Tag: xtc


WORLD’S LARGEST STARTUP COMPETITION SEMI-FINALISTS PITCH AT CES IN VEGAS 17th January, 2019

The 5th annual race to Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island continues to heat up for Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), the world’s largest startup competition. 

 

XTC Top 10 Semi Finalists awaiting results

After announcing the Top 25 teams on Necker Island this past October, the list of contenders has now been narrowed down to the Top 10 Semi-Finalists. This year’s XTC semi-finals took place on January 10th, 2019 in the Bellini Ballroom at the Venetian Hotel.  Each of the 10 companies pitched to a captured audience in the packed room, the judges found it extremely difficult to pick the Top 3. It was one of the most divers Top 10’s to date with companies from Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey and throughout the United States, presenting a variety of inspiring technologies, including blockchain, transportation, wearables, IoT and biotech. 

 

Dave Shor, Founder / Lynq

 

Drew Lakatos, Founder / ActiveProtective

 

The XTC 2019 Top 3 Finalists are ActiveProtective (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), developing a wearable that protects the hips of older adults using wearable airbags, Elevian (Boston, Massachusetts), creating regenerative medicines, with the potential to treat and prevent many age-related diseases and Lynq (Brooklyn, New York), the the world’s most advanced long-range tracker.

 

XTC Top 3

 

Congratulations to the XTC Top 3!

The Top 3 Finalists will now compete for the top spot at the XTC Finals on Necker Island on April 3rd, 2019.

Since 2015, XTC has established itself as the premier competition empowering entrepreneurs with visibility, and resources, leading to and enabling exponential growth. Semi-finalists represent a broad range of industries, including Biotec, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Energy, Accessibility, Transportation, Internet-of-Things, and more. As a worldwide competition, semi-finalists were travelling to Las Vegas from Australia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Switzerland, and throughout the United States to make their presentations to judges and the crowd. The diversity in the industries, backgrounds, and current stages of the finalists adds an extra layer of complexity and intrigue to the competition as the judges evaluate each company. Each year it has proved to be an exciting event for all present.

 

XTC judging panel evaluating the Top 10 presenters

 

The fate of the 10 Semi-Finalists rested in the capable hands of an expert judging panel including Veronica Serra (Founding Partner, Pacific Investimentos and Innova Capital), David Hagan (CEO, Boingo Wireless, Executive Board Member CTA), Shankar Chandran (Sr. Vice President & Managing Director, Samsung Catalyst Fund), Lisa Andrews (CEO, Ignite Alliance), Larry O’Connor (Founder & CEO, OWC).

XTC is proudly partnering with well-known companies in the tech industry, including Bitfury, Cisco, OWC, Zoom, Joy Ventures, INCmty; event partners CES, Necker Island, IBM and Revl as well as supporting partners AP Live, Beep, Onkaro, The Confluence, Imaginex, The Ticket Fairy, Poltio, F6S and VR Fest. Together with XTC, these sponsors offer support and exposure that money cannot buy with this showcase event at the world’s largest technology trade show, CES, and then also at Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in April 2019.

Learn more about all the semi-finalists, and additional details about the event here: https://goo.gl/UZJM6V.

To learn more about accessing these start-ups and how to attend the finals on Necker Island, contact: [email protected] or call +44 (0)207 145 0150


Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) announces Top 25 for Fifth Annual Competition 25th October, 2018

Passion, purpose and innovation are key characteristics of the Top 25 Challengers poised to take on ACTAI Global’s Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) 2019; the fifth annual race to Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island. Unveiled during the XTC 2018 Finals on the island this week, the Top 25 contenders will now embark on the world’s ultimate startup competition.

XTC 2019 unfolds across key stages throughout the year leading up to the finals on Necker Island, scheduled to take place April 3rd 2019. This year’s top 25 features companies from twelve countries including Thailand, Estonia, Switzerland, Norway, Israel, Australia, Turkey, USA, Mexico, and more.

There is also a wide variety of industries represented, with this year’s top 25 featuring an increase in energy, environment, and wellness categories. Other highlights include almost half of the companies represented on the list having female founders. More info on the top 25 below in alphabetical order!

