Companies to Watch: Celebrating Pride 2024 with LGBTQ+ Founders and Tech:NYC

New York’s official Pride march will be held on June 30, 2024, and it rounds out a busy month. Adding to the festivities is the soon-to-be renamed Christopher Street-Stonewall National Monument Station (currently just plain old Christopher Street), the result of a new bill.

Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Deborah Glick sponsored the bill in an effort to acknowledge the Stonewall National Monument, which includes the iconic Stonewall Inn and was the first center in the US park system dedicated to LGBTQ+ history. The bill unanimously passed the state legislature and awaits Governor Hochul’s expected signature. Meanwhile, on June 28, the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (which broke ground in 2022) will open with tours, lecture series, exhibitions, and visual arts displays.

Separately, LGBTQ+ founders have created 36% more jobs, 114% more patents, and 44% more exits than the average founder, according to a research index by StartOut, a nonprofit representing LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Yet LGBTQ+ founders have raised less than 1% of startup funding — and 16% less funding than the average founder.

To close out Pride Month, we spoke to a few LGBTQ+ founders about their businesses, their communities, what inclusivity looks like, and how the tech community can support. For this special edition of our Companies to Watch series, meet Advocate, Both&, Levl, and Lex.

ADVOCATE

“New York is where American ambition truly comes alive.”

What does your company do?
Advocate is on a mission to revolutionize access to federal benefits, ensuring that all Americans receive the support they deserve quickly and effortlessly. Founded on principles of transparency, fairness, and collaboration, Advocate is committed to lifting the bureaucratic burden from individuals and aiding government efficiency.

Previously, navigating the complexities of government bureaucracy was a daunting challenge for many Americans, with disabled individuals experiencing extensive delays in accessing benefits. Advocate is changing this narrative, prioritizing rapid, transparent access to benefits and embodying its promise — making the government work for you.

A question we love to ask every founder: Why New York?
New York is where American ambition truly comes alive. My studies at Columbia University were punctuated by the powerful moment when ‘New York, New York’ played at graduation — I was already bought into the city and loved participating in this particular tradition. The city's history of continually improving itself has resulted in a dynamic culture, making it the perfect place to build on America's tradition of fulfilling the promise to help one another. Although we have technologists in San Francisco and across the country and are planning our expansion into Washington, DC, New York City is our commercial hub.

How does Advocate make the process of filing for disability benefits easier?
Advocate streamlines the process of accessing government benefits by consolidating all necessary information from day one. We make it our mission to ensure that all relevant data related to individual eligibility is communicated clearly and effectively to federal agencies. Our aim is to submit a flawless application from the start, making the process simpler and less burdensome for applicants.

What misconceptions surround the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) process?
Advocate will work with numerous government agencies and various support and benefits processes. We started with the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs, which support Americans unable to work full-time due to illness. A significant misconception is that the government doesn't intend for all qualified individuals to receive the support they're entitled to. In reality, the opposite is true. The government aims to help those who qualify, and we have met many dedicated public servants committed to this goal.

What role do you see AI and data analytics playing in the future of disability and other benefits?
Advocate’s mission is to ensure all Americans can seamlessly access federal government support. Our goal is to harness the full power of available data sets and translate them into terms that federal agencies can readily use. Currently, application processes are slow, often requiring extensive data collection over time with heavy burden on individuals and government workers. Our challenge is to gather the necessary data efficiently and automatically make an accurate case for each individual’s required support. We use the best available modern data analytics to make significant progress towards this goal every day.

Amid all the advancements in AI, what aspects of the technology still need more attention?
While AI is advancing rapidly, several areas still need more focus. One key area is ensuring the ethical use of AI, making sure algorithms are fair and unbiased. Additionally, enhancing AI’s ability to understand and process complex, unstructured data will be crucial. There’s also a need for better transparency and explainability within answer sets to increase user trust and an understanding of what suggestions to modify if they choose to move into “manual” mode. At Advocate we are creating technology to facilitate individual support and know that our authorship will be not only powerful but also trustworthy and equitable.

As a founder, what is your self-care routine to recharge while still being heads down building a company?
My self-care routine revolves around my young family, which includes three children under the age of four. Each evening I am able, I take a break to put them to bed and read books before hopping back online. I also rise early to spend quality time with them in the mornings, and try to stay fully present as we prepare for the day. Additionally, I make it a priority to block off part of each weekend to be with my family, ensuring that time is uninterrupted and focused on them. Building in family time purposefully not only recharges me but also keeps me grounded and connected to what truly matters.

