A – L | NJBIZ In the Lead 2025: Startups

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ABF Creative

The Newark-based podcast network and media production company is dedicated to helping brands tell their stories and connect with their audience in meaningful ways.

Founded in 2019 by Anthony Frasier, ABF Creative joined Audible’s Business Attraction Program as part of the first cohort in 2023.

“As a native Newarker, I’m so grateful that Audible has created an initiative like this that provides access to office space and capital,” Frasier told NJBIZ. “It’s exciting that companies outside of Newark are participating and that someone like me, who is from Newark, is able to successfully launch a state-of-the-art podcast studio in downtown Newark, which is a growing tech hub.”

In addition to creating compelling children’s and family-focused content, ABF Creative also serves as trusted partners for corporations across a wide range of industries – such as Ben & Jerry’s, Vox, Wondery, Audible, Prudential Financial, Essence Magazine, BET, Pinna and more.

Algoma

This Newark-headquartered startup is aimed at automating real estate development for developers to lower costs and save time.

The company touts functions such as getting feasibility studies and financial proforma in less than 48 hours; reducing costs through faster design and shorter construction; minimizing risk in development cost and time projections; increasing efficiencies with reusable data sets and digital libraries; and more.

The co-founders of Algoma include CEO Josef Bromovsky, Chief Product Officer Kyle MertensMeyer and Chief Operating Officer Seyfihan Usarer – who each bring experience and expertise to the business.

Last March, the New York City Economic Development Corp. selected Algoma to participate in New York City’s first-ever Mass Timber Studio Program.

“We are extremely excited at Algoma to be part of the NYC Mass Timber Studio, where we aim to explore and develop repeatable mass timber solutions to address New York City’s housing challenges,” said Usarer. “As a startup aiming to bring automation to the construction industry, our focus is on leveraging innovative and sustainable approaches, integrating technology with mass timber development, to help shape the city’s urban landscape.”

AlphaROC

Founded in 2021, AlphaROC is a Newark-based company that has built a suite of AI-powered tools leveraging unique data sets to help investors gain customized, unbiased insights into a business’ present and future economic health.

2024 was a notable year for the company, which was selected as part of the latest cohort of Audible’s Business Attraction Program.

“Our Business Attraction Program is a scalable model to drive economic growth and can be adopted by other companies seeking to make a tangible impact in the cities they call home,” Audible Global Head of Urban Innovation Aisha Glover said last April. “Audible is proud to feature Equal Space, AlphaROC, Pocstock, and Sweet Jeans in its latest cohort of pioneering businesses that represent the next generation of diverse founders and innovators.”

AlphaROC also was selected by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to receive up to $500,000 under the Angel Match Program; and was one of 15 companies chosen in Round 3 of the Clean Tech Seed Grant Program.

Amatec

Founded in 2023, Amatec created an alternative material to cementitious concrete: high-density gypsum concrete, which enables the company to eliminate the culprit behind concrete’s enormous carbon footprint.

The Newark-based company features a team of technical experts who conducted R&D for more than a decade – and are now implementing its technology – which Amatec says allows for seamless automation of the production of houses, resulting in eco-friendlier, cheaper, faster built and stronger structures.

In January, Amatec was selected among 11 startups under Round Two of the Pilot Clean Tech Demonstration Grant Program, which is aimed at supporting pilot demonstration projects to transform new clean tech discoveries from research stage into commercially viable products and services.

“The innovative ideas of New Jersey entrepreneurs are essential to helping the state achieve its clean energy goals,” said CSIT Executive Director Judith Sheft. “Awardees under Round Two of the Pilot Clean Tech Demonstration Program are developing technologies that will address the carbon footprint of concrete, divert packaging waste from landfills, and the infrastructure needed to support the transition to electric vehicles – exemplifying New Jersey’s standing as a hub of innovation.”

AnataMed

AnataMed is a medical device company co-founded in 2023 by Dr. Franklin Kumar and Caroline Yu.

The company is developing a one-of-a-kind, durable back brace that also enables rehabilitative movements to innovatively treat patients with core and back pain. The device features remote patient monitoring.