  • ActiveProtective: A belt that promotes safer mobility of older adults using wearable airbags. The company is based out of Philadelphia and focuses on the wearable industry.
  • bitlumens: Based out of Switzerland, their mission is to offer a peer to peer platform where users adopt off-grid Solar systems to reduce carbon emissions and get access to lighting and water in places where there is no power grid.
  • Civic Eagle, Inc: This Atalanta based company helps organizations automate their discovery, tracking, and analysis of important legislation with artificial intelligence.
  • Earth Ledger: Based out of Estonia, Earth Ledger looks to resolve climate change using blockchain technology.
  • echoAR: A cloud platform for augmented reality (AR) apps based out of New York City.
  • Einride: Based out of Sweden, Einride provides a system for autonomous and zero emission road transportation.
  • Elevian: A company that develops regenerative medicines to treat and prevent age-related diseases. They focus on the Biotech industry and are based out of Boston.
  • Empower AS: Based out of Norway and focused on the environment, Empower AS is a digital plastic waste deposit system.
  • EnlightAID: A company fighting corruption in aid through transparency technology. They are based out of Norway and focus on the FinTech industry.
  • eWATERpay: Based out of the United Kingdom, eWATERpay uses IOT & Mobile Money to deliver sustainable water supply to 1 billion. Their main industries are energy and cleantech.
  • Liven: A digital currency company based out of Australia that focuses on lifestyle rewards and a mobile payment wallet.
  • Lynq: The only location tracker that works over miles – without phones, networks or infrastructure, founded in New York.
  • MicroEra Power – CHPplus: Based in New York, the company was founded on the belief that Engine + Fuel cell + Storage = onsite cooling, heat, power, and a fast payback!
  • Mymee Inc: A healthcare focused company from New York City that has created a digital therapeutic program to reverse the symptoms of autoimmune disease.
  • Nori Carbon Removal Marketplace: Nori is a Seattle based company that is creating a new way for anyone in the world to pay to remove excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Its purpose: to reverse climate change.
  • NurtureCo: A healthcare focused company out of New York City that makes elder home care management easier. 
  • Nyx Technologies: A Neurotechnology company out of Israel that is currently developing a wearable headband that monitors and changes brain activity in real time. 
  • re:3D: A company out of Houston making human-scale 3D printing accessible.
  • Synapbox: Based out of Mexico City, Synapbox is a content testing platform that helps you measure consumers’ emotional and visual real-time responses that turn into sales.
  • Team uSens: Launched in 2013, uSens is headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley and build interactive virtual experiences.
  • The Last of Ours: A platform for conservation initiatives to raise awareness and funds. They are based out of blockchain and centered around the blockchain industry. 
  • Uizard: Based out of Demark, Uizard has created the world-first AI to transform user interface images to code automatically.
  • WeWALK: A smart cane for visually impaired. The company is based out of Istanbul and focuses on the world of accessibility.
  • WILD Technologies AI: Based out of San Francisco, WILD Technologies AI empowers humans to reach their personal best.
  • WOMIN.IO: This New York City company provides a platform offering peer to peer engagements, verification, and the use of escrowed compensation through smart contracts on a blockchain.

 

Beyond the top 25, XTC would also like to provide an honorable mention to three companies with scores close to the finalists. These companies are Chai Energy, Norby Robotics, and ZON Products, all creating functional consumer products that improve people’s lives.

If you are interested in getting exclusive access to any of these start ups – or looking for one of the most unique B2B marketing and networking opportunities on earth – get in touch with Slingshot Sponsorship  to discuss partnership opportunities.

Original: http://www.extremetechchallenge.com/2018/10/24/xtc-2019-top-25-announcement/


AND THE EXTREME TECH CHALLENGE 2018 WINNER IS… 25th October, 2018

Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) announces 2018 winner of its fourth annual competition

Every year, the Extreme Tech Challenge launches its contestants into unprecedented levels of notoriety while exposing them to some of the most influential people in the tech industry. In addition to taking place across four stages where contestants were given the opportunity to publicly pitch their ventures at The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world’s largest technology trade show in Las Vegas, the top three finalists were sent to Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands for the XTC Finals on October 19th.

XTC had the pleasure of being Necker’s first guests since the hurricanes and there, a panel of judges, spearheaded by Branson himself, selected a winner. XTC is thrilled to announce that the winner of the fourth annual competition is Power Ledger, the software company from Perth, Australia, using blockchain technology to enhance the adoption and accessibility of clean energy worldwide.