Let's do some rapid-fire questions. First: where’s your favorite place to grab coffee in New York?
I start each (very early) morning by grabbing a coffee in my kitchen with my kids.

What’s one piece of advice — that you shared or was shared with you — on building a startup from the ground up in NYC?
New York City, in particular, poses unique challenges—it's a demanding place to live and work. Hence, it’s vital to approach building your company with practicality in mind, considering the environment you're operating in. The talent pool in New York City isn't fundamentally different from other places, except for the higher costs. Therefore, you must account for the practical realities of being in New York, which might mean a more measured or incremental approach to the early stages and meeting potential colleagues where they are at with regard to their own survival in an expensive city — even if that means working with people after work hours until you know enough about the potential to make the full-time jump.

How can the tech community better support mental health and inclusivity, both within companies and through the products they create?
The power of digital delivery in mental health cannot be overstated. It provides people with access to essential services regardless of their location, significantly lowering the barriers to receiving help. I particularly applaud those companies developing insurance-backed models. These companies are not only expanding access but also making mental health care more affordable and sustainable. By pushing forward with digital solutions and integrating insurance, the technology community can fundamentally reshape mental health care, making it more inclusive and accessible for everyone.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate Pride Month?
We host an annual backyard BBQ for some of our closest friends, and have marched in the Pride Parade with the Ackerman Institute for the Family where my wife, Nicole, serves on the Board of Directors.

How can the tech ecosystem better support LGBTQ+ founders through their startup journey?
The support provided to LGBTQ+ founders should mirror the support given to any other founder and come in the forms of social and economic capital. From an investment standpoint, both types of capital should flow quickly to the best ideas, enabling these founders to bring them to life.

Building a startup can often be a lonely journey – especially for underrepresented founders. Who do you turn to for a support system?
I love connecting with my friends and family because few give outsized attention to my job in our everyday lives. I've realized that focusing on Advocate and our objectives after hours does not provide the necessary distance I need to effectively advance our mission.

BOTH&

“What we need right now is a much more expansive, dignified, nuanced, joyful, and empowering conversation about our lived experience.”

What does your company do?
We design clothing for the unique needs and desires of transmasc and nonbinary consumers.

A question we love to ask every founder: Why New York?
Because on any given day, you truly have no idea what is going to happen.

Your work is all about empowering trans and gender-nonconforming folks to feel seen and safe – why is this work so important now more than ever?
As a trans person myself, I often feel caught between two competing narratives that in different ways are disempowering.

On the one hand, there is an all-out assault on the legitimacy, basic dignity, and rights of trans and gender non-conforming people, often fueled through (admittedly) well-executed strategy that blends one ounce of fact in with 1,000 pounds of fake news.

On the other hand, the defense and advocacy for trans rights can often position us as charity cases or as singular identities that conform to a norm or must tick certain boxes to be legitimate. What we need right now is a much more expansive, dignified, nuanced, joyful, and empowering conversation about our lived experience.

How does Both& use a data-backed approach to create the best fit for your customers? Did you find there was a certain type of clothing missing from the market that you now provide through your apparel?
I founded Both& because I had been waiting my whole life for someone to realize that I didn’t want a regular t-shirt with a Pride flag on it, I wanted a high-quality, stylish shirt that actually fit my body the way I wanted it to. The entire fashion system is built off the average statistical proportions of cisgender bodies, which means that shopping as a trans or gender non-conforming person is incredibly frustrating and disheartening. We have changed the proportions (analogies include maternity wear, plus size clothing, and adaptive wear), sourced very particular fabrics, and implemented specific design choices to create clothing that looks good and feels good.

What role do you see AI and data analytics playing in the future of e-commerce?
All eyes are on AI right now, and we also recognize that we are at the very tip of the iceberg in terms of capability. It’s an interesting conundrum for everyone, but I would say it’s particularly interesting for us, because Both& lives or dies by the trust and authenticity we carry with the community. For instance, customer service is a great example. This is one of the low-hanging fruits for AI implementation — but AI is still trained on what already exists, and because we are creating a new system for a community that has never had a positive and trust-filled shopping experience, the human touch of someone who actually understands and can speak to that experience is critical. Using AI at this point would just revert us back to the norm / a more optimized status quo, which is exactly what we are breaking against.

