Meet Angel García, Data Natives Tel Aviv 2016 Judge and Speaker

You can register for tickets to Data Natives Tel Aviv here.

Angel García is the Managing Director of Startupbootcamp Internet of Things & Data Tech, the Barcelona based acceleration program.

Angel has years of experience working with startups and will serve as a speaker and a judge during Data Natives Tel Aviv’s Startup Battle. Here is what Angel has to say about Data Natives Tel Aviv, Startupbootcamp Barcelona and the Israeli tech ecosystem.

Q: How is Startupbootcamp Barcelona driving innovation?

We accelerate startups that are re-inventing the future by helping companies involved in the fields of Smart Data and the Internet of Things. These companies join Startupbootcamp’s acceleration program to improve the way we live – we believe these entrepreneurs are building the future with their technologies. We’re helping these entrepreneurs do so by connecting them with the right corporations and bringing new innovations to the market.

Q: What data-driven technologies are of particular interest to you and why?

 Startupbootcamp Barcelona focuses on data-driven technologies (software oriented) in the following categories:

• Analytics – Behavior patterns, business intelligence solutions, data-mining, data modeling
• Artificial Intelligence – Cognitive computing, deep learning, machine learning, neural networks, pattern/image/speech/text recognition software, predictive analysis
• Augmented & Virtual reality – Applied to B2B or B2C environments in the mentioned sectors & verticals
• Connectivity – Data transmission, synchronisation, virtualization, Infrastructure Analytics, cloud, clusters, distributed, fog, IoT, management, networking, platforms, security, storage
• Internet of Things – Compression, control, networking, software, platforms, protocols, remote access, power management
• Security – Access control, encryption, identification, intrusion detection, storage, tracking
• Storage – Access control, backups, categorization, compression, extraction, software

The transformation of analog systems to digital ones and the support they offer for making better decisions at the right moment is a fundamental question. Yet, how are we going to build software to make decisions or to find pragmatic solutions to solve a problem?

Startupbootcamp brings to market the full potential of computational power in order to find better propositions to achieve the goal mentioned above. We focus on the most disruptive technologies that amplify the possibilities of this new era.

Q: What do you hope to gain or learn during Data Natives Tel Aviv?

At Startupbootcamp Barcelona, we are working on what we call ‘the next big thing.’ During Data Natives, we are looking forward to meeting people who would want to join us in our path to achieve new challenges, to solve new problems and to open new markets.

Data Natives is bringing together people working on data-driven solutions that have the power to shape every aspect of our lives – from the way we understand ourselves to the way we run our cities. These are the talented people I’m looking forward to meeting.

Q: Do you believe that Israel is a strategic market for showcasing data-driven technologies? If so, why?

This year, investors have been looking towards Israel, New York, China and all over the world to find opportunities. The entrepreneurs in Israel are becoming pioneers in technologies, specifically, in those related to analytics in the world of Smart Data, Cybersecurity and many more.

Q: Can you offer advice for startups wanting to get involved with Startupbootcamp Barcelona?

Entrepreneurs whom want to change and improve people’s lives and the world around them need to make that possible not only with their technologies, but also with their attitude. That’s why we spend a lot of time meeting the teams that join Startupbootcamp Barcelona. We want to see if these teams are open minded and humble enough to keep on learning daily, while receiving feedback from mentors, partners and potential clients.

It’s not easy to lead a company. At Startupbootcamp, we prepare startups to be ready for everything they will encounter. Moreover, our global network of programs help startups quickly scale and expand to different markets.

Meet Angel and learn more about Israeli startups driving innovation during Data Natives Tel Aviv 2016 –Save your spot by registering today!

Maren Lesche is the Communications Manger and Startup Expert at the European Innovation Hub, a Mentor for Startupbootcamp Digital Health Berlin and a notable blogger with a focus on startups. Maren has years of experience working with startups and will serve as a speaker and a judge for Data Natives Tel Aviv’s Startup Battle. Here is what Maren has to say about Data Natives Tel Aviv, data-driven technologies and the Israeli tech ecosystem.

You can register for tickets to Data Natives Tel Aviv here.

Q: What do you hope to gain or learn during Data Natives Tel Aviv?

Data Natives differs from many of the other startup conferences that I’ve attended. I joined the first Data Natives event in Berlin in the fall of 2016 and was impressed by the high level of speakers, by the topics of discussion, the deep tech focus and, of course, by the variety of startups that participated in the startup battle.

That being said, I’m looking forward meeting more big data and eHealth experts during Data Natives Tel Aviv to talk about future trends and also to discuss how the IoT community can come together and become even closer in the future.

At the European Innovation Hub we coordinate the EU-funded IoT-European Platforms Initiative. Within this program, seven research consortia with more than 100 partners collaborate to build a strong IoT ecosystem in Europe. Following the motto “from lab to market,” we encourage the development of interoperable platform technologies and foster the adoption by the developer and entrepreneur community.

Shortly after DataNatives Tel Aviv, we will start the first of ten Open Calls. Within this call, SMEs and startups in eHealth, IoT, Big Data and logistics can apply for financial support of up to 125,000 Euro per project. Just in this one call we will invest 850,000 Euro to strengthen IoT technologies made in Europe and Israel.

