The We Make Future (WMF) International Trade Fair and Festival, held in Bologna from June 13 to 15, 2024, was a remarkable event showcasing the latest advancements in AI, Tech, and Digital Innovation. One of the event’s highlights was the Startup Pitch Competition, which culminated on June 14th with the final presentations of six outstanding startups selected from over 5,000 applications from over 120 countries.
The Finalists
The six finalists, representing a diverse range of innovative solutions and countries, were:
- BaseTrack (Estonia)
- Devengo (Spain)
- ResilientX (Italy)
- Intous (Italy)
- BARIN SPORTS (Bulgaria)
- Necture (Austria)
Each startup delivered a compelling 3-minute pitch, aiming to impress a jury of investors, venture capitalists, and business leaders. Their projects addressed various global challenges and adhered to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ESG criteria, showcasing their potential to impact society positively.
The winner of the startup competition:
The grand prize went to BaseTrack from Estonia, which received the Jury Award of €50,000, sponsored by EIT Digital. BaseTrack’s innovative solution offers a 20% fuel savings for human-driven trucks and an automated transport service suitable for all weather conditions. Their technology ensures optimal driving parameters by leveraging advanced algorithms, providing a virtual co-driver that enhances efficiency and safety. This solution addresses the “Future of Cities and Communities” challenge, making a significant contribution to sustainable urban development.
The audience award:
Intous, an Italian startup, was the recipient of the Audience Award, receiving €65,000 from Exelab-HUBSPOT. Their modular software platform optimizes and simplifies aircraft owners’ operational processes by utilizing real-time data collected by IoT devices. This data is then analyzed using predictive AI algorithms, providing critical insights into flight and engine status. Intous addresses the “Future of Life on Planet Earth” challenge, focusing on enhancing safety and efficiency in aviation.
To sum up, the WMF 2024 Startup Pitch Competition showcased the incredible potential of startups to drive innovation and solve global challenges. With the support and recognition from the WMF platform, these startups are well-positioned to scale their solutions and make a significant impact on the future of technology and digital innovation.
Are you looking forward to WMF 2025? A special 2×1 offer is available for early participants. For more information, visit the WMF official website.
Editor’s Note: The Italian Trade Agency collaborates with “We Make Future” in organising business delegations of investors, institutions, companies and venture capitalists from many countries to facilitate cooperation opportunities with Italian exhibiting companies.
