SINGAPORE — (Marketwired) — 10/12/15 — IBM® (NYSE: IBM) today announced that Singapore-based startup has been selected as one of the top 10 finalists for the IBM Global Entrepreneur SmartCamp. Powered by LAUNCH and angel investor, Jason Calacanis, IBM SmartCamps are exclusive events aimed at identifying early stage entrepreneurs who are developing business ventures that align with the IBM Smarter Planet vision. gridComm will compete against nine other finalists for a chance to be accepted into the LAUNCH Incubator with a $25,000 investment prize, and win the title of –IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year–. The final round will take place in San Francisco from October 12-14, 2015, and is expected to attract over 20,000 attendees.
gridComm provides smart street light and connectivity solutions for IoT (Internet of Things) devices based on hybrid power line communications and RF technology that makes use of existing power line networks. This enables the transformation of the electricity grid into a smart grid, connecting street lights, power meters, sensor networks, and industrial equipment seamlessly within one unified network.
In the previous IBM SmartCamp round, gridComm emerged as the winner for the ASEAN category, beating six other finalists from the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. This victory was announced at the IBM Connect Start Up Xchange 2015 in Singapore last month. The conference featured a series of keynote sessions, panel discussions and demos that were centered on providing startups with tips and knowledge surrounding how to scale at speed.
Tim Greisinger, managing director, IBM Singapore, said, “Through the IBM Global Entrepreneur SmartCamp, IBM has helped hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs bring their business ideas to fruition. We have met with some very creative developers and entrepreneurs, who simply need a push in the right direction such as mentorship, technology and technical expertise to grow their business and get their products to market faster. We would like to congratulate gridComm on being one of the few selected from over 30 startups, and wish them all the best in the final round as they compete for the title of IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year.”
“Being selected as the winner for the ASEAN region and now as a top 10 finalist for IBM SmartCamp is a tremendous honor,” said Mike Holt, CEO and co-founder of gridComm. “We are now poised to enable data analytics in our smart street light solutions, and our participation in IBM SmartCamp and the use of IBM products such as IBM Cloud and IBM Bluemix data analytics engine could not have come at a better time. Being named a top 10 finalist in IBM–s SmartCamp not only helps gridComm gain visibility, it also validates our sound business model and disruptive technology.”
You can view gridComm–s demo video here: . For more information, please visit or follow gridComm on or .
The IBM Global Entrepreneur SmartCamp is a one part mentoring bootcamp, one part networking extravaganza, and one part epic pitch competition between rising startups from around the globe. Aimed at identifying early stage entrepreneurs, the IBM SmartCamp provides an avenue for startups to take advantage of mentoring opportunities, learn from thought leaders, and network with serial entrepreneurs, investment firms, academic institutions, and industry and technology experts.
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Headquartered in Singapore, gridComm is a private company that provides power line communications semiconductors, devices and systems that enable smart grid and other intelligent technologies. The company–s products help transform meters, streetlights, buildings, and appliances into smart devices, while providing a robust solution for broad deployment in noisy power grid environments. The company–s strategy revolves around using street lights with the use of power lines as a network for connectivity. Most of the company–s deployments to date have been in Asia, where power line noise is a larger impediment to power line communications than in other regions.
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Kevin Mayberry
Lages & Associates
(949) 453-8080
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