9 Startups joining the Slush 2019 mission: What, why and how.
This year in partnership with Techleap.nl, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Netherlands Embassy in Finland we’re taking select startups on a mission to Slush 2019. We looked at what they, why they’re going to Slush and what is it about a mission that makes an event a more attractive proposition.
Why Slush?
More than 20,000 visitors, 3,100 start-ups, 1,800 investors and 650 journalists from all over the world meet at Slush in Helsinki. Slush gives start-ups the opportunity to present themselves to a large and diverse audience.
Slush is the perfect opportunity for Dutch start-ups to:
- Enter into strategic partnerships with other companies to bring products or services to the international market.
- Scale-up production with reliable, high-quality partners.
- Get funding from Venture Capitals (VCs) and large organizations.
Why do Startups join the mission?
The purpose of this mission is to strengthen the position of Dutch start-ups and the Dutch start-up ecosystem on a global platform. Participation offers you:
- Full prep programming including; coaching on investor readiness, peer-to-peer sharing best practices, and PR guidance
- Access to Slush (worth € 295) and all matchmaking tools
- Visibility of your company on the TechLeap Lounge, such as your logo in a prominent place and other online communications
- Use of the TechLeap Lounge for meetings
- Access to network activities (Holland side events & Slush events);
- Meetings with potential investors
On to the Startups
Nori Health
What does your company do and what problem does it solve?
Nori is a chatbot, or digital coach, for patients with chronic bowel disease (IBD / IBS). Through highly personal conversations about lifestyle factors and mental support, patients improve the daily management of the condition by up to 30%.
The majority of these patients indicate a great lack of support, and studies show that even a third of patients are in direct need of psychotherapy. We provide under-supported patients extended treatment to live healthier, and also prevent additional workload for hospitals by avoiding unnecessary appointments.
What are your goals for attending Slush?
We successfully raised a €600k pre-seed funding round earlier this year in order to bring Nori Health into pilots with partners such as hospitals, insurers and pharmaceutical companies. At Slush we will open our seed round for the first time, so we will connect with investors to support our public launch and to scale our digital health product together.
What made you decide to join a government mission to Slush?
We see great value in government support as it opens doors. We’re looking to bring Nori Health into other European countries as well. We feel like we can use all the help we can get. And being helped by our own government empowers us into seeking what we need to launch our solution in the next couple of months.
BeMup
What does your company do and what problem does it solve?
BeMup provides an alternative to a private car. With a BeMup subscription, you can order a ride 24/7 and we’ll have you on your way within 5 minutes. Always. We drive you, so you can spend your time any way you want during the trip. It will cost you less than what you pay for a dedicated car, you won’t have any of the hassles and you’re free to go anywhere. Share your rides and you’ll save even more. If you want the car to yourself and your company, we will provide you with that. BeMup is about having the freedom to roam as it was meant to be in the early days of motorized vehicles. Be free, Go BeMup.
What are your goals for attending Slush?
BeMup is planning on local pilots in multiple countries, BeMup is looking for local partners and for investors who fund us for the first 2,5 years. We want to meet with Kimball Musk to discuss the energy transition impact of the BeMup model.
What made you decide to join a government mission to Slush?
I signed up for Slush as I got in touch with the Smart Mobility Hub in Helsinki and they pointed me to Slush as a good event to meet up with potential local partners for BeMup. After registering I saw the official trade mission with some additional facilities and networking opportunities on offer. The mission will give us even better opportunities to meet our goals in Helsinki. Very pleased with the initiative!
Ubiqu
What does your company do and what problem does it solve?
Europe’s ambitious plans for digital transformation (Digital Single Market) have the potential to bring huge benefits to both the public and commercial actors on the continent. At the foundation of this bold venture, lies the concept of Digital Identity (eID). At Ubiqu, we have revolutionized digital identification by adding the same level of assurance to every digital transaction, as if displaying an ID in person. Achieving this undeniable certainty with just your mobile phone enables the extinction of other forms of digital identification that are much less secure.
We are applying state of the art cryptography, machine learning, and our credentials in cybersecurity to bring and enhance the experience and security of personal attendance to the digital world in a simple form of a mobile application.
What are your goals for attending Slush?
Currently, we are mainly selling B2B to banks and Telco’s, and we want to test at Slush how we can package our product for start-ups and scale-ups. Also, we are preparing for a new funding round next year, and making new contacts as preparation should be possible at Slush as well.
What made you decide to join a government mission to Slush?
This is our first mission and we wanted to experiment if missions align with ubiqu.
AlarmSecur
What does your company do and what problem does it solve?
The iOT platform of AlarmSecur.com integrates any sensor triggered device (like an alarm system) with CCTV and will send push notification to your phone 13 seconds video + 2 seconds before the sensor was triggered.
Within the mobile app we offer our customers to upgrade to our PREMIUM services (with recurring revenues) like a LIVE Video Monitoring Center, Property Management Control or Vehicle Management Control with integrated Facial Recognition technology. If an event occurs our Control Centers can take immediate action like sending a security guard or emergency services to your home, office or vehicle.
With our solution no need for 24/7 monitoring and always aware why a sensor was triggered because of the integrated visual verification
What are your goals for attending Slush?
To find additional funding for further expansion
What made you decide to join a government mission to Slush?
RVO opens doors for us which normally stay closed.
Mobina IT
What does your company do and what problem does it solve?
Manufacturing companies nowadays have a high pressure to stay competitive and to be part of the digital transformation. The projects realizing this transition are by nature risky, complex and have a high impact on the people in the organization. The management must be in control to steer such transitions.
Mobina IT develops and distributes the management control tool Mobina packed with digitized knowledge to make their vision a reality by mobilizing their organization, creating and maintaining documentation and aligning business and IT.
What are your goals for attending Slush?
Mobina IT is very excited to join Slush for three different reasons. The most important reason is to get in touch with potential strategic partners. The second reason is to get in touch with potential investors. Finally, we would like to meet potential customers in the Nordic countries. The Nordic countries are packed with manufacturing companies which makes it a very interesting market.
What made you decide to join a government mission to Slush?
The RVO gives us the support, guidance and coaching to get the most out of Slush. With their facilitation, we are ready to present Mobina at this international event!
Serious VR
What does your company do and what problem does it solve?
Serious VR develops and licenses VR Trainings and VR Assessments for operators in the industry and provides performance insights with its VR Training Performance Analytics Platform. With this solution, operators are digitally assessed before they are allowed on the production floor increasing the safety of personnel and reducing incidents that often occur in the industry. This results in a more efficient training process and a better manageable production process, reducing machine downtime and saving costs on training expenses.
What are your goals for attending Slush?
Getting in touch with investors for a Series A investment round, later in our investment planning. Meeting other startups in the VR / learning landscape to cooperate with.
What made you decide to join a government mission to Slush?
The good experience with previous Missions (CES, Hannove Messe, Berlin)
Expivi
What does your company do and what problem does it solve?
Expivi is an effective solution to build brand and product loyalty! The software lets customers to engage with products in a never-felt-before methods, while delivering a platform that promotes consistency in product personalization. With Expivi, business owners can have a great system in place — from ordering to production to delivery — A true CPQ solution that runs smoothly, renders quick and looks hyper realistic.
What are your goals for attending Slush?
Business Development and Partnerships
At Expivi, we believe that we are set to change how we perceive commerce practices. There is no substitute for a quality network and it takes time and energy to grow a worthy one. We enjoy community development and the exchange of knowledge. Slush is a platform that we could collect competitive intelligence and look for business partners.
However, we intend to grow our network by attending the most well-known startup event in Europe. This way, we found it easier to Initiate new connections with qualified prospects and partners. At the same time, due to the fact that we were there last year, we would like to reinforce existing connections with our contacts within our networking pipeline.
What made you decide to join a government mission to Slush?
Expivi solution was built in the Netherlands. We are proud to be a Dutch company operating in an open-minded digital-driven country of ours. Throughout the years, we have been blessed by partners, consultants and mentors in the Netherlands which have advised us to improve our communication with other like-minded companies within the country. They also have brought the “government mission” to our attention, to achieve the previous sentiment.
We are hoping to take advantage of all the possibilities that the Ministry of foreign affairs have provided us, so we could be an example for other start-up initiatives. Not to mention, We would like to be part of start-up / scale-up community, in the Netherlands, and encourage entrepreneurship and business innovation.
Niluk
What does your company do and what problem does it solve?
niluk is a social network app to facilitate meaningful offline social contact among young adults. Our mission is to make friendships easier. Our target group are young adults (between 18–35 years old) living in crowded and exciting cities. Together with our users, we have bootstrapped an Android and iOS app in less than one year to connect people more meaningful — offline. Our motto: no swipes or fancy bios — quality connections only. Together with likeminded social initiatives, projects, businesses and individuals and our algorithms we will revolutionize the way of measuring social impact with a social network app.
What are your goals for attending Slush?
We bootstrapped Niluk with crowdfunding (25k) and a governmental subsidy (25k). Our ambition is to raise at least 300k in funding, to realize our goals and ambitions for the next 2 years. Pilots with partners such as hotels, universities, and municipalities have given us the insights and confidence we needed to test our business model and improve our application. At Slush we will raise funding for the first time, mingle among investors, gather feedback from various visitors and most importantly: have fun! We are looking forward to welcoming you at our booth.
What made you decide to join a government mission to Slush?
The exposure and help of the government is an offer that we simply cannot refuse. We are happy and honored that we were selected to join Slush together with RVO and Teachleap.nl. We are Women in Tech and are more than proud to be part of this exciting journey.
MiniBrew
What does your company do and what problem does it solve?
MiniBrew is an innovative platform, allowing everyone in the world to enjoy fresh, locally brewed, high quality, environmentally friendly and affordable craft beer. MiniBrew globalize freshly locally brewed beer with the ambition to make all our beers more sustainable and promote a more responsible and consumable drinking culture.
What are your goals for attending Slush?
MiniBrew successfully realized the product-market fit and at the end of 2019 we will have 1000 MiniBrew machines and 1500 additional SmartKegs in the market. We are ready to scale up and are looking for a series A investors who want to join us disrupting the beer industry. Next to meeting business partners and investors, we want to get inspired by meeting people, learn about other propositions and enjoy the chemistry.
What made you decide to join a government mission to Slush?
We support the purpose of this mission: strengthen the position of Dutch start-ups and the Dutch start-up ecosystem on a global platform. The mission is a perfect platform to present MiniiBrew to international business partners and investors. We also look forward to learning from other participants and support them.
