Mansfield SunDown RunDown alum Root Insurance named as one of 10 startups outside Silicon Valley to watch in 2019

Silicon Valley remains the undisputed leader of the U.S. startup scene. But 2018 also left some investors envious of the exits taking place in other parts of the country — with Cisco acquiring Michigan’s Duo Security for $2.35 billion and SAP acquiring Qualtrics for $8 billion.This year proved that big exits in “nontraditional” tech hubs don’t just happen once in a blue moon. Rather, places like Ann Arbor and Salt Lake City are poised to produce even more industry leaders in fields they’re becoming known for (cybersecurity and enterprise software, respectively).With that in mind, here are 10 U.S.-based startups outside of Silicon Valley that you will want to watch in 2019. Some have already reached a unicorn valuation, while some are just past the seed round. But they’ve all passed a significant milestone for startups in their city and/or industry.DivvyHeadquarters: Lehi, UtahVC money raised: $57 millionEmployees: 150+What they do: Developer of a free, Venmo-like expense management app.Why they’re one to watch: A local investor told VentureBeat earlier this year that Divvy is “growing faster than any other company, from a revenue perspective, that we have invested in or even evaluated.” The company closed three rounds of funding in less than a year, due to high demand from investors. In 2018, Divvy added hundreds of customers every month (a spokesperson said that Divvy now has between 1,600 and 2,200 customers) and that number will likely only accelerate in 2019.Root InsuranceHeadquarters: Columbus, Ohio VC money raised: $177.5 million Employees: 250+ What they do: Sells car insurance, with quotes generated using smartphone data. Why they’re one to watch: 2019 will be a critical year for Root — the company just joined the unicorn club this year, having raised $151 million in 2018. The pressure’s on now more than ever for Root to continue its breakneck growth — the company wrote $55.6 million in direct premiums between Q1 and Q3 2018. It also expects to be selling insurance in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. by the end of 2019 — if Root is successful, that would be a big milestone.StockXHeadquarters: Detroit, MichiganVC money raised: $50 million Employees: 600 What they do: A self-described “stock market of things,” StockX facilitates the reselling of sneakers, watches, and other consumer goods at rates set by the market. StockX authenticates goods in-person before they are shipped to the buyer. Why they’re one to watch: When StockX raised its most recent VC round of $44 million in September, the company said it was facilitating a remarkable $2 million worth of transactions daily. After adding two new authentication centers in London and New Jersey this year, StockX is poised to see that number grow

Mansfield SunDown RunDown alum Root Insurance named as one of 10 startups outside Silicon Valley to watch in 2019
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