These are the 8 best startups to watch for in Austin, according to LinkedIn data

As Austin has become a favorite city for young professionals over the past few decades, the city has attracted large tech companies from Oracle to X. The city has also created a robust startup environment nurturing small businesses that might replicate the success of Austin staples such as Dell and Kendra Scott.

To rank the best startups in Austin, LinkedIn used data from its website to determine employment growth, engagement, job interest and attraction of top talent. Here is the complete list in LinkedIn's first-ever rankings:

Saronic Technologies: defense and space manufacturing

Saronic Technologies is seeking to redefine maritime security through the development of improved sensors and surveillance systems, advanced communication technologies, situational awareness tools and tracking equipment.

The company was founded in 2022 and already boasts 160 full-time employees in the Austin area. The company made waves, literally, with its development of a drone boat and $175 million raised in series B funding.

Nuclein: biotechnology research

The flagship product for Nuclein is the DASH machine, which is a rapid PCR system and SARS-CoV-2 test piece of technology. The company also provides other medical devices and biotechnology services.

The company was founded in 2017 and has 40 full-time employees at its Austin headquarters. It has raised $23.21 million in four rounds of funding.

Closinglock: software development

Closinglock provides fraud prevention technology for real estate transactions with services that cover identity verification, secure payments and document sharing.

The company started in 2017 after Abigail White almost saw a client lose money because of a phishing email. In conjunction with her husband, Andy, she was inspired to found Closinglock. The company has 60 employees in Austin and secured $12 million in series A funding earlier this year.

Backd Business Funding: financial services

Backd Business Funding specializes in small business funding that creates effective and intimate relationships with clients. The company offers BackdPay—a B2B buy now, pay later option businesses can provide to their clients.

The company was started in 2018 by brothers Xan and Michail Myburgh. It has 45 employees in the Austin area. Not much is known about the company's potential valuation, but reporting from 2022 suggests it has access to millions in funding.

Curative: hospitals and health care

Curative was able to launch a first-of-its-kind employer-based health care insurance plan. The company has said it places an emphasis on simplicity, pay transparency and affordability.

Founded in 2020, Curative is the biggest company on this list, with 210 employees in the Austin area. As of 2024, it is believed that the company has raised at least $8 million after its latest round of funding.

CesiumAstro: defense and space manufacturing

CesiumAstro engineers and manufactures communications modules, payloads, and satellites for space and airborne applications. The company's multidomain solutions enable a diverse range of commercial and defense applications.

Founded in 2017, the company has 140 employees reporting to its Bee Cave headquarters. In June, CesiumAstro raised $65 million in series B+ funding.

Fox Robotics: automation machinery manufacturing

Fox Robotics is focused on perfecting warehouse automation. It has developed automated forklifts and claims it has the only equipment capable of more complicated tasks such as trailer unloading.

Like many of the companies on this list, Fox Robotics was started in 2017, and it now has 90 employees in the Austin area. The company just raised $38 million over five rounds from 14 investors, and in 2022, it saw $20 million in funding that was led by BMW.

Made In: manufacturing

Made In specializes in high-quality kitchen items such as pots, pans and silverware. The company was founded in 2017 and now sees its kitchenware used in multiple three-star restaurants in places such as Chicago and New York.

The company has 40 employees in Austin and just raised $8.33 million from a group of 16 investors.

Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email