Announces KisiBox as Winner of "NYC Next Idea" Global Business Plan Competition
Team from Germany Will Receive $35,000 to Assist Them in Launching Their Innovative Business in New York City
KisiBox Chosen From Over 220 Applicants From 40 Different Countries Around the World
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced this week that KisiBox has won the fourth annual NYC Next Idea competition, a global business plan competition that encourages innovative business ventures to launch and operate in New York City. KisiBox, whose team is from Germany, is developing smartphone-managed entry security systems for buildings, apartments, and other spaces, and was selected from a highly competitive and diverse pool of more than 220 applicants submitted from 40 different countries.
"During the program's first three years, NYC Next Idea has proven its importance in helping innovative businesses and entrepreneurs grow here in New York City," said NYCEDC President Seth W. Pinsky. "This competition illustrates the type of talent that already exists in, or is looking to move to, New York, and provides an additional sign of the City's bright future. We are confident that KisiBox will build on the legacy of winners past, helping to cement the City's place in the innovation economy"
The 2012-2013 Competition was sponsored by NYCEDC, in partnership with the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University. After an evaluation process narrowed the field of 222 initial applicants down to six finalists, it was today announced that KisiBox will receive the grand prize of $35,000 to assist them in launching their innovative business in New York City.
"Entrepreneurship is becoming an increasingly important element of engineering and we are fortunate that New York City is emerging as a hotbed of startups and venture activities," said Fredrik Palm, senior associate dean of The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University. "Columbia Engineering's emerging footprint in technology entrepreneurship is further bolstered by our partnership with the New York City Economic Development Corporation. The NYC Next Idea competition allows us to showcase the City's thriving innovation-to-enterprise ecosystem to the hundreds of teams from around the world who applied to be part of this global program."
"We have worked very hard on our business model, and we are thrilled to win the NYC Next Idea competition, said Max Schuetz, Partner at KisiBox. "We are excited to bring KisiBox to the epicenter of the sharing economy, New York City."
As part of the NYC Next Idea program, the members of the six finalist teams spent the last week visiting New York City and attending informational panels with entrepreneurs from startups in the City such as ShopKeep POS, TaxiTreats, Sandbox Network, and Digital DUMBO, as well as with corporate and immigration lawyers. During their time here, the finalists also toured two of the City-sponsored startup incubators, General Assembly and Varick Street Incubator.
The six finalist plans were:
- Glovico.org: A Fair Trade online language learning platform where teachers from Latin America, Africa and Asia teach their mother tongues via Skype. (USA and Germany)
- FitUsIn: Simplified, on-demand booking of excess gym capacity (Australia)
- BUZZtheBar: Point-of-sale system for accelerating sales volume at bars and nightclubs (USA and China)
- Cortex International: Medical Ethics Virtual Experience, a module-based, interactive ethics education program for use at medical schools and hospitals (USA and China)
- KisiBox: Smartphone-managed entry security systems for buildings, apartments, and other spaces (Germany)
- PlusMe: Simplified last-minute group event planning and booking (Germany)
The NYC Next Idea competition raises the visibility of New York City as an international center for innovation and entrepreneurship while showcasing talent from some of the top business and engineering schools from around the world. Last year, TaxiTreats won the NYC Connect Track of the Next Idea competition. Their winning submission earned them a $17,500 grant, which the company has used to raise $1 million in funding from prominent venture capitalists such as David Tisch and The Richport Group, which is chaired by singer Marc Anthony. With this funding, TaxiTreats recently launched a new product, Vengo, a new vending machine product that will provide such items as gum, mouthwash and hand sanitizer to restaurant and bar patrons in New York City.
The NYC Next Idea competition is part of the Bloomberg Administration's efforts to encourage entrepreneurship within a variety of sectors. With a network of 13 incubators that have either already been launched or are forthcoming around the City, the Administration is providing low-cost office space, as well as training and networking opportunities, to over 500 companies. In addition, in 2010, the City launched the New York City Entrepreneurial Fund (NYCEF), the first City-sponsored seed and early-stage investment fund located outside of Silicon Valley. The City also offers a number of programs to assist companies in New York, such as NYC Venture Fellows, a highly selective, year-long fellowship program designed to help the next generation of global entrepreneurs succeed in the City, and Take the H.E.L.M., a competition which encourages creative and innovative businesses to open or expand an existing office in Lower Manhattan.
The NYC Next Idea competition is also one of several initiatives launched to attract international businesses to New York City. World to NYC is another initiative which seeks to promote trade and investment between New York City and the global economy. Launched in December of 2010, World to NYC has already engaged over 100 international companies on expansion into New York City.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City's primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC's mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City's competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City's many opportunities. Find us on
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About Columbia Engineering
Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, founded in 1864, offers programs in nine departments to both undergraduate and graduate students. With facilities specifically designed and equipped to meet the laboratory and research needs of faculty and students, Columbia Engineering is home to NSF-NIH funded centers in genomic science, molecular nanostructures, materials science, and energy, as well as one of the world's leading programs in financial engineering. These interdisciplinary centers are leading the way in their respective fields while individual groups of engineers and scientists collaborate to solve some of modern society's more difficult challenges.
http://www.engineering.columbia.edu/