Standout German startups @SXSW
Dozens of German startups have tried to make a name for themselves in Texas at South by Southwest (SXSW), an annual conference combining tech, film and music. Here are seven of the most promising participants.
Empowering horse enthusiasts
Hanover-based sports tech startup Horse Analytics wants to take the multi-billion dollar but largely analog equestrian sport to the digital age. The company has developed a tracker that lets horse owners monitor and optimize exercise, sleep and behavior of their equids around the clock. In the photo, founder Enri Strobel is pitching in the SXSW Accelerator competition.
Selective sounds from Berlin
With its 3D audio technology, HOLOPLOT wants to create virtual acoustic spaces and immersive audio solutions by determining where sound can be heard - and where not. The team has already tested its patented technology at train stations and airports. At South by Southwest, HOLOPLOT won an Interactive Innovation Award in the music and audio innovation category.
The world's largest 3D printer
Tech startup BigRep's 3D printers translate digital designs into prototypes and new products, both for studio and industrial use. According to Amir Fattal, BigRep's director of creative projects, the "BigRep One" is currently the largest serial 3D printer in the world. Founded in 2014, BigRep currently employs 60 people from 12 nations in its Berlin, New York and Singapore offices.
NÜWIEL wants to free cities of cars
Nüwiel sells electric-run bicycle trailers to alleviate inner-city traffic and assist in transporting food. According to co-founder Natalia Tomiyama, the trailers provide push assistance when cycling uphill and are capable of transporting loads of up to 120 kg. The Nüwiel team has won several contests and scholarships for founders including EXIST, InnoRampUp and the Climate-KIC program.
Making a virtual splash in Austin
More than a quarter million users have signed up for the Splash app since virtual reality startup Viorama won the SXSW Accelerator competition last March. Splash lets users color their environment and stitch it together live, thereby filming 360-degree video they can upload to YouTube and Facebook. Founder Michael Ronen said his team was currently working on a "mixed reality offering."
First aid container for refugees
The Refugee First Response Center (RFRC) is a container equipped as a medical emergency station. During the refugee crisis in 2015, 10 of these containers were installed in Hamburg. RFRC co-creator Harald Neidhardt wants to install 100 more container clinics at hotspot locations in the near future. In Austin, Neidhardt moderated a panel titled "Tech for Good: Solutions for the Refugee Crisis."
Helping machines see with ultrasound
Munich-based Toposens has developed a 3D sensor that perceives its surroundings via ultrasound. According to the founders, the sensor is not only the first of its kind, it's also able to recognize objects within a range of up to eight meters with millimeter accuracy and position those objects in a 3D model. In the photo, founder Tobias Bahnemann is pitching his startup at German Haus.