Startup Weekend winner among latest Innovyz START participants

A former winner of Startup Weekend is among the 10 ventures selected to take part in the second ANZ Innovyz START program, which is once again dominated by Adelaide-based start-ups.

ANZ Innovyz START, which launched last year, is a 13-week accelerator program inspired by the US-based TechStars program.

The program helps develop successful tech enterprises with potentially breakthrough ideas that are ready for accelerated growth. It provides a $6,000 stipend to each founder (up to $18,000 per company) to participate.

Last year, five of the 10 companies chosen to participate were based in Adelaide, while one was based in Sydney and another in Brisbane. Two were US-based and one was from New Zealand.

Of the 10 companies selected to participate this year, nine are from Australia, with seven of those nine companies based in Adelaide.

This includes FitUsIn, a booking site for the health and fitness industry that allows users to quickly compare gym deals and book their visits online.

Vanessa Picker, the brains behind FitUsIn, travelled from Adelaide to attend Startup Weekend Sydney in April last year. Picker led a team of eight to take out the top prize, receiving $5,000 for her idea.

In addition to FitUsIn, the successful entrants for the 2013 ANZ Innovyz START program are:

• The Unicoach (Adelaide) – A system that guides undergraduates through a step-by-step process that increases their productivity and enables them to achieve academic success.

• Kicktone (Adelaide) – A website that enables bands to sell music directly to their fans through their existing social networks. This means no labels, no middlemen and no distributors.

• Yesoft (Adelaide) – A software company whose first product is Singa, a social network platform for both web and mobile devices that enables users to sing karaoke live with online friends.

• Mobility Unlimited (Adelaide) – A convenient new technology for all types of road price charging, regardless of location.

• Datamunch (Adelaide) – An online service that enables users to easily combine isolated datasets, and gain insights quicker and cheaper than alternatives.

• Edgebox (Adelaide) – Web-based software solutions that measure and promote data-driven improvements in patient safety in hospitals.

• Memtell (Melbourne) – A secure cloud-based archival solution, which enables the sharing of product information, graphics or personal memories in an audio-visual format.

• TowardTheStars (Sydney) – A website with products that counter stereotype and contribute to the health and wellbeing of girls all over the world.

• Agent Anything (Canada, US and UK) – A website that connects people and companies to cost-effective student labour for almost any kind of task, temporary job or service.

The program will commence on January 21, when representatives from each of the 10 companies will relocate to South Australia for 13 weeks.

During this time, they will work with mentors to refine their business model, shape their marketing and product strategies, and prepare for global growth.

Mentors include Chris Bernard from Microsoft’s US developer and platform evangelism team, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Martin Babinec and DealsDirect co-founder Paul Greenberg.

According to Dr Jana Matthews, managing director of ANZ Innovyz START, the program was looking for breakthrough ideas that could be enabled by web 2.0, software and mobile.

“We have been very pleased with the breadth and depth of business ideas we’ve seen in the applications for the 2013 ANZ Innovyz START program,” Matthews said in a statement.

“The vision, passion and ambition of our entrants is testament to Australia’s burgeoning start-up and small business ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, Startup Battlefield applications are now open for TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2013, which will take place from April 29 to May 1 in New York.