert has 140 interior designers on its platform and a waitlist of 1,500 interior designers.

In its first 12 months of operating, The Expert surpassed $5 million in revenue.

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Matter of Fact

A clinical skincare brand.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Consumer, Health & Beauty

Founded

2018

Funding

$16 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of May 2023, Matter of Fact has six products and 10+ patent-pending technologies.

As of May 2023, Matter of Fact has 17.8K Instagram followers, 357 TikTok followers, 1K Facebook followers, and 12 Youtube subscribers.

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Anduril

An American defense company.

Headquarters

Costa Mesa, California

Industry

Defense

Founded

2017

Funding

$2.2 billion

Valuation

$8.48 billion

Traction

In 2022, secured a 10-year $967M contract to be the U.S. Special Operations Command’s Systems Integration Partner (SIP) for counter-UAS (cUAS) technology.

Acquired Dive Technologies, a pioneer in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

Signed a $100M contract for Extra Large Autonomous Undersea Vehicles (XL-AUVs) with the Royal Australian Navy.

Launched three new products: ALTIUS 600M, Menace, and Mobile Sentry.

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Untapped

Tech job search and recruiting platform.

Headquarters

West Hollywood, California

Industry

Recruiting & Hiring Software

Founded

2017

Funding

$82.7 million

Valuation

$400 million

Traction

As of May 2023, Untapped’s numbers are 500,000+ messages sent from recruiters, 40,000 job opportunities, 17,000 offers made, and an average of 4 weeks for time to hire.

As of May 2023, companies hiring on Untapped include The Walt Disney Company, GOAT Group, IBM, TikTok, Apple, Google, Square, Anduril Industries, Live Nation Entertainment, Amazon, Cloudflare, and Bank of America.

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Whatnot

Live shopping and marketplace.

Headquarters

Marina del Rey, California

Industry

Shopping

Founded

2019

Funding

$484.7 million

Valuation

$3.7 billion

Traction

Whatnot’s sales growth rate in 2021 was more than 20x YoY.

As of July 2022, Whatnot’s monthly sales were more than 3x of what they were in 2021.

In 2022, more than 100 sellers on Whatnot made over $1 million in sales.

As of April 2023, collectibles were Whatnot’s largest segment, but fashion was Whatnot’s fastest-growing segment.

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SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.

Headquarters

Hawthorne, California

Industry

Space, Hardware, Aerospace

Founded

2002

Funding

$9.8 billion

Valuation

$137 billion

Traction

As of May 2023, SpaceX has 230 total launches, 191 total landings, and 165 total reflights.

As of May 2023, SpaceX has launched 1272 metric tons of payload into various orbits.

In 2022, SpaceX completed 61 launches.

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Edify

All-in-one customer experience platform.

Headquarters

Santa Monica, California

Industry

Customer Success Software

Founded

2018

Funding

$26.9 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

Edify customers include the San Diego Humane Society, NuView Trust, and Forever 21.

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Zefr

Brand suitability platform.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Advertising, Data

Founded

2008

Funding

$65.1 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

Zefr customers include Waitrose, Mazda, Rexona, Marks & Spencer, and Adidas.

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Steno

Court reporting and litigation services.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Legal

Founded

2018

Funding

$45.5 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

Steno customers include Panish | Shea | Boyle, Simon Law Group, and Stalwart Law Group.

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Elodie Games

A game studio dedicated to building better crossplay games.

Headquarters

Venice, California

Industry

Gaming

Founded

2019

Funding

$37.5 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, Elodie Games is working on its first game, a free-to-play co-op action RPG called Project Skies.

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Cider

Women’s fashion clothing company.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Fashion, Retail, Shopping

Founded

2020

Funding

$140 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of August 2022, Cider has been downloaded 7.4 million times.

In the first half of 2022, Cider reported 2 million US downloads, achieving 1,686% YoY growth.

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K2 Space

Building satellite buses.

Headquarters

Torrance, California

Industry

Space, Hardware

Founded

2022

Funding

$8.5 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of March 2023, K2 Space has customer LOIs for commercial science and defense applications.

As of March 2023, K2 Space plans to launch its first Mega class spacecraft in 2025.

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Arc Boats

Manufacturer of high-performance electric boats for watersports.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Boating, Hardware

Founded

2021

Funding

$100 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, Arc Boats’ first boat, Arc One, is sold out. They produced fewer than 25 Arc One boats and priced them at $300,000.

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SpinLaunch

A space technology company that has created an alternative method for putting 200 kg class satellites into low earth orbit.

Headquarters

Long Beach, California

Industry

Space, Hardware

Founded

2014

Funding

$146 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

In October 2022, SpinLaunch successfully launched its 10th suborbital test launch.

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Hadrian

A series of highly automated precision component factories across the US to enable Space & Defense manufacturers to get parts 10x faster.

