Mobile video start-up, Incoming, has secured $1.1 million in seed financing from OneVentures, NICTA and the US-based Citrix Startup Accelerator.

Incoming, led by chief executive David McKeague, specialises in mobile content delivery for mobile platforms, delivering high-definition video to mobile devices based on user preferences. It pre-loads content using available WiFi networks, eliminating the need for streaming or buffering, while reducing the cost. Mobile video is currently a multi-billion problem estimated to be 70% of a Mobile Carriers traffic in 2016.

Incoming TV is available as a mobile app. Some 600,000 users have already downloaded the beta version and three million videos have been played. Last year, Incoming was selected as one of 23 start-ups for Tech23 2012.

The round was led by One Ventures, an Australian venture capital firm that invests in innovative companies in the information technology, life sciences and clean technology sectors. Funding also came from NICTA – Australia’s Information and Communications Technology Research Centre of Excellence – and Citrix Startup Accelerator, based in Silicon Valley.

Incoming is a client of ATP Innovations, having recently joined the buzzing and eclectic community of entrepreneurs in the National Innovation Centre based in the Australian Technology Park. Incoming is NICTA’s 11th spinout company.

Incoming TV has been developed specifically for mobile phones and tablets. Its predictive support for the service draws from information on the user’s device, including contextual data such as time of day, location, usage patterns and interests, and social and physical behaviour. It then applies NICTA’s machine learning techniques to pre-fetch a suitable selection of video material. NICTA research leader Dr Max Ott joins Incoming as its first chief technology officer.

Citrix Startup Accelerator, meanwhile, invests in start-ups creating the next generation of cloud infrastructure services, mobile enterprise solutions and collaboration technologies.

See full article Incoming! $1.1 million funding boost for mobile video start-up! (startupsmart.com.au)

Incoming is a client of ATP Innovations, Australia’s leading technology business incubator.

Related articles

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Document management company Webrecs has released a new version of its cloud-based software to make it easier to manage content securely in the cloud. Webrecs take the chaos out of filing and is an ideal collaborative tool for people working together remotely.

Combining ease of use and integration, new features include a dashboard with overview of all important document tasks, drag and drop from local PC, single sign-on and access to accounting systems, CRM, bug-tracking, edit MS docs directly in Google docs, project sites for collaboration with blogs, wikis, lists and powerful workflow engine (Activiti). The biggest drawcard is its relocation backup security feature which sits behind the firewall.

For smaller customers and startups with fewer than 20 users an entry-level version is now available. Current Webrecs users include ATP Innovations client Elastagen, Word Travels and Superknowhow.

Further information and a free trial is available at http://webrecs.com.au

Webrecs is a client of ATP Innovations, Australia’s leading technology business incubator.

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At Australia’s first Biohackathon over the weekend, a team made up of a biochemist, a material science expert, and a mechatronics engineering student has been awarded a $3,000 cash prize for coming up with the most novel and simple solution to a major healthcare problem.

The Biohackathon was an eight-hour competition aimed at producing novel approaches and solutions to a long-standing real life science problem of great importance to the community. Never before in Australia has a problem previously exclusive to a selected few scientists been opened up to a wider audience.

Australia’s first Biohackathon, organised by technology business incubator, ATP Innovations and sponsored by Cochlear, put out the call to students and citizen scientists of all disciplinary backgrounds to come up with an improved method of detecting bacteria forming biofilm leading to infection and death in our hospitals. This is a problem that microbiologists have been looking at for decades.

The Biohackathon attracted 44 participants with diverse backgrounds all united by a passion for science and desire to make a difference to the community. Using simple equipment and everyday materials – MacGyver style – engineers, designers, futurists, dentists, artists, microbiologists and immunologists battled to come up with the best and simplest solution, to be implemented to detect biofilm in our hospitals.

Of the 11 teams, SurGION was the winner with team members George Peppou, Ben Millar, both full time inventors with backgrounds in biochemistry and immunology and material science, and Ben Barnes, mechatronic engineering student from the University of Sydney with a penchant for all things electronic and computing. The winning solution was a monitoring device, which the trio had created after 60 initial prototypes prior to the contest. The device is wrapped in a spiral conductor circumferentially about its length. The conductor is formed of a soluble, bioresorbable polymer doped with conductive particles. By monitoring variances in the conductive properties of the conductor, the presence of biofilm can be monitored.

The design was chosen for its ability to be incorporated into the surface of indwelling medical devices, such as cannulas and catheters – an area not widely addressed. Under the guidance of industry experts and mentors, SurGION’s conductor was validated, as it was found to detect biofilm at an early stage before occurrence of clinical infection, during testing at the Biohackathon.

