The 21 hottest New York City startups to watch

But recent years have seen a rise in another breed of startups tackling issues ranging from crime to housing, sports to beauty.

In many ways, New York has become a hub for diverse companies - with even more diverse founding teams.

Each year, Business Insider talks to industry insiders and venture capitalists to find some of the most exciting companies in the region. Their nominations, plus some fundraising data from PitchBook, help shape this list of startups to watch. To limit the list, we only included companies founded in the last five years and narrowed it down to startups headquartered within the greater New York City area.

The companies featured range from those that are just getting their start, to some that have already inked major deals and gained national exposure. All of the companies featured seem poised to do big things in the coming year.

Here are the hottest startups in New York to keep your eye on: