Six new start-ups join imec.istart program

LEUVEN, 1 June 2017 – Imec, the world-leading research and innovation hub in nano-electronics and digital technology, announced today that in the first quarter of 2017 six promising starters were selected for the imec.istart program. Imec.istart supports tech start-ups to bring their idea or product to market. The starters that have now joined the program target a variety of market segments, from educational games to artificial intelligence. In the coming 6 to 18 months they will get access to financial support, professional coaching and various facilities customized for young companies.

“The imec.istart portfolio now consists of more than 130 start-ups. In order to make their chances of success as high as possible, we have invested in a number of specialized tracks – such as ‘Blue Health’, ‘Logistics & Mobility’ and the recently added ‘Media, Telecom & Entertainment’. Through these tracks the starters receive extra support from large players in their sector,” states Sven De Cleyn, imec.istart program manager. “Starters see great added value in the industry-specific support. In the first quarter of 2017, 24 of the 44 imec.istart candidates submitted their project via one of these tracks. Of course start-ups outside these specialized tracks are also more than welcome in the program.”

AirShaper (Antwerp): user-friendly, online tool for wind tunnel simulations

AirShaper developed an online tool that calculates the aerodynamic characteristics of an object. The client uploads a 3D model and the platform automatically does the necessary wind tunnel calculations. Furthermore, the platform also gives a number of optimization suggestions. In this way, the aerodynamic design process is quicker, more accessible to a wider public and cheaper, as no (or fewer) physical wind tunnel tests have to be performed.

Greygin (Kortrijk): save lives with games!

Greygin developed ‘Play it Safe’, a platform to provide hospitals and businesses with safety training through games. Via the mobile, online learning app, employees can do training courses at their own tempo, and whenever they want. The app fits the trend of adaptive learning: the training is adjusted to fit the context in which the employee works, and makes it easy to track who has already done which parts of the training. Greygin has already acquired a series of clients, and as product leader is fully targeting the international market.

Happs (Ghent): educational game for children with dyslexia

One of the founders of Happs has been wrestling with dyslexia his whole life and therefore came up with Karaton, a humorous and adventurous computer game that helps dyslectic children improve their spelling and reading skills in a playful way – via missions and quests. The game can be used by a speech therapist, but also at home, for the children to practice without it feeling like homework or an extra chore.

T-Mining (Antwerp): improve the efficiency and safety of container logistics via blockchain

Using their years of experience in the logistics sector, the T-Mining team developed an innovative blockchain platform to exchange specific information and rights linked to a container. There is currently a pilot project taking place in the port of Antwerp and the first results have been very promising. This solution also offers different possibilities to further digitize and optimize logistic processes.

TreeSpoke (Ghent): design your own, custom-made furniture

Via TreeSpoke you can design your own, fully custom-made furniture with a simple online configuration tool. TreeSpoke sends your design to a local furniture maker and delivers your order in flat-pack form to your house. What is innovative about this project is the unprecedented flexibility – you choose the type of wood, the size and the design. Furthermore, you can look at a 3D model of your end-product beforehand. TreeSpoke has already been launched commercially and made its first deliveries.

Yields (Bruges): automatic monitoring of artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is being used more and more to support human decisions. Yields developed a system to monitor the accuracy of the underlying algorithms and adjust them. Yields is one of the first players to bring this sort of innovative solution, in which machine learning is used to check other machine learning processes, onto the market. Currently, Yields is active in the financial world, and the business has already managed to win a number of big financial players thanks to the extra transparency that the solution offers. Its tool also has possibilities in other domains such as e-commerce, as Yields can increase the accuracy of the models that predict supply and demand.