Networking and Startups showroom

Time goes by really fast and the second edition of Startup Braga reached the end today. It was the time to see the evolution of the batch and which startups got the prizes. Even with a very successful first edition, this second one managed to be even better. More startups, more partners, more prizes…

The event started in the Networking and Startups showroom area where we could meet all the startups from the batch.

Pedro Gonçalves, Secretary of State of Entrepreneurship and Innovation did the first intervention showing his support on initiatives like Startup Braga:

I would like to congratulate what’s happening here. This is the proof that Portugal is full of talent. (…) Don’t forget our national instruments to support you like Portugal 2020 and Portugal Ventures

Pedro Gonçalves, Secretary of State of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Carlos Oliveira, President of InvestBraga

Sword Health and PepFeed, Alumni from the first batch, also had some time on stage to share their progress. Sword Health established a partnership with Genesis Rehab, the largest chain of rehabilitation centers in the USA, closed 1.3 million euros and is now preparing 3 pilots in 3 different continents to be able to demonstrate the global potential of the SWORD system. Regarding Pepfeed, they augmented the team size from 2 to 7, are now on track to release the mobile app this September and planning a major release in the US.

Alex Barrera

For this second Demo Day, the organization invited Alex Barrera, founder of Press42 and co-founder & Editor of Tech.eu. Alex is a very recognized entrepreneur and startup mentor with a natural talent to host startup events. That was his job today.

Carlos Oliveira reminds the audience thatjust one year ago the first acceleration program was starting.

We are just starting, just like our startups

To close his intervention, Carlos left the note about the intention and the efforts to position Startup Braga as a reference in the acceleration and incubation of MedTech and NanoTech startups. The partnerships and the network they are building with institutions such as the INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory – and the Hospital of Braga, reinforce that intention.

We are building one of the most attractive centers in medtech and nanotech. We have the technology, doctors, infrastructure, everything (…) Nanotechnology will be strategic.

From José Epifânio da Franca, that recently left Portugal Ventures, we heard the story about how he got into Portugal Ventures and why he believes that “This is the time to foster technology based entrepreneurship”:

Why? Because we have everything: Vision, Ambition, Determination, Talent and Confidence.

José Epifânio da Franca, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Portugal Ventures

The eleven Startups from the batch that pitched on stage were:

• Loqr: Strong Authentication made Simple!
• Swappflow: The app that creates opportunities for people to swap the things they no longer need. A novel and frictionless experience and a different approach to e-commerce.
• MusicYou: The fastest way to share any moment with music.
• Performetric: Real-time monitoring system that allows the management of mental fatigue in a non-invasive way.
• Forfit: The first Gamified Fitness Challenging app using social and charitable forfeits as motivators.
• Nutrium: A service which supports nutritionists by streamlining the appointments workflow, motivating their patients and connecting both sides.
• Fito: A marketplace that connects Personal Trainers with both existing and new clients.
• Hype: The API that allows mobile communications, even when in airplane mode.
• Oncostats: Combining a unique oncology EMR with a powerful statistics engine in the cloud.
• Glymt: A global marketplace to request tailored short video from everyday filmmakers for original, relevant and competitive content.
• Sticket.in: A social platform for the secondary market for event tickets, with a powerful search engine and personalized recommendations, where users can also securely sell their tickets and make awesome deals.

It was not all about the batch, Alex Barrera also had time to ask some questions to more mature Portuguese Startups: Álvaro Gomez from Tradiio, Marco Leal from PhoneNear and Miguel Fonseca from Displax.

The USA roadshow winners by Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD), that will take place in October to create ties with potential investors and entrepreneurs, were:

• MusicYou
• Glymt
• Performetric
• Sticket.in
• Loqr

We believe Startup Braga is a truly innovative project, capable of making a difference. This is not as common as it may seem, given the mushrooming of all sorts of entrepreneurship initiatives. However, only a few like Startup Braga have a holistic approach.

Jorge Gabriel, Board Member at FLAD

Regarding the promised 100K investment by Caixa Capital, Sticket.in grabbed the prize!

The winner is Sticket.in

With this investment, our goal is to bring the startup to a point where they can raise a reasonable seed round. This is just the beginning.

Walter Palma, Director of Caixa Capital

Applications for the next Startup Braga Accelerator program will start already tomorrow: bit.ly/3accprog

Startup Braga is an innovation hub designed to assist the inception and development of high potential entrepreneurial projects for international markets. In partnership with Microsoft and FLAD they provide the Startup Braga Accelerator, a 3-month program focused on startups that develop mobile, web, medtech, e-commerce and internet of things products. Startup Braga is run by InvestBraga, the economic development agency of Braga’s municipality, whose mission is to foster the region’s economic development and attract foreign investment.