7 startups value watching in 2025
In 2024, the startup climate is as diverse as ever. See which revolutionary ideas cut through the noise.
1. CuspAI
It would not be a roundup of “startups to watch” and not using a post on generative artificial intelligence, right? While there are many AI platforms nowadays, Cusp AI is an revolutionary startup that has developed AI search engine with a surprise.
CuspAI’s major service works like a materials search engine – users can enter the properties they need materials to have, and the platform will generate the chemical composition needed to achieve them. According to the Cusp team, its technology will find a way to help produce recent materials needed in climate technologies, in particular carbon capture.
CuspAI co-founders Professor Max Welling and Dr Chad Edwards. Source: CuspAI
Even though this revolutionary product was created only in 2024, it has already gained a variety of fans. Most importantly, the startup has already raised $30 million to help it achieve its mission of promoting AI-designed materials to fight climate change.
“In the same way that search engines made the Internet possible, we believe we are on the cusp of a world where you can search a very, very large space of new materials and molecules to discover new materials with exactly the properties you want. We believe we are entering the era of “on-demand materials” – CuspAI Co-Founder and CEO Chad Edwards
CuspAI is also getting attention from some pretty names in the tech industry, including Google Deepmind operators Mehdi Ghissassi and Dorothy Chou, who participated in the project as business angels. That’s why, as AI-powered search engines grow in popularity, we’re excited to see environment-centric tools like CuspAI take center stage.
2. Sunday
As AI mania continues to grip most industries, Suno AI has become one of the biggest success stories of 2024.
An innovative artificial intelligence music creation platform – created by Anthropic – allows users to generate complete songs from simple text prompts or audio input. Even though the startup only launched in December 2023, it has already been covered by Rolling Stone and Bloomberg, and its social media following grew by 200% in the first half of the year.
Suno AI allows you to create songs using simple prompts or audio clips. Source: Suno AI
Following the success of its $125 million funding round in May, the startup has also launched an Android version of its mobile app, making its services available to a wide range of users.
While the startup has gained its fair share of critics, the growing number of users suggests that the platform is hugely popular among the public. Whether or not you enjoy AI music, one thing is certain – Suno will continue to disrupt the music industry in 2025.
3.PolyGone
The rise of microplastics is one of the biggest environmental crises we face in 2024, with approximately 358 trillion particles of microplastics currently floating on the surface of oceans around the world. Fortunately, New Jersey startup PolyGone decides to do something about it.
PolyGone is developing natural microplastic filter technology and has created a product called “Plastic Hunter” that captures microplastic contaminants using biometric root filters that mimic the structure of aquatic plants.
Members of the PolyGone team in Atlantis City, New Jersey. source: PolyGone
This product is the world’s first portable microplastic collection device, representing a significant breakthrough in the field of sustainability. Data from the filter can also provide users with insight into microplastic pollution levels in different environments, helping us monitor contamination in rural and urban waterways.
Talking about why the startup is geared towards fighting microplastics, co-founder Yidian Lu explains: “Well, there are two factors that make it very concerning. They are in lakes, rivers, oceans, they are everywhere. And once they are washed into the environment, it is almost impossible to collect them again.”
As the microplastic crisis worsens 12 months by 12 months, we hope PolyGone continues to gain popularity in 2025.
4. Amae’s health
Amae Health is a psychiatry-led integrated care provider based in Los Angeles, California. The startup provides specialized care for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and uses a data-driven approach to provide patients with simpler and personalized treatment.
The clinic also takes an integrated approach, combining physical care with treatment for serious mental illnesses, which investors are taking notice of.
Amae Health’s friendly community center and clinic in Lon Angeles. Source: Amae Health
Even though it won’t open until 2022, 2024 was an enormous 12 months for Amae Health. In April, the startup closed a $15 million A round to advance its growth plans. Founders Sonia Garcia and Staś Sokolin intend to use the cash to open clinics in New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Houston and Texas.
In December, Amae Health secured one other $6 million from nonprofit health system Cedars-Sinai as a part of a two-year partnership between the organizations. This partnership includes the combination of electronic health records to improve patient referrals and foster higher collaboration amongst them.
As the U.S. health care system continues to provide gaps in mental health care despite rising case numbers, we’re excited to see recent Amae Health clinics popping up across the country in 2025.
5. Shine genius
GlossGenius is a salon and spa software platform designed to help beauty and wellness professionals manage their operations. From helping users manage reservations to streamlining payment processes and customer relationships, the software provides a one-stop shop for beauty and wellness businesses of all sizes.
GlossGenius helps salon and spa owners manage their operations. Source: GlossGenius
Founded by Danielle Cohen-Shohet in 2016, the startup has already had several successful years, but in 2024 it goes from strength to strength. Following several successful funding rounds in 2023, GlossGenius has secured a complete of $72.2 million in funding this 12 months, which it intends to leverage for continued growth.
The platform continues to be trusted by wellness and sweetness professionals across the U.S., and we’re excited to see it shine in 2025 and beyond.
6. Magic School
Although highschool teachers will not be at all times the carriers of cutting-edge technology, intelligent solutions corresponding to artificial intelligence can dynamically improve learning outcomes – something MagicSchool is well aware of.
MagicSchool is an internet site and extension for Google Chrome that offers teachers access to a collection of AI tools that help them teach more effectively. Founded by Adeel Khan in Boulder, Colorado, the generative artificial intelligence platform goals to revolutionize education for K-12 students by offering educators over 60 AI tools.
Magic School gives burnt-out teachers access to over 160 time-saving AI features. Source: School of Magic
At a time when highschool teachers are forced to work a mean of 53 hours per week, the corporate also goals to reduce teacher burnout by reducing teacher workload. Even though the startup was founded only in 2023, it has already raised over $20.3 million to further develop its services.
With a dynamic suite of AI tools used to improve the education of roughly 1 million students across the U.S., we’re excited to see the startup fully work its magic in 2025 and beyond.
7. Chain link laboratories
We couldn’t mention the fastest-growing startups of 2024 without mentioning blockchain.
Chainlink Labs is the first developer of Chainlink, a decentralized computing platform that connects blockchains to off-chain data and computing resources. Pioneering the best way blockchains connect reliably to the “real world”, Chainlink helps create verifiable applications for sectors corresponding to global trade, gaming, banking and more.
Blockchain bootcamp at Chainlink Labs. Source: Chainlink Laboratories
Founded in 2014 by serial entrepreneur and software engineer Sergei Nazarov and Steve Ellis, Chainlink Labs will not be an early-stage startup. However, 2024 was an enormous 12 months for the software services company. Not only were they named one in all the The most revolutionary corporations of 2024 according to Fast Companythey’ve also expanded their services and integrated them with “hybrid smart contracts” and partnered with recent corporations corresponding to Microsoft, DigiFT and SBI Digital Markets.
As blockchain technology is anticipated to grow much more in the approaching years – especially after Donald Trump takes office – we’re excited to follow Chainlink Labs’ next steps.
