Blissway
YC S20Denver, US · Founded 2019 · 22 employees · Hiring · 7 known investors
Blissway provides roadside toll collection and vehicle tracking systems using wireless autonomous devices (WAL-Es) and cloud analytics, replacing traditional gantry and transponder infrastructure for highway management agencies.
Also known as Blissway Inc.
Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (S20)
Blissway was founded in 2019 by Francisco Torrealba and Felipe Kettlun.
Investors · 7
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Blissway is a transportation technology company based in Denver, Colorado, that supplies tolling infrastructure to highway and transportation agencies. Instead of the conventional architecture of overhead gantries paired with in-vehicle windshield transponders, the company deploys compact roadside units it calls Wireless Autonomous Lane Enforcers (WAL-Es), combined with large-scale cloud data analytics, to identify and track vehicles on the road. The company states its systems are guaranteed to perform at or better than existing roadside toll collection systems.
Its product set covers multi-lane and vehicle-classification all-electronic tolling (AET), express and HOV lanes with occupancy verification, a commercial back office, interim tolling and disaster recovery, and point-to-point speed enforcement. The company positions itself as tolling-industry technology infrastructure and combines hardware, machine learning, computer vision and IoT with software delivered as a service. Engineering work spans embedded systems, electrical and hardware design, with a stack that includes Python, TypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, React Native, MongoDB and MySQL.
Founding story
Blissway was founded in 2019 by Stanford graduates Francisco Torrealba, who holds a Stanford MS and MBA, and Felipe Kettlun, an electrical engineer with a Stanford MS in computer science (AI) and experience in IoT and machine learning.
Business model
Blissway sells tolling and road-safety systems to public transportation agencies, pairing proprietary roadside hardware (WAL-E devices) with cloud analytics and back-office software, including a commercial back office offering.
Traction
The company reports developing and testing its technology with the Colorado Department of Transportation and transportation agencies from five other states, and says it was recently awarded a large contract in Denver. Headcount is listed at 22 by Y Combinator and 24 by Built In, of which 20 are product and technology employees, with three engineering roles open.
Latest developments
Built In profiles describe the company hiring across embedded systems, electrical engineering and hardware design in Denver following the award of a large Denver contract.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Positioned as technology infrastructure for the tolling industry, offering an alternative to the legacy gantry-and-transponder architecture used in roadside toll collection.
Eliminates overhead gantries and in-vehicle transponders in favor of low-profile roadside devices plus cloud analytics, with performance stated to match or exceed incumbent roadside toll collection systems.
Technology
Small roadside units branded Wireless Autonomous Lane Enforcers (WAL-Es) replace gantries and windshield transponders, feeding large-scale cloud data analytics that identify and track every vehicle on the road. The company applies machine learning, computer vision and IoT, and lists a software stack including Python, TypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, React Native, MongoDB, MySQL and GitHub.
Go-to-market
Direct engagement with transportation agencies, including technology development and field testing with state departments of transportation; the website invites agencies to make contact directly by email.
Highway and toll operators and public transportation agencies; the company has worked with the Colorado Department of Transportation and transportation agencies in five other states, and directs prospective agency customers to contact it about specific pain points.
Geography
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with a hybrid workplace requiring at least three days a week on site; technology deployment and testing involve agencies in Colorado and five other US states.
History
Founded in 2019, Blissway participated in Y Combinator's Summer 2020 batch, with Aaron Epstein as primary partner. It has since grown to roughly two dozen employees in Denver and reports being awarded a large contract in Denver.
Compiled by commissioned research from 7 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Competitors · 2
by search overlap
Companies competing with Blissway for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
Timeline · 3
launches, deals, and filingsBlissway states it was recently awarded a large contract in Denver and is expanding its team as it scales.
The company reports developing and testing its technology with the Colorado Department of Transportation and transportation agencies from five other states.
Blissway was part of Y Combinator's Summer 2020 batch, with Aaron Epstein as primary partner.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 7
primary sources listed
- Blisswayblissway.com · web
7 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Blissway do?
- Blissway builds roadside sensor devices and cloud analytics that replace toll gantries and windshield transponders.
- Who founded Blissway?
- Blissway was founded by Francisco Torrealba, Felipe Kettlun in 2019.
- Who are Blissway's investors?
- Blissway's investors include James Beshara Fund, Maniv Mobility, Open Opportunity Fund, The MBA Fund, Unpopular Ventures, VentureSouq, Y Combinator.
- Where is Blissway headquartered?
- Blissway is headquartered in Denver, US.