Techstars Invests in PairAnything to Accelerate Winetech Innovation
Davis, CA – Pair Anything, Inc. receives funding from the world’s most active pre-seed investor to bring consumer inclusivity and data-driven innovation to the world of wine. Techstars has invested in more than 8,600 founders, as diversified as they are unique, from Miami and Silicon Valley to Lagos and London. Now, Techstars investment has arrived in Davis, California for a rising food and beverage tech startup founder.
Pair Anything, Inc. provides an AI-powered digital platform for retail businesses to attract a wider consumer audience, while setting the trend in Connected Commerce. Filipina-American founder Christy Serrato is determined to help food and beverage businesses—specifically wine retailers—to reach underserved consumers who are culturally-diverse like her, and the younger generation who are growing in purchasing influence. New Majority consumers differ from the “typical” wine consumer persona, yet are similar in their demand for the same level of online engagement and shopping experience for alcohol purchases, that they have with other products. With Pair Anything, one of the largest retailers in the U.S. is leading the industry with a novel, connected wine pairing experience that appeals to more shoppers, opening up across-the-aisle opportunities to boost basket size.
Known for backing many of the world’s best and brightest entrepreneurs, Techstars invested $100,000 in Pair Anything through the Rising Stars pre-seed fund that provides promising underrepresented founders with access to capital at the beginning of their startup journey. Techstars Managing Director Neal Sáles-Griffin shared his enthusiasm by saying that “we are excited to support PairAnything because of Christy’s personal connection to the problem, her genuine passion, and her vision for the company’s future.”
Pair Anything, Inc. is the first company in the Greater Sacramento Region to receive backing from Techstars*. “Greater Sacramento is experiencing incredible market momentum, and global investors like Techstars are taking note. Due to our close proximity to the Bay Area, the region is accelerating inclusive economic growth, through programs like FourthWave, to position PairAnything and other startups for success,” Greater Sacramento Economic Council President and CEO Barry Broome shared.
Christy Serrato, Founder and CEO of PairAnything.
As a FourthWave alumna and entrepreneur in residence, Ms. Serrato grasps the importance of investing in women as an effective way to reduce economic inequality. She shares that the backing from Techstars sparks a multiplicative impact: “My gratitude goes beyond the financial boost, which is profound given that WOC founders receive less than 1% of startup funding. It’s the ripple effect that this check creates—to open doors to other investors, more customers and new partners and accelerate scaling our business to positively impact the economy. As a Techstars portfolio company, I gain access to a worldwide network for unparalleled mentorship and wider opportunities for growth.”
About Pair Anything, Inc.
PairAnything is the WOC-led technology company that is harnessing AI to bring consumer inclusivity and data-driven innovation to the world of wine and make its enjoyment more accessible to underserved consumers. For large retailers that desire to engage more shoppers in a personal and ground-breaking way, PairAnything provides an in-store digital companion for wine discovery that delivers unique insights to grow sales. PairAnything launched in 2019 after winning the UC Davis Big Bang! Business Competition for Food & Agricultural Innovation. To learn more, visit www.PairAnything.com and follow us on www.facebook.com/PairAnything and @PairAnything on Instagram and X.
Contact
Samantha Contreras
Media@PairAnything.com
*Editors Note: In 2021, Flexia, then a Sacramento-based company, received $125,000 from TechStars as part of their acceptance into the Techstars Sports Accelerator. Flexia relocated to Berkeley, CA in 2022.
Interested in more news about Sacramento Startups? Check out StartupSac news.