As a founder, what is your self-care routine to recharge while still being heads down building a company?
I’ve always had a very diversified portfolio of what I do in life and how it energizes and enriches me. I work on creative writing projects for about an hour every morning before work. I don’t work evenings or weekends. I spend a lot of time in nature, and with friends and family and my wife. I read a lot of fiction, work out most days, eat well, garden, travel, etc.

Let's do some rapid-fire questions. First: where’s your favorite place to grab coffee in New York?
Ninth Street Espresso (the original).

What’s one piece of advice — that you shared or was shared with you — on building a startup from the ground up in NYC?
Make friends with a lot of diverse kinds of people early in life. Don’t stick to what you know, or people who have the same views and skill sets. When you end up wanting to build something, you will need as wide a range of friends who can help as possible.

How can the tech community better support mental health and inclusivity, both within companies and through the products they create?
I often get praised for how ‘genuine’ our marketing techniques are, or how inclusive our product development is. While I appreciate the praise, I often find it puzzling. A lot of this stuff is basic. It’s just human instinct. Be kind to others. Be curious. Don’t assume you know what you don’t know. Don’t assume everyone operates in the same way. But equally don’t fail to have standards or expectations. I really do think, at base, most of us intuitively know what it means to treat others with dignity and respect, we just make it a very convoluted thing.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate Pride Month?
I don’t celebrate Pride Month. I live the most abundant, joyful life I can year round.

How can the tech ecosystem better support LGBTQ+ founders through their startup journey?
Simple — funding. Everyone and their mother wants to advise/mentor/cheer on underrepresented founders. Get out your checkbook and put your money where your mouth is at.

Building a startup can often be a lonely journey — especially for underrepresented founders. Who do you turn to for a support system?
Being a founder requires building a whole toolkit of support. Not all support is created equal, and it comes in a lot of forms.

For unequivocal love and support and the times I need to curl up on the floor and weep with self pity, I’ve got an amazing family and partner who will sit there and pay my back and eventually coax me into getting up and going on a walk and eating a good meal.

For weekly vent sessions about the true absurdity of building a startup, I have Emma Butler, my founder-buddy.

For putting things in context and realizing there’s always another path forward, I’ve got my amazing cofounders Amiram and Casey.

LEVL

“New York has this incredible entrepreneurial energy that's been fueling innovation for decades. It's a perfect breeding ground for startups.”

What does your company do?
Levl helps you understand how your mental health medications are working. It connects with your smartwatch or fitness tracker to track the medication impact on your sleep, heart rate, weight, and other key health markers. Levl then turns this information into personalized insights to help you and your doctor make informed decisions about your medication.

A question we love to ask every founder: Why New York?
I grew up living a circus life, constantly moving from one country to another. I was born in Iran and lived in India, France, and San Francisco. It's the only place I truly feel at home. Beyond that, New York has this incredible entrepreneurial energy that's been fueling innovation for decades. It's a perfect breeding ground for startups. Silicon Valley was another option for us with Levl, but we feel that there’s too much emphasis on generic software startups focused on blitzscaling.

For us, New York has a strong impact-driven culture, especially when it comes to healthcare startups. This is partly due to its proximity to Boston, a major hub for medical innovation. I've also been deeply involved in social impact work here in New York, and I see so many founders focusing on solutions like climate tech and health tech, which aligns perfectly with what we're doing at Levl.

There is quite a bit of conversation right now surrounding mental health especially when it comes to Generation Z and now Gen Alpha. What do you feel is missing from the conversation or not being said loudly enough in all of the back and forth?
Honestly, what I feel is missing is a more balanced conversation. There's so much focus on how technology is supposedly ruining young people's brains, but not enough discussion on how we can actually use it to help. We need to acknowledge that endlessly scrolling, comparing ourselves to others, and being constantly bombarded with notifications can be incredibly damaging. But taking phones away from kids isn't realistic.

Instead, we need to focus on how we can harness the power of technology to improve mental health. We can use the fact that everyone is so connected to their phones to our advantage, creating tools and resources that can truly make a difference. It's about finding that sweet spot where technology enhances mental health support, while also being mindful of the potential downsides.

