Category: startup

Stay cool this summer with this smart fan. #AirGo #StartUp #Tech #SmartFan

Start-up launches the UK’s First Pedestal Smart Fan – Available online and on Amazon – RRP £109

London based start-up GeoSmartPro, a specialist in building smart home products that fit seamlessly into our homes, has launched its first product, the AirGo smart fan, just in time for the UK’s summer.

Now if like me many of us have a reliable old Lloytron fan or something similar and I have mine years so long in fact it turning yellow, but it can be a lifesaver but it needs replacing and what a better time to replace it with a smart fan and once again you can just sit back relax and control from your mobile phone which really tops this off for me.

Available online now and on Amazon, the AirGo smart fan allows users to control their fans from anywhere via the free GeoSmartPro app.

The AirGo smart fan, the first of its kind, is packed full of features designed to help users cope with hot conditions. Users can set the fan to a schedule, certain temperatures and speeds at the touch of a button.

Features include: 

  •  App Automation–allows users to automate the fan’s actions and triggers. For example, if the area you live in gets too hot the fan will automatically kick in. The fan uses WiFi to source and follow temperatures. 
  • Schedule– allows users to set the fan to turn on and off at set times. So, if you want your bedroom cool before bed you can set the fan to come on an hour or so before bed. You can even start it while on your way home from work!
  • Timer – users can set it for up to eight hours, so it’ll last the whole night.
  • Mode – users can choose between 3 modes, one of which mimics nature’s air flow to ensure a controlled and calming breeze, giving you a feeling of sitting outdoors.
  • Speed–the fan can be set to low, medium or high fan speed depending on your preferences.
  • Noise reduction technology– AirGo is one of the quietest fans on the market and has been awarded with the Quiet Mark,meaning no more disturbed nights through fan sounds.

Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder, Sarah Pieters, said:“With many areas of the home becoming smarter and more efficient, we noticed that helping keep homes cool had been somewhat neglected.

“The fan has been in the home for decades but needed to be brought to the modern connected world. AirGo provides users with an enjoyable, yet practical experience during the summer months. Our team strives to build products that have a consumer focus and that aim to make lives easier.”

CEO, Uzair Rafi, said:“Our team worked endlessly to ensure that we delivered a great product to our customers in time for summer. The AirGo fan will enhance the user’s lifestyle and keep them cool in the warmer months. We are looking forward to what the future will bring for GeoSmartPro to help improve the connected home experience in the UK and worldwide.”

GeoSmartPro’s AirGo smart fan is also compatible with voice assistants Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

The AirGo Smart Fan is available for £109 from Amazon.co.uk and https://www.geosmartpro.com/airgo.

Dell EMC and GirlCrew host third SupperClub to mark Dublin Start-up Week #StartUpWeek #DellEMC

The third Dell EMC Supper Club, in partnership with GirlCrew has been announced to take place on Wednesday 21st November to mark Dublin Start-Up Week 2018. The Dell EMC SupperClub is an initiative to support female entrepreneurs as they work to grow their businesses and their networks.

The Supper Club meets regularly, bringing female entrepreneurs at similar stages on their start-up journey together around a table to exchange advice and to share ideas and strategies for success.

Dell EMC has a strong track record of supporting budding female entrepreneurs. The company runs the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN), an annual gathering of female entrepreneurs established to address some of the challenges faced by women when starting and growing their business. In the most recent summit in Toronto, DWEN brought together female leaders from across the globe to connect with networks, sources of capital, knowledge and technology.

Building on that success, a special DWEN Women Funding Women event will be held in Dublin in early February to create new links between female entrepreneurs and potential investors who can fuel their scale-up success.

Commenting on the series, Aisling Keegan, Vice-President and Commercial General Manager, Dell EMC Ireland said: “Dell EMC is delighted to announce the third in our SupperClub series that look to nurture today’s start-up female entrepreneurs to become tomorrow’s scale-up success stories. We have consistently received feedback from women entrepreneurs from around Ireland highlighting the value of fostering a network and facilitating the exchange of ideas with other female entrepreneurs as invaluable in helping them to grow their businesses.