AnataMed has a goal of aiding health care professionals in preventing and alleviating back pain – while also increasing compliance and convenience for patients.

“I tell people this all the time, think about the numbers; 30 million people each year have chronic lower back pain … If you can just even help a small portion of these people, you know, that’s a big win, so I think that’s what kind of keeps us motivated in terms of, the fact that we can help in such a large population,” said Yu in a July 2024 New Jersey Innovation Institute profile.

Last January, AnataMed was selected among the inaugural cohort of the New Jersey Innovation Fellows program, receiving $350,000 in income replacement grants as well as mentorship and training.

ArrePath

Founded in 2021, Princeton-based ArrePath is an emerging biotechnology company focused on applying deep phenotypic insights and machine learning to the discovery of new anti-infectives.

The company uses innovation and AI/ML technologies to identify and develop novel drugs to address global health issues.

In November, ArrePath announced the appointment of Kevin Krause as president and CEO – bringing more than 25 years of experience in research, clinical development, commercialization and corporate development in the biotech industry. That move comes as the company continues to expand its pipeline of internally discovered assets.

“I am honored to join ArrePath, which has made tremendous progress on the application of its proprietary AI/ML platform to discover antibacterials with novel mechanisms of action,” said Krause. “I look forward to working with the team to advance our lead program – and to expand our existing portfolio.”

Balcony

Hoboken-based Balcony was founded in 2021. The company leverages distributed ledger technology to provide the real estate ecosystem with a blockchain-based solution for improved security, automation, transparency, integration and interoperability.

Balcony was among the first cohort of startups that graduated from the New Jersey Fintech Accelerator at Stevens Institute of Technology powered by Plug and Play.

“Through NJ FAST and our partnerships with Plug and Play, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Prudential, we are empowering emerging leaders in the fintech industry to advance their cutting-edge ideas right here in New Jersey,” said Gov. Phil Murphy in a Dec. 31, 2024, news release. “I look forward to seeing what the inaugural cohort of this program accomplishes in the coming years.”

In October, the company was among the grantees chosen as part of Round 3 of the Clean Tech Seed Grant Program, which provides grants to early-stage, New Jersey-based clean technology companies to help them advance the development of their products and services so they can begin finding investors and generate revenue.

BioAegis Therapeutics Inc.

BioAegis is a clinical stage company focused on developing therapies for infectious, inflammatory and degenerative diseases.

The company graduated from the NJEDA’s Incubator at North Brunswick and is currently located in the Step-Out Labs on the same campus.

Building upon IP and know-how licensed from Harvard Medical School, BioAgeis is developing a portfolio of products based on the repletion of the highly conserved, abundant human protein plasma gelsolin.

The company is led by CEO Susan Levinson, who has over 30 years of life sciences consulting and pharmaceutical experience that spans the entire value chain – from lab bench to marketing.

In October, BioAegis announced that the first patient had enrolled in its Phase 2 study of rhu-pGSN for the treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

“We are excited to have begun enrollment in this important study,” said Levinson. “Our commitment is to save lives by addressing the challenges of this complex disease, which is also a major drain on health care resources across the globe.”

BioDome

Mount Laurel-based BioDome was founded in 2022 by Jerah Siegal with a goal of feeding people, promoting health and creating stronger, more resilient companies.

With modular, rooftop-friendly units and cutting-edge automation, BioDome brings sustainable, chemical-free produce to cities. Its self-sustaining indoor farms (BioDomes) use computer automation, solar energy and rainwater collection to grow plants. The company provides a weekly produce subscription service for apartment tenants in cities.

“BioDome has the potential to reduce carbon emissions in the agriculture industry and help reduce food insecurity in cities,” said Siegal in a 2024 press release.

In October, BioDome was among a group of awardees chosen in Round 3 of the Clean Tech Seed Grant Program, which provides grants to early-stage, Garden State-based clean technology companies to help them advance the development of their products and services.

