Your Eyes Into The Global Startup Competition

Published in

WHub

18 min readDec 18, 2019

With a truly global outlook, the Global Startup Competition organised by WHub and AngelHub is all set to start off on the 17th of December.

This is a developing story, it will be updated.

What is the Global Startup Competition?

Startups from around the world will participate in the roadshows taking place in 12 countries in EMEA and Asia. Winners would get to showcase their #StartupPassion at the finals at the Startup Impact Summit in Hong Kong.

The Global Startup Competition is an event specifically dedicated to startups:

Looking to scale into or already operating in Asia
Having a tech-enabled business
Looking to raise a minimum of USD 1,000,000
Having already a minimum viable product (MVP) and initial market traction
Showing evidence of their team passion

StartmeupHK Festival 2020 and Startup Impact Summit by WHub has been postponed. In light of the current situation relating to the coronavirus, Invest Hong Kong and the key partners of the StartmeupHK Festival 2020 have agreed to postpone the festival, scheduled for 10–15 February. The article will be updated to keep you informed of the new dates, possibly in July 2020, and be back with an even bigger and better Startup Impact Summit #SIS20.

Contact sis@whub.io for any questions or queries that you might have.

🏆 And the winners are….

BlueMeg and WeGroup

Congratulations to BlueMeg and Wegroup for winning the Global Startup Competition!

Hailing from Hong Kong and Belgium respectively, Bluemeg and Wegroup impressed the panel of judges with their pitch and performance during the grand finale.

Also a huge congratulations to Nopo Nanotechnologies from India, the 1st runner up!

The Grand Finale was held virtually and would not have been possible without the help and support of the team and our partners!

We would like to thank everyone who joined us throughout our journey in the search for finding the best tech startups around the globe that are scaling in Asia and to unleash their full potential by providing them with visibility, network, and funding needed to grow.

Thanks to all the startups who participated, partners who supported and helped make this contest a success! Stay tuned for Round 2!

To find out more about our journey, continue reading.

Our first stop — Berlin!

The Berlin roadshow took place on the 17th of December at Betahaus. The event saw 10 growing and creative startups pitch for their opportunity to be a part of the finals at the Startup Impact Summit. The judges were left with making a tough decision of choosing the best, with all startups pitching exciting and inspiring business models and processes.

Here is a quick look at the startups that participated:

Block2Job, a digital job referral platform allows you to find a job best suited for you.
Defudger has developed a three layer detection system that verifies the authenticity of digital content.
Fundament Securities democratizes access to financial investments, integrating blockchain, web services and mobile apps.
LA.I.FE creates personalised data driven music feed for everyone.
Letos measures user satisfaction with a product that instantly detects human emotional reactions in real time.
MyHelpBuddy is your go to platform to find a buddy for any task right from filling forms to translation services.
Myos is the first product based financing for merchants helping them generate more revenue.
Navigine combines outdoor/indoor navigation and location tracking to better customer experience.
Olympus Sky Technologies, helps IoT vendors to get more revenue by enhancing their products with the best security layer.
PlanA.Earth helps you get your carbon under control and measure how you impact.

And the Winner is…

Fundament securities wowed the judges and the crowd with their vision of creating similar opportunities on the capital market without compromising on investor protection. Their mission is to set up institutional grade financial products that fully comply to German and European capital market laws and are open to all classes of investors.

Congratulations to Fundament Securities! 🎉

Our 2nd Stop — Paris!

The Paris roadshow took place on the 19th of December at Le Loft 50Partners. With 8 startups, a reputed panel of judges and a full-house, the event was a huge hit.

Here is a glimpse of the 8 startups:

AZmed creates deep learning technologies that allow doctors to reduce medical errors and save time, by helping them analyze medical images.
Eversend is a multi-currency e-wallet that allows you to exchange, spend and send money at the best possible rates.
Find & Order is your B2B solution for accurate orientation for retailers with their 3D mapping and indoor positioning system.
Fluctuo is an independent third-party data specialist focused on shared-mobility services (bikes, scooters, mopeds, cars).
Master the Monster is the first platform that helps brands create, produce, curate and optimize all their video content.
Monart strives to open the art market to all, investors, traders, collectors, art lovers and the general public through blockchain.
Spotr helps you discover, capture and share the best places for your photos and stories.
You’re welcome app allows guests to order anything they want in hotels & resorts.

