New York-listed computer group IBM has given Streetline its global entrepreneur of the year award and said it would expand its competition to emerging markets, including Brazil, China, Mexico, Poland and Turkey.
Streetline, which uses sensors that allow people to find parking, was selected from more than 600 entries worldwide to IBM’s SmartCamp programme, which brings together start-ups trying to improve the environment, energy efficiency, traffic congestion and healthcare.
Zia Yusef, founder of Streetline (centre in the picture), received the IBM award from Jim Corgel, left, alongside Streetline chief technology officer Mark Noworolski.
The nine participants of the SmartCamp World Finals, held in Ireland this week, received mentoring, access to industry experts and technology, and deeper partnership opportunities from IBM, venture capital firms and industry partners.
In addition to Streetline, the other finalists were:
CareCloud– Enables a digital ecosystem for the healthcare industry on the internet.
LindCom– Measures and reports the volume of stored commodities.
Panoramic Power– Monitors electrical power.
Predect– Online water quality monitoring software.
Sproxil– Mobile phone validation of medicine in emerging markets.
TreeMetrics– Measures forests by three dimension imaging.
VisioHost– Healthcare image archive service.
WorldSensing– Wireless sensing equipment for industry.
Maire Geoghegan Quinn, European Union Commissioner of Research and Innovation, said: "The SmartCamp participants are all excellent examples of the kind of next generation entrepreneurs we need to make Europe an Innovation Union."
IBM launched its global entrepreneur initiative earlier in the year and said it would hold next year’s SmartCamps at different places, including Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Mexico City, Warsaw and Istanbul.
The criteria for start-ups to participate are: the company must be privately-held; in business less than three years; and actively developing software aligned to IBM’s Smarter Planet focus areas.