“These CSIT grant programs enable entrepreneurs to obtain funding for essential research and technologies that enhance our society, generate high-paying jobs, and strengthen New Jersey’s standing as a leader in equitable, diverse, and transformative innovation,” said NJEDA Chief Exeuctive Officer Tim Sullivan.

Cecilia Energy

Since 2021, Cecilia Energy has aimed to upcycle plastic waste into high-performance carbon materials and clean hydrogen.

The company uses a modular, microwave-based system in the process.

Last month, Cecilia Energy marked a major milestone – successfully commissioning its Pilot Demonstration Unit at its Newark headquarters.

The company was chosen in January as an awardee through Round Two of CSIT’s Pilot Clean Tech Demonstration Grant Program.

Last summer, Cecilia Energy and the National Energy Technology Laboratory combined their strengths in a novel Cooperative Research and Development Agreement – marking the latest collaboration between the organizations.

“We are addressing the endgame for plastic waste by commercializing a modular, distributable, microwave-based system that upcycles plastic waste into clean hydrogen and carbon nanotubes,” said founder and CEO Kathryn Carpenter. “Our electricity-powered microwave reactor can operate entirely on renewable grid power, transforming plastic waste into value performance carbon.”

CollX

CollX is a Haddonfield-based trading card app and marketplace that launched in 2022. “CollX started as a fun experiment with my son, helping him scan and value my old card collection, but it’s become so much more,” said CEO and co-founder Ted Mann. “It’s now essentially an on-ramp to the hobby, helping every collector level up.”

Leveraging technology, CollX allows users to scan, value and trade cards. Since its launch, the app has been downloaded more than 3 million times – with a quickly growing marketplace.

Last month, the company announced a $10 million Series A funding round, which includes an investment by Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., who also serves as an advisor and brand ambassador. He joins a notable list of investors including Collectors CEO Nat Turner, Philadelphia Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman, Philadelphia 76ers owner and founder of Campus Apartments David Adelman, and others.

“We have a team with deep hobby knowledge, and we’re experienced in growing and scaling consumer apps,” said Mann. “With 85 million American adults collecting trading cards, we’re just scratching the surface – and we’re excited to bring all of them into the CollX community.”

Culina Health

Culina Health is a digital platform that makes clinical nutrition care inclusive and accessible for everyone.

The Hoboken-headquartered company was co-founded by registered dietitians Vanessa Rissetto and Tamar Samuels in 2020 – connecting patients and health care providers to a nationwide network of trusted registered dietitians who provide high-quality, personalized virtual nutrition care across specialty areas of weight loss, chronic disease prevention and management, and healthy eating and wellness.

Since, a team of more than 90 registered dietitians have delivered over 80,000 telehealth clinical nutrition sessions. Culina Health maintains more than 1,000 referring providers and has served more than 10,000 patients through the Culina Health Method.

In December, the company announced a $7.9 million Series A funding round – bringing its total capital raise to $20 million.

“With a clinical-first, evidence-based approach, Culina Health is uniquely positioned to support patients and providers with the most effective and connected nutrition journey,” said Rissetto. “With the help of our investors and health plan partners, we are one step closer to our shared mission of making world-class nutrition care available to everyone and putting registered dietitians back in the driver’s seat of Food as Medicine interventions.”

DIA Sensor

DIA Sensor develops non-invasive instruments to measure biomarkers of health and human performance. The company’s first product can measure cortisol in 0.1 mL of saliva. Cortisol is a hormone made by the kidneys that is commonly known as “the stress hormone.” Its levels increase during acute and chronic physical and emotional stress. DIA, which was founded in 2023, is working to allow individuals to measure a variety of biomarkers every day in minutes and at a relatively low cost to improve mental, physical and emotional wellness.

Last summer, the company won a $1.25 million contract from AFWERX, an Air Force research agency, related to that first device. AFWERX is an innovation arm of the Air Force and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory. The agency works with small businesses and startups to address military challenges.

“DIA is honored to begin working with [the Air Combat Command] to use real-time cortisol sensing to help pilots monitor, manage and optimize their cognitive and physical performance,” DIA said at the time.

