Los Angeles SmartCamp Winners Rethink Healthcare Coordination and Business Communications!
Los Angeles held their SmartCamp event September 9th at accelerator partner Amplify.La in Venice Beach and what great talent they saw!
Despite the amazing turnout and number of competitors, it was clear that this city needed to choose not one SmartCamp winner, but two.
Congratulations to Yosko and BizTexter, two innovative startups who are leading the way in taking a new approach to healthcare coordination and business communications.
Who are these game changing young companies? Yosko is a mobile care coordination platform for hospitals aimed at reducing the amount of errors during patient hand-offs, and BizTexter provides an intelligently automated text message customer service and follow-up marketing system for businesses. It is an affordable and easy to deploy app/cloud hybrid mini-CRM hosted on IBM Softlayer and integrated with Bluemix API's.
How do they work? Yosko is based on three important pillars which reflect the everyday hospital workflow: 1) seamless access to the existing hospital electronic system, 2) structured hand-off modules and 3) instant team communication. Yosko boasts a signature user interface with every functionality optimized for maximum efficiency.
BizTexter is an app which uses artificial intelligence for answering frequently asked questions and handling most of the triage questions coming from customers. The app does a great job answering questions like: Are you open? What is your address? Having any specials deals right now?
We were pleased to see the Los Angeles SmartCamp pack a full house at Amplify.La, when asked what he thought of the event, here's what one of the judges had to say, "Your Finalists are all solid. Being an accelerator, we see many, many pitches of course. The six we saw here today are all top notch, among the best we usually see."
Here's what an audience member had to say, "I had no idea IBM was doing all these great things - I though you sold hardware. I'm part developer, part business consultant and move from idea to idea very fast - I can see Bluemix as a great way for me to try my ideas quickly."
Congratulations again to Yosko and BizTexter. Follow their stories on Twitter at @YOSKO and @BIZTEXTER.
For a complete look at application deadlines and public SmartCamp events, click here: http://www.smartcamp2015.com/cities/. Stay tuned for more SmartCamp stories in your city.
Opening up the Sharing Economy in London! Smart Camp Winner!
Some exciting news out of London from yesterday! Congratulations to Compare and Share for winning yesterday's pitch competition in London as part of IBM SmartCamp 2015.
What is Compare and Share? Think economy sharing aggregated. Compare and Share is the comparison site for sharing. This startup was born out of a passion to have the experience of a lifetime without it costing the earth. Compare and Share has users in 195 cities and the community continues to grow fast. Options include money-saving accommodation and transportation deals, plus a sharing economy directory of over 7,600 brands.
With a dedication to opening up the sharing economy, Compare and Share demonstrated the best market and competitive awareness, penetration and a solid team to drive the business to success and award them winner of IBM's London SmartCamp.
What is Compare and Share's purpose, "We're here to open up the Sharing Economy for everyone and make sharing easy, quick and approachable. Sharing is better for our communities because it promotes smart access to goods and services, it's better for people because it connects and builds relationships, and it's better for our pockets because it helps us save and make money." (http://www.compareandshare.com/about-us/)
Thanks for participating in London's SmartCamp event Compare and Share!
Follow Compare and Share's story on Twitter at @compareandshare. For a complete look at application deadlines and public SmartCamp events, click here: http://www.smartcamp2015.com/cities/. Stay tuned for more SmartCamp stories in your city.
Reimagining Optometry in Chicago! Smart Camp Winner!
Just when you thought getting an appointment with your optometrist was going to take months, a new healthcare startup comes along and completely reinvents eye-care from the comfort of your own home!
Congratulations to Opternative, the winner of this year's SmartCamp kick-off event held in Chicago on August 26th!
The Opternative team has created the first-to-market eye exam and prescription company that costs less than a traditional refractive eye exam. In just twenty-five minutes or less, you can get a quick eye exam with nothing but a smart phone and a computer. A digital eye glasses prescription is provided in less than twenty-four hours, and you can then shop for glasses or contacts anywhere.
Opternative is registered with the FDA and has undergone studies that have proved it just as accurate as an in-office eye exam.
What does Opternative have to say?
"Eye exams for glasses and contact prescriptions are just the beginning. We envision a world where technology allows patients to connect with doctors to make all aspects of vision care more convenient, accessible, and even fun!" (https://www.opternative.com/about)
Thanks for participating in Chicago's SmartCamp event Opternative!
Follow Opternative's story on Twitter at @opternative. For a complete look at application deadlines and public SmartCamp events, click here: http://www.smartcamp2015.com/cities/. Stay tuned for more SmartCamp stories in your city.
SXSW - let's get some great Diversity Speakers! Vote today!
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Congrats to Macrolynk and Saul Haro, the President and CEO on their award from CNN!
![Macrolynk_Social-Tile-[V1]](http://advanced911.inmotionhosting.com/~socialbusinesssa/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/macrolynk_social-tile-v1.png)
Congrats to Macrolynk and Saul Haro, the President and CEO on their award from CNN!
They just won the CNN Expansion Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2015,!
We recognize their work in "How Combining Social and Supply Chain Led to Exceptional Management.".
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Back to school! Note in a lunch box - Is Twitter your note to your followers?
When school starts, and I pack my kid's lunches, I always finish them off with a special note to encourage them in the day.
For instance, with my youngest Kassie I did a bunch of K's that I think are special for her!
- K is for Kisses!
- K is for Krazy special -- for the special girl that you are!
- K is for Kind - be kind to your friends today -- for they are precious!
My kids say that it is a moment in the day -- among hard work, getting teased, and questioning their confidence --- that they pause to know that someone really cares for them!
As I was thinking about how my oldest daughter carefully folds and saves each note, I wondered how much we all need that encouragement.
- How could I place a "virtual note in each of my team's lunch box" ?
- What would it say?
- Would they appreciate it like my kids?
- And what would I want my note to say if someone left one for me!
But then I thought -- do we do this each day -- through Twitter? For instance, when I share quotes or welcome the beautiful sunrise, is that the same?
Is that the new form of the lunch box note?
What do you think?