Sep 18 2010
IBM’s Silicon Valley SmartCamp, initiated this year for finding the best startup company, declared Streetline and CareCloud as its winners. Streetline utilizes sensors to facilitate citizens to locate economical parking slots quickly, and also assists cities to handle their parking infrastructure in an efficient manner. CareCloud revamps medical practices and aids physicians to maintain contact with each other, via a cloud computing technology-based application.
Both CareCloud and Streetline participated in the competition, along with hundreds of other startup organizations that are developing and utilizing novel technologies in vital fields, such as water management, food solutions and healthcare. Five Silicon Valley finalists were chosen, and given counseling by IBM, academia, venture capital firms and other top industrial organizations.
According to Ann Winblad, IBM assays a significant role in assembling local ecosystem elements to facilitate entrepreneurs by using its many years of experience in enterprise solutions, and providing startup firms a clear competitive edge, to bring their concepts rapidly to the market.
The winners CareCloud and Streetline receive benefits from IBM such as mentoring, access to industry specialists, broader partnership prospects from IBM, and other services. They are also invited to participate in the World Finals to be held in Dublin in November, competing against SmartCamp Champions, from other parts of the world for the title, ‘World’s Smartest Start-up’
The CEO and President of CareCloud, Albert Santalo, stated that their product would transform the way in which doctors pool in resources and share crucial and vital healthcare data. Gaining recognition from IBM, and receiving inputs and insights from intelligent participants was an inspiring experience.
According to Zia Yusuf, Streetline’s CEO and President, more than 30% of traffic congestion in cities is mainly due to vehicle drivers trying to locate parking spaces. This problem could be easily resolved by using their company’s smart sensors, which would spectacularly decrease the time taken to locate parking slots and at the same time enhance the efficiency levels of the city’s parking networks.
These events are a part of IBM’s Global Entrepreneur Initiative, to deliver novel technological concepts, dealing with critical concerns such as personalized healthcare, environment and energy efficiency. Here Start-up firms get free access to IBM’s software collection via a cloud computing environment. According to Jim Corgel, IBM’s General Manager, the company’s vast experience in innovation, makes it easy to recognize the needs and wants of successful entrepreneurs. They not only provide entrepreneurs with technical and business skills, but also expert advice from specialists in the field.