UK-based private healthcare provider Bupa has opened an accelerator initiative called Blue Table in what is the latest in a series of corporate microfund, incubator and accelerator schemes launched recently.
Blue Table will operate as a 10-week program for startups developing health insurance technology as well as those creating technology that will encourage healthy behaviour and engagement with health services.
Rabo Private Equity, an investment subsidiary of financial services firm Rabobank, has launched a subsidiary called Rabo Food and Agri Innovation Fund that will back early-stage food and agriculture technology developers.
The unit, which is connected to Rabobank’s Banking for Food initiative, will invest in companies in the US and Western Europe that will help to promote food security. It will supply funding as well as industry knowledge and access to its network.
Beverage producer PepsiCo has formed a Russia-based accelerator, PepsiCo Lab, which will work with startups in the food and drinks industry.
Technology areas such as customer interaction, data collection and analysis, human resources management, sales facilitation and the automation of operational processes will be considered. The scheme will accept applications until May 31 this year.
IT technology provider Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has launched a Singapore-based initiative called InnovateNext in partnership with Singapore’s Economic Development Board, according to Tech in Asia.
InnovateNext will accept 12 startups in the next three years, with technology areas that included smart cities, the internet of things (IoT), data and analytics, fintech and manufacturing. The first participant is smart street light developer GridComm.
Industrial equipment and appliance maker Robert Bosch has partnered with technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem 1871 to launch an IoT innovation space dubbed Chicago Connectory in Chicago, USA.
Chicago Connectory will enable corporates, startups and universities to work together in order to develop IoT technology and business models, and Bosch will provide technology and mentorship to participating startups.
Malaysia-based conglomerate Sunway Group has created a non-profit incubator dubbed Sunway iLabs, according to DealStreetAsia.
Sunway iLabs will work with higher education institution Sunway University and Sunway Group’s corporate venturing unit, Sunway Ventures, and will seek to help the country’s startup ecosystem developer further.
The city of Columbus in Ohio, USA, has formed a smart city accelerator in partnership with energy utility American Electric Power, think tank Singularity University and venture capital firm NCT Ventures, TechCrunch has reported.
NCT is supplying $1m in capital for the scheme, which will invest up to $100,000 in startups that are working on technology that will enhance the operation of cities.
Lastly, KPMG Digital Village, the digital innovation arm of professional services firm KPMG, has launched a Singapore-based scheme called Corporate Acceleration Program in partnership with media company Tech in Asia in order to help promote collaboration between corporates and startups.