“We were surprised to win, the competition was very strong and brought a very diverse range of solutions to what remains a challenge within both medicine and industry,” said George Peppou.

Despite scolding criticism from some experts in the field, the Biohackathon showed that opening up a scientific problem to a wider audience has tremendous potential for generating creativity that can lead to innovation.

“I was impressed with the scope of the detection methods, all the teams came up with very unique approaches, and their passion and enthusiasm was infectious,” said Hamish Hawthorn, CEO of ATP Innovations.

“What are considered to be ludicrous ideas, if you really work on them, turn out to be not that ridiculous at all,” said Ben Millar.

“I guess some of our solutions are just crazy enough to work, they’re ‘out there’ enough that no one has actually tried it but they’re still in the realms of possibility,” said Peppou.

The team is exploring the possibility of commercialising the winning technology, for which they perceive many other potential applications.

Media Contact:

Sally Katic

Client Services and Marketing Communication at ATP Innovations

Tel: (02) 9209 4444

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• Australia’s first Biohackathon (lifescientist.com.au)
• Teams selected for Australia’s first Biohackathon (atp-innovations.com.au)
• ATP Innovations launches Australia’s first Biohackathon (atp-innovations.com.au)
• Inventors Get Rare Peek Into GE’s Patents (abcnews.go.com)

Eleven teams made up of 44 contestants have been selected to participate in Australia’s first Biohackathon on 20 April. Dentists, computer scientists, engineers, lawyers, chemists, designers, mathematicians, neurologists, microbiologists and immunologists will work side by side to tackle one of the major issues facing our healthcare system today.

The teams are: Biohackers, SurgION, TeamPINK, Biofilm Sites Identification (BSI), Potemkin, Future Film, Bayesian Biotechnologists, MacGyver, Olfacta, Kalliroe and Film Stars.

Under the guidance of leading academic and industry experts, teams will work on building novel and improved methods to detect biofilm in the hospital environment. Presenting a major concern to the healthcare system in NSW and around the world, biofilms are microbial communities that develop on solid surfaces. The Centre of Disease Control (CDC) estimates that over 65% of hospital acquired infections in the US are caused by biofilms. Biofilms protect bacteria, allowing it to grow and flourish undetected, eventually spreading and causing infection.

Participants are asked to create a simple and innovative detection method that can be used in the everyday hospital setting. Hot and upcoming start-up company NinjaBlocks will also provide participants with its tiny cloud enabled computers to use in their methods. The winning team chosen by a panel of judges will be awarded a cash prize of $3,000.

Organiser of the Biohackathon competition, ATP Innovations, expect that opening up a specific real-life problem to a wide group of enthusiastic participants will generate creative, fresh ideas.

To celebrate Australia’s first Biohackathon, ATP Innovations will host the Biohackathon Kick-off networking event on Friday 19 April. This will give colleagues and the community the opportunity to meet our amazing Biohackathon teams and network with a diverse group of people passionate about science and innovation.

Australia’s first Biohackathon is sponsored by Cochlear.

For more information about the Biohackathon 2013 please visit: www.atp-innovations.com.au/biohackathon

About ATP Innovations

ATP Innovations is Australia’s leading technology business incubator. We have worked with more than 100 businesses in the last six years, helping them raise over $100 million in capital, sell products across the globe and for six, sell their business. Over the last year, the 50 co-located businesses made over $44 million in revenue, launched more than 70 new products and employ 300 staff.

About Cochlear Limited

Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. It has a dedicated global team of more than 2,500 people who deliver the gift of sound to the hearing impaired in over 100 countries. Its vision is to connect people, young and old, to a world of sound by offering life enhancing hearing solutions.

Cochlear’s promise of “Hear now. And always” embodies the company’s commitment to providing its recipients with the best possible hearing performance today and for the rest of their lives. For 30 years Cochlear has helped more than a quarter of a million people either hear for the first time or reconnect them to their families, friends, workplaces and communities.

To coordinate a 1:1 media interview with any of our speakers, Biohackathon team members, or experts from Cochlear:

Contact

Petra Andrén

Director, Life Sciences and Technologies

ATP Innovations

Tel: (02) 9209 4444

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• A Systems-Level Approach for Investigating Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Formation (plosone.org)

Diversified property group Stockland, is piloting Open Shed’s collaborative consumption in five of its estates – two each in Victoria and Queensland, and one in Western Australia.

Ignition Labs company, Open Shed is an online peer-to-peer rental platform to encourage collaborative consumption. Users list their possessions that other people might like to rent, and search for items they may need or like to try. Under the pilot, Stockland, reportedly Australia’s largest residential developer, pays Open Shed a license free and will cover some of Open Shed’s set-up cost, while Open Shed facilitates a closer sense of community between schools, councils and residents with their platform.

According to Open Shed Co-founder Lisa Fox, there is potential to expand the agreement if the pilot is successful. Stockland builds and manages residential developments across Australia.

About Ignition Labs

Ignition Labs is an accelerator for early stage clean technologies backed by ATP Innovations. Selected businesses enter an intensive development program that converts early stage ideas into fundable businesses over 3-months. This is achieved through leverage of a structured development and validation program, experienced mentors, cash investment and an investor roadshow in the USA. Launched in 2012, Ignition Labs is Australia’s first clean technology accelerator. In 2012 it accelerated five clean tech start-up companies: Chunk Moto, Zenogen, Open Shed, LoadMax and MicroEnergyLabs.

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In a nation first, students and citizen scientists from a broad range of disciplines will work together to tackle a significant health problem at a Biohackathon to be held at ATP Innovations on 19-20 April.

A biohackathon presents a format of problem solving, where participants of different backgrounds work together to create a simple solution to a complex problem within a short period of time. While the concept is not new to the IT industry, it will be the first time in Australia that it is applied to the life sciences.

The competition, organised by leading business incubator, ATP Innovations, and sponsored by Cochlear Limited, is expected to open up a specific real-life problem to a wide group who will generate creative, fresh ideas.

“We see technology convergence on a bigger scale here at ATP Innovations where collaborations between companies in different and sometimes unexpected fields have led to numerous innovative products and services. We look forward to the ideas our teams will come up with,” said Hamish Hawthorn, CEO of ATP Innovations.

Under the guidance of leading academic and industry experts, teams will work on building novel and improved methods to detect biofilm in the hospital environment. Presenting a major concern to the healthcare system in NSW and around the world, biofilms are microbial communities that develop on solid surfaces. The Centre of Disease Control (CDC) estimates that over 65% of hospital acquired infections are caused by biofilms. Biofilms protect bacteria, allowing it to grow and flourish undetected, eventually spreading and causing infection.

Participants will be asked to create a simple and innovative detection method that can be used in the everyday hospital setting. The winning team chosen by a panel of judges will be awarded a cash prize of $3,000.

“Innovation, collaboration and the effective combination of engineering and science are at the heart of Cochlear’s success which is why we are proud to sponsor this competition,” explained Paul Carter PhD, Senior Principal Research Engineer at Cochlear.

“Inspiring minds to solve society’s problems through science and engineering is important for Australia’s future. Educational institutions, such as those whose collaboration has created ATP Innovations, play a critical role in creating aspiration for future generations.”

For more information about the Biohackathon 2013 please visit: www.atp-innovations.com.au/biohackathon

To meet our passionate teams, register for the networking event on Friday 19 April by clicking here.

About Cochlear Limited

Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. It has a dedicated global team of more than 2,500 people who deliver the gift of sound to the hearing impaired in over 100 countries. Its vision is to connect people, young and old, to a world of sound by offering life enhancing hearing solutions.

Cochlear’s promise of “Hear now. And always” embodies the company’s commitment to providing its recipients with the best possible hearing performance today and for the rest of their lives. For 30 years Cochlear has helped more than a quarter of a million people either hear for the first time or reconnect them to their families, friends, workplaces and communities.

About ATP Innovations

ATP Innovations is Australia’s leading technology business incubator. We have worked with more than 100 businesses in the last six years, helping them raise over $100 million in capital, sell products across the globe and for six, sell their business. Over the last year, the 50 co-located businesses made over $44 million in revenue, launched more than 70 new products and employ 300 staff.

For further information contact:

Petra Andrén

Director, Life Sciences and Technologies

ATP Innovations

Tel: (02) 9209 4444

ATP Innovations has welcomed Heads Over Heels into its buzzing and eclectic community of entrepreneurs in the National Innovation Centre based in the Australian Technology Park.

Heads over Heels is a membership-based organisation that supports a portfolio of high potential women-owned businesses. Each year, a small number of high-growth companies led by talented female entrepreneurs are selected through a series of formal selection rounds. Members work directly with portfolio companies to help accelerate their growth and success. They provide assistance through mentoring, networking connections and guidance on specific strategic and operational business issues.

Executive Director of Heads Over Heels, Karen Enthoven, said that although women start businesses more than men, they don’t grow them at the same rate.

