Tech talk: Get in the Ring

Founded in 2009, Get in the Ring (GITR) is a global competition aimed at jump-starting companies ranging in size from pre-seed start-ups to firms with a market cap up to €50 million. The 2015 Get in the Ring competition took place in Rishon Lezion on November 17 during Global Entrepreneurship Week.More than 10,000 start-ups from over 80 countries participated in the event. The finalists will compete in the European Regional Finals, which will take place in Greece in January. The finalists will take part in the festive celebration at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Medellin, Columbia.The competition encourages start-ups from around the world to seek exposure and make contacts that are critical for future cooperation and potential investments.Get in the Ring provides business contacts and a network of support that will help young companies grow. Participants will have an opportunity to pitch their ideas in front of leading experts, and they will receive exposure to international media and investors.The Get in the Ring winners were hosted by the Rishon Lezion Municipality. The winner in the featherweight category (students) was Sensority, which develops a technology that monitors and analyses photo and video based on highly advanced algorithms and the statistical analysis of physiological parameters, such as heart and breathing rates. This technology can be used in both the health and security industries.SpeakEZ was the winner in the lightweight category (market cap up to €1m.). It has a platform that enables people who do not have a common language to communicate through the use of social networking and simultaneous translators.In this way, people can hold face-to-face meetings and business telephone conversations and speak in their language of choice without experiencing any delay for the translation.In the middleweight category (market cap between €1m. and €10m.), Aquanos took the prize with its unique sewage-treatment technology, whose secret ingredient is algae. The Aquanos wastewater treatment has an extremely high rate of success and also offers a 90 percent savings in the amount of energy needed to carry out the treatment process. Moreover, it can turn waste into fertilizer, biodegradable plastics and other usable products.FireLayers was the winner in the heavyweight category (market cap between €10m. and €50m.). It provides cyber security for apps by providing cloud security.Two leading companies in each category competed in a verbal duel.Each contestant was granted threeand- a-half minutes to describe their technology, team and business plan – and to convince the judges that they are the best.Angels Nearby Angels Nearby is a free app that was started by Charlie Setboun. It offers help to people around you in just three clicks. Do you need a 10th man to make up a minyan? Do you have a flat tire? Do you have furniture you want to donate to a needy family? Do you need a ride somewhere? Are you looking for a study group? Angels Nearby encourages you to offer help and goodwill to people in trusted communities around you, such as university campuses, buildings and nonprofit organizations, while at the same time maintaining your safety and your connection with the community. Setboun took a bunch of good features from Waze, WhatsApp and Facebook and combined them all together to create Angels Nearby.If you want to become a part of the angel community, all you have to do is click which categories you’re interested in helping out in and list what hours you’ll be available. That way, you only receive requests regarding subjects you want to help out with and during times that are convenient.For every good deed you do, you get points, which will make you eligible to become an official Angel Nearby.Each user can choose the communities from which he or she receives requests, and you can also limit incoming messages according to reliability level. You can review the applicant’s profile before deciding whether you want to help or chat, and you can block or report any people who look suspicious.The idea behind the app is that people will help others in their community as long as they feel safe. Setboun’s idea was that people will go out of their way to help others as long as they feel protected – and of course gain points! So the next time you need something urgently, stop being embarrassed and ask for you need from angels around you. It’s available for iPhone and Android.If you run a young start-up, have developed an interesting app or have a question, please feel free to contact info@social-wisdom.com.Translated by Hannah Hochner