The eagerly awaited The Next Web (TNW) event is back in Amsterdam, and excitement is building among tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and innovators globally.
TNW Conference serves as a hub for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and inspiration. It provides a platform for participants to explore emerging technologies, discuss trends, and exchange ideas.
Additionally, TNW offers attendees the opportunity to gain insights from visionary speakers, participate in interactive workshops, and engage in thought-provoking panel discussions.
With its vibrant tech scene and entrepreneurial spirit, Amsterdam serves as the perfect backdrop for TNW.
As per tradition, the City of Amsterdam organises a pavilion at TNW each year to showcase the most promising impact-driven startups from the city. In keeping with this tradition, the current year is no exception.
With an overwhelming response of over 100 applications, the city had an extensive pool of startups to consider. Following a rigorous selection process, 12 startups were chosen, exemplifying Amsterdam’s unwavering commitment to innovation.
The Amsterdam Pavilion, made possible through the collaborative efforts of StartupAmsterdam, amsterdam inbusiness, Amsterdam Trade & Innovate, and Amsterdam Convention Bureau, demonstrates the city’s strong commitment to supporting entrepreneurial ventures.
Seven of the 12 startups have also been selected to compete in TNW’s main startup pitch battle called Pitch Battle Competition. So without further ado, here are 12 Amsterdam startups that will represent the City of Amsterdam at TNW2023 on June 15 and 16. These startups can be found at the Amsterdam Pavilion, booth 44, and their pitches can be heard from 14:00 until 15:00 on both event days.
Pal
Founder/s: Nara Moripen & Azi Doost
Based out of Amsterdam, Pal is a scalable digital care tool that enables families to better care for their loved ones with a life-limiting illness, in their home environment.
The startup is currently in open testing with family caregivers and care providers, ahead of its public launch later this year.
What it seeks
- Funding
- Talents (co-founder, hires)
Motivation behind participating in this event
According to Nara Moripen, co-founder & CEO, “Firstly, we are proud to be the first and only digital palliative care company, born out of the great startup ecosystem right here in Amsterdam. What makes Pal truly unique is our use of technology to provide better at-home palliative care for anyone. By leveraging digital tools, we can offer personalised, compassionate care to patients facing serious illnesses.”
“We believe that everyone deserves comfort and dignity at the end of their lives, and we are committed to making that a reality. We have been named the best pitch at several events, and we are eager to bring our unique perspective to the 2023 edition of TNW,” he continues.
“We have big ambitions, but we cannot do it alone. We are looking for access to investors and talent who share our passion and buy into our vision. We want to take Pal to new heights, and we know that TNW is the perfect platform to help us achieve our goals, by providing us with a unique opportunity to meet great investors and top talent. We love to put our own spin on everything that we do. So if you want to witness an amazing pitch, meet the most intrinsically motivated founders in the city, and see a spectacular booth you never would have guessed would be for a palliative care company – sign us up!,” states Moripen.
Syntho
Founders: Marijn Vonk, Wim Kees Janssen and Simon Brouwer
Syntho has developed advanced synthetic data software that enables organisations to speed up innovation and comply with data privacy principles and regulations.
The Amsterdam-based company’s software enables large and mid-sized companies, startups, scale-ups, and public entities to optimise their use of data in a fully GDPR-compliant manner.
What it seeks
- Funding
- Clients (corporates, SMEs)
- Talents (co-founder, hires)
- Exposure
- Government collaboration
- Internationalisation (US, Japan)
Motivation behind participating in this event
Wim Kees Janssen, co-founder & CEO, Syntho says, “Syntho is an innovative startup that leverages generative AI techniques for good, specifically to solve data privacy challenges. Relevance: The TNW event is likely to discuss topics like generative AI (chat GPT), and Syntho’s focus on synthetic data fits within this theme.”
Taaly
Founder/s: Shadi Alhakimi
Taaly is a 1-on-1 training platform that connects new Dutch learners with Dutch native speakers.
The learner can practise the Dutch language using video chat with a native speaker to eventually be able to communicate with everyone and find their place in society.
The founder of Taaly, Shadi Alhakimi himself, had first-hand experience as a displaced migrant, hailing from Sanaa, the capital city of Yemen. With a background in computer science and accounting, Shadi’s invention of a self-learning algorithm for video file searches earned him the prestigious national innovation prize, and he even filed a patent application for it in the United States.
In 2014, war disrupted everything, forcing him to flee to Saudi Arabia by crossing the desert. Eventually, he was able to find refuge in the Netherlands in 2015. He then embarked on a new business venture, co-founding Elanza, an internet platform for managing temporary recruitment in healthcare organisations, shortly after obtaining his residence permit.
As a result of language barriers and personal challenges, Shadi eventually left Elanza. Shadi realised the profound importance of language in the building of relationships and connections. In addition to learning Dutch, he completed a master’s degree at the University of Amsterdam and developed the concept for his language app, Taaly.