“We are honoured and delighted to receive this award and excited for the additional opportunities available to us from this endorsement.” – Dr Jemma Green, Co-Founder, Power Ledger

From hundreds of world-changing innovations and ideas, only three finalists could be selected at CES to move onto the championship round on Necker Island. While many of the contestants showed promise as the competition was extremely fierce, these three finalists can say with pride that they made it to XTC’s top three—a prestigious accomplishment in its own right:

  • Owlet Baby Care: Founded in 2013 by a team of passionate parents who believed there had to be better resources for infant healthcare in the home. The team’s goal is to bring themselves and other parents around the globe peace of mind and assurance by developing a device that tracks the baby’s oxygen and heart rate while asleep. Using clinically proven technology called pulse oximetry, the Owlet Smart Sock is designed to notify parents if something appears to be wrong.
  • Power Ledger: Power Ledger is a blockchain software company developing solutions for the energy industry. The Power Ledger Platform is an ecosystem of blockchain applications that enables peer-to-peer trading between households that own energy assets to trade electricity with their neighbors as well as set their own prices.
  • Revl: Revl provides AI video editing as a service for experience providers like zip-lines, racetracks, skydive drop zones and soon cruise ships and theme parks. Our system uses Revl Arc cameras to capture the experience and Artificial Intelligence to edit a full social media package including 2 cinematic videos in less than 90 seconds.

 

The winner was selected by a panel of elite judges across the fields of entrepreneurship and tech which included the aforementioned Sir Richard Branson alongside Bitfury co-founder Valery Vavilov, United Arab Emirates’ Prince Zayed Suroor, Ignite Founder & Singularity University Co-Ambassador, Lisa Andrews and Head of Marketing at Zoom Communications, Janine Pelosi.

As the XTC team comes down from yet another superb competition, they are already looking toward 2019 as they have already set a new date for the next XTC Finals which will be held on April 3, 2019 and they will soon announce the top 25 candidates who will compete.

 

Original: http://www.extremetechchallenge.com/2018/10/24/and-the-extreme-tech-challenge-2018-winner-is/


XTC SPONSORSHIP SERIES ANNOUNCES QUALCOMM VENTURES AS VIRTUAL REALITY VERTICAL SPONSOR 14th November, 2017

Consistently leading conversations on the forefront of innovation and technology, Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) is pleased to announce American multinational semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company, Qualcomm, will be joining the Extreme Tech Challenge as an Official Sponsor of XTC 2018. Leading this year’s Virtual Reality Vertical judging panel, Qualcomm will use their unparalleled industry expertise as they choose the best VR startups to receive an incredible prize and to be presented on stage at CES alongside the overall Top 10 start-ups.

Qualcomm has been the cornerstone of communication technology for decades, and as one of the founding companies that helped launch the mobile revolution they are the perfect sponsors to help the Extreme Tech Challenge competitors explore the ever- growing field of Virtual Reality. In order to stimulate human senses with realistic feedback, a successful VR product relies on 3 pillars of immersion: visual quality, sound quality, and intuitive interaction. Offering an unprecedented experience, Qualcomm will be on hand to to guide competitors through this new frontier of mobile technology as Virtual Reality shapes how people will be able interact with the world.

Qualcomm has made it their business to help others build amazing things, and as the latest to join XTC’s 2018 incredible team of sponsors, Kevin Gregory- Senior Director of Business Development at Qualcomm,couldn’t be more thrilled to be involved with this year’s Extreme Tech Challenge.

On the upcoming competition, “‘Qualcomm prides itself on creating enabling technologies that allow new ecosystems to flourish. VR has tremendous potential to change the way the world works and plays.  We believe great VR experiences shouldn’t require wires or expensive computers, and we are thrilled that many of the core mobile technologies pioneered for smartphones are enabling the untethered VR future.”

Equally excited about the new partnership with Qualcomm, XTC Co-Founder, Bill Tai, said. “Qualcomm Ventures is a fantastic sponsor to have on-board. With a hugely successful global technology company involved with XTC, they will be able to impart their expertise on the VR vertical, providing support and expertise to the start-ups.”

As part of its sponsorship, Qualcomm will be awarding The Final Champion of XTC 2018 with a meeting with the world-renowned Qualcomm Ventures Team as well as development kits for their unique XR program.

