Los Angeles is one of the most famous and well-respected startup ecosystems in the world, with the city creating and housing numerous top startups. There are countless tech startups that have emerged from LA in recent years, and the city shows no signs of slowing down.

LA startups have significantly more opportunities compared to other places in the world when it comes to accessing funding. With over 120 VC firms managing a total of $9.1 Billion in assets, the startup ecosystem in Los Angeles is worth $119 Billion– nearly four times greater than the global average of $28.6 Billion.

Los Angeles also has an exceptional pool of tech talent to choose from, with the area being the ninth-best region in North America for this type of talent. These talents particularly emerge from USC, UCLA, CalTech, and UC Irvine-which are all world-renowned universities.

LA is a great place to be a startup. If you have an idea and the talent, there are plenty of resources available to help get your business off the ground.

Top Los Angeles Startups To Watch

Los Angeles is home to many innovative startups, which keeps the business scene exciting. With all the negative noise surrounding the recession, it’s easy to forget that there are still companies out there working hard. These so-called “unicorn” startups are reminders that LA is still a thriving place for businesses despite economic hardships.

So, if you’re feeling a little down about the state of your industry, take a look at this list of 30 top Los Angeles startups to watch in 2023. These businesses are growing rapidly, attracting top talent, and making a real impact on their respective industries.

LA Startups to Watch in 2023

Here’s our list of the top Los Angeles startups that you need to keep an eye on in 2023:

Health Startups

Starting a health startup in 2020 may seem like a bold move, but there are many opportunities in the industry for those who are willing to take the risk. From developing new treatments to improving access to care, health startups are making a real impact on the lives of people all over the world.

Here are top health startups based in Los Angeles that you should keep an eye on in 2023:

Kernel

Kernel is a startup based in LA that was founded in 2016. The company specializes in the neurosciences niche of medicine and focuses on researching and developing new, more convenient brain-recording technologies that are just as accurate and effective as their more invasive counterparts.

The company has successfully raised $107 million from six investors through two startup funding rounds since it was founded, with the most recent taking place in July 2020. Kernel is currently working on commercializing its first product, which is expected to launch in the next few years.

Ruth Health

Ruth Health is a telehealth clinic and care hub for pregnancy and women’s health. It offers a range of services for those planning to have children, expecting parents, and postpartum parents alike, including pelvic floor training and recovery, c-section recovery, and more.

The startup has raised a total of $3.1 million from 15 investors over four rounds of startup funding, with the most recent taking place in December 2020. Ruth Health is currently operational in Los Angeles, but they are planning to expand to more cities in the near future.

Heal

Heal is a healthcare startup that was founded in 2014 and is based in Los Angeles, California. The company offers a convenient, on-demand doctor house call service that makes it easy for patients to get the care they need without having to leave their homes.

Heal offers easy and convenient phone support for questions or appointments from 8am to 6pm every day of the week, including weekends and holidays.

Heal has raised a total of $164.1 million from 34 investors over five rounds of startup funding, with the most recent taking place in February 2021. The company is currently operational in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County but is planning to expand to more areas in the near future.

Regard

Regard is a health-tech start-up that is easy for physicians to use. It takes historical patient data, automates note-taking, and recommends diagnoses. As a result, it enables physicians to practice easier and administrators can spend time on improving the industry as a whole.

Founded in 2017, Regard has raised a total of $20.4 million from 13 investors over three rounds of seed funding, with the most recent taking place in December 2020.

Consumer Startups

Consumer startups are a dime a dozen, but these LA-based companies are worth paying attention to in 2023.

WhatNot

Whatnot is an online marketplace designed for people who want to buy, sell, or trade collectibles and other items with like-minded individuals. You can also go live on Whatnot to show off your collection or talk about your interests with other users.

On Whatnot Marketplace, there are two ways to purchase items: you can either click the “Buy Now” button on any product page to immediately buy the item at that price, or Click the “Make Offer” button if you want to haggle and offer a lower price than what is currently being offered.