“At each SupperClub, we bring twenty female entrepreneurs together around a table to share their experiences and successes over dinner. It’s an exciting and intimate series for us to be involved in, where our team members from Dell EMC have the opportunity to share advice on how to build for growth and scale from day one, how to navigate international markets, embrace digital transformation and access finance. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming one marking Dublin Start-Up Week, it’s set to be a great night.”

Pamela Newenham, Co-Founder, GirlCrew said: “We’re excited to be working with Dell EMC on this series which has proved to be really successful since it started. GirlCrew is a platform for women to make friends and these SupperClubs perfectly complement what we do. We love how relaxed the atmosphere is, yet our attendees get so much out of the night while really enjoying themselves. I have no doubt the 21st November will be another great night as we have some great speakers lined up!” 

Speakers at the third Dell EMC Supper Club on Wednesday, 21st November include Sophie Feruch, Co-Founder of AnyGym and Nuala Murphy, CEO of Moment Health. They will be interviewed on the evening by Ci Moulton from GirlCrew.

Entrepreneurs looking to take part will receive more information through the Dell EMC social channels as well as through GirlCrew. To find out more log onto www.girlcrew.com.

Irish tech start-up Promo Pads promises the end of the line for queueing for food. #PromoPads

The average Irish person loses over 19 hours each year queuing for food and drinks at lunchtime, 2017 market research carried out by Irish start-up Promo Pads has shown. The average time people spend queueing for coffee or food is 5min 46sec. In total, that is over 41 million hours that Irish people waste each year waiting for food or drink service. This is something we probably all prefer not to do but with the busy hectic lifestlyes we all have today its nearly unavoidable but things are changing with food outlets now providing apps to skip the queue which is welcome. 

The longest queueing time measured was 16min 18sec, when a premises had a lunchtime special offer. Numerous people were observed changing their mind and leaving the queue in frustration.

Start-up Promo Pads promises to give Irish people the 2.5 months of their life they would spend queuing for food and drinks back.

Diarmaid Murphy, CEO of Promo Pads said: “Three years ago I left a café in frustration because of a dozen people ahead of me waiting for service. That’s why we created Dine, so people can spend their time enjoying the social experience of a café, bar or restaurant, instead of spending their time just waiting to order”.

Promo Pads’ tabletop ordering system Dine® was designed to allow customers of coffee shops, restaurants and pubs to simply sit down, relax and order from the table. No more queuing, no more waiting for a server to take their order.

“We started the journey to create Dine so we could benefit the customers of bars and cafes, but we ended up developing a system which also has just as many benefits for owners and operators of premises”, Diarmaid Murphy added.

Promo Pads’ founder invested his own money with support from friends and family to build BETA units and prove the concept. The business now has a campaign on Kickstarter to generate public support to finish the system and save many more people from having to queue or wait for service.

 About Promo Pads

Promo Pads’ Dine System was created with the goal of never again having to queue, just to re-order coffee. Dine® is the only custom digital tabletop ordering system in Europe. Digital menus on tables in bars and cafes, so customers don’t waste time standing in a queue just to order. Even better, the menus provide discounts and promotions at the table, saving patrons money and giving them free product samples to make their  visit more enjoyable. The future of food & drink service convenience has arrived! 

Our promise:

·         No more standing in a queue just to order lunch, a coffee or beer

·         No more having to sit with a hand in the air just to get the attention of a server

Support them and their idea over on KICKSTARTER

 

Irish #StartUp aims to create 1,000 jobs for south-east region through remote working. #Jobs #Abodoo

An Irish start-up is aiming to create 1,000 jobs in the south-east region by encouraging employers to hire remote workers. Abodoo, the online portal for remote and flexible careers, announced this target today following an event for regional business-leaders in Gorey last night.

Abodoo is headquartered in Gorey, and has attracted support from open eir and the IDA.  It launched in Ireland last month, with plans to launch in the UK in the coming months and to expand globally next year.

