Accelerator Academy, an early stage business development programme, has announced the 10 high-growth tech and digital start-ups accepted on to its sixth semester.
The 10 new participants span a number of sectors and address a number of challenges, from unnecessary wallet clutter and making address books smarter in a contextual sense to connecting people with high quality, gourmet food producers and breaking down barriers in the art world.
The 10 start-ups are listed below in alphabetical order:
Audiowings – is making headphones smart enough to give you the music you want to listen to and intuitive enough to show you where to find it. Audiowings is developing a pair of premium headphones that connect directly to platforms like Spotify, Deezer and Bloom FM via the internet. The company has designed an intuitive way to sync, store and share your favourite music. Embracing a radical, modular design with swappable parts, the headphones are perfect for different environments.
Better Than Paper – A UK based, independent agency that delivers customised mobile applications and ground-breaking mobile web concepts, to ensure business connect with their customers, always. Helping clients, which range from entrepreneurs and top 10 media advertising agencies to well-established UK brands (including Bacardi, RBS, Barclays and Hiscox), to identify ways in which mobile technology enhance customer experiences.
CrumbTrail – is a context-based phone book that is designed around the connected and fast-paced lifestyles of this generation. Social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn have become an integral part of networking DNA. Smartphone contact books have not kept pace with how people are meeting and instead of forcing us to remember people alphabetically, the needs to be additional context, getting us to remember the moment that matters most.
Cypsel – A London based start-up founded by Accenture veterans George Zarkadakis and Dimitri Mistriotis, looking to capitalise on the opportunity presented by a peer-to-peer exchange of knowledge and skills. Cypsel connects freelance artists who want to teach art locally and people in the local area who want private art lessons. By doing so, it’s looking to break down existing barriers and bring art in to people’s lives and homes as a lifestyle choice.
Marca Me – A mobile advertising start-up looking to create a new, innovative approach to native advertising. Marca Me is creating an Android-based reward screen lock app that offers a variety of branded themes, allowing users to unlock their phone. These branded themes will allow users to engage with their favourite brands and receive exclusive promotions, rewards, special discounts and plenty of freebies. As people obsessed by user experience, Marca Me is setting out to create an engaging and rewarding experience for all included.
nCube – nCube is a smart home, energy management platform to help proud homeowner conserve energy through intelligently controlling their home. nCube technology sits at the heart of the home, controlling every device and allowing users to truly shape their environment. An nCube system is straight forward to install and the data provide can be used to analyse and identify energy saving through the Energy Leaderboard, which can be used as a way to educate young family members and reward them for their own savings.
Recibo – Is an eco-friendly web app which captures, handles and manages all information that a conventional paper receipt currently contains. Along with helping consumers cut down on all that unwanted wallet/purse clutter and eliminate the receipt shoebox or draw that everyone has, it will improve the environmental impact, efficiency and simplify retailer to consumer relations. Recibo will provide retailers with access to superior market data and decreased operational costs, not to mention a smaller carbon footprint and a more automated refund process.
The Food Market – is a curated online marketplace where the vast range of food and drink products are made available via third-party producers and retailers. The Food Market connects small to medium food merchants, passionate about the quality of their food, with customers who want delicious, well-made food they would find hard to find in the average supermarket. A beta version of the marketplace is launching in the next few weeks.
Thumbtags – is looking to revolutionise digital marketing by making online images interactive and ‘shoppable’. Thumtags technology allows users to hover over any product image to discover additional information, find cheaper alternatives and ultimately, make a purchase. With over 100 major retailers signed up and a number of publishers trialling the software, Thumbtags is playing its part in the evolution of digital marketing
WIDE IO – Since December 2012 WIDE IO has been building an online platform that helps innovative software companies, integrate the best algorithms in their product. The platform is at the intersection in between, algorithms-as-a-service and collaborative tools for scientists and engineers specialising in software technologies related to video analytics. All algorithms through WIDE IO are ready to use and ready to be tested and optimised for a specific purpose. Businesses with applications in advertising, media, video security or any domain requiring video analytics can now access innovations coming from academia.
Ian Merricks, managing partner for White Horse Capital and founder of Accelerator Academy, says: "We had a record number of submissions from startups vying for a place at the Academy for the sixth semester, which is obviously fantastic to see. Not just to reinforce our stance and principles at Accelerator Academy, but also in a wider aspect, with so many people creating, developing and building really innovative businesses.
"For the 10 successful companies, their journey is just beginning and we’re really looking forward to seeing how they approach the different challenges ahead and absorb all they can from their mentors."
