Tech23 unveils successful start-ups for 2012 showcase

Technology showcase Tech23 has announced the 23 start-ups that will take part in this year’s event, including Ninja Blocks and Native Tongue, with $100,000 in cash prizes up for grabs.

Tech23 2012 – to be held in Sydney on Tuesday, October 23 – is sponsored by NSW Trade & Investment, Commercialisation Australia, the CSIRO and a handful of other organisations.

A total of 23 tech start-ups will vie for $100,000 in cash prizes. Another major draw card of the event is the impressive lineup of ICT industry experts who will be there to lend them a hand.

This year’s list of industry experts includes serial entrepreneur Bill Bartee, SEEK co-founder Paul Bassat and Yuuwa Capital co-founder Matthew Macfarlane.

Meanwhile, the 23 successful start-ups were selected from a pool of more than 150 applications. This year’s Tech23 companies are:

• Austreme – PCI-compliant anti-fraud cloud service.

• Bubble Gum Interactive – transmedia games and entertainment for kids.

• CoolCity – contactless payments for an interactive marketing medium.

• enableHR – enables better HR management in the cloud.

• Full Extent – takes human-readable text and automatically puts it on a map.

• Happy Inspector – mobile and cloud apps for paperless inspections.

• Incoming Media – a mobile service provider enabling personalised mobile video.

• iVvy – a global online marketplace for the events industry.

• JellyMusic – interactive music education for primary classes.

• MetaCDN – cloud-based content delivery network provider.

• Micrco Energy Labs – enables households to track electricity usage.

• MobileNation – a cloud-based enterprise mobile development platform.

• Native Tongue – a language learning game company.

• Ninja Blocks – connects real things to apps.

• OneSaaS Intergrations – integrates and synchronises business data.

• Parotel – machine 2 machine cloud-based software platform.

• Rezon8 Media – provides Adwords for real-world digital signs.

• Rome2rio – multimodal travel search engine.

• ScriptRock – automated system configuration testing.

• Smart Sparrow – empowers teachers with adaptive learning.

• StreetHawk – targeted location-based marketing for retailers.

• Tapit – a Near Fields Communications (NFC) company which simplifies how people access information on their phones.

• Zeptonics – designs lowest-latency network devices.

Anthony Howe, of JellyMusic, says the calibre of the industry leaders who will be on hand to provide feedback, guidance and support is “mind-blowing”.

“When you look at what previous Tech23 winners have accomplished, you realise that this event can help to turn our young company into a global success,” Howe says.

“We feel extremely fortunate to have this opportunity and very excited to see what happens on the day.”

Meanwhile, Bill Bartee said he is excited to see what discoveries this year’s Tech23 companies will unearth.

“Helping them finesse their technologies and take them to the next stage is… an important function for the development of Australia’s ICT industry,” he said in a statement.