Boldbrain Startup Challenge selects 20 startups for acceleration phase

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31.08.2018
Boldbrain Startups and Coaches

The early stage startup program organized in Ticino presented yesterday 20 projects, which will now enter the three-month acceleration program. The projects represent a wide range of innovative business ideas.

The Boldbrain startup challenge, organized by Fondazione AGIRE and Centro Promozione Start-up offers coaching, sector-specific workshops, targeted training, as well as easy access to the support and innovation network in Ticino. For the first batch more than 90 applications were submitted. A committee of 20 experts from the Ticino business community assessed all valid applications. They considered various criteria, including the value of the idea, its possible impact on the Canton, the degree of innovation, the business model and the quality of the team.

The selected projects represent the main innovative industries such as ICT, energy / cleantech, consumer products and services. This wide range of sectors confirms Boldbrain's positioning as a horizontal accelerator that does not focus on a single sector of activity but on innovation and scalability. Five of the selected projects are already incorporated in Ticino and some are incubated at the Start-Up Promotion Centre.

At the Kick-off event yesterday at Tecnopolo Ticino the 20 project got 20 coaches who will support them in putting learnings from the workshops into practice. All selected startups are granted the “Innovation Label”, mandatory for having access to support granted by the Innovation Law in Ticino.

The selected project include:

  • A.R.C.V. Turbine - works on a new model of turbine
  • Bluemed Advisor - winner of Hack the City developed a chatbot for an instant health supports
  • Brainiac Cloud -  propose a tool for granting a easy access to everyone at machine learning
  • Cookers - a platform focused on the food industry
  • Daxtro Suisse - developed a small electronic component for cleaning water directly on households
  • Ecolysis - propose a renewed process for organizing public water distribution
  • Evolve UR - specialized in VR experiences in health sector
  • FlatMan - service platform for real estate agencies
  • GratzUp - providing a standalone sterilisation products that can be used for day to day use
  • I’m back - developed a tools for digitize old analog cameras
  • iWin - propose a new concept of windows designed for granting a better temperature control and accumulate energy
  • Jumpy - an app for granting money to travelers
  • Linked-eat - grant an easy solution for link food producers and tourist in search of local goods
  • MOST -  developed a body scanner helping an easy size detector to be used in the fashion retail and e-commerce business.
  • SCOWLAR - an app designed for provide all the services needed to students at the begin and the end of their university experience
  • Tell the hotel - a chatbot for help hotels to collect and recover direct booking
  • TicInsect - an installation to collect and utilise food waste
  • Tilt - a startups focused on special drone production
  • TiWatt - an innovative electric generator for sailing boat
  • True Truck - an app for facilitate the contact and find food truck

The Boldbrain team is very satisfied with the outcome of this first step, considering that it is the first edition. According to a press release, the team believes that the real benefit of the Boldbrain Startup Challenge is the value of coaching and expertise that will be transmitted in this acceleration phase.

After the acceleration program, a regional jury will evaluate the 20 start-ups and select 10 finalists. These will pitch their ideas in front of the audience and the jury during the award ceremony held within the framework of the Swiss Venture Day Ticino on 4th December 2018. The national jury will award five most outstanding startups with a cash prize CHF 120’000 and in kind awards worth CHF 50’000. Boldbrain Startup Challenge takes no equity and charges no fees.

(Press release / GP)

Picture: TiPress

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