Introducing the next generation of innovators: MAP 2024 Accelerator cohort
If you follow our MAP social channels or attended MAP Launch, you’ll probably already be across the 10 new startup teams selected for our 2024 Accelerator.
For the rest of you, let’s get you back up to speed.
Selected for their capability as founders and high-performance attributes, these 10 startups are geared up for an intensive five-month journey under the guidance of the renowned Accelerator program (that’s us — MAP), powered by the University of Melbourne.
As mentioned, this is the very beginning of this cohort’s MAP Accelerator journey, so the importance of collaboration is high on our list.
“If you’re inspired by one of our founders, be sure to connect with them and share their story with your network. Every connection and conversation truly makes a difference in their journey” — Jaxon Hickey, Accelerator Manager, MAP.
Let’s meet:
After: Taking care of your unwearable clothing after you
Co-Founders: Yesha Patel and Nehal Jain
You’re staring at a pile of clothes that are too worn out to donate, and the idea of them going to a landfill is just the worst. No worries — After has got your back! They’ll come by, collect your unwearable clothes, and recycle them into new materials and products. Plus, they’ll even reward you for your eco-conscious efforts.
Problem: The fashion industry generates massive amounts of textile waste, contributing to environmental degradation and sustainability issues.
Solution: After pioneers a circular economy by collecting and recycling unwearable textiles into new materials and products.
Visit their website: https://www.after.net.au/
Care Plan 365: Simplifying ADHD treatment
Co-Founders: Akuh Adaji and Nachi Adaji
Imagine juggling multiple patient cases, each with unique needs, while striving to provide top-notch care. That’s the daily struggle for healthcare providers treating ADHD. But with Care Plan 365, the game changes. By streamlining ADHD treatment with collaborative care plans, healthcare providers can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Care Plan 365 empowers providers to seamlessly coordinate care efforts, ensuring every patient receives personalized and effective treatment. Say goodbye to the headaches of disjointed care and hello to smoother workflows, improved patient outcomes, and a more fulfilling practice.
Problem: Healthcare providers face challenges in effectively diagnosing and treating ADHD, leading to suboptimal patient outcomes.
Solution: Care Plan 365 streamlines ADHD treatment with collaborative care plans, empowering healthcare providers to work together and provide more effective care for patients.
Visit their website: https://www.cp365.health/
Dark Patterns Lab: Ensuring compliant marketing and design in consumer digital experiences
Founder: Swetha Meenal Ananthapadmanaban
Between 2022 and 2024, Australian businesses like Kmart, Airbnb, Trivago, and Pizza Hut have paid over $100 million in fines for violating privacy and consumer laws in digital marketing and design practices. This is just a fraction of the legal risks online businesses face. Dark Patterns Lab helps protect businesses and build user trust. Using cutting-edge AI, Dark Patterns Lab identifies deceptive design practices (dark patterns) and helps businesses manage risks and thrive in the evolving legal landscape.
Problem: Many websites and products employ deceptive design practices, known as dark patterns, to manipulate user behaviour and violate privacy and consumer rights.
Solution: Dark Patterns Lab utilises AI technology to identify deceptive design practices (dark patterns), and helps businesses manage risks and safeguard user trust.
Visit their website: https://www.darkpatternslab.com/
Flowing Bee: Increasing marketing effectiveness with behavioural insights
Co-Founders: Michael Sankey and Sara Khorasani
Many marketers struggle to truly understand consumer behaviour and create campaigns that resonate. Flowing Bee is here to solve that problem. By leveraging new consumer and behavioural insights, Flowing Bee optimises every aspect of your marketing efforts — from strategy and execution to measurement. Imagine having a dedicated in-house behavioural scientist guiding your every move.
Problem: Marketers often find it difficult to decode consumer behaviour and develop strategies that drive engagement.
Solution: Flowing Bee uses advanced consumer and behavioural insights to fine-tune your marketing strategy, execution, and measurement. This enables marketers to craft compelling content that deeply connects with their audience.
Visit their website: https://flowingbee.com
Mark My Words: Fighting teacher burnout and championing student success
Founder: James Smith
Teachers are drowning in excessive workloads, making it tough to give quality feedback and putting some students at risk of falling behind. That’s where Mark My Words steps in. Developing a tool that helps teachers provide impactful feedback and efficiently track writing skills, Mark My Words ensures no student is left behind on their educational journey.
Problem: Teachers are burdened with excessive workloads, compromising their ability to provide quality feedback to students and increasing the risk of some students falling through the cracks.
