A Richardson company called Startup Runway is attracting global startups to North Texas. One company, Iris Mobility, is finding success because of it.
RICHARDSON, Texas — What may look like ordinary traffic footage is, for one North Texas startup, critical data that could help save lives.
Iris Mobility, founded by three 24-year-old friends, is using artificial intelligence to analyze crashes, near-misses and risky driving behavior in real time — giving cities tools to make roads safer.
“That car diverts into the other lane,” co-founder Akash Buchi said while demonstrating the technology. “If there had been a dedicated road over there for a U-turn … this would have been avoided,” added co-founder Mithilesh Reddy.
The company’s software can detect collisions and even automatically alert emergency responders, while also identifying patterns that signal danger before an accident happens.
The idea was born after the founders witnessed a pedestrian crash firsthand — an experience that shaped their mission.
“In Texas, every 57 seconds, there’s a crash,” Buchi said. “So we were thinking, how do we stop this?”
Just a year after launching, Iris Mobility is already drawing interest from cities across Texas and beyond. But breaking into those spaces wasn’t easy.
“It wouldn’t have happened without Startup Runway,” Reddy said.
The Richardson-based company, Startup Runway, is designed to help international startups enter the U.S. market — something its founder, Mahesh Nandyala, understands personally.
After moving to the United States in 2011 to start his first company, Nandyala said he faced challenges navigating cultural differences and business practices. He launched Startup Runway in 2023, partnering with the city of Richardson to help global founders bridge those gaps and connect with customers.
“We ensure that we get them ahead of the game, get them in front of their customers … and help them make revenue in the U.S.,” Nandyala said.
The program has already brought 18 international startups to Richardson, creating jobs and expanding the city’s global business footprint. City Manager Don Magner said the initiative is part of a broader effort to position the city as a growing technology hub.
“Richardson will be the premier technology hub of Texas,” Magner said.
He added that startups like Iris Mobility are already making a local impact.
“It’s allowing us to do things like reduce accidents, improve safety on our streets,” Magner said. “And that’s really important to our community.”
As Startup Runway continues to attract global ideas to North Texas, Iris Mobility’s founders say their focus remains simple: using data to prevent crashes and protect lives.
“That’s what we want to do for the communities of America,” Buchi said.
Nandyala said Startup Runway is working with companies from India, Finland and more. They have met with more than 1500 companies interested in growing in the United States.