Lisbon. Image: TTStudio/Shutterstock
The search for Ireland’s most high-potential start-up is nearly complete.
Three finalists have emerged for the ESB’s Spark of Genius competition, which will take place at the Web Summit in Lisbon in November.
The finalists are Coroflo, Electrical Analytics and Mobility Mojo.
Five firms pitched live on RTÉ 2FM’s Eoghan McDermott Show last week and the final three were chose by an expert panel. The start-ups that were knocked out in the semi-final round were Sky Tango and HireUp.
Representatives from each of the three finalists will travel to Lisbon to exhibit at Web Summit and pitch live to an audience of global investors, with one winning the ultimate prize of a cash injection from ESB worth €25,000 as well as mentoring from ESB innovation experts.
Now in its seventh year, the ESB Spark of Genius Award is the longest-running competition of its kind in Ireland.
Previous winners – including OpenBack, Bizimply and Datahug – have used the award as a launchpad to grow their companies, with €20m in funding secured by winners since its inception in 2010.
One victorious company, SmartThings, was acquired by Samsung for €177m.
“ESB is collaborating with a cohort of tech start-ups and creative entrepreneurs to develop a range of compelling futuristic services for all our customers to make their living, working and commuting more comfortable and less carbon-intensive,” said John McKiernan, head of external collaboration at ESB.
The three finalists are listed below.
Coroflo
Roseanne Longmore, Coroflo. Image: Kevin Goss Ross
Coroflo claims to have developed the world’s first accurate breastfeeding monitor, so mothers can know how much milk their baby is getting.
Electrical Analytics
Barry Murphy, Electrical Analytics. Image: Kevin Goss Ross
Electrical Analytics use data and automation to provide actionable intelligence on the health and performance of power transformers.
Mobility Mojo
Noelle Daly and Stephen Cluskey, Mobility Mojo. Image: Kevin Goss Ross
Mobility Mojo is an award-winning website that works like TripAdvisor but instead focuses on accessibility.
