MAP 2013 sees more hardware startups and research technologies from Melbourne University

Yesterday evening, the Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP) officially graduates its six startups from its 2013 intake, which include SwatchMate, Cortera Neurotechnologies, 2Mar Robotics, The Price Geek, Ebla, and Client Catalysts. There is a slight emphasis on hardware and research technologies from University of Melbourne, it seems. Updates below:

1. 2Mar Robotics: This company’s mission is to make robots accessible to everyone, improving everyday lives. Its first product Jeva, designed and manufactured by 2Mar Robotics, is a wheelchair-mounted arm that aids people with restricted upper mobility. It also sells tables, and is currently taking in pre-orders for Jeva, and is scheduled to deliver early next year. If you are keen to find out more, you can visit its site here, or email them at info@2mar.com.
2. Client Catalyst: This startup delivers a simple marketing solution that gives you the customer phone calls that your business needs in order to grow. It also has created mobile websites that convert mobile traffic into phone calls, and is looking to develop more solutions for local businesses, to help them with expansion efforts.
3. 

   Co-founder Rikky Muller pitching Cortera Neurotechnologies at Melbourne Accelerator Program Demo Day

   Cortera Neurotechnologies: This startup designs implantable medical devices. It hopes to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of incurable neurological conditions and enable neuroscience research. The technology was developed as part of the co-founders’ doctoral research, and is used in numerous leading neuroscientific research laboratories to develop therapies for disorders like Epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Aphasis, and ALS.

4. Ebla: Ebla is a platform that allows legal minds to collaborate and discuss online. It aims to eliminate clunky and expensive technology that lawyers previously had to contend with, and integrates cases and legislations with legal commentary. The company’s co-founders both hail from legal backgrounds.
5. SwatchMate: This startup develops a color detector device that captures the color of any surface. Just simply place the tool onto a surface, it will immediately detect the color, and then display the colour on your paired smartphone or computers via its Bluetooth Low Energy technology. It aims to create a seamless user experience for designers, renovators, and franchisees, especially when it comes to color matching. The SwatchMate team will be launching a Kickstarter campaign soon.
6. The Price Geek: Like a geek who knows almost everything, this startup positions itself as a platform for users to search for anything they would like to purchase online. It aggregates data from sites such as eBay, Amazon, and Craigslist, to information analytics to influence buyers’ decisions. Tech in Asia briefly covered this firm last July, and since then it has acquired 30,000 more users, which brings the total number to 80,000 users, generating more than $50,000 in affiliate sales. The service is only available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia at the moment. Its official Chrome app is also available for download here.

The next intake for the Melbourne Accelerator Program is slated to launch in March 2014. For more information regarding the program, you can visit its website here.

(Editing by Josh Horwitz)