What it seeks
- Clients (corporates, SMEs)
- Exposure
- Government collaboration
Motivation behind participating in this event
Shadi Alhakimi says, “What I hope to achieve in TNW is to rebuild part of my professional network that I lost when I left Yemen as a war refugee. Therefore, every event helps, and every support matters.”
Cardiomo
Founder/s: Ksenia Belkina and Roman Belkin
Cardiomo is an AI-based solution for cardiac patient monitoring. This wearable device and analytical system remotely monitors patient vitals using biosensors and AI to detect cardiac events with 99.63 per cent accuracy.
The miniature wearable patch records ECG, respiration, Skin Temperature, and Body Movement. The mobile app registers vitals, and the data is then analysed by an AI engine in a HIPAA-compliant cloud to detect CVD symptoms.
What it seeks
- Funding
- Clients (corporates, SMEs)
- Government collaboration
Motivation behind participating in this event
Ksenia Belkina, founder & CEO says, “I’m an entrepreneur with a passion for digital health startups, scale-ups, innovation, technology, and sustainable results. I came up with the idea of Cardiomo from personal experience and started the company out of the need to help people with cardiovascular risks around the world.”
According to her, “Our goal is to improve the health and well-being of millions of people through launching into the market our innovation. Participating and showcasing at TNW2023 is a great opportunity for our company to gain market insights. It will enable us to network with potential partners and investors, other businesses, access government resources, and increase brand visibility.”
uPledge
Co-founder/CEO: Andrew Chong
uPledge simplifies impact investing for non-investors through Gamification and Artificial Intelligence. The startup has also been cleared to receive its first AFM regulatory licence in June.
What it seeks
- Funding (after raising €370K)
- Government collaboration
Motivation behind participating in this event
Andrew Chong, co-founder & CEO, says, “Private equity has always had low penetration (less than 5%) for the non-elite, the non-professionals, and the financially illiterate. We’ve seen the power of retail markets in public equity markets (ie. Game Stop) to revive entire economies and industries. uPledge aims to drive a generational movement to bring investment inclusion and empowerment for impact.”
“Since our incorporation, we’ve launched MVPs in 3 regions, obtained pre-seed investment and grants, won numerous awards and were featured in international news outlets like Business Insider and DNAsia. At TNW, we will announce our upcoming LIVE launch and regulatory licence,” states Chong.
Treety
Co-founder/CEO: Hatim Baheranwala
Treety is an impact measurement platform for impact-focused funders and founders.
The company’s software tool, impact expertise, and supporting data sets, combine to offer impact measurement, tracking, and communication, with an ability to visualise impact goals as per any impact metric that is needed.
What it seeks
- Funding
- Clients (corporates, SMEs)
- Mentors
- Exposure
- Government collaboration
- Internationalisation (Europe)
Motivation behind participating in this event
Hatim Baheranwala, co-founder & CEO, says, “We believe impact reporting should be as ubiquitous for businesses, as financial reporting is currently. By presenting our work at TNW, we’re hoping to find clients & partners who can support us on our quest to develop the most user-friendly impact measurement tool there can be, and showcase the depth of the Impact startup ecosystem in Amsterdam. We also hope to contribute to building a world where business success is measured in terms of positive social & environmental impact – and not just financial performance.”
Renoon
Founder/s: Gabriele Trapani, Iris Skrami, Nicolò Tresoldi, and Piero Puttini
Renoon is a SaaS company that empowers companies to measure and communicate their environmental and social sustainability impact to the final consumer in an objective and quantifiable way that avoids greenwashing, and is compliant with the new legislative requirements from the EU and member states.
The startup enables brands to take charge of their sustainability journey with a dashboard that centralises and processes data points through a pre-built framework and a trained ML algorithm.
These are constantly updated in light of changing requirements and pressures from consumers and governments due to future regulations from the EU, UK, and New York.
What it seeks
- Funding
- Clients (corporates, SMEs)
- Government collaboration
Motivation behind participating in this event
Iris Skrami, co-founder & CEO says, “TNW Amsterdam is THE place to be. As an impact startup that is providing an answer to new regulatory demands on digital product passports and anti-greenwashing, we feel this is a unique avenue to connect with governments, clients, and investors at the same time.”
Work X
Founder/CEO: Rik Rapmund
Work X is building the Internet of Jobs; a decentralised job economy without commercial fees.
This approach sets them apart from gig platforms that charge high commissions, sometimes up to 30 per cent, for tasks like billing and payroll, consequently increasing hiring costs.
In contrast, Work X operates as a zero-marginal cost platform, enabling employers to hire talent at a lower price while offering higher pay to the employees.
Additionally, Work X provides a valuable opportunity for employees to have their skills and work experience verified, enhancing their profile’s credibility and trustworthiness for hiring managers.
Currently, the company is running a closed Beta test and is now open to registration.
What it seeks
- Clients (corporates, SMEs)
- Exposure
Roboat
Founder/s: Ynse Hendrik Deinema, Rens Doornbusch, Jonathan Klein Schiphorst, Joshua Jordan
Roboat is a research project and collaboration between the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
It allows for creating dynamic infrastructures (floating bridges and stages), transportation of goods and people, and environmental sensing on Amsterdam’s canals.