And the winner is…

Spotr bagged their chance to be a part of finals at SIS 2020 in Hong Kong with their goal to be the number one app you open when you travel to a new place.

Congratulations to Spotr! 🎉

GSC in Tel Aviv!

GSC arrived in Tel Aviv on the 7th of January marking the first of the remaining 10 roadshows. The event took place at the Google Startups Campus with 12 innovative and growing startups pitching for their spot in the finals at Startup Impact Summit 2020 in Hong Kong.

The startups that attended included:

Bosco App has revolutionised smart parenting. Bosco detects unusual events or threats, and notifies parents when their children might need protection.
Deep Health aims to provide the best surgery for anyone. To support the idea, they are developing revolutionary yet affordable, AI based-surgery navigation system.
EggXYt is developing the ultrasound for eggs. Aiming to be a global leader in revolutionizing hatcheries, their technology enables sex detection of chick embryos immediately after the eggs are laid.
Hargol FoodTech is a company that rears grasshoppers, the ultimate protein alternate in every aspect.
MAO FoodTech’s amazing technology provides mothers with a tool for monitoring their infant’s health by real-time, at home, nutritional analysis of their milk.
Matricelf is a biotechnology company that develops a platform technology for autologous matrix and cells implants in a variety of medical conditions.
Nostromo Energy has developed a revolutionary thermal energy storage cell for a water-based energy storage system which is the safest, cleanest and most cost-effective, energy storage system in the market.
OKO is bringing crop insurance to growing markets. It’s distribution tools and insurance policy management, it ensures the best service to its clients.
Pruvo is an automatic online service that takes any existing hotel reservation, tracks its price consistently, and notifies you when there is a better deal for the exact same room.
ReaGenics, a novel plant cell bioreactor, ensures mass-scale multiplication of cannabinoids. It eliminates the need to grow plants on an industrial scale for pharma-grade, botanically- derived cannabinoids.
Skyline Robotics is an automation company whose robots inevitably displace human jobs. Starting with window cleaning, they are automating all real estate maintenance work at heights.
Travaxy is the world‘s first travel & booking platform that enables people with disabilities and senior citizens to plan and book accessible trips in a simple and efficient way.

And the Winner is…

EggXYt impressed the judges with their innovative idea and technology.

Congratulations to EggXYt! 🎉

Jan 8th — Seoul!

The Seoul roadshow was attended by 8 participating startups, a panel of judges with experience in fundraising and investor relations and a room full of excited and passionate entrepreneurs, startup employees and investors! A panel discussing what investors are looking for also took place after the roadshow.

A quick look at the startups that participated:

DAIOS provides infrastructure where anyone can easily develop blockchain apps.
ErangTek is an envolutionary RF Technology startup.
Goodbro provides a safe, accident preventive IoT service
VSpharmaTech is a developing a radiation therapy for cancer treatment
GoodWillHunting provides insights on consumer research and data analysis using a lock screen
MOI Tech Co brings clean air through green technology
Tripriend allows you to make friends wherever you go!
Global Manufacturing innovation network is an AR powered smart factory!

And the Winner is…

GoodWillHunting impressed the judges and the audience with their exceptional tech. Their app, Falling, helps you confess your emotions secretly!

5th and 6th Stops — Jakarta and Shenzhen

On the 14th of January, we made two stops at Jakarta and Shenzhen for the 5th and 6th roadshow. 11 inspiring startups participated in both roadshows and knocked the judges’ socks off with their creative pitches.

Here is a look at the Startups from Jakarta.

BlinQ Fashion is a fashionTech firm built for consumers of today.
Moduit.id is an online mutual fund investment platform.
Balesin by BJTech focuses on AI tech and chatbot as a solution for various types of businesses and businesses.
8Villages uses its platform to empower small farmers.
With Moodah, your business can experience rapid development through our variety of business solution modules.
Mospaze is an on-demand warehousing solution.
Danabijak provides unsecured loan service to the people of Indonesia.
ManyOption’s app takes care of all your apartment needs.
Piniship makes sending goods overseas easier.
CredoLab discovers predictive delinquent behavioural patterns.
Tanijoy is your trust agriculture partner allowing you to invest in the future of small farmers.

And the winner is…

Mospaze impressed the panel of judges and bagged the 5th spot in the finals at SIS20 in Hong Kong. Trying to find quality space in a hurry is a challenge, Mospaze is solving the issue with their online marketplace platform that caters for on-demand overflow storage.

Shenzhen

On the same day, we hosted another successful roadshow at Shenzhen. The reputed panel of judges and startups made sure the event was a huge success.

Here is a look at the startups that participated:

Unity Labs is your go to blockchain development consultant.
Pinpoint is developing a surgical assistant robot to help make biopsy easier.
BOOQED makes it easy to book the best meeting rooms and flexible office spaces for your team’s needs.
Coolhobo’s mission is to use AR technologies to create a revolution in retail and consumption.
Leapstack is a Big Data and AI-enabled InsurTech company focusing on the healthcare industry.
Playpulse turns high intensity interval training into a fully fledged computer gaming experience.
Shenzhen Oasis is a solution provider of waste paper recycling.
datablau’s main focus now is data modeling and data governance.
Web2Ship is an online platform for postal and courier companies specialize on ecommerce industry.
VÄRM makes smart home appliances, designed to make life easier, healthier and tastier.
Symphony focuses on predictimaintenancence through machine learning.

And the winner is…

Symphony grabbed everyone’s attention with their innovative tech.

Congratulations to Symphony! 🎉

Guess What? We were in 3 cities at the same time…

Bangkok

The Bangkok roadshow was held on the 16th of January at The Great Room. The event was a huge success thanks to the excited startups, the eager panel of judges and a lively audience.

Here is a look at the startups that participated:

ARIS helps unlock full potential for social merchants with automated online retail solutions.
Eden Agritech creates formulas from natural ingredients to preserve food freshness.
Fling is a leading drone consulting company that designs custom solutions for clients in Southeast Asia.
HandiGo is your pocket concierge, unlocking potential for any hotel.
Homeprise is revolutionizing and digitizing the traditional home furnishing industry by connecting industry incumbents directly with one another.
Kochii.me is a gaming company.
Nursebeam is your go-to insurer for when you are travelling.
SingTham finds the provider for your big or small job.
UVAS a startup dealing with trading.
Wisible is your go-to sales intelligence platform

And the winner is…

Congratulations to Nursebeam, winners of the Bangkok roadshow of the Global Startup Competition! 🎉

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong roadshow held at the Executive Center was a rocking hit. The judges were impressed with the scale and innovative ideas participating startups presented.

Here is a glimpse of the startups that participated:

Bondlinc is a fintech company digitalising bond trading!
Chain of demand is a predictive analytics solution that uses AI & big data to empower retailers to become more profitable and sustainable.
Ignatica backend platform is the next step in the digital transformation of the insurance industry
Koinbros specialises in market-making services and over-the-counter trading on post-ICO utility tokens
Mass is the uber for computers allowing users to earn just by turning on their computer
Mozi AI is Creating Smarter Medicines thanks to its Smart Tools
Portier Technologies is the most engaging guest experience platform for hotels
ReadyTravel.io by Pecutus is a peer-to-peer foreign exchange swapping platform
TravelFlan is an award-winning Travel and Lifestyle AI Digital Solution Company
TecTechain plans on revolutionising the intellectual property trading ecosystem.
The BuyHive Enables Buyers to attend Trade Shows Globally using a network of qualified local, freelancers

And the winner is…

TravelFlan’s vision to be a leader in the TravelTech space and the go-to travel concierge service for Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Macau and HK won them a spot at the finals.

Congratulations to the team!

London

A full house at the London roadshow! Shout out to the judges, our partners and startups and the audience for making it a huge success!

Here’s a glimpse at the startups that participated:

Brain Patch uses AI algorithms to optimise brain stimulation for your brain.
Desolenator harnesses sunshine and seawater to produce high quality drinking water.
Feral Horses is the biggest community of art co-owners.
Imployable lets your find your dream job in a more fulfilling way.
Machine Medicine has developed an AI platform that can detect disabilities from simple video clips.
MADA Analytics’ MEPS Designer integrates power markets, process engineering, and financial expertise in a single SaaS solution.
Pinga lets you get anything delivered within 15 minutes!
Sportside is creating sports connections around the globe, for people who love Sport and love to connect
Stasher is your go to 24/7 luggage storage platform.
TestCard is a medtech enterprise that has created a ‘Postcard’ with an embedded, pull-out urine test.

And the winner is…

Desolenator amazed the judges with its greentech and the vision to make the world a better place.

Congratulations to the team!

2 more roadshows ticked off the list — Singapore and Brussels

GSC made its 11th and 12th stop in Singapore and Brussels on 21st January. The Singapore roadshow took place at the Marine Square. The panel of 7 judges evaluated the pitches by 10 flourishing startups.

Here is a glimpse at the participants:

AgUnity is a global technology platform empowering thousands of organizations working toward UN SDGs to connect the last mile.
FathomX aims to incorporate artificial intelligence into healthcare technologies.
Transferfi is the world’s first long-range, safe and efficient wireless power network.
Capture helps you remove the equivalent amount of CO2 that you’ve produced through a choice of certified offsets.
X0PA Ai is an intelligent SAAS hiring platform for corporate and enterprises.
Microsec is securing IoT systems.
EcoWorth Tech is a waste-to-worth solutions partner.
OnCoShot helps patients, caregivers and oncologists find cancer clinical trials anywhere in the world.
REVIVO Biosystems aim to transform the preclinical research market and make it scalable, personalised and ethical with its integrated microfluidic systems.
Muuse lets you free yourself from single-use disposables.

And the winner is…

REVIVO won over the judges with their pitch and their vision to become the leading provider of enabling technology for ex-vivo and in-vitro safety, efficacy and disease studies.

Congratulations to REVIVO! 🎉

Brussels

The Brussels roadshow saw 9 accelerating startups fight for a spot in the finals. The pitching session was followed by a panel on investment trends in Asia.

“Think differently : when you think about scaling out of Belgium and Europe, choose Hong Kong and tackle the Asian market from there.” — Karen Content Farzam, Co-founder, WHub & AngelHub

Here is a look at the startups that participated:

Gabi SmartCare is an outpatient monitoring solution for children
that helps predict and manage respiratory troubles.
Mobito enables cities and businesses to integrate mobility information and orchestrate urban mobility activity through intelligent solutions.
Kibus PetCare is the first home appliance that cooks healthy food for cats and dogs automatically.
IDRONECT is a drone management platform that allows you to fly safely and legally.
WeGroup helps insurance providers all over the world to better connect with their digital customers.
LAAVA Tech helps you decrease upto 90% of energy consumed through lighting.
Conductiv.ai is an AI-powered process control platform for semiconductor manufacturing.
Datacue helps you increase conversion by showing you exactly what your customers want.
BIM-Y is a dynamic database with spatial and temporal analysis tools.

And the winner is…

WeGroup won the Brussels roadshow. The startup, with the help of cutting-edge tech, aims to increase sales and portfolio quality. They plan to achieve this by analysing customer need and predicting their exposure to risk, while simultaneously reducing overhead costs thanks to a high level of process automation.

Bangalore, here we come!

The last physical roadshow was held in Bangalore on 31st January, 2020. The reputed panel of judges and our India ecosystem partners were excited to hear from the 11 startups.