WhatNot has raised a whopping $484.7 million from 27 investors in just four rounds of startup funding since the company was founded in 2020.

Thrilling

Founded in 2018, Thrilling helps people find hidden gems by buying and selling vintage and secondhand items. The company operates an online marketplace to limit waste and the team has more than 100 stores across 15 cities across the United States. The coolest feature is the ‘Shop by Decade’ which lets you choose what style you’re interested in.

Thrilling has raised a total of $10.7 million from 8 investors through four rounds of startup funding.

Reel

Reel is the solution for those who want to shop debt-free. You can pay for what you want in installment savings, without worrying about buy-now-pay-later schemes that will only leave you in more debt than before. Reel also provides motivational goals and price alerts so that you can stay on track with your payments and save money in the long run.

The LA-based startup, which was founded in May 2021, has raised ten rounds of funding from ten investors, totaling $250,000. Reel is currently only available to US users.

Toucan

Toucan is an educational technology platform that makes language learning more efficient by scanning the text of whatever users are reading and converting certain words and phrases into those of a chosen language. This allows readers to learn quickly while they remain productive on other tasks.

The startup has raised a total of $7.5 million from 18 investors over three rounds of startup funding, with the most recent taking place in February 2019. Toucan is currently operational in Los Angeles, California and they are planning to expand to more cities in the near future.

Subject

Subject is an accredited learning platform startup that was founded in 2020 and is currently based in LA, California. The company offers a custom-built curriculum made by teachers on their online platform. They provide courses for all ages across a broad range of subjects, including core classes, electives, and more.

The company has raised a total of $34.7 Million from 40 investors over the course of 4 rounds of startup funding, with the most recent taking place in March 2022. They are currently working on expanding their reach by partnering with school districts, educational organizations, and more.

Real Estate Startups

Real estate startups are plentiful, but these two LA-based companies are definitely worth keeping an eye on in 2023.

Sugar

Sugar is a black/African American and women-led start-up company based in Los Angeles that works in the hospitality, real estate, software, location-based services, and property management industries. Its aim is to provide residents of residential communities with better experiences by creating a portal where they can communicate with each other and schedule events.

Founded in 2019, Sugar raised $3.5 million from 23 investors in a seed funding round. The company plans to use the funds to expand its engineering and product teams, as well as to grow its sales and marketing efforts.

Crexi

Crexi has created a platform that makes buying a home easier for both buyers and agents. By utilizing data, Crexi offers a variety of tools to manage every detail of the transaction from listing to closing.

The company was founded in 2015 and has raised a total of $54 million from 17 investors in Series C funding, with the most recent taking place in February 2020. In addition to their LA headquarters, they also have an office in New York City.

FinTech Startups

These FinTech startups are based in Los Angeles and are worth watching out for in 2023:

Vanilla

Vanilla provides estate specialists and wealth advisors with an easy way to integrate estate plans with financial data, delivering interactive visuals and on-demand reports. With Vanilla, you can quickly grow your business while delivering unique advice. The easy-to-use platform makes the estate planning process less hassle and grief, which leads to better client outcomes.

Founded in 2019, Vanilla has raised $41.6 million from six investors in two rounds of startup funding. The company is based in Los Angeles and currently serves clients in the US.

Sunbit

Sunbit is a buy now, pay later technology that was founded in 2016. It allows consumers to get the items they need from more than 7300 businesses, ranging from car dealerships and dentists to other local service providers and retailers.

Since it was founded, the company has raised $210 million from 17 investors through seven rounds of startup funding. The most recent round took place in May 2021.

Papaya

Papaya allows customers to easily pay their bills through online mobile apps and advanced payment technology. Customers simply take a picture of their bill, which will then be paid automatically. This means customers can worry less about paying their bills.

Founded in 2016, Papaya has raised $65.1 million from thirteen investors in three rounds of startup funding. The company is based in Los Angeles, CA, and is currently only available to US users.

Groundswell

Groundswell is a SaaS platform for philanthropic giving that makes it easy for individuals, families, and businesses to find the right causes and make tax-deductible donations. With Groundswell, you can easily keep track of your philanthropy and impact.

