We’re entering the challenge phase of the 2023 Big50 Hot Startup competition. Each year, the first step tends to be the hardest. That’s when I must wade through hundreds of entries, whittling them down to a manageable batch of startups that are well positioned to earn their way into the final Hot Startup Report.
The startups below have not yet earned a slot in the final report, but they are the ones judged by me and a companion judge (more on that in a second) to be the most promising ones. These startups will be invited to participate in a series of short challenges that will not only help us get to know them better, but that will also help those startups tell their stories in a chaotic media landscape. […]