How does Levl connect various health data points with medication regimens to improve patient outcomes? How can this process lead to more personalized mental health treatment?
Levl works by connecting with the wearables and devices you already use, like your Apple Watch or Fitbit. We sync up with platforms like Apple HealthKit and Google Fit to get a better picture of how your body reacts to different medications. For example, if you're taking ADHD medication, we can track your heart rate to make sure it's not spiking dangerously. Or, if you're on antidepressants, we can monitor your weight for any unwanted changes.

Mental health medications aren't one-size-fits-all. Everyone reacts differently, and it's essential to find what works best for each individual. That's the heart of Levl's mission: To personalize mental health treatment based on comprehensive health data.

What role do you see AI and data analytics playing in the future of mental health care?
I think AI and data analytics are going to have a huge impact on mental health care, especially when it comes to finding the right treatment for each person. Right now, it can take a lot of trial and error to figure out what works, but AI can help speed up that process. By analyzing data from lots of different patients, AI can help identify patterns and predict which treatments are most likely to be effective for each individual. This makes the process faster and more tailored to each person, so we can figure out the best treatments much more quickly.

Amid all the advancements in AI, what aspects of the technology still need more attention?
While AI is showing a lot of promise in healthcare, there are two big things we need to focus on: safety, and making sure it actually works. Safety means protecting patient data and making sure it's not misused. We're talking about really sensitive information here, so strong privacy measures are essential.

Efficacy is just as important – we need to be sure that AI tools are actually helping people and not just making things worse. This means rigorous testing and validation, especially when it comes to healthcare, and I believe the FDA has a crucial role to play here. By prioritizing both safety and efficacy, we can make sure AI is a valuable tool for mental health, not a potential risk.

As a founder, what is your self care routine to recharge while still being heads down building a company?
For me, it’s been a constant battle of finding the balance between work and life. Coincidentally, Levl’s company tagline is “Find Balance,” and I'm in a neverending search for this very balance. I've learned that it's not about rigidly sticking to a 9-to-5 schedule; that can lead to burnout. Instead, it's about knowing your own limits and respecting them. For me, that means prioritizing sleep, making time for exercise, and disconnecting from technology regularly. It also means being kind to myself and recognizing that some days will be better than others. It's an ongoing process, but I'm committed to finding that sweet spot where I can pour my heart into building Levl while still taking care of myself.

Let's do some rapid-fire questions. First: Where’s your favorite place to grab coffee in New York?
Passionfruit Coffee in Bed-Stuy.

What’s one piece of advice — that you shared or was shared with you — on building a startup from the ground up in NYC?
The best advice I've gotten – and it applies to building a startup anywhere, not just in New York – is that you can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking back. It's about trusting that the experiences and choices you make today will somehow come together to form a meaningful path in the future. You have to trust in something – your intuition, your vision, whatever it is that drives you. I think it was something that Steve Jobs spoke about and it really resonates with me, though I don't necessarily idolize him. It's a reminder to embrace the uncertainty, and trust that the dots will eventually connect, even if you can't see the whole picture right now.

Besides your own, what’s another early-stage startup in New York you think more people should know about?
Folx. They’re doing great work in improving access to care for queer folks, and it’s more important now than ever before.

How can the tech community better support mental health and inclusivity, both within companies and through the products they create?
To me, it starts with shifting the narrative around mental health in the tech community. We need to move away from the stigma and start talking openly about mental health as a health condition, not an illness. Many of us are neurodivergent, our brains just work differently. Labeling mental health as an illness only perpetuates stigma and makes people afraid to open up about their struggles, especially at work.

Companies need to recognize that mental health is part of the diversity of human experience. By embracing this, we can create healthier and more inclusive workplaces that benefit everyone. And once you have that open dialogue and a supportive company culture, it naturally extends to the products and services we create. By understanding and addressing the mental health needs of our own employees, we can build tech that's more inclusive and supportive for everyone.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate Pride Month?
For me, Pride is about taking time to reflect on the incredible resilience and courage of the LGBTQ+ community. I love learning about the history of activism and honoring the people who fought for the rights we have today. It's a reminder that we stand on the shoulders of giants, and that we still have work to do to ensure equality for all. And of course, it's a time to celebrate with friends and loved ones, to embrace our identities, and to show the world that love is love.

