The mobile phone and the computer have become something that many companies choose to innovate around. However with all of this innovation, the real physical world is often left unchallenged.
This is why it is so exciting to give you the top startups that use technology to innovate the real world and the way we interact with it. Some do so directly through changing the physical world around us and others use software and technology for new types of interaction.
Presented companies are the finalists of the EIT Digital Idea Challenge in the Smart Spaces category, with over 50% of finalists being from the Nordics & Baltics. Overall there were more than 450 entries from 26 countries for 8 categories and the winners will receive a cash prize up to €40,000, and be integrated into the EIT Digital Accelerator with mentoring support, workspace, and access to potential investors and clients across the EU and beyond.
The final for the event will take place in Helsinki on the 1st of December and you can register for it here. Without further ado, the Top 6 Nordic/Baltic Smart Spaces companies.
Autlo (Estonia)
Mobile parking has been a thing for a long time and Estonia was one of the first countries to introduce it. They are at it again, as Autlo teaches cars, how to pay for parking by themselves. You basically do not have to do anything at all anymore.
Boxgard AB (Sweden)
Storage is always a problem and renting space can be a hassle. If you want to store just a few items, you usually have to pay for the whole space. Boxgard solves that with a smart solution where you can order boxes on-demand, ship them off and you are done. You can even request any single item back home at anytime.
Hi WiFi by Ekin Labs (Finland)
You already have a home security device at your home. It is your WiFi router, as this Finnish based company can use WiFi signals to precisely detect intruders and act accordingly if your home has been breached. It is also more difficult for potential intruders to figure out exactly how your home is protected.
Ibaround (Sweden)
IBaround is all about getting retailers and brands to use real-life data to optimise their marketing. Did it just get a lot warmer outside? Start showing ice-cream advertising for Magnum. Is it raining? Perhaps show the newest collection of umbrellas from the nearest store. Is it dark? Show the safety reflector ad and save lives.
inSelly (Latvia)
inSelly is the First Instagram Marketplace. It lets anyone create an actual e-shop within Instagram in a matter of minutes.
Sorry As A Service (Estonia)
Remember the one time your favourite company had a really bad customer experience? Or the time when you just hated your bank? What if they could send you a real and personalised sorry? This is what Sorry As A Service is all about. They provide an easy way for brands to send immediate and honest sorry’s to customers.
The other finalists were: Moodboard by Väntastec (Germany), PopPlaces.com (Spain), Roomaid (UK), Shopboostr(Germany).
The other finalists were: Moodboard (Germany), PopPlaces.com (Spain), Roomaid (UK), Shopboostr (Germany).
The winners will be selected after the finals in Helsinki that you are very welcome to join.
Looking forward to see you all at the event! If you want to see the other finalists of the competition, check them out here:
Urban Life and MobilityUrban Life and Mobility
“We are very excited to have so many finalists in the Smart Spaces category coming from the Nordics and the Baltics. With the region being a hotbed of successful high growth companies, we expect jury members to have a really tough time deciding.”