Roboat units are autonomous, electric, and modular boats that can alleviate pressure from Amsterdam’s inner city in numerous ways.
In December 2022, Roboat, Holland Shipyards Group, and Sequana Développement won the national call for autonomous passenger boat projects initiated by the French inland waterway authority, Voies Navigables de France.
Roboat, in partnership with Holland Shipyards Group, will build an autonomous electric, 3D-printed ferry with a dimension of 9 by 3.90m, making it the largest printed autonomous ferry ever.
The ferry will sail during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
What it seeks
- Funding
- Clients (corporates, SMEs)
Motivation behind participating in this event
Ynse Deinema, CEO, Roboat says, “We want to show the world how autonomous Roboats are a sustainable answer to transporting people and goods in cities worldwide. Waterways are largely underutilised. At the same time there is a demand for waterborne transportation.”
“Autonomous boats will play a key role in enabling small boats to become economically viable. This will result in a more versatile, more sustainable and overall better transportation system,” adds Deinema.
geoFluxus
Co-founder/CEO: Arnout Sabbe
geoFluxus aims to make the Circular Economy actionable.
Based out of Amsterdam, geoFluxus is a B2B SaaS startup that helps companies find the closest, sustainable and cheapest solutions to their waste.
According to the company, it has entered into a unique public private partnership with the City of Amsterdam and the Port of Amsterdam, allowing every company in the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam to make use of its platform for free for one year.
What it seeks
- Funding
- Clients (corporates, SMEs)
- Talents (co-founder, hires)
- Internationalisation (France)
Motivation behind participating in this event
Arnout Sabbe, Co-founder & CEO, geoFluxus shares,“At TNW, we’re excited to showcase how the City, Port and ourselves set up this unique public-private collaboration, to serve as an example for many other urban regions throughout Europe, leveraging waste as a driver for the regional economy while reaching sustainability targets.”
Swell Electric
Founder: Terence Carter
Oostzaan, the Netherlands-based Mego Mobility, a multimodal B2B micro-mobility fleet operator developed Swell Electric, a wireless and contactless charging system for light electric vehicles.
Terence Carter, the founder of Mego Mobility, developed the Swell Electric charging solution during the 2021 Mobility Lab startup programme. This was done in collaboration with electrical engineers at T.U. Delft.
The charging system can charge vehicles wirelessly and contactlessly, up to 10 cm, once the user parks the vehicle above the charger. The company claims the energy requirement is 1 Kilowatt.
Swell Electric solutions can charge light electric vehicles (LEVs) with different power requirements, from cargo bikes to mopeds.
Together with its sister company Mego Mobility, Swell has received a subsidy from the Municipality of Rotterdam to start a pilot in the city of Rotterdam. The Subsidy is a LabZES (Zero Emission Stadslogistiek) subsidy.
Starting this September, the company’s objective is to open four micro hubs where initially shared mopeds can be rented for last-mile purposes. This can simply be by daily commuters, but Mego focuses mainly on people that need to transport/bring certain items to do their work.
“This pilot will be Swell’s first real-world validation pilot! We will start with different mopeds that can be charged wirelessly using our interoperable charger. The pilot will last for one year and our main focus will be on collecting data. We will start relatively compact but are planning to scale over the next year concerning fleet size and number of hubs,” says Terence Carter, Founder of Mego Mobility & Swell Electric.
Swell Electric has also been selected for TNW’s Startup Pitch Battle competition.
Tradesnest
Founder/s: Nancy Shenouda, Pierre Ouellette
Amsterdam-based Tradesnest helps companies expand internationally by putting them in contact with the right business partners in their target market.
Through its B2B platform, brands can present their products to retailers and distributors, and make direct sales to expand and increase their sales. This is without a huge investment of time and money.
Tradesnest is a female founded startup that works currently in over 80 markets and is backed by Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland, Hearst, Atomico Angel and Rabobank.
Recently, Tradesnest launched its AI/machine learning system to revolutionise the consumer electronics industry. The new system helps consumer electronics brands with innovative products identify a potential partner with a click of a button.
With this new system, brands can identify the most suitable distribution partners in different regions, significantly reducing the time and costs involved in finding the right partner.
Nancy Shenouda, CEO of Tradesnest says,”This is an exciting time for Tradesnest. We are thrilled to launch this new system, which will help consumer electronics brands grow their businesses globally faster and more efficiently. Our team has worked tirelessly to develop a product that we believe will change the way brands enter new markets.”
What it seeks
- Funding
- Clients
- Internationalisation (Europe)
Come meet the Amsterdam innovators
See you at TNW, Booth 44! Catch the Startup Pitch Hour at the Amsterdam Pavilion on June 15, 14:00 – 15:00 and June 16, 14:00 – 15:00.
Read the orginal article: https://siliconcanals.com/news/startups/amsterdam-startups-in-tnw2023/
