Mobile Startups

Presence is a data and engagement platform for college student affairs, founded by Reuben Pressman in late 2012 and launched in May 2014. The company started with a simple MVP—swiping student IDs at events to collect participation data—and grew to serve over 110 institutions across 35+ states and multiple countries by achieving strong word-of-mouth traction. With 22 employees, just under $2M in funding raised, and a mission-driven culture hiring education professionals, Presence demonstrates how deep domain expertise, customer obsession, and a focus on solving real problems can drive sustainable growth even from outside major tech hubs.

ShortStack is a SaaS tool founded by Jim Belosic in 2010 that enables businesses to create contests, sweepstakes, and data collection forms for Facebook, mobile, and web platforms. The company has been bootstrapped since inception, focusing on helping businesses convert online followers into leads and customers.