It allows companies to establish foundations for their employees and then match employee contributions. In other words, Groundswell makes charitable giving an employee benefit! Furthermore, users have access to tax-free investment opportunities, customized giving experiences, and multiple tools and features to create global impact.

Founded in 2021, the startup has raised a $15 million seed round of funding. Groundswell is based in Los Angeles, CA, and is currently only available to US-based employees.

Web3 Startups

Web3 is the latest internet technology that provides increased security and efficiency in web applications. These Los Angeles startups are utilizing Web3 to innovate their products and services.

Afterparty

Afterparty is a technology company that has developed the new Web3 platform. This allows creators to directly monetize and manage NFT collector relationships. With this platform, creators can connect with their fans and supporters by hosting token-gated experiences in the metaverse and in real life. This way, they can directly monetize their creative works.

Founded in 2021, Afterparty has raised $7 million from twenty-three investors in just two rounds of startup funding. The company is still in its early stages but is already making waves in the industry with its innovative platform. The LA-based startup was co-founded by former Google Adsense creator, Eytan Elbaz.

Autograph

Autograph is an NFT platform that collects the most iconic brands and legendary names in sports, entertainment, and culture to create unique digital collections and experiences for users around the world. Tom Brady, NFL quarterback and current co-founder of Autograph, is enabling the company to create partnerships never seen before.

The startup has raised an enormous round of $205 million from nine investors in a seed round of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and its platform is currently used by sports fans and collectors around the world.

Gaming Startups

Gaming is another super difficult industry to make it in, but don’t give up hope yet because these 5 Los Angeles startups are doing just that.

Hidden Leaf Games

Hidden Leaf Games is a video game development studio working to create player-vs.-player video games that focus on competitive mastery, core progression, and social play.

Founded in 2019, Hidden Leaf Games has raised $3.2 million from five investors in a seed round of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and its games are currently available on PC, Mac, iOS, and Android devices.

Mythical Games

Mythical Games is an innovative startup that focuses on developing the next-generation gaming engine. Their aim is to create an ecosystem where assets are owned by players, which increases engagement and overall enjoyment. The company was founded in 2018 and is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

The company has raised $260 million from 38 investors through six rounds of startup funding since we were founded, with our most recent round completed in November 2021. We’ve also completed three acquisitions.

Elodie Games

Elodie Games connect gamers around the world by creating games with deep co-op gameplay and endlessly engaging experiences. Their games are easy to pick up but hard to master, with something for everyone.

Founded in 2019, Elodie Games has raised $37.5 million from five investors in a seed round of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and its games are currently available on PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch.

Metafy

Metafy created a virtual coaching platform for video gamers seeking to make money from their talents by teaching them how to monetize and earn through gaming. This is done via educational courses that provide these individuals with the required skillsets.

Launched in 2020, the company is based in Los Angeles and has raised $33.7 million from 27 investors in a Series A round of funding. The platform is available on PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch.

PlayVS

Founded in 2018, PlayVS is a startup based in LA that has created a platform for colleges and high schools to host and create their own e-sports tournaments. This provides a safe environment for students to compete against each other while gaming.

PlayVS has raised a whopping $106.2 million from 28 investors in five rounds of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and their platform is currently used by colleges and high schools in the US to host e-sports tournaments.

Social Media Startups

These startups’ primary focus is on social connections, be it online or in the real world– making them worth your attention in 2023.

Intro

Intro makes it easy to book the world’s most in-demand experts and get advice over a video call. It solves a major pain point, but it’s also more than just that.

At its core, Intro provides people with a direct way to connect with and learn from others who they may have never had access to otherwise. Intro’s goal is that users will be able to find answers to all sorts of questions on our platform – everything from interior design tips to entrepreneurial advice.

Founded in 2020, Intro has raised $10 million from eight investors in two rounds of startup funding. The company is based in Los Angeles, CA and is currently available to everyone worldwide.