Sponsorship brokered by Slingshot Sponsorship.

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm’s technologies powered the smartphone revolution and connected billions of people. We pioneered 3G and 4G – and now we are leading the way to 5G and a new era of intelligent, connected devices. Our products are revolutionizing industries, including automotive, computing, IoT, healthcare and data center, and are allowing millions of devices to connect with each other in ways never before imagined. Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, all of our engineering, research and development functions, and all of our products and services businesses, including, our QCT semiconductor business.

About Extreme Tech Challenge

The Extreme Tech Challenge is the world’s largest startup competition. It is a contest designed to identify emerging leaders that have the potential to dominate their markets and reward them with greatly enhanced visibility, infrastructure and resources to scale quickly at low cost. Ten world class startups will be selected as semi-finalists to present live on stage at CES with 3 finalists presenting to a panel of all-star judges TBA on Necker Island. Winners will receive resources to amplify their success and scale their companies.


XTC SPONSORSHIP SERIES ANNOUNCES OWC AS SPONSOR OF SUSTAINABILITY VERTICAL 23rd October, 2017

Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) is proud to announce that US-based manufacturer of storage, connectivity, upgrade and expansion products,  OWC will be joining the list of 2017 Sponsors, representing the Sustainability Verticalfor this year’s competition. OWC will also become the Official Data Storage provider of XTC and ACTAI, providing their expertise and services to ensure the competition runs smoothly.

Starting with Apple compatible memory upgrades, OWC’s product offering has grown to encompass the entire spectrum of upgrade and expansion possibilities, all with a focus on easy, DIY setup and installation. With an outlook that focuses on the long term, OWC looks for simplicity in action and sustainability in practice. It’s as much about building exceptional relationships, as it is about building exceptional products.

OWC has made significant strides towards being zero waste with notable sustainability milestones that include:

– 2008 marked the opening of OWC’s sustainable campus Woodstock, IL.
– 2009 saw the addition of a wind turbine at the Illinois campus.
– 2010 earned OWC’s Illinois campus the LEED® Platinum and ENERGY STAR®.
– 2011 began OWC’s box size program, reducing up to 60% of box volume for their products.
– 2014 introduced the first solar array to OWC’s Austin, Texas facility.
– 2015 expanded OWC’s solar initiatives as a second solar array went online at the Illinois campus.

XTC 2018 marks the fourth year of this exciting and innovating competition that brings together the world’s brightest entrepreneurial minds to compete for the chance to pitch their budding business ventures to an all-star panel of judges on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island.

On their involvement in XTC 2018, Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, said “At OWC we love technology and innovation, it’s been a part of our DNA since day one. All of our solutions, from our Mac upgrade and storage solutions to game changing products like our Thunderbolt 3 Dock, and new ThunderBlade V4 are completely driven by innovation, so I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of the 2018 Extreme Tech Challenge.”

As part of its sponsorship, OWC will offer the winner of the Sustainability vertical one of their most sought after products, the OWC Envoy Pro EX. Elegant in design, and easily carried in a coat pocket, backpack, or briefcase, the anodized aluminium body securely houses an OWC Aura Pro 6G Solid State Drive offering 100x greater protection of valuable data than even an Enterprise class hard drive.

Commenting on the partnership, XTC Co-Founder, Bill Tai, said ““We are thrilled to have OWC as a sponsor of the very important and relevant Sustainability Vertical. In addition to this, OWC provide their leading data storage expertise and services to not only XTC, but the wider ACTAI group. We simply couldn’t function without their help”.

Sponsorship brokered by Slingshot Sponsorship.

About OWC

At OWC, we’re committed to constant innovation, exemplary customer service, and American design. For more than 25 Years, OWC has had a simple goal. To create innovative DIY solutions to give you the most from your technology.  Our dedication to excellence and sustainable innovation extends beyond our day-to-day business and into the community. We strive for zero waste, both environmentally and strategically.


XTC Sponsorship Series Presents: Meltwater As Sponsor For New Data & Analtyics Vertical 10th August, 2017

Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) 2018 is excited to announce the addition of a data & analytics vertical for this year’s competition, which will focus on highlighting tomorrow’s most promising data science companies. The new vertical will be sponsored by Meltwater, a global leader in media intelligence. Meltwater’s Outside Insight technology uses advanced AI and data science to help more than 25,000 clients leverage valuable external data to make more informed business decisions. Meltwater was founded in Norway in 2001 by CEO Jorn Lyseggen, who bootstrapped the company with $15,000. Today it has more than 1,500 employees and 55 offices globally.