CEO and co-founder Sloane Tilley is a former global product manager at BD. When she was working toward a doctorate at the University of North Carolina, Tilley was struck by a car while riding a bicycle, suffering a broken back and broken leg and developing PTSD. She came to believe that the integration of physical and mental health was disjointed and decided to seek a solution.

“I really struggled to come back from that—both in my academic and athletic pursuits—because there just wasn’t a way to measure my holistic health,” she said.

EV Edison

Kearny-based EV Edison develops high-powered electric vehicle charging solutions. Last year, the company achieved full proof of concept for a platform to deliver mobile EV charging to small, medium and heavy-duty vehicles, establishing EV charging sites “on-demand.” For that, EV Edison won a grant from the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology through its Pilot Clean Tech Demonstration Grant Program. The funding is aimed at supporting startup companies working in the alternative energy space.

EV Edison was spun out of Power Edison to focus on EV charging. Its flagship project is a 200 megawatt super charging hub in Kearny – the country’s largest such project – on a 130-acre site near Interstate 95, Port Newark and Newark airport. The company says it leverages mobile and stationary technologies in the development of its network of national EV charging hubs.

In 2023, it received an award from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority from the agency’s Angel Investor Tax Credit program. Under the ATC, an investor is eligible to receive a 20% refundable tax credit by investing in a qualified New Jersey emerging technology business.

“The ATC continues to be a vital component of EV Edison’s success in attracting investment and delivering innovation to meet New Jersey’s clean energy goals,” EV Edison President David Daly said at the time. “With our partnership with the NJEDA, we are committed to further expanding our New Jersey-based operations while bringing the benefits of clean technology to traditionally underserved communities through workforce development and supplier diversity.”

Gather

Gather builds compact and easy-to-transport robotic farm equipment that requires minimal set up and training and is accessible and easy to implement for operations of all sizes. The gear increases efficiency during harvests while promoting worker safety.

Earlier this year, the company received a grant from the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology. Through its Food and Agriculture Research & Development Pilot Seed Grant Program, CSIT awarded over $500,000 in funding to seven startups. The grant funding is aimed at supporting Garden State startups in the development of commercially viable technologies that combat food insecurity. This includes helping to increase access to nutritious foods and alleviating food deserts.

“Congratulations to the seven grant awardees,” said CSIT chair and BioNJ President and CEO Debbie Hart. “We commend these companies for their work in developing potentially groundbreaking technologies and innovative solutions to address food insecurity and related issues across the state – and that could become solutions for the world.”

A demonstration video on the Gather website shows two workers unloading a simple robot from a pickup truck. The machine is then shown working alongside human farmworkers at a vineyard, moving grapes between the vines.

Handspring Health

Handspring Health is a behavioral health company focused on children and families. In 2022, the company closed a $6.2 million seed round led by Newark Venture Partners and NextView Ventures. 25madison Ventures, Arkitekt Ventures and Quantum Angels also participated.

The company was founded in 2021 by Sahil Choudhry, of Jersey City, and Kwasi Kyei.

Choudhry and Kyei both have backgrounds in digital health investments. With Handspring, they’re working to expand options for care with an omnichannel experience that offers greater accessibility to care and looks to empower children.

“We are living through a pandemic of mental and behavioral health disorders among children and adolescents,” Choudhry said after announcing the seed round. “Today, 1-in-5 children in the U.S. have a diagnosable mental health disorder. The health care system is failing our children, as systemic barriers have made it impossible for families to find care that’s accessible. When looking for care, families often face unaffordable rates that are not covered by insurance, or waitlists that are several months long.”

Handspring said the funding would help accelerate the expansion of its clinical team through hiring, launching modern facilities here, investing in technology and patient experience, setting up payor partners and expanding into new markets, according to the company’s announcement.

Hydronos Labs

Hydronos Labs develops a structured data layer for the global weather and climate risk transfer market through its TerraCognos software platform. The platform uses the complementary strengths of satellite observations, ground-based sensor networks, computational climate reanalysis, advanced hydrologic modeling, and short-term to seasonal weather forecasting.

