Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Web Summit

Fascinating Web Summit start-ups you need to hear about

Need an app that makes children help out around the house? Or one that allows you browse the internet on your phone without a data connection?

THE STALLS AND displays of Web Summit 2013 were packed up last night, and the hundreds of start-ups who had travelled to Ireland for the conference began heading home.

However before that, TheJournal.ie visited the technology gathering to speak to those behind some unique business ideas.dwa

We brought you five companies yesterday, and promised you more. Here are some of the other start-ups we spoke to.

Choremonster

This app encourages children to help out around the house by introducing a game and real-life award system.

Children can pick a chore to do on the app, for which they earn a certain about of points that contribute to a reward such as a new toy or trip away, pre-arranged with their parents. They can also collect monsters which help them through the app.

Choremonster animator Justin Boh gave us a demonstration:

Elephant Smart Business

This Irish start-up introduces cloud-based HR services into the workplace. It streamlines payroll services and even sends texts to employees if they haven’t clocked-in on time.

The system is already on trial in several retail companies, and Elephant Smart Business IT Director Sunil Kumar explains below how it works.

Zazzy

Zazzy allows you to create customised jewellery online.

After completing a few quick steps on their website, your order is placed, and a 3D printer is used to create your design.

imageThe printing process as demonstrated by Co-Founder Martijn Van Der Veen, sped up several hundred percentage (Image Credit: Nicky Ryan/TheJournal.ie)

Lock8

Lock8 say they have created the “world’s first smart bike lock”.

It doesn’t use a traditional lock and so doesn’t require a key, has a built-in alarm, and even GPS in case your bike gets stolen. It simply relies on an app on your smartphone, which connects via Bluetooth to the lock to open it.

They are currently half-way to their £50,000 Kickstarter target,

Knok

Similar to Airbnb, which recently opened its European headquarters in Dublin, Knok allows you to find somewhere to stay on holidays without using a third-party.

However, all accommodation on Knok is free. Users can either arrange house-swaps and use Knok credits, earned by putting people up in your own home for free. Sheera Gendzel explains more below.

SetLife

A relatively simple app, SetLife allows you to post status updates containing several different elements, meaning you can share the exact quality of any “perfect moments” you experience.

Adele Savarese describes the process of posting a SetLife update (including a real life example):

Jobinasecond

This program automates the process of having to ring around to find someone to cover a sudden sick day. Jobinasecond allows a manager to contact employees automatically to see if they are available to fill an absence, or even contact freelance workers who match a certain profile.

Derek Frer told us more:

FoodCloud

Another start-up which aims to automate a labourous process is FoodCloud, which aims to cut down on food waste and is already on trail in some Tesco stores.

When a shop or business is closing, food that would otherwise be thrown out is logged, and a text sent to charity to see if they are able to collect it.

Co-founder Iseult Ward explains:

Similarweb

Similarweb provides analytics on different websites

Head of Brand and Business Strategy Daniel Buchuk explained that it is a free way for anyone, including other start-ups, to benchmark their own company against others, and to use this information to grow themselves.

Over the past 18 months, the company has grown over the course of 18 months from eight employees to 40, based in both London and Tel Aviv.

imageSome of the information available for Facebook.com using Similiarweb (Image Credit: Screengrab/Similarweb.com)

Be-Bound

Ever been lost in the middle of no where, desperately trying to find your way on Google Maps only to find you have no data connection on your phone?

Be-Bound allows you to access services that would usually require a 3G data signal by sending and receiving highly compressed data via SMS messages.

We spoke to five other start-ups from the Web Summit, see them here >

Your Voice
Readers Comments
13
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.