San Francisco’s startup engine shows no signs of slowing down. These 20 companies, all founded after 2020, have already raised $1M–$5M to bring bold new ideas to life. From AI and fintech to health tech and enterprise tools, they’re building innovative products that reflect the city’s spirit of reinvention and agility.
20 Early-Stage Startups Driving the Bay Area’s Next Wave of Growth
With strong early funding, fast-growing teams, and a focus on solving real-world problems, these startups are quickly making their mark on the tech landscape.
Let’s take a closer look at the fresh faces shaping San Francisco’s future.
| Company | Founded | Industry | Employees | Last Funding | Last Amount | Total Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team-GPT | 2023 | AI, Information Technology | 11–50 | Nov 14, 2024 | $4.5M | $4.5M |
| Parakeet Health | 2023 | AI, Call Center | 1–10 | Oct 15, 2024 | $3.0M | $3.0M |
| Hona AI | 2023 | AI, EHR | 1–10 | May 3, 2024 | $3.0M | $3.5M |
| Infactory | 2024 | AI, Search Engine | 1–10 | Oct 8, 2024 | $4.0M | $4.0M |
| Roe AI | 2023 | AI, Data Management | 1–10 | Aug 6, 2024 | $3.0M | $3.5M |
| Just Words | 2024 | AI, Personalization | 1–10 | Aug 27, 2024 | $1.7M | $2.2M |
| Veritas Labs | 2023 | AI, Enterprise Software | 1–10 | Feb 16, 2024 | $5.0M | $5.0M |
| Trieve | 2023 | AI, Generative AI | 1–10 | Sep 11, 2024 | $3.5M | $4.0M |
| Quilt | 2023 | AI, Software | 1–10 | Mar 18, 2024 | $2.5M | $2.5M |
| Zendata | 2021 | AI, Compliance | 11–50 | May 29, 2024 | $2.0M | $4.08M |
| Pod | 2022 | AI, Generative AI | 1–10 | Jun 1, 2024 | $2.75M | $2.93M |
| Reform | 2023 | AI, Logistics | 1–10 | Apr 5, 2024 | $2.56M | $2.56M |
| YonedaLabs | 2023 | AI, Biopharma | 1–10 | Apr 26, 2024 | $4.0M | $4.0M |
| Powerbroker AI | 2023 | AI, Insurance | 11–50 | Apr 16, 2024 | $1.5M | $1.55M |
| Global Predictions | 2020 | AI, Financial Services | 11–50 | Aug 1, 2024 | $2.0M | $4.0M |
| Zeta Labs | 2023 | AI, Information Technology | 1–10 | Jun 13, 2024 | $2.9M | $2.9M |
| Qlay | 2023 | AI, Generative AI | 11–50 | Nov 8, 2024 | $1.43M | $1.43M |
| HoundDog.ai | 2023 | AI, Cyber Security | 1–10 | May 22, 2024 | $3.1M | $3.1M |
| nunu.ai | 2022 | AI, Gaming | 1–10 | Aug 14, 2024 | $2.0M | $2.0M |
| Viva AI | 2024 | AI, Dental | 1–10 | Apr 14, 2024 | $2.5M | $2.5M |
1. Team-GPT
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technology
- Number of Employees: 11–50
- Last Funding Amount: $4.5M (Latest Round: Nov 14, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $4.5M
Team-GPT is building AI-powered collaboration tools that integrate generative AI into team workflows. Designed to streamline communication and decision-making, the platform helps organizations unlock higher productivity through seamless human-AI interaction.
2. Parakeet Health
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Call Center
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $3M (Latest Round: Oct 15, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $3M
Parakeet Health leverages AI to modernize patient communication through intelligent call center solutions. Focused on healthcare providers, its platform automates routine interactions, reduces wait times, and enhances patient engagement with personalized, conversational AI.
3. Hona AI
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Electronic Health Record (EHR)
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $3M (Latest Round: May 3, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $3.5M
Hona AI is building next-gen AI tools to revolutionize EHR systems with smarter, faster, and more intuitive workflows. By streamlining clinical documentation and automating routine data entry, the company helps healthcare professionals focus more on patient care and less on admin work.
4. Infactory
- Founded: 2024
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Search Engine
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $4M (Latest Round: Oct 8, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $4M
Infactory is developing an AI-powered search infrastructure designed to deliver precise, context-aware results across enterprise and consumer use cases. Its platform reimagines search beyond keywords—leveraging large language models and real-time learning to make search feel more like a conversation than a query.
5. Roe AI
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Management
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $3M (Latest Round: Aug 6, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $3.5M
Roe AI is building an intelligent data infrastructure that helps companies unlock the full potential of their internal data. By combining AI-driven pipelines with privacy-first architecture, Roe streamlines data unification, enrichment, and governance—empowering teams to make smarter, faster decisions with confidence.
6. Just Words
- Founded: 2024
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Personalization
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $1.7M (Latest Round: Aug 27, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $2.2M
Just Words is reimagining how AI interacts with language—delivering hyper-personalized content generation for brands, platforms, and creators. With a lightweight, modular AI engine, it adapts tone, voice, and style to match user intent, unlocking a new layer of emotional intelligence in digital communication.
7. Veritas Labs
- Founded: Dec 28, 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Enterprise Software
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $5M (Latest Round: Feb 16, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $5M
Veritas Labs builds AI-native infrastructure for secure enterprise data orchestration. Focused on transparency, governance, and scalability, their platform empowers organizations to integrate AI workflows across sensitive internal systems without compromising on compliance or control.
8. Trieve
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative AI
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $3.5M (Latest Round: Sep 11, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $4M
Trieve is on a mission to transform how teams search and retrieve information using generative AI. Its intelligent neural search platform powers more intuitive, context-aware knowledge discovery, bringing speed and clarity to complex data exploration across industries.