Solution: Mark My Words has built a tool for educators to provide impactful feedback and track students’ writing skills efficiently, ensuring no student is left behind.
Visit their website: https://www.markmywords.au/
Minikai: Making AI accessible for disability service providers
Co-Founders: Keoki Alexander-Chang and Kyel Shera-Jones
For service providers that are struggling to keep up with the growing demand for disability care in Australia, Minikai provides specialised AI assistants that automate repetitive administrative tasks. This frees up people’s time, allowing them to focus on improving the quality of care for people with disability.
Problem: Disability service providers are responsible for navigating complex administration and paperwork to document client needs, case notes, and documentation for funding.
Solution: Minikai offers an AI solution for disability providers to streamline their admin and paperwork, freeing up valuable time that can be spent on providing better quality of care for people with disability.
Visit their website: https://www.minikai.com/
Newsie: Transforming news broadcasting for the digital era
Co-Founders: Mark Santomartino and Michael Marini
Traditional news broadcasting is having a tough time adapting to digital platforms, which means they’re missing out on reaching wider audiences in today’s digital age. Enter, Newsie. Using AI to watch and edit news bulletins into individual stories, Newsie then reorganises these stories into a personalised bulletin for each user. With Newsie, news organisations can engage broader audiences online and stay relevant in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Think of it as building the Netflix of news — tailored, on-demand content that meets the needs of the modern viewer.
Problem: Traditional news broadcasting struggles to adapt to digital platforms, limiting their reach and relevance in today’s digital age.
Solution: Newsie automates the creation of broadcast news clips for digital distribution using AI and machine learning, enabling news organisations to engage broader audiences online.
Visit their website: https://www.newsie.com.au/
Nexa Robotics: Desk companions supporting executive function for ADHD
Co-Founders: Arnav Bhalla, William Cerdelli and Zaid Ahmed
The neurodivergent community is subject to several challenges with handling daily tasks and managing their executive functioning effectively. Nexa Robotics has developed an intelligent desk companion with functionality made to empower neurodivergent individuals. From breaking down overwhelming tasks into manageable steps, to offering emotional support and assistance with scheduling, STU (the desk companion robot) is here to lend a helping hand and make life more manageable.
Problem: Neurodivergent individuals often face challenges in navigating daily tasks and managing executive functions effectively.
Solution: Nexa Robotics is building an AI-powered companion to empower neurodivergent individuals through in-built functionalities that focus on task digestion, emotional support, body doubling and scheduling.
Visit their website: https://www.heystu.com.au/
Skedyul: Streamlining operations for service-based businesses
Co-Founders: Avin Chadee and Brett Hillier
Service-based businesses often struggle to keep operations running smoothly, resulting in inefficiencies and disappointing customer experiences. Skedyul is here to change this. As a SaaS solution, Skedyul provides a customisable platform designed to streamline every aspect of operations from scheduling to client communication. By reducing repetitive tasks, service-based businesses can ensure a seamless experience for their customers while increasing business revenue (aka everyone wins!). Their initial focus is on delivering their solution to the underserved and underdeveloped veterinary space.
Problem: Service-based businesses encounter challenges in managing operations efficiently, leading to inefficiencies and subpar customer experiences.
Solution: Skedyul offers a SaaS solution to streamline operations, from scheduling to client communication, ensuring a seamless experience for service-based businesses and their customers.
Visit their website: https://www.skedyul.it/
Subbix: Simplifying building procurement with centralised information
Co-Founders: Justin Barron and Thomas McNicol
Building projects frequently face delays and cost overruns because of inefficient procurement processes and scattered information. By centralising product information for building projects, Subbix empowers builders to make informed decisions and stick to their budgets, thereby streamlining the procurement process. With Subbix, building projects can stay on track and on budget, ensuring smoother operations and successful outcomes.
Problem: Building projects often suffer from delays and cost overruns due to inefficient procurement processes and lack of centralised information.
Solution: Subbix centralises product information for building projects, enabling builders to make informed decisions and stay on budget, thus streamlining the procurement process.
Visit their website: https://www.subbix.au/
There’s no doubt that these startups will be pushing boundaries and growing over the next five months of our MAP Accelerator program. If you’re keen to stay up to date on their journey, be sure to follow our socials or sign up to our MAP newsletter.
— — — — — — — — — — —
The MAP Accelerator is a highly sought-after initiative at the University of Melbourne, designed to foster accountability, expand the founder experience and broaden their entrepreneurial networks.
For over a decade, MAP has been the catalyst for extraordinary success, transforming startups into industry leaders by fostering a high-performing environment that places equal weight on both founder and venture. Learn more.