Denis Naughten TD, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment delivered a guest address at Abodoo’s recent event at The Hatch Lab, Gorey via live video link from Dublin.

Commenting today, Vanessa Tierney, co-founder of Abodoo, said: “We have set the ambitious goal of getting one thousand people employed across the south-east region through the Abodoo platform. 

“We anticipate this will be a combination of skilled people who are currently unemployed but want to return to work, and people in employment who no longer want the exhausting commute to Dublin.

“We will achieve this goal by encouraging up to 100 companies to hire an average of 10 skilled remote workers each.  These will be people living in the south-east region, who can either work from home or from a co-working hub like the Hatch Lab in Gorey, where we are based ourselves. 

“We are working with our partners, open eir and the IDA, to identify suitable employers and demonstrate to them the benefits of hiring remote workers.”

Co-founder of Abodoo, Vanessa Tierney, pictured speaking at their recent event on remote working in The Hatch Lab, Gorey.

Cost Savings

Ms. Tierney said an increase in remote working would lead to significant cost-savings for government, employers and workers themselves.

“One of the biggest savings is in relation to transport, and this has knock-on benefits for the environment,” she said.  “Remote workers save, on average, between €2,000 and €7,000 and hundreds of hours of travel time per year – just by removing their daily commute.  One thousand new remote workers in the south-east would equate to a saving of 235 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

“The business case for remote working is also strong:  companies will save an average of €11,000 per remote employee, and 91 per cent of companies that facilitate remote working experience increased productivity.  Companies that promote remote working also report an increase in staff retention of over 50 per cent; and a reduction in absenteeism of 63 per cent.”

Pictured speaking at Abodoo’s recent event on remote working in The Hatch Lab, Gorey was Brendan Mc Donald, IDA Regional Manager, South-East Region.

Ms. Tierney said Abodoo is seeking expressions of interest now from employers interested in hiring skilled remote workers in the south-east region.  Employers and those seeking flexible careers can register at www.abodoo.com.

Edtech startup #magikbee makes YouTube educational and safe with new kiddZtube app

Magikbee, the Portugal-based edtech startup, has released kiddZtube, a video-quiz app that makes YouTube content educational and completely safe for preschoolers. The app offers a wide range of popular videos, all selected by a group of real-life teachers who, using the kiddZtube technology, add questions to each video that teach children spelling, colours, emotions, directions, and more – all by asking kids about what they are watching. It is available worldwide now on the App Store for iPhone and iPad and on Amazon for Android.

We are testing out the Android version at the moment and it seems pretty good and its safe,on starting up the app the parent will need to fill in some particulars and can check out some settings to get going. Ideal for kids not accidently strolling onto things they are better off not seeing.

See the full press release below…

The app was developed in response to both kids’ love for YouTube videos and parents’ concerns over the quality of time spent in front of a screen. As kids watch videos on kiddZtube, questions – which are asked aloud – appear and are answered with a row of four coloured stars combined with emojis, making the experience interactive and visually appealing to the youngest boys and girls.

Because all of the content is chosen and curated by teachers, kiddZtube is completely safe for kids to use. Parents can also track their child’s progress and set time limits on use of the app, giving them full control over its usage.

kiddZtube Lite is available for free with access to 20 videos with quizzes. Meanwhile, the full version of the kiddZtube app costs €5.99 and offers the full experience with more than 1,000 videos and 7,000 quizzes to view from your device. You can get in touch for a promo code that will give free access to the full version.

kiddZtube is easy to navigate and designed to appeal to children. As a child watches a video, for example about autumn apple picking, the quiz question appears: what colour are the apples? The options to respond appear inside four stars, coloured blue, yellow, red or green. To respond, a child just has to select the star with the correct answer. Kids will instantly know if the answer is correct or should try again. It’s a fun and engaging way to learn.

Hugo Filipe Ribeiro, magikbee Co-Founder & CEO, said: “We wanted to develop something positive, safe and at the same time engaging and fun for kids.”

Some parents may currently be familiar with YouTube Kids, where preschool content is freely available. The big difference is the ability of kiddZtube to transform screen time into an active learning experience. Moreover, YouTube Kids promotes passive screen time and sometimes very young children can get dragged to inappropriate contact that makes it past YouTube’s filters. That’s not possible with kiddZtube.

About magikbee

Headquartered in Braga, Portugal, magikbee is a member of the Portuguese Startup Braga Innovation Hub (Microsoft Ventures partner) and has the ambition to become an important player in the edtech market for preschoolers with the use of phygital toys and interactive apps. magikbee’s mission is to reimagine screen time by creating an ecosystem that promotes active fun & learning through a range of innovative technologies. This team of parents and university researchers are experts in interactive technology for education. Their numerous awards include honours at the global Advances in Computer Entertainment Conference (ACE) and top prize at the World Technology Awards in the Entertainment category. In 2016 they were one of the finalists of the Silicon Valley World Tech Cup Challenge, in the AR/VR category.

 

kiddZtube • €5.99 • Ages 2+

The newest product from magikbee, this is the world’s first video-quiz app for preschoolers.Try for free kiddZtube Lite with access to 20 starter videos. When ready, parents can download for €5.99 the kiddZtube full app that offers more than 1,000 videos and 7,000 quizzes.

Launched earlier this year is another magikbee edtech tool that utilises tablets and its own tech:

magik Play Starter Kit • €49.99 • Ages 2+

magik play is the world’s first iPad smart toy that merges traditional wooden building blocks, which connect to devices using advanced magnetic field technology, with educational games, in an engaging, physical and truly fun experience for preschoolers. Each kit includes 10 “smart” blocks, a wooden iPad stand and 3 games, adapted to different ages and that explore educational challenges. In each game, kids are asked to find solutions by assembling the physical wooden blocks. This iPad toy enhances a child’s motor skills, spatial reasoning, creativity and collaboration.

Visit www.magikbee.com for more information or follow on social channels at Twitter: magikbee_world, Instagram: magikbee_world and Facebook: magikbee

DOWNLOAD – App Store for iPhone and iPad and on Amazon for Android.

COMING SOON

kiddZtube Academy is a FREE educational resource designed to support preschool Educators in teaching core skills in a fun and engaging way.
The platform allows Teachers to create educational video-quizzes which teach spelling, counting, colours, directions and more by adding pop-up questions to existing YouTube videos.

Irish Tech #Startup Introduces First Ever Wearable Dash Payment Wristband #Bitcart #Festy 

Until now, there has never been a successful, wearable device that lets people use a digital currency to pay for anything at a merchant’s Point of Sale. Today, Irish tech company Bitcart are launching a prototype wristband, called Festy, that allows people to pay for drinks and food at bars, restaurants and social events, like festivals, using their Dash holdings. Powered by a QR code/NFC integration, Festy is being physically unveiled tomorrow at Opera Incubator in Cork, Ireland. 

It is the first wearable payment method of it’s kind that uses blockchain technology to make payments without a wallet, phone, or credit card. Because Dash boasts InstantSend technology, transactions are settled in seconds, and the fees for the merchant are much lower than any credit or card.

Creators of Bitcart, an Irish-based discount gift card platform, have today announced the launch of a landmark product called Festy, a QR code and NFC integrated wristband that allows festival and bar goers to pay for food and drinks using Dash, all without a wallet, a cell phone, or credit card. Festy is linked directly to a consumer’s Dash account, so funds are not stored on the Festy platform and transactions for goods occur within seconds, while the merchants have the ability to cash out their Dash for the equivalent fiat currency. Dash is the world’s leading digital currency for payments and currently the 6th most valued cryptocurrency at over $1.3 billion USD. Dash’s InstantSend technology allows the digital currency to make instant payments. In the next update, Dash will be able to process half a million transactions with extremely low fees, roughly ten cents per transaction. With no card numbers or private keys displayed while making purchases, Festy ensures maximum privacy, and users can top-up their wristbands at branded ATMs, or make simple transfers online.

