aware_ celebrates the modern-day, innovative start-up, by highlighting 5 new businesses taking part in this year’s SXSW. SXSW, an event held in Texas in March, celebrates the convergence of technology, film, music, education and culture, bringing together professionals from around the world.
Innovative World Technologies
Kleiderly (Berlin): the innovative start-up tackling the fast fashion industry
Alina Bassi founded Kleiderly in 2019 to combat two major environmental issues: clothing waste and the use of oil-based plastics. Through recycling clothing and creating products that circumvent the use of oil-based plastics, Bassi and her team provide sustainable solutions to lower the carbon footprint of the fashion industry.
Beginning her career as a chemical engineer within the renewable energy sector, Bassi worked to design factories that worked on converting coffee waste into biofuels and household waste into energy. Her journey to working with textile waste specifically began in Tanzania. Whilst visiting the markets in which vast quantities of used clothing is sold, Bassi was shocked to learn that 87% of materials used for clothing ends up in landfill or an incinerator. On a mission to make a difference, Bassi established Kleiderly. Together with her team, Bassi has developed a patent-pending solution that turns unwanted environmental textiles into a plastic alternative. The versatile material can then be used to produce a whole range of products, including hangers and eyewear – it’s a creation of a truly circular economy.
Extended Reality & Immersive Technologies
Zaubar (Berlin, Germany): too many photos on your phone? The innovative start-up Zaubar is here to help
Too many photos dominating our phone storage is a familiar daily struggle. Streams of memories lie dormant, unlikely to be seen again. Zaubar is on a mission to change that. The Berlin-based start-up – made up of a diverse team of pioneers, techies, creators, time guides – use cutting-edge AI technology to transform precious memories into virtual experiences.
“Time Travel, Edutainment and Gamification: ZAUBAR can help you to create, host and monetize immersive tours and virtual experiences on our all-in-one platform with augmented reality.”
Zaubar
Through uploading and building your content through their Content Management System, Zaubar allows the user to experience and share immersive, location-based experiences. Through live streaming from your phone, you can take the software to the streets, allowing for an AR experience in real-time. For those preferring to stay home, Zaubar has built the software to enable a virtual travel experience from your device.
Smart Cities, Transportation & Logistics
4.screen (Munich): the innovative start-up here to help small businesses
It’s no secret that small businesses suffered at the hands of the pandemic. According to a report carried out in the UK, Covid-19 will cost small and medium businesses an estimated £126.6 billion, whilst 61% of small business owners have experienced serious financial concerns during the pandemic (Simply Business). 4.screen is the innovative start-up here to change that. Through cutting-edge technology, 4.Screen enables drivers to explore both global brands and local businesses within the area they are driving through.
“The 4.screen Mobility Experience Cloud (MXC) seamlessly connects the car to the mobility ecosystem and provides a standardized interface for real-time communication with drivers.”
4.Screen
Local businesses can build their in-car campaigns using the 4.Screen Portal; the process can be completed within minutes, with the interface prioritising a fast set up, personal support, precise targeting and transparent pricing. 4.Screen also allows businesses to track their performance in real-time, in order to better understand existing and potential customers.
Innovative World Technologies
Feelbelt (Berlin): the innovative start-up bringing the club to your home
A few weekends ago the gates to Berlin’s infamous nightlife were reopened. Across the city, Berliners descended on the dark corners of the city to once again lose themselves in the music. For those of us still trepidatious about stepping across the threshold onto a cramped dance floor, innovative start-up Feelbelt is here to bring you the club sensation from the comfort of your own home. By placing the Feelbelt around your waist, the device “transmits every audio signal directly to your body” (Feelbelt).
“Do you know the feeling of standing next to the boxes in a club? This is how the Feelbelt feels. You feel the sound flowing through your body. An extremely intense experience. For all. For home. To you.”
Feelbelt
10 pulse generators, built into the belt, can react independently from one another and send signals to your body, in time with the music. The abdomen is sent high frequencies, and the back is transmitted low frequencies, allowing for an authentic experience. Let yourself be fully immersed in the club experience from the comfort of your own home.
Smart Cities, Transportation & Logistics
HeyCharge (Munich): the innovative start-up to make sure your car has enough juice for the journey
HeyCharge is the innovative start-up on a mission to provide an affordable and hassle-free way to charge your electric car, to ensure you don’t run out of power when you least expect it. With the development of their SecureCharge technology, HeyCharge enables businesses to provide customers with a solution to charge devices without the need for an internet connection.
“All SecureCharge enabled devices will communicate directly over bluetooth with the HeyCharge App or SDK and provide maximum availability of the system while minimizing latency between the phone and the charger.”
HeyCharge
Within its core mission to become a solution-oriented company, HeyCharge prioritises affordability, scalability and ease of install to enable EV charging solutions (even in an underground car park). Through the implementation of “patent-pending simplifier communications architecture”, HeyCharge can offer reduced costs for hardware, installation, and communication. For smaller businesses, HeyCharge lays great emphasis on scalability, so a B2B plan with HeyCharge starts small, gradually growing with time. Additionally, the HeyCharge solution includes the measurement of energy consumption and offers a management platform that allows for an overview of your charging network.
– by Lena Schrum
