The nine startups participating in Singularity Universitys accelerator program presented thisafternoon atMoffett Federal Airfield just outside Mountain View, CA.Singularity University, founded in2008 by Peter Diamandis and Ray Kurzweil, aims to make it more feasible for people to address hard science problems and those that require a global reach.
Startups backed by Singularity University have gone on to raise $194 million. Collectively, Modern Meadow, Matternet and Getaround have raised $122 million of that total figureto bring people animal-free leather, automated last-mile delivery and more convenient car rental, respectively.
Monique Giggy, directorof Singularity Universitys startup accelerator, says the program received 460 applications this year. From there, 20 startups received formal diligence alongside technical experts. Ultimately only nine companies were selected for this years batch.
This is the third and final generalizedaccelerator program that Singularity will be offering. Participating companies in the program received mentorship and support from corporations, researchers and the broader Singularity network.
Going forward, Singularity wants to engage with portfolio companies across a longer span of time than the existing eight-week program. Giggy explained that future programs could focus narrowly on the FDA approval process or raising a Series A.
The startups that spoketoday are addressing tough challenges in healthcare and materials science, among other things.Here are all nine companies that presented and the problems they are tackling.
IotaSecurity Security solution for mobile banking
IotaSecurity is building a solution to address the security vulnerabilities faced by users of mobile banking services. Development recently concluded on the teams primary SDK and its being marketed directly at banks.Yaron Vorona,who formally worked at a D.C. think tank, is working on the startup alongsideDr. Richard Krueger.Krueger previously worked to scale Amazon Prime.
Metamason 3D-printed masks for sufferers ofsleep apnea
Metamason aims to serve the millions of Americans suffering from sleep apnea. The startup is developing technology that will allow sufferers to scan their face and have a 3D-printed customized and fitted mask printed for them. Ideally, a better experience would incentivize more patients to stick with treatment instead of abandoning it.
Deep BlocksBringing intelligence to real estate developers
Deep Blocks is building a tool for real estate developers to aid them in the planning process. The long-term vision is to deepen machine learning capabilities to be able to optimize decision making for all operators within the real estate vertical. The startupaggregates data across disparate sources, including critical regulatory information. Its available in Miami, but plans to expand to other locales in the near future.
Nanobinoids Using hemp to create better batteries
Nanobinoids is using hemp to unlock thepromise ofgraphene. Graphene could somedaypush existing battery technology into the 21st century, but its incredibly expensive.Sanvar Oberoi andJahan Pestonjamas are using theirhemp textiles background to engineercarbon nanosheets at a price the market can stomach at scale.
Ourotech Enabling a moreefficient cancer treatment process
Ourotech is working on a process that would enable doctors to better prioritize treatment options for cancer patients. Though the work is still in testing, it could someday make it possible for biopsies to be tested against available treatments. This is an improvement over existing methods that rank treatments for the overall population rather than a specific patient.
Braincare A minimally invasive way to monitor pressure inside the skull
Braincare has created a headband that can monitor pressure within the skull. It could offer patients a minimally invasive sensor for tracking critical information that is necessaryfor doctors working to protect the brain.
Flow Making it easy to givepresentations in virtual reality
Virtual reality is still a nascent technology, but Flow is trying to get ahead of the wave. The team is building software that would make it possiblefor anyone to design presentations optimized for multi-dimensional VR presentations. The immersive nature of VR makes it ideal for conveying ideas that fall flat (no pun intended) on old-school PowerPoints.
Golden Connectingparentsand children in the time of need
Caring for our parents (and grandparents) is difficult. The complexity and volume of information required to manage someone elses finances and other affairs often causes important information to get lost.Golden is working to aggregate this information and make it easy to sift through so that we dont miss out on cost-saving programs benefiting older Americans when we need them most.
Calorie Cloud Putting schools andbusinesses to work tobenefitthemalnourished
Calorie Cloud hostscorporate wellness challenges and school programs to get people active. But this startup isnt about increasing physical activity, its about caring for themalnourished. The more activity participants partake in, the more supportgoes to providing food for children who desperately need nutrients.