On their involvement in XTC 2018, Jorn Lyseggen, Meltwater Founder & CEO, said: “Meltwater has long been dedicated to supporting the next generation of tech startups through our data science hub, Shack15, in London and our non-profit, MEST, in Africa. I’m thrilled to be part of this year’s XTC and to support the next big innovators.”

Lyseggen will be the official judge for the Meltwater data & analytics prize. The winner of this vertical will receive 2 seats at a hot desk in one of Meltwater’s global Shack15 data science hub locations (including London, SF and Shanghai) for 3 months. Shack15 was launched in London in 2016 as a co-working and events space specifically focused on data science startups, as part of Meltwater’s commitment to fostering tech startup communities around the world.

Commenting on the partnership, XTC COO, Sabine Schindlbauer said: “We are delighted to welcome Meltwater as the official Data & Analytics Vertical sponsor. Their leading technology and media intelligence showcases exactly what our competition stands for, and their fantastic prize for the winner of the vertical will continue to help data-focused startups grow.”

Deal Brokered by Slingshot Sponsorship.

About Meltwater

Meltwater helps companies make better, more informed decisions based on insights from the outside. More than 25,000 companies use the Meltwater media intelligence platform to stay on top of billions of online conversations, extract relevant insights, and use them to strategically manage their brand and stay ahead of their competition. With over 55 offices on six continents, Meltwater is dedicated to personal, global service built on local expertise. Meltwater also operates the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), a nonprofit organization devoted to nurturing future generations of entrepreneurs.For more information, follow Meltwater on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, or visit meltwater.com.


The Extreme Tech Challenge 2018 launches with style in Oslo 30th March, 2017

After a hugely successful XTC 2017 competition, which included some amazing sponsors, XTC 2018 has officially launched with a bang in Oslo.

The world’s largest technology start up competition, backed by Sir Richard Branson, hosted an intimate launch at SALT, Oslo with multiple budding start-ups, accelerators, athletes and the XTC team. Not only will this year be bigger and better than ever, there is also a new look website, new brand and, of course, new start-ups ensuring the best of the best can achieve greatness with their game changing ideas.

After a grand opening from XTC’s CEO Bill Tai, we were treated to some insight in to the success behind some of the world’s greatest technology companies, a look in to the future and how to keep ahead of the game. Here is what I learned from the best:

The 3 P’s of successful start-ups

Paul Herz (Apple and Facebook) gave the start-ups in the room invaluable tips on ensuring scalability and success. The three key areas are platform, partners and processes. Apple for example has iTunes as its main platform which is simple, easy to use and designed for the consumer. They have over 70 partners that produce different parts of their products better and cheaper than they could, which ensures the product quality and profit margins remain high. Finally, Apple’s processes are simple, streamlined and set to ensure everything is delivered on time. All start-ups should emulate this simplicity, over complicating everything and getting expensive partners on board wont attract VC’s or investors and will erode the profit margins.

Arnold Schwarzenegger might have got it right

Isabelle Ringnes, tech-evangelist, took us all through the exciting, and slightly daunting future of tech. It was incredibly interesting to hear about the realistic possibilities to connect our brains directly with devices and robots that have been designed to emulate feelings and facial expressions. Now, I’m not against robots or AI for that matter, but as long as there are restrictions in place to stop Arnie popping back and the Terminator films coming true!

Sport and start-ups are one and the same

To top it all off, legendary Olympic Nordic Skiier (and tech enthusiast) Axel Lund Svindal explained the need to overcome adversity, not just in sport, but in the similar competitive landscape of the start-up world. There are many attributes that cross-over between sport and start-ups; determination to succeed, competitiveness, hard-work and professionalism to name a few. Axel talked us through his incredible career and the mind-set in takes to be the best, some amazing advice for budding global disruptors.

In fine XTC form, it was all finished with a party integrating round table tech discussion. With XTC applications for 2018 now open, it is the perfect time for sponsors to integrate in to this exciting and growing industry with the next global organisations. Get in touch to find out more – [email protected] or 020 7226 5052.


