Profitero and Radisens pitch at IBM SmartCamp finals

16 Nov 2011

A technician inspects IBM's solar-power array atop the roof of the company's software development lab in Bangalore, India. The 6,000-sq-foot array is capable of providing a 50kW supply of electricity for up to 330 days a year. Image courtesy of IBM

Dublin-based Profitero and Cork-based Radisens Diagnostics are two of the five start-ups from Ireland and the UK taking part in IBM SmartCamp in London. PageHub, RSM and Visible Light Communications are the other finalists. You can vote for your favourite start-up via an IBM blog.

IBM SmartCamp is running today and tomorrow in London. You can watch each of the finalists make their pitch via the IBM Build a Smarter Planet blog, and vote for the venture you think will help progress IBM’s Smarter Planet vision.

Between today and tomorrow, the finalists will network with 25 world-class entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts at IBM SmartCamp, as they aim to make a lasting impression so they can secure investment to take their ventures to the next level.

IBM runs SmartCamp events globally. The aim of the events are to identify early stage entrepreneurs who are developing business ventures that align with IBM’s goal to create leaner, greener, smarter cities.

The five start-ups – selected from more than 80 original applications – will compete to win an intensive three-month mentorship programme with IBM, and the chance to shine on the world stage.

Profitero – founded in 2010

Profitero already has a number of awards to its credit even though it has only been around since 2010. It won the European Seedcamp 2010 competition, as well as the Irish Innovation Cubed 2010 award.

Profitero was founded in the autumn of 2010 by Vol Pigrukh (CEO), Dmitry Vysotski (CTO) and Kanstantsin Chernysh (vice-president, Engineering). The company, which is headquartered in Dublin, is focused on the European and US markets. Prior to setting up the company, the co-founders held a variety of roles in the areas of sales, marketing, retail and development at multinationals Google, IBM, Microsoft in Ireland.

Via actionable competitor analytics, Profitero provides product and price intelligence data. The company says its aim is to help retailers and manufacturers win new customers and grow sales, increase profit margins and increase ROI on marketing.

Radisens

Meanwhile, Radisens Diagnostics is based at the Rubicon Centre at Cork Institute of Technology. It also has an office in Boston, Massachusetts. The start-up develops disruptive point-of-care diagnostic platforms and multiplexed test panels, which diagnose and monitor patients for multiple chronic and acute care conditions. It is also developing consumable assay panels. Radisens recently launched its 2011 Business Expansion Scheme.

The other three finalists:
PageHub is a tool for brands to effectively manage their presence on Facebook and other social media sites.

RSM is the creator of FITS, an analytical and traffic-management software system for cities.

Visible Light Communications (VLC) is developing smart lighting driven by high-efficiency LEDs, which deliver high-speed data communications over visible light.

Voting is now open to the public. Polls close at 8am (GMT) tomorrow (Thursday, 17 November). The winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon. 

Carmel Doyle was a long-time reporter with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com