MAP startup Black AI wins leadership award in Tech23 competition

MAP16 startup Black AI were this week awarded the Enterprise Mobility Leadership Award at Tech23’s startup competition in Sydney.

Black AI CEO and co-founder Keaton Okkonen pitches at Tech23.

Black AI have created Ani, an artificial intelligence system that can watch and understand human behaviour. Ani automates the direct observation of people movement and flow through environments, detecting interactions and notable events, reporting on them in real time. The technology focuses on context driven insights, which in essence, provides an efficient system to capture and simplify big data. Ani is already in preliminary market tests, with Black AI securing a partnership with the University of Sydney in a study for early detection of Alzheimers and Dementia.

“This is a hugely scalable program that can be plugged in to any living space to collect the data that you actually need. It shifts our relationship with data from being reactive to proactive”, said Black AI CEO and co-founder Keaton Okkonen, who opened up the 2016 Tech 23 program with his presentation on Smarter Data.

The Black AI team in Seattle at the Imagine Cup World Final 2016.

In July this year Black AI were amongst the 35 teams selected worldwide to compete at the Microsoft Imagine Cup World Finals. Competing in the Innovation category in Seattle, to compete on the world level. From tens of thousands of competitors around the globe, representing Australia as a finalist at the world cup demonstrates the impact of this young team and the potential of Ani to make a positive impact across industries such as healthcare, retail, urban planning and entertainment.

Celebrating Australian innovation, the Tech23 competition attracted over 400 delegates in 2016, its eighth year of operation. Black AI were amongst 23 high-growth potential and technically competitive startups selected to pitch their innovative solutions. Keaton will once again pitch Black AI’s Ani at the Melbourne Town Hall on October 27, as part of the upcoming Melbourne Demo Day featuring the 2016 cohort of MAP’s startup accelerator.

As part of his prize, Keaton will travel to Boston, Massachusetts to learn more about the startup scene on the US East Coast. He will also receive mentorship from Tech23 alumni BigtinCan – the sponsor of the award – and will attend a special Boston Product Management Association event. In addition to the leadership prize, Black AI were also awarded the MYOB award and will receive a personalised session with a MYOB Executive Leader.

Congratulations Keaton and the Black AI team!

Congratulations to the MAP13 startup teams!

Demo Day marks the official completion of the MAP 2013 Program.

This week marks the culmination of three months of hard work by our MAP13 Entrepreneurial Fellows. Demo Day Melbourne was held earlier this week, and marked the official completion of the program. Each team presented a final pitch to a full house of investors, mentors and distinguished guests of the University.  Below is a summary of each team’s accomplishments during the MAP program, and where they are headed next. 

• 2Mar Robotics has sold $100,000 in pre-orders and is continuing to develop and refine its robotic arm prototype. The final product is expected to ship in early 2014. The 2Mar team welcomes suggestions and feedback from individuals with quadriplegia.
• Client Catalyst provides cost effective marketing solutions for small businesses on the mobile platform. Since beginning the MAP program this startup has reached profitability! Client Catalyst is now focused now growing its client base, and welcomes introductions to small business owners.
• Cortera Neurotechnologies designs and manufactures implantable medical devices to revolutionise the treatment of incurable neurological conditions. The cutting-edge technology developed by Cortera has been reported by the New York Times. Cortera is currently seeking funding, and welcomes introductions from investors.
• Ebla is an online platform for Australia’s best legal minds to showcase their expertise. Since joining the MAP program, the Ebla team has focused on product development, and is currently working in collaboration with legal professionals and law schools. Ebla continues to seek collaborative partnerships with members of the legal profession.
• SwatchMate is a pocket friendly colour detector that can capture the colour of any surface. Since joining the MAP program SwatchMate has become a finalist in the 2013 Melbourne Design Awards, and shortlisted in the 2013 Sydney and Brisbane Design Awards. SwatchMate is currently gearing up to launch its Kickstarter campaign, as well as a funding round in Q1 2014.
• The Price Geek is a search engine for the market price of anything you want to buy online. Since joining MAP, its customer base has grown by over 30% month-on-month. CNN recently used The Price Geek’s data in an article on the shutdown of the illegal marketplace Silk Road. This team is open to conversations with interested investors.

Our MAP13 startup teams will be headed to Sydney on Tuesday 15 October 2013. Limited places at Demo Day Sydney are available, where you can meet the teams and see them pitch – register here.

Photo courtesy of Kwang, Melbourne Business School. 

This post was contributed by Wen Xi, MAP Associate.