The company was founded in 2020 by Colby Fisher and Joe Studholme who worked together on a project at Princeton University to develop and commercialize state-of-the-art global hydrological modeling, data and analytics. According to the company’s website, the pair realized that the high cost of commercial climate risk assessment platforms was prohibitive for all but the largest companies. They identified a critical need for open access data analysis platforms that enable smaller companies, state and local agencies, individuals, researchers, and nonprofits to understand and mitigate weather and climate risks.

The company was among the first cohort of the New Jersey Fintech Accelerator at Stevens Institute of Technology, announced last year. The program offers entrepreneurs a platform to drive innovation across the state. Benefits include mentorship, funding resources, collaboration opportunities and more.

Earlier this year, Hydronos received a grant from the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology – one of seven startups in the clean energy space to receive such an award.

Inception AI

Princeton-based Inception AI is the developer of Infinity, a customizable AI platform built to streamline U.S. immigration workflows. According to the company’s LinkedIn page, Inception builds cognitive technology frameworks that mimic human behavior, allowing users to automate intricate tasks, refine decision-making and achieve unparalleled efficiency.

Infinity extracts information from passports, visas, educational documents and scanned images. The platform’s AI automation engine uses that data to complete visa documentation without manual intervention. By integrating with any CMS and DMS, automating updates and streamlining document handling, Infinity saves time and resources — allowing firms to focus on exceptional client service.

Inception AI says it specializes in designing machine learning software to automate business processes. Its intelligent automation solutions help organizations optimize operations, minimize costs and secure a competitive edge in the marketplace. The company uses statistical techniques, machine learning algorithms, and data mining to analyze both historical and current data, equipping businesses with insights to forecast future events or behaviors.

iView Therapeutics

iView Therapeutics bills itself as a clinical stage biotechnology firm focusing on innovative ophthalmic treatments. The Cranbury-based company says it is committed to the treatment of ocular diseases with unmet medical needs through small molecule drugs and gene therapy.

The company focuses on novel mechanisms combined with a proprietary drug delivery technology, which allows it to bring to bear highly differentiated assets with potentially superior target product profiles. Its portfolio now includes products to treat acute infectious conjunctivitis, dry eye disease, myopia and glaucoma.

In January, iView announced an A++ investment round. The funds will be used to advance its ocular research and development projects, particularly the clinical development of IVW-1001, a novel TRPM8 agonist targeting improvement of both sign and symptoms for dry eye patients. The project has completed a Phase 1/2 clinical trial across 10 clinical sites in the U.S., with the release of data expected in the first quarter. Following the evaluation of clinical data, the company plans to meet with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine the next steps for pivotal clinical studies.

“2024 marks a significant milestone in the development of IVIEW Therapeutics,” said Dr. Bo Liang, the company’s co-founder, chairman and CEO at the time. “The successful completion of phase 1/2 clinical trial for IVW-1001 project ahead of schedule has provided us strong confidence to advance to the next stage.

Like Air

LikeAir Puffcorn snacks are healthy options for snacking, offering low calorie, non-GMO and gluten-free products that contain no artificial ingredients, flavors or preservatives.

According to the company, unlike traditional popcorn, Like Air’s Puffcorn doesn’t contain hulls or kernels, making it easily digestible.

Last year, sibling founders Allison Lin, Steve Atieh and Kevin Atieh appeared on ABC’s “Shark Tank” and negotiated a deal with investors Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban, agreeing to give them 10% in exchange for $300,000 backing.

“Our goal has always been to create a snack that not only satisfies cravings but elevates the entire snacking experience. We’re proud to have created a snack that can be enjoyed by everyone, ages 6 months to 106 years old,” Lin said.

In addition, the Madison-based company was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the country’s fastest-growing companies in 2024, ranking at No. 55. In addition to its website and Amazon.com, Like Air Puffcorn can be found at more than 3,500 retailers nationwide, including ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Wegmans and Kroger.

“We have a very creative social media strategy with daily giveaways to get people talking about our snacks,” Lin told BakeryandSnacks.com.

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