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Cantaloupe AI
Techstars '25New Orleans, US · 2 known investors
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Cantaloupe offers happycampr hire, an AI-driven recruiting tool that automatically screens applicants, schedules interviews, and runs first-round interviews, then hands off to a company's HRIS or payroll system. It targets multi-location operators and franchises, providing turnover, retention, and pay-alignment analytics to reduce bad hires and cost-per-hire.
Also known as Cantaloupe AI
Founders & leadership
Investors · 2
How we know: the Techstars portfolio · open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · Not right? Tell us
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Sep 2026Cantaloupe AI is a human resources technology company based in New Orleans, Louisiana, that operates an AI-powered applicant pre-screening platform aimed primarily at the hospitality industry. Its core offering is an instant AI voice interview that lets every applicant, across every role, respond in their own words, producing data on candidates for hiring managers before an in-person meeting and shortening time-to-hire.
The company has described product development around Cleo, a conversational AI interviewer announced in January 2025 as a forthcoming product improvement. Public listings categorize the company under artificial intelligence, enterprise and consumer software, hospitality, and human resources, with a B2B subscription SaaS model. Reported headcount is approximately five employees, with a founding year of 2023.
Founding story
Company listings give a founding year of 2023. Co-founder and CEO Rich Simmerman has described being born and raised in the Northshore area of Louisiana, near where the company won a regional pitch competition in January 2025.
Business model
The company sells business-to-business software on a subscription SaaS basis, serving employers that need to screen and interview hourly applicants.
Traction
Reported total funding figures range from $325,000 (as of a mid-2024 listing) to $365,000, with investors including Techstars, Everywhere Ventures, Benson Capital Partners, New Orleans Startup Fund, STartUP Northshore, and the University of Louisiana Monroe. Employee count is listed at approximately five, and market-data signals in mid-2026 reported a sharp increase in open roles.
Latest developments
Following its January 2025 pitch competition win, the company said it planned major product improvements with the launch of Cleo, its conversational AI interviewer. Funding-round listings indicate subsequent accelerator, pre-seed, and angel activity through 2025 and 2026.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Positioned as an early-stage, pre-seed-stage AI hiring vendor for hospitality employers; comparable companies identified in market data include HeyMilo AI, NTRVSTA, and Crosschq.
Technology
The platform uses AI-driven voice interviews and automated pre-screening, including a conversational AI interviewer referred to as Cleo, to capture applicant responses and generate candidate data for hiring managers.
Go-to-market
The company has gained visibility through regional accelerator and pitch-competition channels in Louisiana, including Techstars' workforce development accelerator and STartUP Northshore's NSpire Startup Slam, which provided cash, in-kind business services, and access to investors and industry professionals.
Hospitality employers and their hiring managers, who screen and interview applicants across a range of hourly roles.
Geography
Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, with regional ties to the Louisiana Northshore startup ecosystem.
History
Founded in 2023 according to firmographic listings, the company is based in New Orleans, Louisiana. It participated in a Techstars accelerator program focused on workforce development and won STartUP Northshore's 2025 NSpire Startup Slam in January 2025, taking a prize package valued at more than $115,000, including $40,000 in non-dilutive cash and over $65,000 in in-kind services, mentorship, and investor network access.
Compiled by commissioned research from 6 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.
Related companies · 4
Companies working in the same space as Cantaloupe AI.
Timeline · 2
launches, deals, and filingsCantaloupe AI won the 2025 NSpire Startup Slam in Hammond, Louisiana, taking a prize package valued at over $115,000, consisting of $40,000 in non-dilutive cash and more than $65,000 in in-kind services, mentorship, and investor network access. Runners-up were ForeFront360 and QMS2GO.
$115K source ↗
Co-founder and CEO Rich Simmerman said the company had major product improvements ahead with the launch of Cleo, its conversational AI interviewer.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 6
primary sources listed
- Cantaloupe AI | Valuation, Funding Rounds & Stock Price | Caplightcaplight.com · web
6 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Cantaloupe AI do?
- New Orleans-based HR technology company offering AI voice interviews and pre-screening for hospitality hiring.
- Who founded Cantaloupe AI?
- Cantaloupe AI was founded by Lane Degenhardt.
- Who are Cantaloupe AI's investors?
- Cantaloupe AI's investors include Techstars.
- Where is Cantaloupe AI headquartered?
- Cantaloupe AI is headquartered in New Orleans, US.