AI, AR, IoT: Target accelerator’s new batch of startups has a distinct flavor of hi-tech

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Wearable tech in the soles of shoes for navigation, augmented reality for browsing through stores, computer vision for surveillance, natural language processing for legal documents – the latest batch of startups at Target’s accelerator in India has a distinct flavor of hi-tech.

The American retail chain has been selecting startups relevant to its business for its accelerator program in India. The fourth batch, unveiled last night, broadens the scope with the inclusion of wellness, IoT (Internet of Things), and new age tech. The Target accelerator aims to “tap into India’s innovation potential” with potentially game-changing technologies, says Navneet Kapoor, MD of Target India.

Two of the startups in the new batch are in stealth mode. Here are the five others making up the cohort:

Preksh

Preksh is using augmented reality (AR) to bring online shopping closer to the offline experience. The menu-based navigation online is far removed from the rich visual experience of walking through a store where multiple objects draw our attention from the shelves. Preksh tries to bridge the gap by taking 3D images inside physical stores to create virtual walkthroughs online with its patent-pending AR technology.

Preksh founder M.A. Kodandarama, aka Mak, worked for several years in Wipro, Nokia, and Texas Instruments before starting Preksh last year with three other techies having similar backgrounds. “Early adopters like Van Heusen’s virtual store have already validated our product. We aim to now build it up and reach global retailers with help from Target,” Mak tells Tech in Asia.

Lechal

Lechal first caught the public eye with haptic shoe soles for the visually impaired. Haptics is the science of using tactile sensations in computer applications. Sensors in the Lechal shoes help the visually impaired find their way.

Now the startup has broadened the scope of its shoes. Anyone can use them for navigation, fitness tracking, and a host of IoT-related uses. Its founder, Krispian C. Lawrence, tells Tech in Asia that expanding the monetization avenues for its ‘navigator’ shoes will in turn help it sustain and grow its aid to the visually impaired.

Uncanny Vision

Lawbot

MintM