Telecommunications firm KDDI has held the ninth demo day for startups participating in its Mugen Labo incubator, awarding the top prize to Japan-based arts marketplace Camelors, the Bridge reported yesterday.
Camelors has created an online store dubbed Uusia through which artists can sell their works, and has developed an internet-of-things photo frame that uses e-paper to display items purchased through the marketplace, which Camelors hopes to launch this month.
KDDI offered mentoring, helped Camelors research technical aspects of its photo frame and assisted with sales channel development.
Other startups pitching at the event included mobile game developer Monoco, which secured the audience choice award; HRDatabank, the creator of a platform for the recruitment of engineers from developing nations; and Revode, which has built a support platform for burgeoning software developers.
Vic has developed an e-commerce service called AG that uses video to help users study fashion items more thoroughly before buying them. Claude Tech targets small and medium-sized restaurants and shops with its Buildy platform, which lets businesses create an app and website to communicate with customers.
Makoto Takahashi, managing executive officer of KDDI, revealed at the event that so far 45 startups have graduated from Mugen Labo, and that the incubator plans to now rebrand itself an accelerator.
The change means startups who have already launched a product will be able to reapply for the program. KDDI has also attracted 12 additional corporate partners and now counts a total of 30, including public broadcaster NHK and all of Tokyo’s private broadcasters.
Mugen Labo focuses on startups in sectors including financial, healthcare, media and advertising, entertainment, business services, tourism, agriculture, robotics, artificial intelligence and mobility, as well as virtual and augmented reality.