Startupbootcamp Investor Day proves to be a hit in Dublin

17 May 2012

Taoiseach Enda Kenny with Anton Shihoff, Getbulb; Gabiya Danileviciute, Adfaces; Gintas Balciunes, Easyprove; Panda Wan, Pombai; Tim Duggan, Skynet; Felipe Gabardo, Opara; Chloe McGuckin, Clevermiles; Cristi Badea, Mavenhut; Han Lee, NotesFirst

Yesterday, Dublin’s tech hub on Barrow Street was swarming with eagle-eyed angel investors who were at Startupbootcamp to check out the 10 start-ups engaged in the accelerator, which has been running at the Factory since February.

At Startupbootcamp, the 10 start-ups, which hail from Ireland and further afield, have been shaping up their new ventures over the past three months, as well as getting mentoring from industry experts, micro investment of €12,000 and access to a network of angel investors from across Europe.

And yesterday was their chance to pitch to around 100 investors who came to check them out at Demo Day.

The Factory was a hive of activity, with investors and venture capitalists from the likes of Silicon Valley Bank, Accel, Highland Capital, Amadeus, Enterprise Equity, Oyster Tech and Atlantic Bridge turning up on the day.

Even Taoiseach Enda Kenny dropped by to check out the new ventures that are pioneering new technologies, ranging from tech to revolutionise the oil and gas industry to a technology for tracing perishable produce across the agricultural distribution chain.

Vista of the Factory yesterday

The audience and stage at Startupbootcamp in Dublin yesterday. Image by Conor McCabe

Here’s a bit more on the 10 start-ups that pitched yesterday. Watch this space for possible investment announcements in the next few weeks!

  • Easyprove is a new venture from Lithuania. It is pioneering software to replace spreadsheets in key processes, such as purchase orders and invoice approvals, for multidivisional SMEs.
  • Getbulb is an Irish start-up that’s aiming to transform complex data into clear pictures, without the limitations of pre-defined styles of a typical spreadsheet.
  • MavenHut is creating casual, skill-based games that can be monetised through one-on-one wagers and tournament play. Its funders are from Romania.
  • Adfaces is a web platform for SME businesses to advertise more affordably on any outdoor media. Its founders hail from Israel and Poland.
  • CleverMiles is an Irish start-up that has come up with a system to improve road safety through a three-part strategy comprising driver monitoring, driver education and a system of incentives.

Skynet pitch at Startupbootcamp on 16 May 2012

A member of the Skynet team pitches to investors yesterday. Image by Conor McCabe

  • Skynet is an Irish start-up focusing on turning paper-based drilling data into corporate value for the oil and gas industry.
  • NotesFirst is a California-founded start-up. It is aiming to disrupt the med-tech marketplace and is pioneering a secure tablet for doctors to capture and recall patient data on the go.
  • Opara is a Brazilian venture that’s on a mission to increase the traceability of perishable produce across the agricultural distribution chain.
  • Outline is a new Irish venture focusing on the mining of inboxes for tasks, questions and commitments, and provides managers with complete transparency over emails, tasks and actions across their entire teams.
  • Pombai, whose founders come from the US and China, has come up with a marketplace that allows businesses and individuals to buy or sell tickets for regional passenger transport in countries off the beaten track.

Carmel Doyle was a long-time reporter with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com