NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Hospitality-focused AI startup Cantaloupe AI has been selected for the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator, placing it among the top 2% of startups accepted into the renowned global program.
Founded in 2024 by Tulane and LSU alumni Rich Simmerman and Josh Anderson, Cantaloupe AI is transforming hospitality hiring with instant AI voice interviews that predict turnover, assess compatibility, and help restaurants and hotels hire smarter, faster, and more fairly.
According to Cantaloupe AI, New Orleans has a massive hospitality workforce yet hiring in the industry remains slow, costly, and prone to bias. Early turnover costs hospitality businesses an average of $8,000 per hire, yet hiring decisions still rely on outdated resume screening.
Cantaloupe AI supercharges the applicant screening and tracking stages with conversational AI voice interviews, ensuring every applicant gets a fair shot while giving hiring managers real insights into personality, soft skills, and long-term fit. The technology is designed specifically for hospitality employers and places a special emphasis on bias-reduction and compatibility.
Techstars, one of the world’s most successful startup accelerators, has backed over 3,700 companies that have collectively raised more than $29 billion in funding. With 500+ exits and 15 unicorns, Techstars alumni include industry-defining companies like SendGrid and DigitalOcean. For Cantaloupe AI, joining Techstars marks a major milestone, unlocking access to world-class mentorship, investor networks, and AI expertise—all crucial for scaling its mission.
This achievement also signals growing momentum for AI startups in New Orleans, a city historically overlooked in the tech boom. As one of the first New Orleans-based AI startups accepted into Techstars, Cantaloupe AI’s success highlights the city’s emerging potential as a hub for innovation in hospitality technology. With Techstars’ backing, the company is set to expand its impact nationwide, bringing cutting-edge AI hiring solutions to an industry that employs over 15 million Americans.
Unlike traditional Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that rely solely on resumes, Cantaloupe AI pre-screens every candidate by analyzing personality traits, job fit, and turnover risk in real time.
Designed for upscale hotels and multi-location restaurant groups, Cantaloupe AI seamlessly integrates with existing hiring workflows and can be implemented within days. By leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and predictive analytics, the platform provides deep insights into candidates before their first shift, helping businesses make smarter, data-driven hiring decisions.
Cantaloupe AI is compatible with over 45 ATS platforms and requires minimal setup, offering a cloud-based solution that enhances hiring efficiency without disrupting operations. Security and fairness are at the core of the platform, with end-to-end encryption, compliance with major data privacy regulations (CCPA & GDPR), and built-in bias mitigation to ensure equitable hiring practices.
Techstars is a startup accelerator that helps founders scale their businesses through mentorship, funding, and networking. The program offers a 3-month accelerator, a $120K investment, and access to a global network of mentors. Techstars has a total portfolio market cap of $124B with 21 companies valued at $1B+ and 121 companies that have a market cap over $100M. A significant portion (74%) of Techstars startups secure funding within three years.
