The Demo Day of the accelerator Space3ac Intermodal Transportation took place on the 29th of March. The accelerator combined the needs of large enterprises with solutions based on satellite techniques. The program supported 27 startups that implemented their ideas in 11 large enterprises.
Smart helmets for LOTOS Group, a rescue simulator for PZU Lab, or devices testing toxic gas levels for the Port of Gdansk – these are some of the 16 solutions presented by startups on the 29th of March during the Demo Day at the Energa Stadium in Gdańsk. The presentations concluded the second edition of Space3ac Intermodal Transportation, a startup accelerator organized as part of the Scale Up program by the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone. In total, the program supported 27 startups that implemented their solutions in 11 large enterprises.Space3ac Intermodal Transportation operates as part of the Scale Up program of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development. One of the main goals of the accelerator is the development of startups working with satellite technologies. The basic assumptions of the Scale-Up is to combine the potential of new, creative entrepreneurs with the infrastructure, experience and resources of large corporations, including state-owned companies.
Audience of the Space3ac Intermodal Transportation Demo Day / Credits – PSSE
– In the acceleration process, we focused on the quality of the pilot implementations, we realized that this is the best way to cooperate on a larger scale. – says Paweł Lulewicz, Vice President of the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone (PSSE). – In the case of some accelerated projects, the cooperation with a large enterprise has gone very far, which clearly confirms the high effectiveness of assumptions made for the Scale-Up.
As part of Space3 Intermodal Transportation, startups worked with with: CELSA Huta Ostrowiec, LOTOS Group, Maritime Institute in Gdansk, International Paper Kwidzyn, Orange Polska, OT Logistics, POL-MIEDŹ TRANS, PZU Lab, X-kom, Port of Gdansk and Port of Gdynia. All companies managed to implement pilot projects of the startups. Moreover, in many cases, discussions are already being held in regards of further cooperation.
Space3ac teams and their activities
– The trust that has been built between large reliable companies and the startups is extremely valuable. – says Anna Brussa, Director in the Department of Startup Development of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP). – We see that both sides have learned to cooperate and see the benefits of such cooperation. This confirms the idea of the high synergistic potential of such a system.
– In the Port of Gdansk, we installed six devices that monitor the level of suspended dust, noise and the presence of toxic gases. – says Rafał Wolak from yetiBox. – Together with our dedicated application, we created a pollution analysis system, which will be used for the duration of the next month by our partners from the Port of Gdansk. The results of this implementation test and the decision to use our solution in the Port are yet to come, however we already know that as an organization we are ready to cooperate with exigent companies.
– As a large enterprise participating in this project, we saw how many opportunities come from the cooperation with startups and how much more can be done in the Port using modern technologies and interesting, innovative solutions. The goal of this program was to combine the potential of startups with the infrastructure, experience and resources of state-owned companies, which in this case worked perfectly well. This experience confirmed our belief that it is worth to be open to these kinds of the implementations in the Port of Gdansk – Jowita Zielinkiewicz, the vice-Director of Development Department in the Port of Gdansk.
Adam Augustyniak from NNT (Novel Nondestructive Testing): – Using widely understood electromagnetic phenomena, we are able to diagnose, in a completely non-destructive way, the condition of steel products and structures. Our fully functional prototype was tested in the production environment at CELSA Huta Ostrowiec and proved to be effective. Talks are currently being held, we hope that we will be able to support our partner in improving the process of quality control.
The 3DP Lab startup working for the LOTOS Group focused on a solution that aims to increase the safety of refinery employees. – In March we tested five sets of our Smart Helmets at the refinery, which we can now treat as developed technology exhibits. Our smart helmets allow the precisely locate employees in the industrial zone, determine their altitude and identify dangerous events, such as a fall or impact. – reports Damian Dziak with 3DPlab. – We managed to achieve a successful round of tests and are now conducting talks regarding the future use of our solution by Grupa LOTOS.
– For PZU Lab, we have created a very complex simulator of crisis events and rescue operations. Based on the built-in, virtual model of the industrial plant, we can simulate a fire emergency and practice actions that will protect people and minimize the company’s losses. – says Paweł Woźniak from uAvionics – The possibility to carry out of a virtual rescue operation has enormous educational value for people responsible for the safety at PZU Lab. Those virtual rescue operations transpose into the quality of procedures, and thus – lowers the risk of crisis situations and increases the efficiency of dealing with them. PZU Lab sees the potential in our solution, we are in the process of negotiating further terms of cooperation.
– The solutions developed in the Space3ac Intermodal Transportation program will allow PZU LAB to provide its clients with technologies that have not been offered by insurers so far. Due to this fact, we become pioneers and at the same time technological leaders in the insurance market – says Dariusz Gołębiewski, Vice President of the Management Board of PZU LAB.
Nearly 170 startups applied to the Space3ac Intermodal Transportation accelerator. 23 of them have completed the program.
– We were mainly looking for teams that are specializing in technologies related to the lower segment of the space sector, i.e. using satellite data in their projects. – says Wojciech Drewczyński, Project Manager. – It would seem that we chose a very niche area. Despite this fact, the number of applications, and above all their quality, confirm the great potential of startups in this sector in Poland.
Startups working in Space3ac Intermodal Transportation received financial support, in amounts ranging from 160 000 PLN to 200 000 PLN for each project. The startups also participated in 286 hours of business and technology workshops, which were conducted by 68 mentors from Poland and abroad.
Awards and distinctions for startups during the Demo Day
Best Startup award / Credits – PSSE
The award for the Best Startup was granted to ISS RFID for the project of the System of Smart seals and markers in warehouse management. This solution was implemented in the large enterprise X-kom.
The Best Pitch award (Best Project Presentation) was won by Quotiss. Quotiss’ area of expertise is the optimization of sea freight and rail transport orders. As part of the program, they implemented their solution for POL-MIEDŹ TRANS.
The Best Invention Award went to NNT for the project of Non-destructive testing techniques in steel products and constructions. This solution was implemented in the large enterprise Celsa Huta Ostrowiec.
The O4 Coworking award was granted to the company FABE for their project “The control system of insurance audits” carried out for PZU Lab.
The Gdańsk Science and Technology Park award was granted to two companies, ISS RFID and NNT. The Pomeranian Science and Technology Park award went to Advanced Protection Systems for their system of drone’s neutralization and mass events protection.
(Space3ac)
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Contact: Marcin Popiel mobile phone: +48 732 681 351, e-mail: m.popiel@strefa.gda.pl
