From providing members of the trans and queer community with personalized healthcare to making EV roadmaps, read on to learn what went down last week on the Boston tech startup scene. This is the Built In Boston weekly refresh.
Local companies are unaffected by the pandemic. A survey conducted by Venture Lane and others showed that 75 percent of Boston startups have completely bounced back or made more progress than before the onset of COVID-19. Of the new companies that were polled, those in healthcare were among the top performers having seen abundant recent innovations and funding in 2020. [Built In Boston]
Catapult is expanding downtown. With plans to construct a new physical office location in downtown Boston, the sportstech company is looking ahead to an imminent hiring push. The company produces wearable analytics and video tech for sports and is constructing its second Boston location in anticipation of acquiring more local engineering talent. [Boston Business Journal]
Boston Tech Quote of the Week
Folx Health raised $4.4M. The startup will use the seed funding to further its mission to provide accessible healthcare to members of the trans and queer community. Folx offers services to its members without the challenging stipulations of health insurance. The company currently operates in six states and plans to expand its services nationwide by next month. [Built In Boston]
Massachusetts takes a step toward a facial recognition tech ban. Massachusetts lawmakers in both the state House and Senate have voted to ban the controversial tech across statewide public agencies. The measure will next head to the governor. The Boston City Council has already decided to ban its police department from using it with very specific exceptions. Getting rid of facial recognition is expected to decrease the rate of wrongful arrests due to misidentification. [Built In Boston]
Boston is going green. Mayor Marty Walsh is pushing for new electric vehicle-friendly innovations, and is partnering with energy provider Eversource to make them happen. With the installation of EV charging stations and roadmaps designed specifically for zero-emission vehicles, Walsh is looking to help create a more sustainable future for the city amid the ongoing climate crisis. [The Next Web]
