4 Years From Now Roundup: Barcelona’s Unique Startup Scene
4 Years From Now Roundup: Barcelona’s Unique Startup Scene
4 Years from Now (4YFN) – the startup wing of the Mobile World Congress – was a resounding success. In its fifth year the conference boasted 650 startups and 20,000 visitors. The Hubbub Labs press team certainly had a lot of networking to do.
Here are some of our highlights.
5 Top Startup Pitches
Sitting with microphone in hand we spoke to more than 30 different startups during the Pitch the Press event. Like a speed dating session, we had two minutes to listen to an elevator pitch and squeeze in a question or two.
Here are the 5 pitches that stood out to us most.
Flyshionista – “Your Passport to Style”
Flyshionista is an app that connects fashion hunters with travellers, facilitating a cheaper and faster way of shopping for items in other countries.
Frequent flyers make some money and shoppers get their goods. It seems like a win-win to us and a new take on an old trend. Returns might be a little tricky though, so make sure that you are really sure you want what you’re buying!
Wait, how’s it work? Shoppers visit the app’s “Discovery Area” and select the item they want – it can be located anywhere in the world.
Travellers see what has been requested and set a price. If the shopper accepts, they make a secure payment and the traveller can go ahead and purchase the item. When they return, they can deliver it to the shopper at a mutually convenient time.
Check out Flysionista on Facebook
Recircula Solutions – Recycling for the Smart City
Let’s be honest, we rarely get excited by waste management companies. But Recircula Solutions did a good job explaining how its smart sensors gamify recycling and connect citizens to this essential process.
The Barcelona-based startup employs a hardware/software combo, installing sensors in recycling containers. Citizens simply scan their mobile device before they begin recycling and receive a small payment every time they do so.
Of course, the data collected also helps city councils improve their waste management processes and further develop the smart city ecosystem.
Some of the benefits:
- Increases the recycling rates of the urban waste and pharmaceutical sector to 85-90 per cent.
- Increases income from recycled aluminium and PET by up to 22 percent.
- Saves a minimum of 30 per cent in diesel and carbon footprint for the delivery of 1000kg of PET, bricks and cans.
Source: https://recirculasolutions.com/en/technical-data
As sustainability enters the public consciousness, we can really get behind innovative (bin-ovative?!) solutions that encourage green-thinking and environment-first solutions.
Check out the pitch deck.
Brand Your Shoes
After a group of Barcelona Castellers approached graphic designer Guillem Soldevila to get hold of some branded trainers a light bulb pinged on and Brand Your Shoes came into existence. Since then, he’s branded shoes for Twitter, Honda, Schwepps and many others.
Fashion-conscious brand managers looking for a way to kick off the year (pun intended), should look no further. Choose your shoes and send your logo. Brand your shoes does the rest.
Frankly, we fell in love with the idea of having Hubbub Labs branded shoes. We’ll be in touch Guillem!
Ciclogreen – Rewarding Your Sustainable Mobility
Another green solution – this time from Seville – Ciclogreen is an app that rewards people for moving around the world in a sustainable way. Effectively, it’s gamifying green transport, giving people points every time they cycle, walk, run or skate.
Download the app to take part in different challenges. Earn enough points and you will be rewarded with a variety of gifts, such as earphones, bike lights, discounts, vouchers and more. Surely though, the biggest reward is saving the planet?
No, no, you’re right. I want the headphones too.
In all seriousness, it’s a great idea and we hope it takes off. Sustainably, of course.
Ethical Time – Sustainable Fashion
We enjoyed chatting with Ethical Time, who gave a clear pitch on their ideas-stage startup. Founded by 19-year old Ignasi Eiriz from Vilanova i la Geltrú, its mission is to “promote ethical production practices and commerce under human values.”
Raising more than €23,000 in December 2017 in a crowdfunding campaign, development of the App is underway.
Working in the textile industry, the company aims to help consumers buy clothes from companies that operate in an ethical, sustainable way.
There are around 500 sustainable clothing/fashion companies in Spain, but would you know where to buy sustainable tighty-whities? Ethical Time aims to bring visibility to these brands and be the platform from which sustainable fashion and ethical consumers can thrive.
A Special Mention
We can’t end this post without a special mention for BoxMotions, winner of the 4YFN 2018 Awards. The three year old startup brings the on-demand economy to the moving industry. Its simple to use – visit the website or make a call. The company will collect your stuff, store it safely as long as you need. Then once you want your things returned or moved the company will deliver it anywhere you like.
Check out the video – (Spanish language)
Thanks to everyone we spoke at 4YFN, we enjoyed every minute. Apart from the sleet and snow. We could have done without that.
Before You Go! A Special EU-Startups Summit Discount
Hubbub Labs is on a mission to support the startup scene in Barcelona.
We will be heading to the EU-Startups Summit 2018 which is set for April 24.
750 founders, angel investors, VCs, startup fans and corporations and media will be in attendance.
Find your tickets here. Use the code HUBBUB to receive 15% off ticket purchases until March 12.
See you there!