As a hospital assistant at UC Davis Medical Center, Tony Braham helps nurses lift and move patients. In other words, “We’re the muscle of the hospital,” Braham says, and his startup aims to help “the muscle” be more mobile.

Based in Sacramento, OpenGrants is a free platform that uses machine learning to sift through, list and match users with grant writers and opportunities. The platform reduces the opportunity cost inherent in the grant funding process by 30-40 percent.

The #MeToo movement sent shock waves through the nation in late 2017, forcing a reckoning over the extent to which sexual harassment and discrimination had pervaded the workplace and society at large. Now, more than two years later, it’s changing the law. 

Nytch, a Woodland-based mobile app, connects independent, offline businesses to local shoppers looking for specific items.

Since 2015, Comstock’s has spotlighted more than 60 regional startups in our Startup of the Month column. Here are five standouts from the column that are going stronger than ever.

With gift cards continuing to soar in popularity, a Woodland-based startup aims to bring their convenience to small businesses while cutting down on plastic.

With industries moving at the speed of the internet, many companies have trouble keeping pace. Zennify, a Sacramento-based cloud solutions and consulting firm, wants to help legacy businesses catch up.

Humaxa uses artificial intelligence and natural language processing to help employers boost productivity and satisfaction among their workforce.

For many, an understanding of rural living is less about population numbers and topography and more about a sense of being.

Part of this month’s Rural Living series.

Medical carts are mobile storage units for health care equipment, supplies and medication, and may include workstations for access to electronic data.

If your manager tosses you a $200 gift card for reaching a milestone, it’s nothing personal — and according to Anna Straus, that’s a problem when it comes to employee retention and workplace productivity.

PairAnything, run by an eight-person team, won the $10,000 Food + Agriculture Sector Award at the 2019 Big Bang Business Competition at UC Davis.

Before 2012, Nick Barbato was a software developer working in a cubicle, and he was miserable. He wanted more control over his life, so he left that job to start a company called Pangia Games. Not long after he and his cofounder, Lee Hobbs, released their first game, he received an email in 2013 from someone who played it.

There’s a word that comes to mind for Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg regarding the largest infill project in his city, The Railyards. “The one word I would use to describe the state of where we’re at is ‘breakthrough,’” Steinberg says.

Artist Shane Grammer knew he had to paint the brick chimney the moment he saw a photo of it — the only part of a friend’s house in Paradise still standing after the Camp Fire devastated the town. The fire started tearing through the area on Nov. 8, 2018, becoming the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history.

From senior discounts to Weed 101 workshops, dispensaries, delivery services and assisted living facilities in the Capital Region are navigating business and policy implications of the spike in interest among seniors.  

When HealthCare.gov — the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchange website — went live in 2013, it was slow, buggy and hard to navigate — a digital mess. Two weeks later, three programmers in the Bay Area launched HealthSherpa.com, an alternative website to help online shoppers understand their options under the ACA and see plans and prices quickly.

As part of our 2019 salute to women in leadership, we feature seven of the Capital Region’s most relevant and successful women leaders — here’s one of them.

As part of our 2019 salute to women in leadership, we feature seven of the Capital Region’s most relevant and successful women leaders — here’s one of them.

As part of our 2019 salute to women in leadership, we feature seven of the Capital Region’s most relevant and successful women leaders — here’s one of them.

As part of our 2019 salute to women in leadership, we feature seven of the Capital Region’s most relevant and successful women leaders — here’s one of them.

Nematodes pose a conundrum to farmers. The worm-like microscopic creatures are everywhere. Some are parasitic, infecting plants and destroying crops — but others actually  attack insect pests. The ability to target the “bad” while leaving the “good” unharmed would be a boon for agricultural production.

As part of our 2019 salute to women in leadership, we feature seven of the Capital Region’s most relevant and successful women leaders — here’s one of them.

There are roughly 50 chambers in the Capital Region, and we counted over 30 led by women. We asked a dozen of these leaders (doing our best to bring in a mix of voices) to tell us where they see the region headed.

As part of our 2019 salute to women in leadership, we feature seven of the Capital Region’s most relevant and successful women leaders — here’s one of them.

Eric Sweet used to be a pilot, hauling cargo and flying corporate jets. Then he tried his hand at real estate. Now, through his Sacramento-based startup, Robotics Evolution, he’s focused on educating youth on robotics by offering special arenas where their robots can compete in various competitions.

Fees and permitting are a vital tool for municipalities looking to address the housing shortage on a local level. We take a look at different strategies being employed in the region. 

Anybody who says video games are bad for your health hasn’t met Dr. Tony Simon.

The 10th Annual Miss California Latina and Miss Teen California Latina pageant was held Nov. 18 at Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento. The Miss California Latina pageant and Miss Teen California Latina pageants provide personal and professional opportunities for young women to promote their voices in business, politics, the arts and service to the community.

California has the highest number of veteran-owned businesses in the country. By contrast, there is a growing population of homeless veterans in Sacramento, and a declining percentage of the overall share of veterans who own businesses. But resources are on the rise.

The Sacramento-based startup makes cannabis-infused topical skin care products and for Chelsea Dudgeon, CEO and cofounder, her grandmother was “a tough sell” in the beginning.

Education in entrepreneurialism grooms mini moguls and prepares students for the modern workforce. As demand rises, local programs are expanding to reach more youth and instill the lessons of smart business.

In 2017, Aaron Watkins launched a rental service called STEMtrunk because he doesn’t believe educational toys should be left behind. He calls his Yuba City-based startup “Netflix for learning toys” because it works with the same subscription-based concept.

We tracked the routines of six business executives and paired that data with organizational management insights. Here’s how they tame the chaos.

Anu Snacks produces snack bars from spent beer grain, mixed with dried fruit and nuts with various coatings. The idea was a hit, winning $17,500 in prizes this year at the UC Davis Big Bang! competition for entrepreneurship.

With Rhombus Systems cameras, customers can view and share livestreams, manage unlimited locations from one console and set up other features.

We all have a morning routine, and for 62 percent of American adults it involves coffee. But is it healthy? Our writer Kicked his caffeine habit for 10 days — here’s what he learned. 

We asked readers to submit their picks for the Capital Region’s top entrepreneurs —and you answered. Our editorial team vetted almost 100 nominations, looking for innovative business ideas, interesting backstories, unique products and services and that ineffable “it” factor. And here they are…

Full of electrolytes, this drink supports light to strenuous activity levels, repleting and rehydrating the body without excess sugars and calories.

With interest in MBAs flat or falling across the nation, can modernization help programs keep up with student interest? We take a look at how the region’s education programs are innovating their offerings.

Origin Materials is part of a small but growing bioplastics market. Regulation, recycling and changing consumer behavior have proven ineffective in curbing the environment impacts of plastic. With plastic production projected to double over the next 20 years, Origins founders think the key solution lies in the bottles themselves. 

She’s a four-time breast cancer survivor who has been through nine surgeries. But for Cinde Dolphin, the post-surgery process has always been a pain, specifically the drain bulbs.

As 18-year-old Margaret Gomez was about to complete her final GED exam, she started having contractions. She rushed from the room before finishing, though would go on to reschedule and pass. In May 2006, Gomez spoke at graduation to her 50-person class. Her 2-year-old daughter, Julyza, and weeks-old son, Junior, were in the crowd.