3rd Annual XTC 2017 Concludes on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island – Congrats to Winner VANTAGE ROBOTICS! 15th February, 2017

After narrowing down the competition at CES 2017, the final three competitors headed down to the Caribbean for the finals.

XTC Finals – Necker Island, British Virgin Islands – The race to Necker Island culminates with an unprecedented, photo-finish judging: Separated by less than half a percent in point total, Vantage Robotics is named of winner of Extreme Tech Challenge 2017!

XTC 2017 Champion Vantage Robotics (San Francisco, CA) has created the best flying camera in the world, making it easy and safe, for anyone to capture stunning aerial video and stills. Their team includes DARPA Grand Challenge winners, IDEO alumni, and experienced entrepreneurs spearheaded by founders Joe van Niekerk and Tobin Fisher. Three years ago, Tobin Fisher, CEO and co-founder of Vantage Robotics, cut his hand on a plastic-bladed quadrotor; inspired by his injury, he set out to design flying cameras with the same ease of use as products he helped create at IDEO. Vantage’s first product, Snap, is a fully portable, safe, and incredibly easy-to-use 4K flying camera.

Tobin Fisher remarks: “We’re honoured beyond words to be selected amongst such a prestigious group of companies. After working on hundreds of product iterations over four years to realise the goal of true freedom of perspective for aerial video, we feel incredibly grateful to get this level of recognition for our solution from such an amazing group of judges. Thank you to Bill Tai, Sir Richard Branson, the judges, XTC, and everyone else who believed in us along the way.”

As the last rays of sunlight fell across the glistening beaches of Necker Island, the evening gave way to the final round of the swift competition. Each finalist took to the stage to present their ventures to the final round of judges and – for the first time ever – to a global audience via MaiTai Global’s livestream. Following an intensive Q&A with the three finalists, the judges deliberated privately to determine the winner, which proved to be a tight race down to the last minute.

Winner Vantage Robotics was selected by a prestigious panel spearheaded by special guest judge Sir Richard Branson, who hosted the final round of the challenge on his own Necker Island. Branson was joined by Venture Capitalist Jim Breyer, Founder and CEO of C3 IoT Tom Siebel, CTO for the Hillary for America campaign Steph Hannon, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Aspect Ventures Theresia Gouw, and Chief Operating Officer, iTutor Group Jerry Huang.

An all-encompassing experience, the judges expressed excitement over the integral role they played in shaping the challenge and the calibre of competitors XTC draws. “The process was fascinating; the contrasting teamwork, listening skills, intense passion – all of this was demonstrated in all three of the finalists and that part of it was really exciting. I congratulate the XTC team for pulling all this together; great deal of fun, intellectually energising and very enjoyable.” – Jim Breyer, Founder & CEO, Breyer Capital

“The ambition and innovation of all the contestants was mind-blowing, including the semi-finalists, each of which could have taken the top prize. The judges deliberation was intense as Vantage Robotics and Cresilon were a dead heat by our scoring system.” – Steph Hannon, CTO for the Hillary for America campaign

A fierce competition spanning several months and crossing three critical judging platforms, XTC invited over a thousand world-class entrepreneurs to showcase their cutting-edge innovations. The contest is designed to provide winners with valuable infrastructure to scale at low incremental cost, and exposure to a network of world class advisers to help them turn their venture into a successful business. With the first two rounds of the competition taking place at MaiTai Global’s annual Ocean Gala in December and the world’s largest consumer electronic showcase in January at CES® 2017 Las Vegas, XTC traverses the globe in search of the next great startup.

As part of the Finals, Special guest judge Sir Richard Branson took to the stage to deliver his take on winning company Vantage Robotics: “There’s fantastic intensity around the Vantage Robotics team, the judges thought it was wonderful the way they have driven towards simplicity. I personally think the market is very large and I just love the product…and the fact that it’s not going to cut your head off.”

Congratulations to the Extreme Tech Challenge 2017 Participants!

Redefining the way military, first responders, and doctors handle medical emergencies, Second Place Runner Up Cresilon (New York, NY) is a plant-based hemostatic gel that accelerates the natural blood-clotting process. Founders Joe Landolina and Isaac Miller are connected by one shared mission: to improve wound care and advance the standard of medical treatment.

