Road to TIA Singapore: this Japanese startup won the pitch contest

Makoto Ogawa, founder and CEO of Z-Works (3rd from left), is ready to come to Singapore.

TIA Singapore 2016 is just a little over a month away, and we could not be more excited. Applications for Bootstrap Alley are pouring in, and there are many local and international startups which are going to meet investors, users, and potential business partners at the event.

Of the 300 startups exhibiting in Bootstrap Alley, a few are getting a free ride. The winners from the Tech in Asia Tour: Road to Singapore receive flights, accommodation, free entry, and a booth. Yesterday, we held the Tokyo edition. Five startups entered, but only one took the top prize. Here they are, in order of their appearance.

Aquabit Spirals

With a goal to conquer the “last one inch” of the internet, Aquabit Spirals aims to outfox Google. Using a proprietary technology, the company has developed small “SmartPlates” which act similarly to QR codes. A user slides their phone over the plate and, depending on the use case, information on a shopping mall, recipes for a food item, or instant purchase options for will pop up. There is no app required and the SmartPlates don’t need the internet to operate. Seeing is believing, so take a look here.

INST

For businesses trying to talk to customers, it’s a new age. Phone calls are silenced and emails are often ignored. Messaging apps rule the day, which why both Line and Facebook have products to link up companies and consumers. INST is looking to make the process even easier. Utilizing the APIs of Google Hangout, Facebook Messenger, and Skype, INST makes it possible for a company to chat with a consumer using any one of those services without setting up an elaborate account. Besides providing more flexible customer service, INST sees value in providing a better customer relationship management service.

Z-works

Responding to projections that Japan will hit a severe shortage of caretakers for its rapidly greying population, Z-works has created a suite of products that collect essential data and allow caretakers to better focus their time. Examples include lightbulbs that measure heart rates, motion sensors that also detect body temperature and rate of movement, or door sensors that determine activity levels. All the data is sent to an easy to understand interface accessible by mobile app or desktop. These will be available for hospitals, retirement homes, and private use.

Spacee

Sharing economy startups are gaining steam in Japan, and Spacee is riding the wave. It offers a simple interface for reserving spare meeting rooms in office buildings. Cafe meetings are very common in Japan. People can expect to pay US$7-8 to buy their drinks and chat. With Spacee, meeting rooms can be acquired for US$5, while larger ones go for US$10. It is a niche segment of the space-swapping business model, but the Spacee team sees a US$6.6 billion market opportunity.

Dendama

Kendama is a popular toy in Japan. Easy to play with, but notoriously difficult to master, it is a staple of Japanese childhood. Dendama wants to take it to the next level, adding circuitry and sensors to the classic design. Now players will get buzzed when they make a mistake and can even battle one another. The new design means the skill of each individual can be better measured and tabulated for a score. The audience winner at last week’s KDDI Demo Day, Dendama just launched on crowdfunding service Makuake. After a little more than a week, it has 70 sponsors and is a little more than 80% of the way to its JPY 990,000 (US$8,800) goal.

Both the audience and the judges agreed – Z Works had the best pitch. They will be coming to TIA Singapore on April 12 and 13. Be sure to swing by their booth and say hi.

Use the code tiasg10 and save 10 percent on all passes until March 13. This is your last chance to score them at a discount, so get them today!

Special thanks to our Tokyo judges and the following sponsors and partners: