Fast traction for digital startups

The Lightning Lab Auckland Programme is an intensive four month programme designed to support the latest entrepreneurial talent, helping them to validate their product and launch their digital startups to market in order to secure investment. This year’s companies are disrupting a range of industries such as cultural, education, tourism and security, to name a few.

Lightning Lab Programme Director, Jeff Mann, says this year’s programme has seen some solid business ideas validated quickly and the traction gained across their specific industries has been encouraging. 

Mann says, “Working with the teams on their product market fit has been hugely satisfying, as the teams take their business idea to market and see uptake and confirmation that their idea is fit to succeed.”

The outcomes from this year’s Lightning Lab so far have been outstanding, including the following: 

 

Dexibit presented as a thought leader in data analytics for cultural institutions at this year’s Museums Australasia event; 100 leaders in the cultural sector turned up to hear insights from Angie Judge, the company’s CEO. 

 

Another Lightning Lab company, Wireless Guard, recently attended the high profile Premier Connected Home Conference, ‘Connections’, in the States. Wireless Guard’s CEO Taylor Howatson used the opportunity to meet with US heavy hitters of the connected homes industry.

 

A third Lightning Lab company, Kitset.io, has gained impressive traction already as they work to disrupt the way mobile apps are created, using artificial intelligence to provide speed and efficiency. Kitset.io CEO Nick Mitchell reported that they had already signed up 11 customers with 130 brands at their command to the platform, and have enterprise partnerships soon to announce.

 

Mann says, “We brought the Lightning Lab teams together, in one space, to work alongside each other, to learn the principles of Lean Startup methodologies, gain access to quality mentorship and fast-track introductions to domain experts. The success of this year’s Demo Day is really a testament to how effective this programme has been”.

 

The 10 Lightning Lab teams who pitched at the 2016 Demo Day event are as follows:

 

● Dexibit: Is an emerging market leader in analytics for the cultural sector with client traction in NZ and USA. Provides a cloud solution that detects onsite visitor presence and behaviour within the culture centre and blends this with data from digital channels – www.dexibit.com

● Foodcourt Online: Provides a platform for ordering and delivery from multiple restaurants clustered in virtual foodcourts. The platform relies on unique scheduling technology, and targets both busy working families with teenage children and corporate workers – www.foodcourtonline.co.nz 

● KitSet.io: Is a system that allows a non-technical business owner to quickly generate a fully branded quality mobile app or website to engage with their customers – http://kitset.io

● Phoenix Audio: Provides audio software designed to identify and smooth fluctuations in your hearing to ensure a deeper musical experience – www.phoenixaudio.co.nz

● Reyedr: Is a heads-up GPS display for motorcyclists for safer and smarter riding – www.reyedr.com

● SeekStock: Provides software which tracks customer demand for out of stock products through reports and real-time staff feedback, filling in the missing part of the stock visibility puzzle – www.seekstock.co.nz

● Slick Software: Is an education software that teaches languages through immersive content. Watch a movie or tv-series and learn the language at the same time! – slicksoftware.co

● Sonnar Interactive: Is introducing a new form of entertainment: interactive storytelling, providing an engaging, auditory experience that evolves through the user’s personal choices – www.sonnar.nz

● WayWiser: Is creating a new online club for adventure sports enthusiasts, making it easier to find, create and go on outdoor adventures with the right people – www.waywiser.co.nz/  (Read their story in July’s NZBusiness magazine)

● Wireless Guard:  Has developed and designed Hatch, a small, low cost security device which detects if doors and windows are left locked or unlocked, open or closed and syncs to your mobile phone – www.wirelessguard.co.nz