StartPlanetNI ‘phase one’ ends with ‘demo day’ at the Castle

by Startacus Admin

We’ve followed the progress of the inaugural participants on StartPlanetNI, Northern Ireland’s only private equity backed start-up accelerator programme with interest since its launch back in June last year.

We reported back in October that StartPlanetNI had had around 300 applicants for the first programme that was undertaken at 112 Donegall Street, a purpose-designed accelerator and co-working space in the heart of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.

With the support of a network of internationally successful entrepreneurs and mentors such as Bill Liao, SOSv European Venture Partner, co-founder of CoderDojo and founder of WeForest.org, the programme, delivered by Wayne Murphy from StartPlanet and local Northern Ireland startup experts Xcell Partners is now coming to the end of its first three month programme.

With 8 teams undertaking the intensive three month programme, the aim to fast-track their tech based ideas for global markets resulted in an end of ‘phase one’ of the accelerator ‘demo day’  in the Throne Room of Hillsborough Castle.

So startup fans, champions and Investors, pencils at the ready the final startup ‘demo day’ teams were…(and we’ve tried to keep each explainer short & sweet!)

Thrive - aiming to transform the way big companies engage with charities, saving admin time and helping measure and justify community investment using an innovative technology solution.

FinTech startup Orca Money a peer-to-peer lending comparison service in the UK.  

MedTech startup CliniShare - aiming to revolutionising the sharing of Clinical Data..globally

Pavanu - Aiming to assist the mobility-challenged by surveying and mapping the pedestrian built environment.

Glistrr an holistic event check in and guest analysis solution for venues and event promoters. Glistrr enables event organisers to identify and engage influencers within their customer base, to increase event attendance and maximise revenues.

Chill - a textless and voiceless messaging app for wearables that lets you communicate by sending icons and hashtags in a certain context - A potentially surprisingly effective way to communicate over wearable devices.

ProfitBees a software platform to help #StartUps and #SME’s accelerate their borrowing with an aim to tackle legacy and complexity in the business and accounting industry.

Freelancestudent.co.uk a freelance student / grad services for employers looking to find digital talent  

So fast forward to ‘demo day’ itself…

And the three awards went to Chill with the ‘One to Watch’ award (#♥ alot ), ‘Most Investible’ Company award to Glistrr and Profit Bees’ CEO Mark Elliot was voted by his StartPlanetNI peers as best overall contributor throughout the Accelerator programme.  

Invest Northern Ireland is funding the operating costs of running the accelerator over the 5 years of the programme and we look forward to watching how the current cohort progress and also to reporting back when the second call for applications opens and watching where in the world the next cohort will come from.

Keep an eye on www.startplanetni.com or follow @startplanetni on Twitter.

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Published on: 7th March 2016