For its ninth edition in Paris, the event, organised from 4 to 6 December in Saint-Denis, will focus on the Internet of Things and the discovery of a new generation of start-ups.
For its ninth edition in Paris, the annual LeWeb conference will focus this year on the Internet of Things, from 4 to 6 December. This is the third generation of the Internet, after the Web and mobile applications," announces Loïc Le Meur, LeWeb organizer. Now the Internet is everywhere, all objects can be connected. "For the San Francisco-based entrepreneur, this is the main trend observed in recent months in Silicon Valley. "Most of the start-ups that are being created right now in Silicon Valley revolve around this sector. It's a lot of fun to see soldering irons in the offices of these start-ups. But most of the entrepreneurs have no knowledge of the hardware world, so they look for talent from some of the big manufacturers, like Apple. » (Source: lesEchos.fr)
These devices, which incorporate applications, enable users to enjoy Internet services such as connected TV (3 million French households will have connected TV according to a Médiamétrie study in the first half of 2012). The Internet has not only conquered our TV sets. Other objects in our daily lives have gradually become impregnated with web functionalities, so impregnated that today we could no longer do without them. And it's obviously not going to stop... Objects are connected to the internet but also to each other and send information and data to each other. But what if the connection extended to other objects, objects without screens? What if your ventilator, your trash can and your bed were connected and were sending you information? Imagine the world of tomorrow...
Anything's imaginable. According to Cisco, 50 billion objects will be connected to the Internet by 2020. Some of these apparently futuristic projects are already a reality and will be presented during three days in Saint-Denis. We have deliberately focused on this aspect of discovery this year," adds Loïc Le Meur. LeWeb has always had this vocation, it is here that the general public discovered Evan Williams (co-founder of Twitter, editor's note), that Jack Dorsey (another co-founder of Twitter, editor's note) launched his payment tool Square. » (Source: lesEchos.fr)
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Sixteen start-ups in competition
As every year, the LeWeb conference organizers have selected several start-ups for the competition that closes the event:
- Altheia (France) / www.be-bound.com 2G: new application for mobile Internet access via 2G
- Touchalize (France) / www.touchalize.com Phonitive : technology, designed by Phonitive, that allows you to interact with a video on your mobile phone. The advertiser or the publisher can thus insert comments that can be accessed tactily and vary the content of the spot.
- Snapeous (France) / www.snapeous.com Connect the objects to the Internet. For this, the French company relies on barcodes and QR codes, already present on many objects, by allowing to add content to these codes, thanks to a scanning application.
- Ujoolt (France) / www.ujoolt.com : social network that wants to make information travel. The concept: "jolting" (publishing and disseminating) information, a photo on the platform. Or how to reduce the distance that sometimes exists on social networks?
- Wiman (Italy) / www.wiman.me Internet connection as a vector of attraction in stores by adding a social and community dimension. The advantage for the customers: free Wi-Fi and without having to enter their credit card number, e-mail or telephone number. The one for professionals: attracting new customers
- World Climate Credit (Switzerland) / www.worldclimatecredit.com The Swiss start-up is taking a playful approach to encouraging ecology. Like Foursquare, users receive "badges" if they do good deeds for the environment. According to these actions, they collect a certain number of points and can then win gifts, put into play by sponsors. They can also finance environmental projects in this way.
- Qunb (France) / www.qunb.com Data Processing and Visualization: specialized in data processing and visualization, it allows users to store and sell their data, in a market place logic.
- Re.co (France) / www.re.co Halfway between Facebook and Yelp, Re.co, from the company Recommend, offers users the opportunity to publish their recommendations for outings, restaurants and activities to their friends. These opinions are not public but only shared with his contacts.
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- Green Momit (Spain) / www.greenmomit.es Green technologies project : a project around green technologies which proposes an analysis for individuals or professionals in order to reduce their energy consumption.
- Intoino (Italy) / www.marcobestonzo.wix.com : interface where it is possible to remotely control all its connected objects, but also to manage its actions on other services
- KWIQly (Switzerland) / www.kwiqly.com Another solution for managing energy consumption. Based on the customer's data, the Swiss company offers to provide a complete energy balance and recommendations for savings, according to various parameters
- Lhings (Spain) / www.lhings.com The "social network" to manage, in the cloud, all its objects. A sort of platform for all connected objects, accessible remotely, on which all types of applications can be grafted.
- Biletu (Chile) / www.biletu.com Turnkey solution to organize an outing with friends. This Chilean start-up takes the example of an organized weekend. The application allows you to plan the trip, the hotel reservation, and any other type of expenses, in a collaborative way.
- Agent of Presence (United States): connect the fashion. Its creator, Alison Lewis, is a well-known designer who has worked on several projects previously in the fashion industry. The concept of Agent of Presence: imagining clothes and accessories integrating technology. Dress that changes color according to the mood, connected jewelry...
- Alleantia (Italy) / www.alleantia.com : development of solutions and products to supervise and control all types of industrial or agricultural processes. Control of energy consumption, production
- Jini (Belgium) / www.getjini.com a virtual personal advisor who prevents boredom. It slips into your Smartphone via an application and uses your browsing habits, your location and your tastes to suggest outings: new restaurant in the neighborhood, friends nearby, parties, etc.
Good luck to you all!
Another major topic of this 2012 edition: the financing of start-ups
Most of the major European and American investment funds are expected to participate. There are many tools available to entrepreneurs covering the different types of financing needs of these young technology companies. But are they effective? And what about competitiveness clusters and incubators? And do VCs really invest in digital innovation to help the world's biggest digital players emerge from France? The process is very selective for a low transformation rate: two projects received per day to result in two company financings per quarter!
Let's bet that this LeWeb edition, which is expecting more than 3500 people, will bring insights and innovative initiatives... To be continued.
{Jacuzzi on}