“One reason women fail to grow their companies is they lack the kinds of networks more readily available to their male counterparts,” Enthoven said.

Helping to bridge this gap, the organisation’s primary goal is to make introductions that will help these CEOs take their companies to the next level. Heads Over Heels membership comprises over 200 influential business and community leaders (men and women) who are willing to make strategic introductions for these women. It seeks more secure strategic sponsorships to continue building a sustainable organisation that helps companies become leaders in their sectors.

Find out more at headsoverheels.com.au

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ATP Innovations has welcomed the start-ups from Incubate into its buzzing and eclectic community of entrepreneurs in the National Innovation Centre based in the Australian Technology Park. The start-ups include WeSit, Muro Labs, SnapDisco, Weaver, Edissie, Feedback and CloudHerd.

INCUBATE aims to foster a proactive community of entrepreneurs, provide practical education and advice, and help launch successful business ventures on campus. It is the first entrepreneur development program of its kind in Australia and the Asia Pacific region, which launched on September 2012 at the University of Sydney.

Some teams have had impressive wins. WeSit, online baby-sitting service, secured Blackberry as a major partner, and will soon be available through the BlackBerry app store as one of Blackberry’s ‘best’ featured apps. Wesit also received $20,000 in funding from Research in Motion. TheBestDay founder, a graduate of the University of Sydney, Whitney Komor raised over $1 million at the end of 2012 in a Series A funding round, for the social planning tool.

Event photography sharing platform, Muro was used during a talk with 500 Startups founder Dave McClure and numerous corporate events, including TEDx Sydney – USYD Satellite Event.

CloudHerd raised $10,000 with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and are in the ‘Hot’ section of the iTunes app store. Download the app from appstore.com/muro and see what the buzz is all about.

The teams are expected to grow their businesses further with ATP Innovations, where they will receive advice and guidance regarding strategy, market validation and execution of business plans, in addition to serviced, flexible office space, infrastructure and administrative support. Incubate joins more than 45 high growth early stage companies in the life sciences, engineering and IT sectors.

James Alexander, Program Manager comments, “We’re excited for the teams to move into ATP (Innovations). It’s an excellent environment with big support networks.”

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Taxi booking app company, ingogo has secured funds from a host of new, high profile investors. The funds will help to further expand the business’ taxi booking and payment platform. ingogo is the app putting commuters in direct contact with the nearest taxi to create a better experience for drivers and passengers alike.

The new investors include Daniel Petre, Alison Deans and Martin Dalgleish. They join first round investors Brad Shofer, Co-founder at MYOB; Philip Argy, Jeremy Colless, Stuart Fox and other members of Sydney Angels and ingogo founder, Hamish Petrie, who was the original founder of ticketing giant, Moshtix.

Petre and Deans, founders of successful early stage fund NETUS, bring a wealth of knowledge to ingogo. Petre and Deans have, over the past 15 years, invested over $100 million in multiple technology-related start-up companies. Prior to NETUS Daniel has worked with Ecorp, ninemsn and Microsoft. Deans brings insights from her experience running eBay, Hoyts and Ecorp.

Dalgleish is an advisor to Ellerston Capital Special Opportunities Platform and has served as a director or alternate director in iSelect, SEEK, Carsales, NineMSN, PBL Media, FOXTEL and Fox Sports, among others.

Martin Dalgleish says “ingogo is a great example of innovation creating new value in existing industries. I’m delighted to invest and to assist Hamish realise his vision with this business.”

ingogo was recently awarded a Commercialisation Australia Grant, valued at $250,000 from the Commonwealth Government to develop a corporate taxi payment system. The system is currently in pilot with several businesses in Sydney as a replacement for Cabcharge.

Check out www.ingogo.mobi

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For anyone in a start-up, cash and prizes are like music to the ears. If you are running a fast growing or innovative start-up, StartupSmart is playing a bit of that music for you. Make sure you enter the StartupSmart Awards, the premier awards for start-ups in Australia, sponsored by DFK by 20 February 2013 to win much needed cash or prizes.

Among the prizes is a $10,000 Private Media advertising package, to be presented at an awards ceremony in Melbourne on March 20, 2013.

Our Business Development guru Andrew Stead will be one of the judges helping to choose winners in the nine categories you can enter, including Best Online Strategy, Best Start-up Product and Best Start-up Idea. Each category winner and member of the top 50 will receive extensive coverage on StartupSmart.

Just by entering, your business will be mentioned on the popular StartupSmartdaily newsletter in the lead-up to the awards, with a link back to your website.

It takes about 10 minutes to enter.

Entries close 20 February 2013. Apply now – click here!