9. Quilt
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Software
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $2.5M (Latest Round: Mar 18, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $2.5M
Quilt builds collaborative AI tools designed to streamline knowledge sharing and team communication. With a focus on simplicity and speed, Quilt’s software helps users organize, summarize, and retrieve insights from scattered information, making internal workflows smarter and more connected.
10. Zendata
- Founded: 2021
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Compliance
- Number of Employees: 11–50
- Last Funding Amount: $2M (Latest Round: May 29, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $4.08M
Zendata helps companies automate privacy and compliance using AI-powered tools. Their platform monitors data flows, detects compliance risks in real-time, and streamlines reporting across regulatory frameworks like GDPR and CCPA—empowering businesses to stay secure and audit-ready with minimal overhead.
11. Pod
- Founded: 2022
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative AI
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $2.75M (Latest Round: June 1, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $2.93M
Pod is an emerging AI startup specializing in generative AI technologies. Their innovative platform focuses on creating advanced AI models that generate high-quality content and creative solutions, helping businesses automate and enhance digital experiences efficiently.
12. Reform
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Logistics
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $2.56M (Latest Round: April 5, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $2.56M
Reform leverages cutting-edge AI to revolutionize logistics operations, optimizing supply chain efficiency and delivery processes. With a focus on innovative AI solutions, Reform aims to transform how logistics companies manage and execute complex workflows in real time.
13. YonedaLabs
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biopharma
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $4.0M (Latest Round: April 26, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $4.0M
YonedaLabs combines advanced AI with biopharmaceutical research to accelerate drug discovery and development. Focused on innovative AI-driven solutions, the company aims to transform biopharma by improving the efficiency and accuracy of therapeutic breakthroughs.
14. Powerbroker AI
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Insurance
- Number of Employees: 11–50
- Last Funding Amount: $1.5M (Latest Round: April 16, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $1.55M
Powerbroker AI develops advanced AI-driven solutions tailored for the insurance sector, enhancing underwriting accuracy and automating claims processing. With a lean team, the company aims to revolutionize insurance operations through innovative technology, driving efficiency, and improved decision-making.
15. Global Predictions
- Founded: 2020
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Financial Services
- Number of Employees: 11–50
- Last Funding Amount: $2M (Latest Round: August 1, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $4M
Global Predictions leverages cutting-edge AI technologies to deliver data-driven insights and forecasting tools for the financial services industry. Their solutions empower clients to optimize investment strategies and risk management with precision and reliability. The company is steadily expanding its presence in the fintech AI space with a strong focus on innovation and market adaptability.
16. Zeta Labs
- Founded: 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technology
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $2.9M (Latest Round: June 13, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $2.9M
Zeta Labs is an emerging AI and IT startup focused on developing innovative solutions that harness artificial intelligence to enhance business operations and technology infrastructures. Despite its recent founding, Zeta Labs has quickly gained traction by delivering scalable, intelligent software products tailored for diverse industries. With a lean team and strong funding, the company is positioned for rapid growth and technological advancement.
17. Qlay
- Founded: October 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative AI
- Number of Employees: 11–50
- Last Funding Amount: $1.43M (Latest Round: November 8, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $1.43M
Qlay is a young, dynamic startup specializing in generative AI technologies aimed at creating advanced, creative AI-driven solutions. Since its inception, Qlay has been focused on building innovative AI tools that empower businesses to automate and enhance creative processes. With a growing team and recent funding, Qlay is rapidly developing its product portfolio and expanding its market presence in the competitive AI landscape.
18. HoundDog.ai
- Founded: March 2023
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cyber Security
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $3.1M (Latest Round: May 22, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $3.1M
HoundDog.ai leverages cutting-edge AI technologies to enhance cybersecurity solutions, helping organizations detect and prevent cyber threats with greater accuracy and speed. As a lean and agile startup, HoundDog.ai is dedicated to innovating in the AI-driven security space, providing scalable tools tailored to the evolving needs of businesses in today’s digital environment.
19. nunu.ai
- Founded: 2022
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Gaming
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $2M (Latest Round: Aug 14, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $2M
nunu.ai is building AI-native gaming experiences that blur the lines between players and intelligent virtual companions. With a strong focus on immersive interaction and emotional engagement, the startup is pioneering the future of AI-integrated gameplay, shaping a new era of personalized entertainment.
20. Viva AI
- Founded: Jan 2024
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Dental
- Number of Employees: 1–10
- Last Funding Amount: $2.5M (Latest Round: Apr 14, 2024)
- Total Funding Amount: $2.5M
Viva AI leverages artificial intelligence to transform dental diagnostics and patient care workflows. By streamlining clinical insights and enhancing precision in treatment planning, the startup is aiming to modernize dental practices with smarter, AI-driven solutions tailored for both practitioners and patients.
Conclusion
Founded after 2020 and fueled by $1M–$5M in early funding, these 20 San Francisco startups are proving that big innovation often starts small. From AI and fintech to health tech and climate solutions, they’re tackling complex challenges with agility, creativity, and strong investor backing. These are the companies laying the foundation for the city’s next tech chapter.
FAQs
Q1. Which sectors are most represented among the 20 startups?
A. Notable sectors include artificial intelligence, financial services, healthcare, SaaS, sustainability, and digital infrastructure.
Q2. Why is the $1M–$5M funding range important at this stage?
A. It enables key early milestones: hiring top talent, refining product-market fit, launching MVPs, and initiating go-to-market strategies.
Q3. Who’s investing in these companies?
A. Seed and early-stage VCs, microfunds, prominent angel investors, and accelerator programs with a focus on next-gen tech.