The startup ecosystem in Santa Monica is notably diverse, covering sectors from fintech and healthcare to media and consumer products.
For example, the list includes financial services firm Tala, which has secured $522M in funding. It also features Religion of Sports, a media company with founders like Tom Brady.
Below is our list of 19 Santa Monica startups worth keeping an eye on.
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Get the Sheet for $50Labs develops human enhancement technology centered on its spatial computing device, Lav Glass. Their ecosystem of augmented reality hardware and software aims to advance human capabilities and build new communities.
| Year Founded | 2025 |
| Founders | Duránd F. Davis Jr., Maya Elz Davis |
| Funding Amount | $65M |
| Startup Size | Founding Team (1-10) |
| Last Funding Status | Debt Financing |
| Top Investors | JetDebt Finance, Jet Investments Group, Davis&Davis Venture Partners, JET Venture Capital, JET VC-IRA FUND |
Tala has built a mobile-first financial platform that provides credit, payment, and savings services to millions of underserved consumers. Their work focuses on expanding financial access and choice for people in emerging markets.
| Year Founded | 2011 |
| Founders | Shivani Siroya |
| Funding Amount | $522M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Debt Financing |
| Top Investors | Stellar Development Foundation, Upstart, IVP, Kindred Ventures, Ribbit Capital |
Keeta developed a global payments platform for safely transferring money across borders. The service focuses on providing fast and secure international transactions for its users.
| Year Founded | 2022 |
| Founders | Ty Schenk |
| Funding Amount | $17M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Seed |
| Top Investors | Steel Perlot, Eric Schmidt |
Ring builds a popular line of smart home security products, including video doorbells and outdoor cameras. Their devices allow homeowners to see, hear, and speak to anyone on their property from a phone or tablet.
| Year Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | James Siminoff |
| Funding Amount | $203.7M |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Series D |
| Top Investors | Kleiner Perkins, First Round Capital, Felicis, True Ventures, DFJ Growth |
TigerConnect created a clinical collaboration platform to help healthcare organizations modernize their communication. Their widely adopted software provides secure messaging and workflow tools for doctors, nurses, and other care team members.
| Year Founded | 2010 |
| Founders | Andrew Brooks M.D., Brad Brooks |
| Funding Amount | $433.9M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Private Equity |
| Top Investors | Norwest Venture Partners, Vista Equity Partners, OrbiMed, Industry Ventures, Shasta Ventures |
Religion of Sports produces Emmy Award-winning sports content, from podcasts and docuseries to feature films. Their work explores the deeper human stories behind the game, celebrating sports as a cultural and spiritual phenomenon.
| Year Founded | 2017 |
| Founders | Gotham Chopra, Michael Strahan, Tom Brady |
| Funding Amount | $63M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Series B |
| Top Investors | Shamrock Capital Advisors, Eldridge Industries, Advancit Capital, Courtside Ventures, LionTree |
Liquid Death packages natural mountain water in infinitely recyclable cans, using a heavy metal aesthetic to stand out in the beverage aisle. The brand aims to make sustainability entertaining, promising to "murder your thirst" and plastic pollution at the same time.
| Year Founded | 2017 |
| Founders | Jon-Ryan Riggins, Mike Cessario |
| Funding Amount | $267.6M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | Bossa Invest, Live Nation Entertainment, Velvet Sea Ventures, Science, Dwight Funding |
thatgamecompany develops artistically crafted video games designed to be broadly accessible and emotionally resonant. The studio is known for award-winning titles like Journey and Sky: Children of the Light, which focus on visual storytelling and positive multiplayer experiences.
| Year Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | Jenova Chen, Kellee Santiago |
| Funding Amount | $28.8M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | Sequoia Capital, TPG, Kleiner Perkins, Benchmark, Bracket Capital |
Pixalate provides a real-time fraud protection and intelligence platform for advertisers and publishers. Their analytics help companies detect and prevent invalid traffic across desktop, mobile, and connected TV channels.
| Year Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | Jalal Nasir |
| Funding Amount | $22.8M |
| Startup Size | Founding Team (1-10) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | Kima Ventures, Javelin Venture Partners, Western Technology Investment, Nimble Ventures, Eduardo Vivas |
Binarly develops an AI-driven security platform that automatically detects vulnerabilities within the software supply chain. The system specializes in analyzing firmware and software components to protect against sophisticated threats.
| Year Founded | 2021 |
| Founders | Alex Matrosov, Claudiu Teodorescu |
| Funding Amount | $14.1M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Seed |
| Top Investors | Liquid 2 Ventures, Canaan Partners, Cisco Investments, Two Bear Capital, Blu Venture Investors |
9 Additional Santa Monica Startups Worth Following
Our top ten picks offer just a glimpse of the activity buzzing throughout Santa Monica. Founders are building businesses in a mix of fields, from retail and education to newer spaces like AI.
Combined, the companies below have raised over $660 million to bring their ideas to life. Here’s a closer look at nine more startups helping to define the local scene.