Headquarters

Hawthorne, California

Industry

Space, Hardware

Founded

2020

Funding

$99.5 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, Hadrian can deliver flight-grade machined parts in 5-21 days.

As of June 2023, Hadrian has completed Factory 1 in Hawthorne, California, and is working on Factory 2.

As of March 2022, Hadrian claims it can make space and defense parts 10x faster and more efficient than anyone else.

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Varda

A platform for in-space manufacturing.

Headquarters

Torrance, California

Industry

Space, Hardware

Founded

2020

Funding

$51 million

Valuation

$500 million

Traction

In July 2023, Varda won a $1.9 million NASA Tipping Point contract.

In June 2023, Varda launched the world’s first commercial space factory into orbit on SpaceX’s Transporter-8 mission.

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Tala

Digital financial services for the next billion.

Headquarters

Santa Monica, California

Industry

Fintech

Founded

2011

Funding

$360 million

Valuation

$800 million+

Traction

As of May 2023, Tala has 6 million+ customers, disbursed $2.7 billion to entrepreneurs, and operates in 4 countries (Mexico, India, Philippines, Kenya).

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Ritual

Daily multivitamin company.

Headquarters

Culver City, Los Angeles

Industry

DTC

Founded

2016

Funding

$40.5 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, Ritual has 343K Instagram followers and 211K Facebook followers.

As of November 2020, Ritual has sold 1 million bottles of its vitamins.

As of February 2019, Ritual claims 12,000 scientific studies back its products.

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Nécessaire

A personal care company.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

DTC

Founded

2017

Funding

Undisclosed

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, Nécessaire has 215K Instagram followers, 4.5K TikTok followers and 5.1K Twitter followers.

As of October 2022, Nécessaire was on pace for $35 million in retail sales from 1.5 million product units split 50/50 between DTC and retail.

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Jump

The operating system for live sports events.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Sports

Founded

2020

Funding

$30 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

In March 2023, Jump closed a $20 million funding round led by Forerunner Ventures.

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Apex

Fastest delivery of reliable spacecraft in the galaxy.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Space, Hardware

Founded

2022

Funding

$27 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

Apex is building its first Aries bus scheduled to fly as a demonstration mission on SpaceX’s rideshare Transporter-10 mission in Q12024.

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HUM Nutrition

Vitamins for body, skin, and mood.

Headquarters

West Hollywood, California

Industry

Food & Beverage

Founded

2012

Funding

$20 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, HUM Nutrition has 269K Instagram followers, 123K Facebook followers, 4.8K TikTok followers, 12.5K Twitter followers, and 29.9K Youtube followers.

As of November 2017, HUM Nutrition reported at least 30% sales growth over the last 12 quarters.

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Kosas Cosmetics

Makeup for skincare freaks.

Headquarters

Encino, California

Industry

Skincare, Beauty

Founded

2015

Funding

$14 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, Kosas Cosmetics has 435K Instagram followers, 15K Facebook followers, 125.9K TikTok followers, and 1.9K Twitter followers.

As of January 2020, Kosas Cosmetics had distribution in 220 retail locations, including Revolve, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, and Goop.

In 2019, Kosas Cosmetics made $20 million in revenue.

From 2018 to 2019, Kosas Cosmetics' sales increased by 409%.

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GEM Vitamins

The first real food vitamin subscription.

Headquarters

Venice, California

Industry

Food & Beverage

Founded

2018

Funding

$10.5 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, GEM Vitamins has 88.3K Instagram followers and 31K Facebook followers.

As of June 2023, GEM Vitamins reports they have delivered 10 million+ vitamin bites, up from 8 million in June 2021, to consumers.

As of June 2021, GEM Vitamins ranked in the 97th percentile of all vitamin and supplement brands tracked by CircleUp.

In 2020, GEM Vitamins grew revenue by 400%.

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Art of Sport

Body care for athletes.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Skincare

Founded

2018

Funding

$24.9 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, Art of Sport has rated 4.9/5 stars from 5,795 reviews based on data shown on its website.

As of June 2023, Art of Sport has 53.8K Instagram followers, 4.6K Facebook followers, 406 TikTok followers, and 3.3K Twitter followers.

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100 Thieves

An American lifestyle brand and gaming company.

Headquarters

Culver City, California

Industry

Gaming, Creators

Founded

2017

Funding

$120 million

Valuation

$460 million

Traction

In 2021, 100 Thieves won Esports Organization of the Year at the Esports Awards.

In 2021, 100 Thieves’ revenue doubled YoY and achieved 111% top-line growth.

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Zuma

We convert your leads into booked tours.

Headquarters

Santa Monica, California

Industry

Real Estate

Founded

2021

Funding

$7.2 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of November 2021, Zuma claims its platform increases conversion rates by 2.1x in 30 days and drives an average of 35x ROI for customers.

Between January 2021 and November 2021, Zuma grew its revenue by 10x.

Zuma customers include Marymount Apartments, Villa Serena Communities, Cornerstone Property Management, and Blue Key Property Management.

