The secret’s out - these 52 finalists will be celebrating the digital disruption at the CODE_n new.New Festival in September

Over 380 young companies from all over the world applied for one of the four contest clusters under the overarching theme of ‘Digital Disruption’; now the best of the best have been chosen. The 52 finalists from 11 different countries will be travelling to Karlsruhe in Germany this autumn to present their digital business solutions at our new.New Festival, to potential customers, investors, mentors and visitors. Early bird tickets are available as of today.

“From Israel to Germany and over to the U.S., the young startup businesses represent an exciting spectrum of digital solutions in the four contest clusters: Applied FinTech, Connected Mobility, HealthTech and Photonics 4.0,” says GFT CEO and CODE_n Initiator Ulrich Dietz. As different as these four clusters might sound, they all have one thing in common; representing areas in which the digital revolution will take place – quickly, thoroughly, disruptively – changing our lives forever. Wonder what that future might look like? Our CODE_n Finalists of 2016 have the answers and while we will introduce all 52 startups in detail soon, we decided to present some exciting handpicked examples first!

GFT’s Applied FinTech cluster: change is the new normal!

We have said it before; banking may seem like a dry topic, but our finalists from Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and the Netherlands in the FinTech sector have proof that it is rather hot than not. Amongst the shortlisted candidates are the world’s first miniature vein biometric recognition system to be worn on the wrist, and one of the leader’s in the real-world application of Blockchain technology. Apart from Biometrics and Blockchain enthusiasts, we also have accounting geniuses, peer-to-peer (P2P) specialists, credit approval process revolutionaries and automated foreign exchange (FX) management specialists amongst our FinTech finalists.

Ulrich Dietz commented: “Most people are a bit reserved with new financial technologies, but they need to become more open minded. Together with the featured startups, we’re making digital banking tangible and driving valuable digital advances in the financial services industry.”

HPE’s Connected Mobility cluster and HealthTech finalists

Ever wondered how to control and interact better with your digital devices? How to check off-street parking and real-time availability? Our finalists in HPE’s ’Connected Mobility’ cluster from Germany and Austria have the answers to just such questions. But they go even further and come up with things you have probably never even dreamed of. There are a handful of impressive augmented reality solutions, innovative 3D sensors and cutting-edge eye tracking technology. There are traffic safety concepts based on modern sensor systems and indoor navigation or controlling devices. In short, our finalists demonstrate the whole range of opportunities in Connected Mobility.

The same goes for HealthTech. Just imagine if there was an app that could use smartphone sensor data and machine learning to predict emergencies, and prevent them, by suggesting suitable interventions. Now, here comes the good news – the app actually exists! There is also a non-invasive, wireless, cellphone-powered sensor solution, measuring glucose levels in human tears and a voice-controlled home-based multi-vital parameter platform device enabling people to take action before a disease becomes life-threatening. All of this will be presented by our finalists from Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States during the new.New Festival in September. If you’re interested in the HealthTech sector you should also check out the fully automated PCR (polymerase chain reaction)-based screening for drug-resistant pathogens, the low-cost, but highly revolutionary cancer treatment, or the simple, but effective solutions for prosthetics in developing nations.

Highly impressive ideas in TRUMPF’s Photonics cluster

A number of startups located in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom are basing their innovations on the ‘Internet of Things’ in manufacturing, and augmented reality or sensor technologies lie at the heart of many of the business ideas that will be presented in the Photonics cluster. Dr. Peter Leibinger, Vice Chairman of the Managing Board at TRUMPF GmbH + Co KG. commented: “I am highly impressed with the types of intelligent ideas and creative solutions that the Photonics cluster finalists have developed.” Great examples include the sorting robot using deep learning algorithms in real-time to help the waste disposal industry to improve its processes, or the light-based sensor used inside the ear canal measuring minute changes in glucose, cholesterol and many other vital signs. Some other key areas in which our finalists are focused, include: 3D printing, laser sensors, robotics for enhanced manufacturing, or sustainable energy production.

Enormous demand and excellent opportunities – get your new.New Festival ticket now!

“There is an enormous demand for intelligent, digital technologies and this is currently opening up excellent opportunities in key industries,” says Frank Riemensperger, Country Managing Director of CODE_n partner Accenture Germany. He continues “Startups must tap into forecasted growth in order to sustainably scale their businesses. The CODE_n Festival offers them a fantastic platform for this and can quickly become an accelerator.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Make sure you take the chance to see for yourself and get your Early Bird ticket for the new.New Festival (September 20-22) now! There will be lots to see – not to forget the startup pitch of the Top10 Finalists and the jury crowning the winner at the Award Show on the evening of September 21!

Meet our 52 CODE_n CONTEST Finalists: