Placer is no longer the small, rural county of old. It now boasts medium-sized cities, major employers and a population expected to grow at a faster rate than the rest of the region.

“It’s like Uber for X.” In recent years, this line has become the go-to marketing pitch, where “X” can stand for practically any mobile-based service, from shipping to laundry to valet services to primary care. It’s not hard to see why.

Wine tasting at the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg is often thought of as a good time, but walking into Clarksburg Wine Company when Jeremy Maron is behind the bar is something every Sacramentan should experience.

Venture Catalyst is one part of a multipronged effort at the school that its leaders say is helping turn university research into companies that produce world-changing technologies. The school has facilitated a total of 49 startups in the last four fiscal years, up from 18 in the four years prior.

The Sol Collective Arts and Cultural Center, a nonprofit that provides a space for artists and activists, is on track to buy the building it now rents on 21st Street near Broadway in Sacramento. Donors have pledged $70,000 toward a down payment of $100,000, says Estella Sánchez, the group’s executive director.

It happens every time: I’ll be at a business event and someone will inevitably say that we all need to “perfect our elevator pitches” and launch into a rote explanation (an elevator pitch of the elevator pitch, if you will). Cue the over-exaggerated rolling of my eyes.

Oak Park neighbors Aimee Phelps and Kevin Greenberg delivered their first Art-Through-Pod in September and by year-end will exceed their initial goal of 10 mobile housing units for the homeless.

But they don’t plan to stop there.

Innovation cannot occur within a vacuum. While it’s nice to have an office door that shuts the world out, successful entrepreneurs understand that the best ideas are molded through collaboration.

Earlier this year, I was booking an appointment with a company I’d frequented for the past eight years when the receptionist informed me that their rates were changing — increasing by 25 percent, effective end of the week.

Each month, Comstock’s online features a different Startup of the Month. As 2016 comes to a close, we take one last look at these startups to see how they stack up.