HopSkipDrive Wins Startup of the Year at dot.LA's Second Annual Startup Awards

Samson Amore

Samson Amore is a reporter for dot.LA. He holds a degree in journalism from Emerson College. Send tips or pitches to samsonamore@dot.la and find him on Twitter @Samsonamore.

HopSkipDrive Wins Startup of the Year at dot.LA's Second Annual Startup Awards

Downtown Los Angeles-based HopSkipDrive, a mobility startup that aims to be a kid-friendly Uber service for school-age students, won startup of the year at dot.LA's second annual startup awards.


Winners were announced at the dot.LA Summit. Judges voted for their picks for the most-deserving companies and individuals in six categories, including rising entrepreneur, top rising startup and entrepreneur of the year.

"It's such an honor to be included among all the impressive companies nominated for this award," Katrina Kardassakis, HopSkipDrive's vice president of business operations, said during her acceptance speech. "We are a youth transportation solution on a mission to create opportunity for all through mobility, and so we're focused on serving vulnerable populations, including kids in the foster care system, kids experiencing homelessness and kids with special needs or anyone who needs a little extra care to get where they need to go."

Kardassakis added that HopSkipDrive is currently focused on providing a potential solution to the ongoing shortage of bus drivers across the country, which is leading to backlogs in getting kids to and from school as the transportation industry struggles to retain workers and rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.

Finalists for the 2021 Startup of the Year Award included Universal Hydrogen, a company that's working to make planes that run on clean energy; Long Beach-based Rocket Lab, a reusable rocket manufacturer and small satellite launcher that looks to compete with SpaceX; ChowNow, a commission-free online ordering platform for restaurants and Crexi, a platform for streamlining commercial real estate transactions.

Check out the full list of nominees and winners for dot.LA's 2021 Startup Awards below.


Pivot of the Year: Potion

This award celebrates a startup's ability to revamp by changing its business model and strategy in the face of adversity.

Finalists:

  • Triller
  • Behold
  • GiveSum
  • Potion — Winner
  • Struct Club

Social Justice Award: Grid110

This award recognizes a company or individual who has made the biggest impact on driving social justice to create a positive, significant and sustainable impact.

Finalists:

  • All Voices
  • Cheese
  • SoLa Impact
  • Hacker Fund
  • Grid110 — Winner

Rising Entrepreneur: Krista Berlincourt

This entrepreneur is new in the LA startup scene and has emerged as a forward thinking innovator and leader. Despite his/her age, the Entrepreneur of the year has a pioneering spirit and a promising future.

Finalists:

  • Clash App, Brandon McNerney
  • Lolly, Marc Baghadjian and Sacha Schermerhorn
  • Kona, Sid Pandiya
  • Kensho Health, Krista Berlincourt — Winner
  • Seed, Ara Katz

Rising Startup: Invisible Universe

Sponsored by TriNet

This startup is less than two years of age from incorporation and has shown major development based on market growth, innovation and impact of products and services. This newcomer has the greatest potential to disrupt its market and global tech community.

Finalists:

    • Elude
    • Returnmates
    • Dogdrop
    • Invisible Universe — Winner
    • Launch House
    Alex Israel

    Entrepreneur of the Year: Alex Israel

    This entrepreneur has a fearless spirit while their partners, teammates and clients are inspired by their vision on a daily basis. They have made notable achievements this past year in regards to funds raised, sales, impact of product and leadership in the tech ecosystem.

    Finalists:

      • Heather Hasson and Trina Spear, FIGS
      • Cathy Zoi, EVgo
      • Alex Israel, Metropolis — Winner
      • Dakota Semler, Xos Truck
      • Jason Wilk, Dave

      Startup of the Year: HopSkipDrive

      This company has shown the greatest development over the past year based on innovation and impact with goods and services. This startup has the most promising potential for an exit and potential to reach unicorn status.

      Finalists:

        • HopSkipDrive — Winner
        • Universal Hydrogen
        • Rocket Lab
        • ChowNow
        • Crexi

        https://twitter.com/samsonamore
        samsonamore@dot.la
        ⚖️FTC’s "Click to Cancel" Rule and Its Ripple Effect on Tech

        🔦 Spotlight

        Happy Friday Los Angeles,

        The FTC’s new “Click to Cancel” rule is shaking up subscription-based tech. Now, instead of navigating a maze of cancellation hurdles, users can cancel subscriptions as easily as they signed up—with a single click. This shift is a wake-up call for SaaS, streaming, and app-based companies, where once-hidden exit options often kept users around simply because canceling was a hassle.

        The rule also requires businesses to send regular renewal reminders, ensuring customers stay informed about upcoming charges. It's more than a cancellation button—it’s about transparency and giving users control over their decisions.

        For startups, the impact goes deeper than UX adjustments. Many have relied on "dark patterns," which subtly discourage cancellations by hiding the exit. Now, companies must shift toward building genuine loyalty by delivering real value, not by complicating exits.

        While this might affect retention rates initially, it could lead to more sustainable business models that rely on satisfaction-driven loyalty. Investors may start prioritizing companies that emphasize transparent, long-term engagement over those that depend on dark patterns to maintain retention metrics.

        The rule opens the door to more ethical UX design and a truly user-centered approach across the tech industry. It may even set a precedent against manipulative design in other areas, such as privacy settings or payment methods.

        Ultimately, the “Click to Cancel” rule presents an opportunity for the tech industry to foster trust and build stronger customer relationships. Startups and established companies that embrace transparency will likely stand out as leaders in a new era of customer-centric tech, where trust—not tricky design—is what retains users.

        As the tech landscape continues to evolve, LA Tech Week 2024 offers a chance to explore these shifts in real-time. Check out the upcoming event lineups to stay informed and make the most of your time:

        For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.


        🤝 Venture Deals

        LA Companies

        • Ghost, a company supporting top brands and retailers with streamlined logistics and fulfillment solutions, raised a $40M Series C funding round led by L Catterton to fuel its continued growth and innovation. - learn more

        LA Venture Funds
        • Assembly Ventures participated in a $27M Series A round for Monogoto, a provider of software-defined connectivity solutions that enable secure, cloud-based IoT and cellular network management on a global scale. - learn more
        • Angeleno Group participated in a $32M Series C round for REsurety, a company that recently launched an innovative clean energy marketplace aimed at providing better financial and operational insights to support renewable energy transactions. - learn more

          Download the dot.LA App

          🌴🧑‍💻 Your Guide to LA Tech Week 2024

          🔦 Spotlight

          Happy Friday Los Angeles,

          As many of you know, LA Tech Week is right around the corner, kicking off next Monday October 14th bringing together founders, creatives, investors, and engineers for a week of immersive events, panels, and socials across the city. From blockchain and AI to biotech and design, LA Tech Week is a chance to dive into the ideas shaping today’s technology landscape.


          What to Look Forward To

          Insights from Visionary Leaders: Hear firsthand from industry trailblazers as they share stories, challenges, and key lessons from their experiences. Expect fresh perspectives on AI, venture capital, biotech, and the ethical questions around emerging technologies.

          Interactive Panels: This week isn’t about watching from the sidelines; it’s about engaging directly with the tech community. Participate in hands-on panels discussing everything from startup scaling to ethical AI, with honest insights from those actively shaping these fields.

          Networking Mixers & Social Events: Meet and connect with founders, VCs, developers, designers, and fellow techies across LA. Rooftop mixers, lunch meetups, and creative gatherings offer the perfect chance to spark ideas and collaborate.

          Plan your week with the daily lineup, organized by location for easy navigation:

          For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

          Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!!


