Here’s your weekly round up of startup competitions, awards, co-working spaces and accelerator news.
OVH accelerator
OVH, a cloud computing company, has launched its Digital Launch Pad incubator programme in the UK.
The scheme will seek to provide innovate UK startups with funding and technical support from the seed stage all the way to market launch. The programme will offer support at three stages: ideation, build and market.
Laurent Allard, CEO of OVH said: “We’re really excited to bring the Digital Launch Pad to the UK after seeing its success in other countries. This is a way of promoting innovation from a very early stage while also supporting the growth of businesses which are a bit further down the line.
“Companies that join the scheme will have full access to funding, support and our global ecosystem of partners to help launch their business to a worldwide market. The DLP is the natural progression of our daily commitment to partner with start-ups and help them grow,” Allard concluded.
Innovate UK £250,000 grant
London-based FinTech startup Tramonex, which specialises in FX transfer for small and medium businesses, has been awarded a £250,000 grant by Innovate UK.
The startup will use the money to develop a prototype for cross-currency payments using blockchain technology.
“Tramonex is very pleased to have been chosen by Innovate UK to develop a blockchain prototype for FX transactions,” said Marc Avedissian, Tramonex co-founder and COO.
“It’s only a question of time until blockchain technology goes mainstream and becomes the standardised option for cross-currency transfers. With this grant, Tramonex wants to provide a platform to create a common standard, to ultimately reduce the time and cost to transact across currencies,” he added.
Balderton Capital promotion
London-based Balderton Capital has promoted Bernard Liautaud, formerly a general partner at the VC firm, to managing partner.
Having joined Balderton in 2008, Liautaud has since then played a pivotal role at the firm, leading deals in Citymapper, Talend and Qubit amongst others.
In his new role, Liautaud will take lead on the operational and management aspects of the firm, while continuing to invest in early-stage tech startups across Europe.
“I am delighted to take this leadership position at Balderton,” said Liautaud. “Europe has become one of the most exciting places for technology entrepreneurship, and Balderton is uniquely placed to partner with the next generation of European entrepreneurs.”
TechUK’s Cyber Connect programme
TechUK’s Cyber Connect programme has announced the companies that have been shortlisted in the competition to find the UK’s most innovative cybersecurity startup.
The four companies that are now through to the final on Wednesday 8 June at Infosecurity Europe 2016, are:
- Assuria
- Intruder
- Exonar
- Device Authority
Samantha Sanderson, UK’s SME cybersecurity champion, Cyber Connect lead, said: “The UK has a thriving cyber security industry, and this competition seeks to reward the most innovative and exciting companies. This is a great opportunity for small businesses to get expert advice and meet with potential partners and customers at the exhibition.”
AXA PPP HealthTech and You Awards 2016
A personalised smartphone-based platform for those with food allergies, an assistive aid to help those with walking difficulties associated with Parkinson’s disease and a Bluetooth colostomy bag sensor are amongst this year’s winners of the AXA PPP Health Tech & You Awards 2016.
Now in its second year, the Awards aimsto guide and grow the conversation about HealthTech, empowering people to use technology to lead healthier lives and be more in control of their health.
The Winners Are:
Breakout Award: Ostom-i by 11 Health
A sensor that alerts patients who use a colostomy bag how full their ostomy pouches are so that they can decide when they should empty them. The device clips on to any ostomy pouch sending Bluetooth alerts to a mobile phone or tablet app telling the user their pouch is filling up.
One to Watch Award: SlowMo
The first digital therapy platform for paranoia that provides self-management tools for people to help take control of their lives. It empowers users to visualise their thoughts and the fast-thinking habits associated with paranoia and to slow down, for a moment, to manage upsetting thoughts.
Champion Award: Patients Know Best by Dr Mohammad Al-Ubaydli
Patients Know Best is designed to empower patients to manage their care through them owning and understanding a copy of all their health information. With patient consent, it helps clinicians share information and engage with patients in new and powerful ways through a secure, encrypted patient portal and information exchange system.
Problem/Solution Award: PsyOmics
PsyOmics work with the Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research (CCNR) improve treatment by providing contract research services to support clinical trials for psychiatric treatment, improve diagnosis by developing clinical diagnostics and improve prevention by providing quantified health solutions that are accessible to everyone; empowering people to understand and improve their own wellbeing and mental health.
Health and Care Award: FoodMaestro
An intelligent search platform for food products offering healthcare providers a new way to engage with patients on diet and nutrition, based on personal requirements. It reduces administration time, enhances productivity and increases clinical time. The technology has been developed with specialist input from the allergy and intolerance teams and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
Innovator Award: Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design Royal College of Art
The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design is an international leader in people-centred and inclusive design, undertaking design research and projects with industry that will contribute to improving people’s lives. The Centre develops innovative and empathic research methods that focus on design for a more inclusive society irrespective of age and ability, creating safer and better health services as well as research into changing patterns of world and urban life.
Independent Living Award: Path Finder by Walk With Path
An assistive aid to facilitate gait in vulnerable groups; primarily the elderly and people suffering with neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease. Path Finder helps prevent gait disturbances that cause falls; such as freezing of gait (FoG), described as feet remaining ‘glued to the floor’, by providing visual cues designed to circumvent the issues related to existing cueing devices.