gridComm Named as One of the Top 10 Finalists in the IBM Global Entrepreneur SmartCamp.
Singapore, 27 October, 2015 – IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that Singapore-based startup, gridComm Pte Ltd (gridComm) has been selected as one of the top 10 finalists for the IBM Global Entrepreneur SmartCamp. Powered by LAUNCH and angel investor, Jason Calacanis, gridComm will compete against nine other finalists from about 200 for a chance to be accepted into the LAUNCH Incubator with a $25,000USD investment prize, and win the title of “IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year”. The final round will take place in San Francisco on 12 to 14 October 2015, which is expected to have over 20,000 attendees.
gridComm provides smart street light solutions and connectivity solutions for IoT (Internet of Things)devices based on hybrid power line communications and RF technology that makes use of existing power line network as the backbone infrastructure. This enables the transformation of the electricity grid into a smart grid, connecting street lights, power meters, sensor networks and industrial equipment seamlessly within one unified network.
In the previous round, gridComm emerged as the winner for the ASEAN category, beating six other finalists from the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, which was announced at the IBM Connect Start-Up Xchange 2015 in Singapore last month. The conference featured a series of keynote sessions, panel discussions and demo sessions that were centered on providing startups with tips and the knowhow on how to scale at speed.
Tim Greisinger, Managing Director, IBM Singapore, said, "Through the IBM Global Entrepreneur SmartCamp, IBM has helped hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs bring their business ideas to fruition. We have met with some very creative developers and entrepreneurs, who simply need a push in the right direction such as mentorship, technology and technical expertise to grow their business and get their products to market faster. We would like to congratulate gridComm on being one of the few selected from over 30 startups and wish them all the best in the final round as they compete for the title of IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year."
"Being selected as the winner for the ASEAN region and now the top 10 finalist for IBM Smart Camp is a tremendous honour. As gridComm is embarking to enable data analytics in its smart street light solutions, our participation in IBM Smart Camp and the use of IBM products such as IBM Cloud and IBM Bluemix data analytics engine could not have come at a better time,” said Mike Holt, CEO and co-founder of gridComm. “Being the top 10 finalist in IBM’s Smart Camp not only helps gridComm to gain publicity, it also validates gridComm’s sound business model and disruptive technology."
See gridComm's demo video here: https://youtu.be/pEOU1-YGv1g
About the IBM Global Entrepreneur SmartCamp
The IBM Global Entrepreneur SmartCamp is a one part mentoring bootcamp, one part networking extravaganza, and one part epic pitch competition between rising startups from around the globe. Aimed at identifying early stage entrepreneurs, the IBM SmartCamp provides an avenue for startups to take advantage of mentoring opportunities, learn from thought leaders, and network with serial entrepreneurs, investment firms, academic institutions, and industry and technology experts.
For more information, visit www.smartcamp2015.com.
About gridComm
Headquartered in Singapore, gridComm is a private company that provides power line communications semiconductors, devices and systems that enable smart grid and other intelligent technologies. The company’s products help transform meters, streetlights, buildings, and appliances into smart devices, while providing a robust solution for broad deployment in noisy power grid environments. The company’s strategy revolves around using street lights with the use of power lines as a network for connectivity. Most of the company’s deployments to date have been in Asia where power line noise is a larger impediment to power line communications than in other regions.
For more information, visit www.gridcomm-plc.com.