How can the tech ecosystem better support LGBTQ+ founders through their startup journey?
To really support LGBTQ+ founders, the tech world needs to do more than just slap a rainbow on their logo during Pride Month. We need real change. That means getting more LGBTQ+ folks in leadership positions and investing in our companies. It means creating workplaces where everyone feels safe and respected, no matter who they love or how they identify. And it means building products and services that actually reflect our lives and experiences. It's about recognizing the unique challenges we face and making sure we have the same opportunities to succeed as everyone else.

Building a startup can often be a lonely journey – especially for underrepresented founders. Who do you turn to for a support system?
Founders understand founders. When you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure, there's nothing quite like talking to another founder who gets it. We all know the struggle – the late nights, the setbacks, the constant worry. It's a bond you can't really explain to anyone else. Those are the people who will tell you the truth, push you when you need it, and celebrate your wins like they're their own. And when you're an outsider, someone who doesn't fit the mold, that connection is even more valuable. It's a lifeline.

What LGBTQ+ businesses in NYC do you recommend?
One of my favorites is 3 Dollar Bill. It's queer-owned, with a great vibe for both day and night. You can hang out with friends, dance, or just enjoy some sun in their outdoor space during the summer. And unlike most NYC spots, it’s super spacious and you can actually stretch out your arms without poking someone in the eye!

LEX

“I came here at 18 and knew instantly I needed to live here. The creative energy is unmatched.”

What does your company do?
Lex is a social app for the LGBTQ+ Community. People come to Lex to find friends, groups, events, dates and more in their local area.

A question we love to ask every founder: Why New York?
I came here at 18 and knew instantly I needed to live here. The creative energy is unmatched. Ten years later I finally made that happen.

What inspired you to create lex.lgbt, and what gap did you see in the community that you wanted to address?
I came out when I was 31, and needed ways to connect with my newly found queer identity. I met Kel Rakwowski who had the original idea for Lex and knew I needed to make it happen. At that time (and still) nothing existed for the LGBTQ+ community outside of dating, and traditional social apps weren’t made for queer people — queer bodies are often unfairly moderated against, deemed political or sexual, and 66% of LGBTQ+ have experienced harassment onine according to GLADD research.

There is quite a bit of conversation right now surrounding mental health especially when it comes to Generation Z and now Gen Alpha. What do you feel is missing from the conversation or not being said loudly enough in all of the back and forth?
TOUCH GRASS! Traditional social apps have been great at connecting us all over the world, but not so good at connecting us with our neighbors in real life. Lex focuses on helping people make unfiltered real world connections — we know that Gen Z and Gen Alpha crave authentic connection above all else. Getting off our phones and being with people who see us and support us is how we can take care of our mental health.

There has been a lot of conversation around privacy, especially here in New York. How do you approach privacy within Lex while maintaining meaningful and transparent connections? How do you balance the need for anonymity with the desire for genuine interactions and community building?
We allow Lexers to choose whether to share their full identities, and we de-prioritize images so people can connect outside of selfies if they wish. We don’t sell data to third parties. We were the only dating app to be awarded the Mozilla safety awards.

As a founder, what is your self care routine to recharge while still being heads down building a company?
Honestly, it’s tough. Trying to keep up consistent routines of things like yoga, venting to fellow founders and trying to hold boundaries with myself. Remembering it’s OK to fail and not be perfect.

Let's do some rapid-fire questions. First: where’s your favorite place to grab coffee in New York?
Corto, Bedstuy Brooklyn

What’s one piece of advice — that you shared or was shared with you — on building a startup from the ground up in NYC?
Companies will have their twists and turns, so get ready for the ride!

Besides your own, what’s another early-stage startup in New York you think more people should know about?
So many great ones — social apps Diem and Landing; AI travel company El Camino travel; social marketplace for artists and art collectors Cohart; metaverse gaming education company Stemuli.

How can the tech community better support mental health and inclusivity, both within companies and through the products they create?
Think about the long game, which is really hard when day to day we have to hit so many short-term goals. But considering the impact of decisions over time can help this.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate Pride Month?
Encouraging the VC community to give more money to LGBTQ+, female, and BIPOC founders. The stats are 2% of VC money goes to female teams and under 1% to LGBTQ+. Also it’s below 1% for Black founders. This isn’t OK.

Building a startup can often be a lonely journey – especially for underrepresented founders. Who do you turn to for a support system?
I’m lucky enough to have amazing founders as part of the same VC portfolios as me. Many of the funds who invested in Lex have a great track record of backing diverse founders — so in that way I get wonderful access to others like me.