Here are the startups that participated:

Bioscan Research is an onsite detection tool for screening intracranial bacteria.
Cydee Technologies’ patented design will help reduce the number of streetlights by 60%.
Instoried Research Labs helps predict emotional engagement of written content with their smart AI.
NoPo Technologies manufactures HiPCO® Carbon Nanotubes for use in various applications including lightning protection.
Pariksha helps you prepare for National and State govt. exams in your local languages.
Turms makes sustainable water-based stain repellent, anti-odour t-shirts, jeans, joggers and more.
Wagr is India’s first GPS and fitness tracker for dogs.
Woovly provides you with thousands of bucket list ideas so you can find your next achievement.
Agnext is working at the intersection of hardware, software and analytics for quality estimation in agriculture and food.
Etta.ai is your all-in-one marketing intelligence assistant.
Styldod helps resolve your design dilemmas.

And the winner is…

NoPo Technologies impressed the judges with their tech and business model. They have remained consistent with their goals, made continuous improvements to their technology and stayed dedicated to realizing the incredible future promised by HiPCO® Carbon Nanotubes.

During the Bangalore Roadshow of the Global Startup Competition, we had an interesting panel about the Startup Investment Trends in Asia & in India with Syna Dehnugara (LetsVenture), Radhesh Kanumury (Arka Venture Labs), Amit Goel (MEDICI), Ashwin Raguraman (Bharat Innovation Fund) and Karena Belin (WHub).

Here are some key insights and highlights from the panel:

Today founders have access to more investors than a few years ago. Therefore, investors need to be more startup-friendly. Including the Sequoia’s of the world who now create their own intel and reports to attract the best startups. — Syna Dehnugara, LetsVenture

Indian B2B startups that expand into the U.S market find the market to have more depth and higher profitability compared to the Indian market. — Radhesh Kanumury, Arka Venture Labs

In terms of funding and infrastructure, HK is a wonderful platform particularly for the B2B FinTech startups for growth and expansion obviously keeping in mind the regulatory requirements for FinTech startups. — Karena Belin, WHub

Real estate and gold haven’t given us returns as expected and I see startups are a very good asset class to invest into especially early-stage startups. — Amit Goel, MEDICI

One thing that has changed since 2009 is the sheer availability of capital from two prospectives. Funds that have been around since 2009 they have become bigger and the number of investors, especially angel investors, have significantly grown in the last 5 to 10 years. — Ashwin Raguraman, Bharat Innovation Fund

Big Thank you to Vishal Krishna, YourStory, for moderating the panel and YourStory for being the media partner for the Global Startup Competition Bangalore Roadshow.

Global Startup Competition gives startups from around the world the opportunity to expand operations in Asia.

Here’s what the participants have to say about it.

Thank you so much for the great organization of the GSC event series and for giving us the opportunity to pitch! It was a perfect start yesterday here in Berlin and we wish you the best for all of the remaining events.
Our team is so excited to have won the first the round yesterday and is looking forward to the finals on Valentine’s Day :-)
Stefan Theil, Chief Operating Officer, Fundament Securities

Thanks to the overwhelming response to the Global Startup Competition, we launched the virtual roadshow.

6 March - Virtual Roadshow

The virtual roadshow was attended by 6 participating startups, a panel of judges with experience in fundraising and investor relations, and a lot of tech (given it was virtual).

A quick look at the startups that participated:

Bricks and Agent is an online property management platform that matches vendors with agents in their area
OneOneDay is a cross-channel permission-based advertising account for internet users
BlueMeg builds governance software to manage legal entities in a digital world
Shiok Meats is a cellular aquaculture and cell-based meat company
ReferHire is a p2p social hiring network for the global professional community
TechNovator is a unique long-distance wireless solution that efficiently charges multiple devices simultaneously

And the winner is…

BlueMeg won over the judges with their pitch! Congratulations to BlueMeg 🎉

Global Startup Competition — Grand Finale 🏆

The Grand Finale is about to take place on the 25th of March in Hong Kong and online, tune in to find out who wins the Grand Prize: https://whub.io/s/jV_YgmA

Stay tuned for more updates on the Global Startup Competition and find out which startups would get the chance to showcase their passion at the Startup Impact Summit 2020.