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FabFitFun

A lifestyle membership and shopping experience.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

E-commerce

Founded

2010

Funding

$262.1 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of October 2020, FabFitFun delivered 1.5 million subscription boxes every quarter.

As of January 2019, FabFitFun reported 1 million subscribers and $200 million in revenue.

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Autograph

Building the future of fandom.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Consumer, Creators, Cryptocurrency

Founded

2021

Funding

$205 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, celebrities using Autograph include Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, Tony Hawk, Rob Gronkowski, Tiger Woods, Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, and Usain Bolt.

As of June 2023, Autograph has 49,487 Discord members.

As of November 2021, Autograph has sold more than 100,000 NFTs.

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BetterBrand

Designing a better future for food.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Food & Beverage

Founded

2021

Funding

$9.7 million

Valuation

$176 million

Traction

As of June 2023, BetterBrand is in 1,000+ US stores, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Fresh Market, Gelson’s, and Bristol Farms.

As of June 2023, BetterBrand has 39.3K Instagram followers, 3.7K Facebook followers, and 507 Twitter followers.

Between 2021 and 2022, BetterBrand reported 800% growth and is on track for similar growth between 2022 to 2023.

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Almond

ObGyn care made simple.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Healthcare

Founded

2021

Funding

$7 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, Almond has a 5/5 star rating from 41 Google Reviews.

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MarqVision

AI-powered brand protection.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Legal, Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Founded

2020

Funding

$25 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, MarqVision reported 100,000+ enforcements per week (up from 20,000 in August 2022), a 97% removal success rate, and a reduction in the cost by 97%.

As of June 2023, MarqVision can detect and remove counterfeits from 1,500 global online marketplaces, covering 97% of the market.

MarqVision customers include Pokemon, Foreo, Gentle Monster, Didier Dubot, Helen Kaminski, Mahagrid, and Ader.

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UpKeep

Asset operations management solution.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Mobile, Software

Founded

2015

Funding

$48.8 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, UpKeep reported a 90% reduction in technician time spent filing work orders and locating asset information, a 315% return on investment, and $638K in savings from avoided production downtime.

UpKeep customers include PepsiCo, Marriot, Subway, Unilever, Chick-Fil-A, Aramark, and Yamaha.

As of May 2020, UpKeep has 400,000+ users.

In 2019, UpKeep reported a 206% increase in revenue over the previous year.

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Spotter

Empowering Youtube creators.

Headquarters

Culver City, California

Industry

Creators

Founded

2019

Funding

$230.6 million

Valuation

$1.7 billion

Traction

As of July 2023, Spotter has signed 1,160+ creator partnerships, $775 million paid to creators, and 3.4 billion in subscribers.

As of October 2022, Spotter’s average check size is $1.5 million, and the minimum is $15,000.

As of October 2022, Spotter claims to be on track to invest $1 billion by mid-2023.

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Zeitview

Advanced inspection software for energy and infrastructure.

Headquarters

Santa Monica, California

Industry

Drones

Founded

2014

Funding

$114 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of June 2023, Zeitview has customers in 70+ countries.

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Serve Robotics

Self-driving delivery.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

Robotics, Food Delivery

Founded

2021

Funding

$23 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

In May 2023, Serve Robotics announced it’ll deploy 2,000+ robots via Uber Eats in multiple markets across the US.

As of December 2021, Serve Robotics has completed 10,000+ contactless deliveries from 100+ merchants in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

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Songtradr

Music licensing services for brands and agencies.

Headquarters

Santa Monica, California

Industry

Music

Founded

2014

Funding

$101.2 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

Songtradr customers include Sony, Nike, Unilever, TikTok, Heineken, and The North Face.

As of June 2021, Songtradr hosted songs from 600,000+ musicians, right holders, and songwriters.

In 2020, Songtradr reported 100% YoY revenue growth.

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mayk.it

Your virtual music studio.

Headquarters

Santa Monica, California

Industry

Music

Founded

2020

Funding

$4 million

Valuation

Undisclosed

Traction

As of July 2023, mayk.it has rated 4.7/5 stars from 4.5K reviews on the Apple App Store.

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Skims

Creating the next generation of underwear, loungewear, and shapewear.

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Industry

DTC, Consumer

Founded

2019

Funding

$670 million

Valuation

$4 billion

Traction

As of July 2023, Skims is on track for $750 million in sales this year.

In 2022, Skims reported $500 million in sales.

In 2022, Skims disclosed 11 million+ people joined waitlists for product launches.

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Top Los Angeles Startups to Watch (and Work for) in 2023

My Background

The Methodology

GOAT

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

Acelerate

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

The Expert

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

Matter of Fact

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

Anduril

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

Untapped

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

Whatnot

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

SpaceX

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

Edify

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

Zefr

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction

Steno

Headquarters

Industry

Founded

Funding

Valuation

Traction