Third place finisher ReDeTec (Toronto, CAN) is the producer of a desktop filament extruder and recycling unit for 3D printers. The innovative company creates novel plastic processing technology with significantly reduced energy and space requirements, freeing plastic recycling from the factory floor and making it a much more accessible technology for everyone. ReDeTec is the brainchild of Dennon Oosterman and Alex Kay, who deliver a free, safe way to recycle virtually anything plastic.

Joining the XTC Finalists onstage was winner of principle sponsor iTutorGroup’s China Vertical, Co-Founder of Best Sign, Joy Wan. Best Sign allows users to view, sign and send important documents from anywhere in the world and has the industry’s first ISO27001 international safety certification, providing comprehensive, financial-level security.

XTC is presented by MaiTai Global, a vanguard collective of the world’s leading entrepreneurs, creators, and athletes. Participants combine their energy, network and resources to help each other achieve professional success, pushing the limits of work and play while also fuelling philanthropic activities around the world.

MaiTai Global would like to express their deepest gratitude to the 2017 Sponsors: Founding partner iTutorGroup, Semi-Finals partner CES® 2017 and vertical sponsors Deloitte, Dianrong, IBM, Living In Digital Times, Treasure Data, VR Fest and Zoom for their generous support and insight to further enhance the XTC experience for both participants and spectators.

Stay Connected:
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#XTC2017


2017 Extreme Tech Challenge Top 3! 6th February, 2017

Having edged past twenty five progressive and worthy competitors from across the globe, the 2017 Extreme Tech Challenge Finalists represent an expansive breadth of industries: hemostatic solution innovators Cresilon (New York, NY), filament recycling startup ReDeTec (Toronto, CAN) and hi-tech aerial camera specialists Vantage Robotics (San Francisco, CA).

The Semi-Final round proved to be a photo-finish race for the finalists, who pitched their fledgling ventures live onstage alongside their Top 10 contemporaries under the glittering Las Vegas skyline. Impossibly close to call, the Top 3 were ultimately chosen by a collective of tech’s most brilliant trailblazers. President and CEO of Consumer Technology Association Gary Shapiro presided at the helm of the judges’ table, accompanied by Founder and Managing Partner of SoftTech VC Jeff Clavier, Director of Intel Capital Christine Herron, Founding Partner of Pacific Investments and Innova Capital Fund Veronica Serra, Founder and Managing Partner of Binary Capital Jonathan Teo and Founder and CEO of Dianrong, Soul Htite.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2017 EXTREME TECH CHALLENGE TOP 3!

Redefining the way military, first responders, and doctors handle medical emergencies, finalist Cresilon is a plant-based hemostatic gel that accelerates the natural blood-clotting process. Founders Joe Landolina and Isaac Miller are connected by one shared mission: to improve wound care and advance the standard of medical treatment.

Producer of a desktop filament extruder and recycling unit for 3D printers, finalist ReDeTec creates novel plastic processing technology with significantly reduced energy and space requirements, freeing plastic recycling from the factory floor and making it a much more accessible technology for everyone. ReDeTec is the brainchild of Dennon Oosterman and Alex Kay, who deliver a free, safe way to recycle virtually anything plastic.

Third finalist Vantage Robotics has created the best flying camera in the world, making it easy for anyone to capture stunning aerial video and stills. Their team includes DARPA Grand Challenge winners, IDEO alumni, and experienced entrepreneurs spearheaded by founders Joe van Niekerk and Tobin Fisher. Vantage’s first product, Snap, is a fully portable, safe, and incredibly easy-to-use 4K flying camera.

The Finalists will now face the most stringent and final round on Necker Island, pitching their venture to Sir Richard Branson alongside 2017 Finals judges including venture capitalist, founder and CEO of Breyer Capital, Jim Breyer, Veteran software entrepreneur and founder of C3 loT, Tom Siebel, Managing Partner of Aspect Ventures, Theresia Gouw, CTO for the Hillary for America campaign, Steph Hannon and COO of the iTutor Group Jerry Huang.

Looking ahead to what awaits Necker Island, Finals Judge Steph Hannon remarks:“The discipline, focus and passion of extreme athletes is mirrored in exceptional entrepreneurs. I can’t wait to see limits pushed and peak performance achieved when groups of both gather for XTC finals on Necker Island.”

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