Other highlights from BizSpark scholars: Tapit, Mobipoints, and more

Reza Ismail from Rofarez Solutions.

Ten startups pitched this morning at the Alpha Pitch for DEMO Asia scholars, sponsored by Microsoft. I’ve written about TranscribeMe, which could disrupt the transcription industry. But there are also other notable startups that presented, both good and bad.

Tapit Media, Australia

Tapit is an Australian company that is a pioneer in NFC technology in Australia and Asia. It provides NFC-based solutions for mobile commerce, coupon code distribution, ticketing, social community building, competitions, survey and brand reviews, and content delivery via NFC in Australia and Asia.

It’s off to a strong start, securing a list of lucrative deals to enable NFC networks. For example,  it has a partnership with Clear Channel Singapore, an outdoor advertising company, to deliver interactive outdoor campaigns for brand like Coca-Cola and Fanta.

It also has a partnership with RIM in Australia, and an exclusivity deal with JCDeCaux in Australia. Recently, it was a winner of the Red Herring Global 100 Awards.

This company betting its future entirely on NFC, and that’s a high-risk maneuver. Although it’s a first mover in a high-barrier industry, the technology hasn’t matured. Adoption rates for NFC aren’t high, as many smartphones do not have the technology embedded.

Alternatives to NFC are also being considered: US-based Square is developing wireless payment technology, while another startup is using ultrasound to do the same. Transferjet is also another interesting alternative to NFC. PayPal, too, is waging war against NFC with its own technology.

So the verdict is still out on the technology. While many big tech players are jumping in, lots of stars are still required to align.

For Tapit, there is a chance that they might go down in flames with NFC, but the risk is slim. But if NFC does take off, TapIt will rise with it — big risk, big reward. And I guess that’s the spirit of entrepreneurship.

HobbyMash, Philippines