Launched by the Ministry of the Economy in collaboration with Luxinnovation in April 2020, the “StartupsVsCovid19” call for projects aimed at encouraging young innovative companies to propose the development of technology-based innovative products and services intended to limit, or even overcome, the economic, health and societal effects of the crisis linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 300 projects submitted
Over 300 start-ups submitted applications in response to the call. “I am absolutely delighted about the large number and high quality of the projects submitted,” said Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot. “It proves that our start-up community is full of talent and is able to demonstrate outstanding innovation.”
I am absolutely delighted about the large number and high quality of the projects submitted.
29 pre-selected start-ups presented their ideas at the beginning of May to a jury composed of representatives of the Ministry of the Economy, Luxinnovation, Technoport, Luxembourg-City Incubator, the House of Startups and the Luxembourg house of financial technology (LHoFT). 15 of them were selected and will receive financial support of up to €150,000 granted by the Ministry of the Economy.
A maturing start-up ecosystem
“The responsiveness and creativity of start-ups in proposing innovative solutions in the current context is a sign of a mature ecosystem that fully fulfils its role as a driver of innovation for our economy, but also our society and our healthcare system,” Sasha Baillie, CEO of Luxinnovation, confirmed.
The responsiveness and creativity of start-ups in proposing innovative solutions in the current context is a sign of a mature ecosystem.
The competition for funding was fierce, as many start-ups submitted high-quality proposals. The start-ups whose projects were not selected for funding can still from benefit support from Luxinnovation and the other partners of the start-up ecosystem.
Selected projects
The following start-up projects were selected for funding:
- A352: Mobile application designed to help small and micro enterprises in their financial management thanks to artificial intelligence in a context of economic crisis.
- AR Spectra:
- Coco World: Online study platform for secondary school students in Luxembourg (11-19 years old) allowing to arrange individual or group study sessions as well as to share knowledge and educational resources.
- EmailTree AI: Solution to automate the processing and analysis of the level of urgency of messages (emails, online forms, instant messaging) sent to medical units and healthcare professionals in Luxembourg.
- GlobeEye: Mapping solution for the levels of polluting gases in the atmosphere, which are aggravating factors in the mortality of people affected by Covid-19, through the use of satellite data and other remote sensors.
- Grouplunch Luxembourg: Online platform allowing to deliver commodity products to private customers at home from many small businesses heavily impacted by containment measures as well as from restaurants.
- Keymitt: Mobile application allowing to check remotely the respect of the protection measures against Covid-19 in a building, in particular concerning the maximum number of authorized persons, and also to control the switching on and off of lights or electrical hardware.
- Mu Design: Integration of an ultraviolet irradiation system into door handles to allow self and germicidal sanitising of these objects which are a very common vector of contamination.
- Shawbe: Mobile application allowing creating virtual queues to help restaurants enforce social distancing rules.
- Softbrik: Digital assistant allowing doctors to maintain frequent contact with their patients, especially in relation to the early symptoms of Covid-19, thanks to a voice messaging system combined with artificial intelligence.
- Sovi: Application to improve communication between Covid-19 patients intubated in intensive care and caregivers, thanks to a technology combining artificial voice and a pictogram system.
- Stampify: Online platform fully compliant with the Luxembourg legal framework allowing to automate decision-making processes, including remote document signing, within organisations.
- UFT: Smart dispatching system of the emergency assistance that optimises and coordinates ambulance routes and automatically schedules vehicle disinfection following interventions related to Covid-19 cases.
- Vagalum: Online learning platform tailored to school programmes to support remotely schools in the follow-up and monitoring of their students during the containment period.
- Virtual Rangers: Virtual reality-based training platform providing training to health staff about the appropriate care gestures for Covid-19 patients. The platform combines theory and practice taking the specificity of each patient into account.