The combination of rapidly improving smartphone capabilities and an abundance of ways to upload information to the internet has made it easier than ever to connect people with the items and services they desire. In turn, this has created an entire marketplace where professionals can help with virtually any task with just a tap of the user's screen, creating shorter turnaround times in industries where information and services can often lag.
Since the explosion of the gig economy and acceptance of on-demand speeds as the new standard, companies have leaped at the opportunity to add larger networking capabilities and heightened reliability standards into the mix, creating change at an even larger scale. Find out how these 12 on-demand startups in San Francisco are making on-demand industries even faster for the future.
On-Demand Startups in San Francisco
- Eaze
- Getaround
- Caviar
- Checkr
- Gigster
- HackerOne
- Snappr
Founded: 2014
Industry: Cannabis
How they utilize tech: Eaze is an online cannabis marketplace and delivery service that is designed to make the purchase of legal cannabis products safer and more efficient. The startup's website offers both educational content and access to a variety of products, providing a transparent process with drivers delivering to several California cities at a moment's notice.
Founded: 2014
Industry: Healthcare
How they utilize tech: Honor knows that the process of attaining quality, in-home healthcare can often be filled with roadblocks, so it set a goal to create an easier solution. The company partners with local agencies to create a network of specialized healthcare professionals that provide in-home services. Accessible through an app, Honor allows users to select caregivers, schedule appointments and handle financial requests.
Founded: 2016
Industry: Travel
How they utilize tech: Relocity is transforming the process of travel and relocation by offering on-demand concierge services that include area tours, school research, utilities setup and social security assistance. Relocity was founded by Klaus Siegmann, whose experience immigrating to the U.S. from Germany drove him to find ways to make the process easier, and his company now has additional global locations in Singapore and Dublin.
Founded: 2009
Industry: Carsharing
How they utilize tech: Getaround is revolutionizing the ever-frustrating car rental process, allowing users who own approved cars to list their vehicles on the marketplace for users to book at-will. Safety and trustworthiness are the company's top priorities, so insurance is included with every rental while the Getaround Connect app allows users to edit trip details and access their vehicle with just a digital key.
Founded: 2012
Industry: Food Delivery
How they utilize tech: Caviar is making restaurant delivery better by partnering with specific restaurants to deliver food to consumers in record time. The Caviar app offers an intuitive dashboard to sort food options by menu items, delivery time and other parameters, plus Caviar offers corporate catering delivery services to ensure the whole team is fed.
Founded: 2014
Industry: Legal
How they utilize tech: Operating to support the on-demand industry, Checkr is a platform that allows background checks to be conducted thoroughly while providing transparency to all parties involved. Many of the top hiring companies of on-demand and freelance workers, like Uber, Grubhub, Lyft and Postmates, make use of Checkr’s solutions, with learning resources available to the public via the company’s website as well.
Founded: 2012
Industry: Healthcare
How they utilize tech: Doctor On Demand is rethinking how patients receive healthcare so caretakers can offer support without the unnecessary hassle of patients traveling to an office. The application features board-certified physicians, psychologists and psychiatrists available to patients at any time of the day, offering a range of coverage that includes urgent care, behavioral health, preventative health and chronic care.
Founded: 2013
Industry: Software
How they utilize tech: Gigster has created a unique hub for accomplishing the most challenging tasks companies face. The company offers ready-to-deploy teams of skilled industry experts who can create custom software solutions from the ground up. From highly-skilled developers to designers and product managers, Gigster’s network of software professionals are offered projects based on skillsets and pay rates, avoiding unnecessary issues that arise due to under-qualified hires or unclear project scopes.
Founded: 2012
Industry: Cybersecurity
How they utilize tech: When companies seek to get ahead of and address their cybersecurity issues, HackerOne’s solutions come into play. The company’s goal of making the internet safer is supported by a community of hackers commissioned to breach and expose online vulnerabilities for clients to remedy.
Founded: 2016
Industry: Photography
How they utilize tech: Snappr allows users to book photographers who are available on-demand, allowing both meticulously planned and completely spontaneous photoshoots to be carried out professionally. The application features a network of professional photographers organized by specialty so users can select the perfect match for their occasion. Snappr also features fixed prices, fast turnarounds on edited photos and built-in insurance coverage.
Founded: 2013
Industry: Real estate
How they utilize tech: Storefront exists to provide the exclusivity of pop-up shops to brands throughout the world, listing a network of available short-term rental spaces on its website and app for users to rent. The company takes its model even further by providing rentals to art galleries, showrooms, meeting spaces, photo studios and party planners as well, making it ideal for short-term events of all occasions.
Founded: 2011
Industry: Beauty
How they utilize tech: StyleSeat streamlines booking for beauty and barber appointments through the use of its mobile app, keeping styling professionals and consumers connected at all times. Salons and storefronts can set up profiles that highlight their business’s specialties, with maps and categories arranged to point users towards the services they desire without having to perform a lengthy search.