Blavity

Blavity is a unique media and technology company in that it creates content, products, and services specifically with black millennials in mind. Not only does the platform provide an outlet for creativity, but it also informs communities of color through interesting and engaging content.

Blavity has raised $9.4 million from 9 investors in three rounds of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and their products and services are currently used by black millennials in the US.

Food Tech Startups

These startups are changing the food industry as we know it, making them worth watching out for in 2023.

Kitchen United

Kitchen United is a ghost kitchen startup that provides fully-equipped commercial kitchens to restaurants that don’t have their own brick-and-mortar locations. This way, they can focus on what they’re good at– cooking delicious food– while leaving the logistics to us.

Founded in 2016, Kitchen United has raised $150 million from 23 investors in four rounds of startup funding. The company is based in Pasadena, CA, and currently operates kitchens in nineteen US cities.

CloudKitchens

CloudKitchens is a ghost kitchen startup that provides shared kitchen space for restaurants that want to expand their delivery operations. The company has a network of over 100 kitchens in the US and Canada, and they are expanding rapidly.

CloudKitchens has raised $1.3 billion from 3 investors in an undisclosed round of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and its platform is currently being used by restaurants in the US and beyond. Travis Kalanick, previously the CEO of Uber, is now a founder of the startup.

Even though layoffs are on the horizon, we think CloudKitchens is a startup worth monitoring as the industry continues to expand.

Artificial Intelligence Startups

AI technologies are being developed and used in a number of different industries, making these startups worth your attention in 2023. AI isn’t new, but it’s complex to learn and even harder to execute well.

Elementary Robotics

Elementary is a robotics startup that built a platform for applying machine learning to the logistics industries. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Los Angeles, CA.

Founded in 2017, Elementary has raised $47.5 million from 12 investors in a seed round of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and its platform is currently being used by logistics companies in the US and Europe.

LinearB

LinearB provides an analytical platform to increase productivity with data-driven insights. The goal is to give development teams the tools they need to improve performance and speed up delivery times.

Founded in 2017, LinearB has raised $70.6 million from seven investors in a Series B round of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and its platform is currently used by software development companies in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Logistics, Transportation Startups

This is one of the most complex and cost-intensive industries, which is ripe for startups to come in and innovate. These startups are worth your attention in 2023.

Dray Alliance

Dray Alliance is a trucking industry with a technology platform that makes deliveries to warehouses simple, predictable, and transparent. Dray Alliance seamlessly connects shippers with a nationwide network of trusted trucking carriers, providing real-time tracking and visibility throughout the entire delivery process.

Dray Alliance has raised $55 million from 15 investors in a seed round of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and their platform is currently being used by trucking companies in the US and Canada.

Mothership

Mothership is a logistics startup that provides on-demand warehousing and fulfillment services to eCommerce businesses.

Founded in 2017, Mothership has raised $76 million from four investors in a seed round of financing. The company is based in Los Angeles and its platform is currently

Spartan Radar

Spartan Radar offers biomimetic automotive radar solutions that improve safety, increase resolution, and reduce latency. Its proprietary software is built on years of experience in aerospace and defense, giving you a better way to see the world.

Spartan Radar has raised $25 million from ten investors in a Series A round of financing. The company’s radar technology is currently being used by automotive manufacturers in the US and Europe.

How These Startups Will Impact the Future

These startups are changing the landscape of their respective industries, making them worth watching out for in 2023. Their innovative solutions to complex problems are sure to have a ripple effect that will be felt for years to come.

Artificial intelligence, robotics, and logistics are just a few of the industries that these startups are innovating. They are changing the way that we interact with the world and improving efficiency in a number of different industries. These startups are worth your attention in 2023!

What Were Our Selection Criteria?

To select the top Los Angeles startups, we looked at a number of different factors. We considered the amount of funding that they have raised, their impact on their respective industries, and their growth potential. We also took into account the team’s experience and the quality of their product.

We know there are many others that could have made our list. These are just a few of the top Los Angeles startups that we think are worth your attention in 2023!

If you know of a startup that you think should be on our list, please feel free to reach out and let us know! We would love to hear from you.