The Netherlands is the emerging Silicon Valley and has set up a sizzling ground for tech startups. The country is one of the top choices for aspiring entrepreneurs across industries. As it is shaping up into a powerful one, there are several accelerator programs that are conducted here to help early-stage startups.
Unlike other start accelerators, Antler is a global startup generator and early-stage VC that helps build the next big wave of technology. It operates with the mission to turn exceptional and aspiring individuals into great founders. Antler aims to create thousands of companies across the world. It operates in eight live locations across five continents. The accelerator also invests in and supports companies as they scale and help them set their foot in the international markets.
In a recent development, Antler held its first-ever Demo Day in the Netherlands at the ABN AMRO headquarters. Among 1200 people who had applied to take part in the six-month program, 12 tech startups have been showcased. These startups are specialised across industries including edu tech, data & analytics, shipping, healthtech, marketplaces, and more. And, four of them are led by women including OceanOps, Enlight ED, and RespiQ.
Having said that, here are the 12 startups backed by the first Antler Demo Day in the Netherlands.
SpeechifAI (Amsterdam)
Founders: Tudor Mihailescu, Valentin Kassarnig
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: SpeechifAI is a platform, which helps numerous people easily compose social media posts of high quality around a common theme. The platform enables campaign coordinators to guide community members and coordinate what they post across campaign types such as political, branding, etc. It uses an AI-powered writing assistant to compose individualised posts with the instructions issued by the campaign in a personal writing style.
OceanOps (Rotterdam)
Founders: Yulia Vlasova, Saif Khalaf, Vladimir Avramov
Funding: €105k
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: OceanOps is one of the women-led startups backed by Antler. It is a SaaS platform, which mitigates the issue of container shipment delays via dynamic re-routing. It enables logistics companies and shippers to gain control over their cargo and minimise uncertainty in the supply chain. Currently, 30% of shipping containers worldwide face delays in reaching their final destinations. OceanOps aims to offer a platform that will help shipping companies overcome this issue and reduce the associated costs.
Homespring (Amsterdam)
Founders: Jozef Misik, Perry Kroes
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: Homespring is a furniture-as-a-service platform for the Millennial generation. It offers subscriptions for designer furniture, whereby any payment made can be converted into an installment if the users wish to keep the furniture. Notably, the total payment will not be higher than the regular retail price. Some advantages of choosing Homespring include free home delivery and assembly, enhanced flexibility, and quick delivery, which is usually within a week.
Enlight Ed (Amsterdam)
Founders: Artur Lorincz, Sartou Djibril, Valentin Zberea
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: Enlight Ed is an intelligence tutoring application providing students the experience of having a great teacher anytime, anywhere as they wish. The application provides guidance and immediate feedback to the students. Émilie is the company’s chat-based intelligent tutor, which teaches by asking the right questions instead of giving instant answers. The app considers every mistake as an opportunity to teach the students.
Simpelfix (Amsterdam)
Founders: Adeel Qurashi, Albin Bronkhorst
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: Simpelfix provides an online platform to book on-site smart device repair and installation services to individuals and businesses. It is fast, secure, and convenient too. The platform matches trained technicians with users of smart devices. Simpelfix is building an online marketplace with the intention to expand across the European Union and provide users with one-stop access to technicians for installation and smart device repair.
ScientiCore (Amsterdam)
Founders: Mehrzad Karami, Jana Miniarikova, Sjoerd Geurts
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: ScientiCore is a scientific data exchange platform offering researchers valorisation of their datasets, knowledge, and resources. Its AI-powered search offers fast identification of new data leads and sources, enables for more data collaborations, and facilitates better workflow management. SentiCore provides a secure, unique, and trusted research ecosystem with key features such as sharing, managing, exchanging, and collaborations.
RespiQ (Amsterdam)
Founders: Mira Gleisberg, Vitalli Vorkov
Funding: €100k
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: RespiQ lets people take control of their health with validated dietary guidance that is reliable. It operates with the mission to leave a positive impact on the health of millions by providing non-invasive, accurate, and affordable technology for early diagnosis of breath and health issues. The company is focused, experienced, and passionate healthtech professionals by developing proven tech, which provides cost-effective and accurate testing at home.
Labelfuse (Amsterdam)
Founders: Kelvin Aongola, Jurgen van der Vlist
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: Labelfuse provides simplified data structuring for Artificial Intelligence. Data preparation tasks represent more than 80% of the time consumed in most AI and machine learning projects. It is an on-demand 24/7 human-in-the-loop image data labelling platform that is powered by Artificial Intelligence. Labelfuse provides data labelling and management within a 24-hour work schedule powered by over 3000 expert contributors.
Fusedbone (Amsterdam)
Founders: Navid Ardakanian, Shayan Maydan Shahi
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: Fusedbone combines the latest software techniques with the best 3D printable materials for joint implants. The company provides accessible and affordable patient-specific prosthetic implants. With these custom-made, affordable, and non-metal prosthetic implants, Fusedbone changes the usual prosthetic implants that are generic, expensive, and not built to suit the anatomy of the patients.
Clear (Amsterdam)
Founders: Piet Hein van Dam
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: Clear conducts an evidence-based personalised nutrition program in Amsterdam. It lets users choose foods, manage their weight, and promote their long-term health. It promotes real-time precision nutrition with its AI-driven and intelligence programs and helps manage a healthy lifestyle. Clear tracks exercise, sleep, nutrition, and stress biomarkers from wearables instead of inaccurate activity tracking.
Instant (South Holland)
Founders: Derk Jan Statema
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: Instant connects specialty shops such as bakeries, fish shops, and butchers providing fresh and quality products with consumers who want to eat healthier and better. As the online grocery market is booming, small local shops are facing challenges due to major chains and this is where Instant comes to play. The platform helps local retailers bring their product inventory online and make their products available online.
Mattrvest (Berlin)
Founders: Diane Delava, Mayur Singh, Diego Rojas
Founded year: 2019
Why its hot: Mattrvest was founded with a vision to empower people to save for what matters the most to them. This is possible with the AI-powered smart digital assistant that helps them plan, save, and spend while ensuring a better future. The company is focused on a unique community-driven go to market strategy.
How to apply for next Antler programme
The next Antler programme is all set to start on January 2020. Founders who are selected to take part in the programme will get €2500 per month for the first two months and €105,000 for a 10% equity stake in the startup. Antler Demo Day will be organised for the founders to present their idea to over 500 external investors for seed round funding. Interested founders can apply here for Antler’s next programme from here.
Main image picture credits: Antler
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