Zeroth Demo Day Z03: third cohort of startups graduate from Asia’s first AI-focused accelerator
Hong Kong: 1 June 2018 - Zeroth SPC (“Zeroth”), the first artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) focused accelerator in Asia, today is proud to announce Demo Day Z03 and the graduation of its third cohort of startups from its accelerator programme.
Known collectively as Z03, the companies in the current cohort today presented their strategies and products to investors and media at the third Zeroth Demo Day, held at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park Wheelock Gallery. At the event, 10 startup companies from 8 countries showcased their work.
Mr John Tsang, the former Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR, opened the event with a video address congratulating the cohort and highlighting challenges and opportunities for Hong Kong, where Zeroth is based: “I believe in my heart that Hong Kong’s future path lies in celebration of our young people, in order to allow them the chance to enjoy a bright future… to unlock the inherent talent that is produced here in Hong Kong by some of the world’s best universities.”
Startups accepted into the Zeroth acceleration programme receive USD 120,000 in funding in return for a 6% equity stake. Zeroth provides training, guidance, office space, development support, and access to investors over an acceleration period of three months. Zeroth cohort companies are co-located at the offices of its strategic investor Animoca Brands and they enjoy direct access to the resources and expertise of the publicly listed developer, as well as access to various other partners including veteran technology pioneer Outblaze.
Tak Lo, Founder of Zeroth, commented: “Today’s graduating startups make up our most diverse cohort yet, including companies from Asia, North America, Europe, and Africa. It is incredibly gratifying to be able to contribute to companies that are shaping the world of tomorrow. Our pioneering work to fund and accelerate AI startups is validated by recent developments such as the announcement of an AI lab jointly funded by Sensetime and AliBaba. We welcome the expansion of this field and the innovation that it will bring.”
The 10 companies in the third Zeroth cohort that are graduating today are:
Mathcognify: (Hong Kong) MathCognify is developing next generation algorithmic technologies to optimize cryptocurrency mining
Metrix: (Russia) An AI powered SaaS engine that scales a digital platform’s efficiency by automatically adapting digital content to each customer’s motives and values
Planto: (Hong Kong) a financial management app that helps millennials develop personalized saving plans
Scribe Intelligence: (Hong Kong) Scribe Intelligence is a voice technology company that enables businesses to unlock value from audio content, with an emphasis on interpreting finance and law
Seoul Robotics: (South Korea) Seoul Robotics is developing software to help self-driving car companies fully utilize their LIDAR sensors
Tru Luv: (Canada) develops interactive experiences that leverage new research around relaxation techniques and neuroscience to create calm, connected engagement for the 2.8bn mobile users that don’t play games
Utu: (Kenya) Utu is an machine-learning powered trust engine that models each user's individual trust profile based on their relationships and contextual factors to improve marketplace businesses
Volareo: (Holland) making crypto commerce common by developing a voice hardware product that makes it natural to buy goods and services with cryptocurrencies
Lily: (Vietnam) WeCare is a telehealth company which built Lily as a platform for predicting women’s health by tracking their daily activities and health status, focusing on the SE Asia health infrastructure
Fasal: (India) Fasal is a AI-powered software platform for the agriculture ecosystem that makes on-farm predictions to increase yield and quality
There have been several significant recent developments in the Zeroth ecosystem, some of which are described below.
News from the Zeroth Z01 cohort (graduated late 2017):
- Impress.ai closed a USD 1.2 million round of funding (to be announced soon)
- Mate Labs closed a USD 500,000 round of funding
- Aniwear closed a USD 200,000 round of funding
- Botimize was acquired by H30
News from the Zeroth Z02 cohort (graduated early 2018):
- Laboratik raised JPY 80 million (about USD 730,000)
- Fano Labs secured an undisclosed early-stage investment from Horizons Ventures, the VC firm founded by Li Ka-Shing
- FamFit is being renamed OliveX and is developing an AI-based exercise mobile app that was awarded about HKD 4.5 million (about USD 570,000) in funding by Hong Kong’s Innovation and Technology Fund for Better Living
About Zeroth
Zeroth is Asia’s first Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning focused Accelerator. Zeroth invests in promising teams and projects that are making innovative and futuristic AI concepts a reality for companies and consumers. The goal of Zeroth is to help great teams launch and scale disruptive products and services. For more information please visit http://zeroth.ai/
Zeroth’s next cohort is now accepting applications, please email your deck to info@zeroth.ai or apply online.
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