CEO Graham de Barra said,

“Our partnership with Dash makes the perfect payment solution for everyday transactions. Unlike existing traditional bank payments that take a 2-5% fee, there is no cost on receiving Dash for merchants. Merchants accepting payments will never have a chargeback, and there are potentially enormous savings to be made compared to the crippling fees from existing payment solutions. We believe this is the payment processor of the future.”

Festivals are currently suffering from an extensive cash flow issue. Standard ATMs typically charge a high rate of $3-5 per withdrawal at festivals or abroad, and the middlemen supplying the machine require high compensation. On top of that, users can wait in line for up to two hours just to withdrawal their money at large festivals. These events also see a great amount of loss and theft, lacking a secure place to keep your wallet, further proving that cash is an insufficient means of transaction. Festy ensures that your money stays firmly clasped to you, helps create steady cash flows between the merchant and the consumer, and maintains a positive festival reputation.

VP of Business Development for Dash Daniel Diaz said.

“Festy’s multi-functional wristband is compatible with every Point-of-Sale system where Visa contactless is accepted, as well as on any mobile phone or computer with NFC tags and offline payments using QR codes. This versatility is adaptable to any environment including fields, beaches, camping sites as well as bars, restaurants and conferences. Festy is an affordable, scalable, and secure payment solution, particularly for millennials and Gen Z who don’t want to carry or worry about their wallet, handbag, cash or backpack at every moment during their social calendar,” Bitcart CEO Graham de Barra said.

The Festy prototype will be unveiled tomorrow at the high tech Opera incubator in Cork, Ireland. Each attendee will receive a pre-filled wristband and invitation. The wearable will allow everyone to buy food and drinks with a single scan of their wristband. Guests will also be able to tip the musician through Festy. When the prototype is ready for a full public rollout (at the end of Q3), it will be available to purchase on www.festypay.com.

For a list of festivals where Festy will be available in a prototype, please see the following link: http://entertainment.ie/festivals/

Irish Tech #StartUp DesignWizard is set to change how we create visual content.

Online visual content is booming. Every day there are over 1.8 billion images posted online and that figure is only going one direction.
Promotional images make up the vast majority of these visuals as brands vie for digital visibility. The pressure on marketers, business owners and entrepreneurs to produce high quality, original campaigns has never been as intense as it is right now.  Creating content is no longer an option – it is a necessity – but delivering high quality content on a regular basis without design expertise is a time consuming commitment.

 

 

DesignWizard is easy-to-use and affordable online graphic design software. It takes the time and effort out of creating visual content by supplying inspiring templates which can be instantly tailored to suit a brand’s needs. DesignWizard helps businesses to achieve their goals by inspiring them with impressive content. Users get more inspired, more innovative and more proficient the more they use it.
The steps are simple. Choose a template, customise the image to represent the brand, occasion or event, download and share. As confidence grows, this process can be done in a matter of minutes. At the end of it, users have an professional standard image, summing up everything they want to say.

 

 

DesignWizard has over 1 million visuals comprised of photographs, graphics, illustrations and fonts, all professionally produced and curated by their in-house teams of graphic designers, photographers and researchers.
There is a long list of design features available free to all users that includes free image storage, custom colour palettes, a favourites folders, easy resize for all templates and the ability to upload and store personal images. DesignWizard are committed to developing and releasing new features on a regular basis.

 

 

DesignWizard want to help other businesses grow and prosper which is why they protect brands from any copyright complications. All images have been signed off with either model releases, property releases, or both. There is a friendly in-app customer support are on hand to answer any queries and to guide users through the design process.
In the past few weeks DesignWizard have had some exciting integrations with Hubspot and Buffer and were also been featured on the front page of Product Hunt. They are also unveiling a newly designed website in July.
Try DesignWizard now and create 10 free images for free! Sign up for free at www.desginwizard.com and enter the promocode DW10COB.