What data-driven technologies are of particular interest to you and why?

I tend to focus more on the consumer side of technology. In the B2C area, I am most interested in technologies that are changing peoples lives, that overcome boundaries and that will support people in future such as eHealth technologies including smart textiles and robotics in MedTech. In terms of B2B solutions, I am fascinated by industrial IoT, e.g. Virtual Reality in B2B, predictive maintenance, beacon solutions.  

Do you believe that Israel is a strategic market for showcasing data-driven technologies? If so, why?

Israel is a very interesting market for any tech and data-driven industry. Many big players have strong innovation hubs in the “Startup Nation” including Deutsche Telekom, Microsoft and IBM.

Developers in Israel are also extremely experienced and well educated. The community of Israeli tech and business experts are also highly energetic. However, there are reports such the one from Innovation Endeavours that highlight uncovered potential, especially in the area of IoT.

According to investment experts, 80 percent of the startups active in IoT (during the end of 2015) are focused on applications rather than IoT platforms or components. I am curious to see how the data-driven startup community in Israel is taking on this challenge. 

How is your particular field of interest driving the data revolution?

Industrial IoT is still a playing field for entrepreneurs. In Europe, we have many very successful mid-sized companies operating all over the world, but are in areas consumers hardly see. They produce components, take care of logistics, develop new materials and are therefore the backbone for entire industries. If we manage to link these companies with smart startups, then both side swill benefit. Plus, we can access hidden data to kick off cool innovation in the B2B sector. Would I call this a revolution? No, but I think it will be a “smart evolution.”

I also would like to add another layer to the discussion: When we talk about the drivers, we must also talk about current barriers. I believe that working on trust is one of our top priorities in IoT. If we deal with sensitive data such as in eHealth and Fintech, we have to discuss privacy and security. These are two strong topics that always come up when we talk with the partners of the IoT-European Platforms Initiative. Trust plays an essential role in the development of strong IoT businesses in Europe. Customer –and societal – acceptance of data driven services is crucial for its success. 

Can you offer advice for others wanting to get involved in these particular fields?

There is a general piece of advice that I give entrepreneurs as well as executives: Listen first!

Whatever you do, you have to understand how businesses work, what the pain points are and how people are dealing with problems right now to find the proper solutions. 

In IoT, this also means talking to users to understand how processes are connected. Think about collaboration instead of product ownership. First and foremost, connected technology requires communication to overcome borders between sectors, countries and most importantly, competition. Within the IoT-European Platform Initiative, we just started to bring more than 200 researchers, industry representatives and SMEs together – in my mind this is the first step towards building a healthy IoT ecosystem. 

Meet Maren and learn more about Israeli startups driving innovation during Data Natives Tel Aviv 2016 – Save your spot by registering today!

Think you have what it takes to compete in the Startup Battle? Apply for the Data Natives Tel Aviv Startup Battle here.

With more startups per capita than anywhere else in the world, Israel has gained the reputation of being a true “startup nation.” Yet with so many innovative startups, the competition remains tight to be accepted into leading startup accelerator programs.

This is why Data Natives Tel Aviv 2016 will be hosting their very own “Startup Battle” on September 25^th.

You can register for tickets to Data Natives Tel Aviv here.

About Data Natives Tel Aviv’s Startup Battle

 Data Natives Tel Aviv’s Startup Battle will offer 6 innovative startups the opportunity to be accepted to Startupbootcamp Barcelona, the largest startup accelerator in Europe and one of the top 3 largest in the world.

The Startup Battle is a great opportunity for data-driven startups seeking mentorship, networking, training, funding, development guidance and more.

Each participating startup in this year’s Startup Battle will be given 5 minutes to pitch, followed by a 2 minutes Q&A session from our judges, which include Startupbootcamp Barcelona’s Founding Partner, Angel Garcia, Startupbootcamp Mentor, Maren Lesche and the notable Tech Blogger, Hillel Fuld.

The winning startup will then be entered as a “wildcard” to pitch during Startupbootcamp Barcelona’s selection days, being one out of twenty privileged startups to make the cut (and hundreds apply!).

How do I apply to participate?

You can apply for Data Natives Tel Aviv’s Startup Battle here.

Remember, only 6 startups will be chosen to participate. You will be notified by September 15^th if your startup has been selected. Goodluck!

About Startupbootcamp Barcelona

Startupbootcamp is a global family of industry-focused startup accelerators that support startups as they scale globally by providing direct access to an international network of the most relevant mentors, partners, and investors in their industry. Startupbootcamp is currently running 13 programs and has over 350 portfolio startups.

Startupbootcamp IoT&Data Tech is the Barcelona based program, with a key focus on accelerating and growing startups in the following domain:

– Virtual or Augmented Reality
– Artificial Intelligence
– Big Data Analysis
– Internet of Things
– Cyber Security
– Connectivity
– Logistics & Transportation

Have Questions?

Still wondering if your startup would make a good fit for our Startup Battle? Send your questions to: Events@dataconomy.ru

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See you in Tel Aviv!