Our latest startup radar spotlight showcases a unique blend of new and seasoned entrepreneurs leveraging their expertise from companies such as Amazon and Box to explore ideas in childcare, video metadata, social work, cybersecurity, and local business support. We are excited to have Jenn Wrenn Henry, the managing partner at Seattle-based startup investing group VentureUs, share her quick “VC View” insights for each of these early-stage companies.
Keep reading to delve deeper into these startups. You can also explore previous startup radar spotlights here and reach out to me at taylor@geekwire.com to highlight other companies and startup news.
Established: 2024
Overview: Aira Security offers real-time analysis of AI agent behavior, identifying risky actions and enforcing custom security measures without compromising performance. The goal is to ensure AI tools make secure decisions. Aira recently joined the Nvidia Inception Program.
Leadership: CEO Mohan Kumar brings over ten years of security engineering experience from roles at various companies. Co-founder Naveen Mahavishnu serves as a generative AI security engineer at Amazon Web Services, with prior experience at Box.
VC View from Jenn Wrenn Henry: “Aira Security, an AI-native security startup, fills a crucial gap in the market, offering disruptive solutions or acquisition opportunities for established players. With founders like Mohan and Naveen at the helm, possessing deep expertise in this rapidly evolving field, their timing could be ideal for success.”
Established: 2024
Overview: Concier AI provides an AI-powered virtual assistant tailored for local service businesses such as nightclubs, beauty spas, and dental clinics. By replacing traditional contact forms with AI-driven conversational interfaces, the company aims to enhance lead conversions and reduce response times for its early customers.
Leadership: CEO Sunny Pei, a former product leader at Microsoft and T-Mobile, leads the team. Co-founder Yupeng Xie brings senior engineering experience from Airbnb and Amazon.
VC View: “SMBs are increasingly receptive to AI solutions that streamline operations and cut costs. Concier AI’s product-market fit appears robust, but the key challenge lies in building a scalable go-to-market strategy that unlocks profitability within the SMB segment.”
Established: 2025
Overview: Empathium offers a software platform to assist social workers in their academic and professional training. By integrating theory with AI-powered simulations, the company targets social work students and university programs. The recent pitch competition win at AI House underscores their potential.
Leadership: Founder and CEO Andrea Goubeaux brings experience from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where she managed electronic health record projects. Andrea’s background includes co-founding a trauma-informed birth support program and serving as a field education program director at Wright State University.
VC View: “Simulations are gaining traction as effective training tools across various fields, with social work being a particularly diverse and impactful domain. Empathium’s insider perspective, coupled with a clear purpose and empathy-driven approach, positions them well for early adoption. However, to achieve significant growth, diversifying into a broader platform or expanding across sectors will be crucial.”
Established: 2025
Overview: Rosie operates a marketplace connecting caregivers with families through a personalized concierge model, addressing the challenges of finding reliable childcare solutions for parents. The company has launched its beta version for Seattle-area families.
Leadership: CEO Mitra Raman, with prior roles at Ro, Glossier, and Pave, leads the team. Co-founder Karthika Shankar brings over a decade of experience at Amazon in various recruiting capacities.
VC View: “The caregiver search process on platforms like Care.com often overwhelms families and leaves caregivers underserved. Rosie has an opportunity to disrupt this space by offering trust, simplicity, and user-centric design. In a category where brand reputation is as vital as technological innovation, Rosie’s focus on these aspects will be critical.”
Established: 2023
Overview: Stronghold Labs assists media companies in automating video archive organization and exploring new content monetization avenues through AI integration. Partnering with Dr. Phil’s streaming network Merit Street Media, the company aims to disrupt the TV video metadata market.
Leadership: CEO Pete Schwab, a Fire TV team founding member at Amazon, leads the company. Co-founder Joe Schwab, previously a semiconductor technician at Applied Materials, now serves as Stronghold’s CTO.
VC View: “While numerous startups explore AI applications in video content, Stronghold Labs targets a lucrative customer segment with significant ROI potential. Their focus on monetizing existing media assets positions them uniquely, offering not just a compelling but measurable value proposition.”