          🤝 Venture Deals

          LA Companies

          • Clout Kitchen, a Los Angeles and Manila based startup, has raised $4.45M in seed funding, co-led by a16z SPEEDRUN and Peak XV’s Surge, to develop AI-powered digital twins, which enables gaming creators to produce realistic virtual avatars for content and fan engagement. - learn more
          • MeWe, a privacy-focused social media platform, has raised an initial $6M in Series B funding led by McCourt Global to support Web3 integration and expand its decentralized network for 20 millions users. - learn more

            LA Venture Funds
            • EGB Capital participated in a $10M Series A funding round for MiLaboratories, which develops software that enables biologists to independently analyze complex genomic data, accelerating research and discovery in fields like drug development. - learn more
            • Crosscut Ventures participated in the $13.75M seed round for Airloom Energy, a company focused on developing airborne wind energy technology to harness high-altitude winds, with plans to accelerate a pilot project in Wyoming. - learn more
            • Overture VC participated in a $5.5M Seed funding round for Molg Inc., a company developing robotics and software for circular manufacturing, designed to disassemble electronics efficiently and recover valuable materials to reduce e-waste and support sustainable production. - learn more


              LA Exits

              • Options MD, a Los Angeles based telemedicine platform that provides care for people suffering from severe and treatment-resistant mental illness, is set to be acquired by Resilience Lab, an AI-driven provider focused on enhancing mental health care access. - learn more

              Download the dot.LA App

              LA Tech Week 2024: Saturday-Sunday Event Lineup
              tech-week

              Here’s what’s happening during the closing weekend (Oct 19 - Oct 20) of LA Tech Week 2024! Events are organized by location so you can easily catch the sessions that interest you most.

              SATURDAY EVENTS

              BEVERLY HILLS

              12:00 PM

              • BIG Showcase (Invite Only):

              BIG Showcase (Invite Only)

              2:00 PM

              Light Dao

              Struck Capital, Seahorse Express

              EAGLE ROCK

              12:00 PM

              Sunrise Integration, Shopify

              EL SEGUNDO

              9:00 PM

              Administratum, Valar Atomics

              HOLLYWOOD

              10:00 AM

              Passes

              MALIBU

              6:00 PM

              • Malibu Beachfront Investors Networking & Wine Tasting:See Details

              Gaya Ventures

              MARINA DEL RAY

              6:00 PM

              • Awaken Your Spirit: A Journey of Transformation (Invite Only)

              Sagos Distro, Alma Wellness

              SANTA MONICA

              7:00 AM

              Founders Running Club

              8:30 AM

              Techstars

              9:00 AM

              Magic Mind

              StartupStarter, Inc., City of Santa Monica

              10:00 AM

              Gen She

              AI LA

              Crea, Barry's, Unsubscribe

              10:30 AM

              Plantologist

              11:30 AM

              • Pickleball Palooza (Invite Only)

              YouTube

              1:00 PM

              • Realfren Games: From strangers to an inner Realfren within 52 weekends: See Details

              Office for Humanity and Circuit Works

              • Talking blockchain technology with special guests: See Details

              LadyDayDao

              5:00 PM

              KARD, What's Plots

              THE VALLEY

              7:00 AM

              Camino5

              VENICE

              9:00 AM

              Westside Yogis

              11:00 AM

              Open App

              1:00 PM

              Ripe and Teddy's Hot House

              4:00 PM

              • Fashion Forward: How AI is Redefining the Fashion Industry: See Details

              VIAVIA, BNTO.RENT, ALMA.AI

              VIRTUAL

              11:00 AM

              BLCK UNICRN

              WEST HOLLYWOOD

              7:00 PM

              Next Sequence

              SUNDAY EVENTS

              INGLEWOOD

              12:00 PM

              Entrepreneur Ventures, VCPE GROUPS

              PLAYA DEL RAY

              2:00 PM

              AI LA, DELL, NVIDIA

              SANTA MONICA

              10:00 AM

              • Women Founders, Cold Brew & Beach View, Rooftop: See Details

              Clutch Talent

              11:00 AM

              11DollarSunglasses.com, Less Litter Foundation

              12:00 PM

              Data in LA, Amplitude

              12:30 AM

              New Moon, Warner UK Innovations

              TOPANGA CANYON

              3:00 PM

              Dreamore

              VENICE

              8:00 AM

              • Surf session with founders, investors, creators: See Details

              Surfed Club, Bow Shock

              12:00 PM

              • Podcast Panel and Brunch: LA Tech Community Builders: See Details

              WeAreLATech.com, Blankspaces.com

              VIRTUAL

              2:00 PM

              BLCK UNICRN


              For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

              Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!


              Download the dot.LA App

              RELATEDEDITOR'S PICKS
              Trending