Top 11 Waltham Startups to Watch in 2026
Waltham, Massachusetts is a hub for companies in biotechnology and artificial intelligence. The city's startup scene features a mix of established players and newer ventures.
For example, healthcare company Devoted Health has raised $2.3 billion. Meanwhile, robotics pioneer Boston Dynamics continues to be a major presence in the area.
Below is our list of 11 Waltham startups worth keeping an eye on.
Failory's Top 10 Picks
Boston Dynamics builds some of the world's most advanced mobile robots, capable of navigating challenging terrain and automating complex tasks. Their work on dynamic machines like Spot and Atlas has made them a globally recognized leader in robotics.
| Year Founded | 1992 |
| Founders | Marc Raibert |
| Funding Amount | $37M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | SoftBank |
Buyers Edge Platform builds a digital procurement network for the foodservice industry. Their data and software tools help operators, distributors, and manufacturers streamline purchasing and make better supply chain decisions.
| Year Founded | 1998 |
| Founders | John Davie |
| Funding Amount | $425M |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Private Equity |
| Top Investors | General Atlantic, Bregal Sagemount, Blackstone Tactical Opportunities, Morgan Stanley Tactical Value |
Skyhawk Therapeutics builds a new class of small molecule drugs designed to correct RNA expression. The company's therapies target a broad range of diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative conditions, and rare genetic disorders.
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | Bill Haney, Kathleen McCarthy |
| Funding Amount | $181.2M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | GreatPoint Ventures, Good Growth Capital, Fidelity, Rock Springs Capital, Agent Capital |
CallMiner builds an AI-driven conversation intelligence platform to analyze customer interactions, with a primary focus on contact centers. The software automatically transcribes and analyzes conversations to provide insights that help improve agent performance and business operations.
| Year Founded | 2002 |
| Founders | Jeff Gallino |
| Funding Amount | $196.6M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs Growth Equity, NewSpring, IQT, Inflexion Partners |
Scipher Medicine's platform deciphers a patient's unique molecular data to predict how they will respond to specific drugs. Their first test, PrismRA, gives doctors and patients a clearer path for treating rheumatoid arthritis.
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Albert László Barabasi, Joseph Loscalzo, Marcell Veidner, Peter Ruppert |
| Funding Amount | $227M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series D |
| Top Investors | Alumni Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Hitachi Ventures, Neuberger Berman, Optum Ventures |
Linus Health builds a digital platform that gives healthcare providers tools for the early detection of Alzheimer's and other dementias. The company's technology uses digital cognitive assessments to deliver sensitive insights into brain health, helping to modernize the screening process.
| Year Founded | 2019 |
| Founders | Alvaro Pascual-Leone, David Bates, Seng Oon Toh |
| Funding Amount | $64.9M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series B |
| Top Investors | Morningside |
Pretzel Therapeutics is creating a new class of therapies designed to reverse mitochondrial dysfunction. The company's platform is built on novel insights into mitochondrial biology to address the root cause of many diseases.
| Year Founded | 2019 |
| Founders | Claes Gustafsson, Gabriel Martinez, Maria Falkenberg, Michal Minczuk |
| Funding Amount | $72.5M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | Cambridge Innovation Capital, ARCH Venture Partners, HealthCap, GV, Mubadala Capital Ventures |
American Robotics builds AI-powered, pilotless drones that are fully automated for industrial applications. They offer a robot-as-a-service system that was the first to be approved by the FAA for operation without a human pilot on site.
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | Eitan Babcock, Reese Mozer, Vijay Somandepalli |
| Funding Amount | $92M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Convertible Note |
| Top Investors | BRC Innovation |
Devoted Health provides Medicare Advantage plans that give seniors a more personal healthcare experience. They pair members with a dedicated guide and use technology to simplify navigating the healthcare system.
| Year Founded | 2017 |
| Founders | Edward Park, Todd Park |
| Funding Amount | $2.3B |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Series E |
| Top Investors | Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, Oak HC/FT, ICONIQ Growth, Venrock |
BostonGene develops a biomedical software platform that uses advanced patient analysis to guide personalized cancer therapies. Their technology integrates molecular and clinical data to help oncologists identify the most effective treatment options for patients.
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Andrew Feinberg |
| Funding Amount | $200M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Series B |
| Top Investors | NEC Corporation, Japan Industrial Partners, Impact Investment Capital |
1 Additional Waltham Startup Worth Following
Our top ten picks only scratch the surface of what's happening in Waltham. Other new companies are making big moves, with one biotech startup recently raising $400 million.
This level of investment points to the strong momentum building in the area. Here is another company helping to shape the local startup scene.
| Startup | Industry | Year Founded | Amount Raised | Last Funding Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kailera Therapeutics | Biotech | 2024 | $400M | Series A |
