Jameel Mohammed took home the $1,500 top prize at the Masters of Technology Management and Entrepreneurshiip demo day on Thursday for his chat-based mobile app called Quoded.
Receiving $1,000, the second prize went to Yana, founded by Gashtiyar Fatullah and Aryan Star. It is developing hardware to improve the efficiency in constructing modular buildings.
Five other teams also graduated from the Masters of TME program on Thursday at the program’s annual demo day, dubbed MTME: Next 2023. The MTME program is the graduate offering of the J. Herbert Smith Centre for Technology, Management and Entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurship community at the University of New Brunswick.
Presenting his company, Mohammed said Quoded improves communication and task management with front-line workers, who often feel isolated when they’re on-site. Designed for employees with limited technological proficiency, Quoded offers a simplified interface that enhances their ability to collaborate and stay connected.
Its features include geolocation-based task assignments, native calendar and communication, training and chatbot integration. The initial target market is the 150,000 frontline workers at utilities and telecom companies in Canada. Quoded is looking for $965,000 in funding.
Runner-up Yana is developing automatic smart connectors for mechanical, electrical and plumbing installation in the modular construction industry. It will allow this part of the modular construction process to be conducted in the factory, not on-site. This reduces labour costs by 20 percent and the on-site construction time by 30 percent.
Yana's mission is to help modular construction companies overcome the labour shortage problem by automating the modular units' assembly process on the job site. Already working with UNB’s Offsite Construction Research Centre, the team is hoping to raise $1.3 million.
Here is a look at the other five companies that presented at the event:
Customio
Nkiruka Ogbu, Vincent Ederaro, Chinyere Obi and Adedeji Sangodoyin
The Customio Travel Application is designed specifically for families with young children traveling in Canada. The app aims to make it easier for them to plan and manage their travel itineraries, providing customizable travel packages that can be changed during the trip with few complications. The company would offer two levels of service – free and premium. The team, which hopes to raise $975,000, is planning for a launch in January, 2024.
Nasim Rashidpour
Rendro incorporates the power of artificial intelligence and virtual reality to provide an enhanced furniture shopping experience. By harnessing AI capabilities, Rendro’s algorithms analyze customer preferences, interior styles, and spatial data to generate highly accurate and personalized designs. This AI-driven approach ensures that customers receive tailored suggestions and design solutions that align perfectly with their tastes and spaces. Rendro is addressing the problem of 40 percent of online furniture purchases being returned. Rendro is seeking $500,000 in funding.
Ateeb Khan, Kesiena Ogbemi and Mandeep Bawa
DegSafe aims to protect personal information and reduce identity data theft, which afflicts 2.5 million people every two years in North America. It is developing a solution that assists financial institutions in reducing external fraud and ensuring their clients are less susceptible to identity fraud. The software detects identity documents and data on personal devices, providing the user with actionable intelligence that can help them reduce their vulnerability. The team is planning a subscription-based service in addition to transaction-based applications. It is planning a launch at the end of 2023, and is looking for connections with financial institutions.
Izzat Group
Oluwakemi Adeoye, Eteanwan Solomon, Rita Odeigah-Arinze, and Sunday Aranmonise
Izzat aims to help immigrants transfer their credit information from their home countries to Canada and make it available to various stakeholders such as landlords, financiers, and auto dealers. The team says it will also provide detailed guidelines on how to build a credit score in Canada. Its value proposition is to reduce the burden of financial integration for immigrants by offering credit reports that can assist them in obtaining credit with lower interest rates and achieving greater financial stability. The team, which is hoping to raise $643,000, is planning on a launch by the end of the year.
Medistation
Iaswer Karthikeyan
Medistation has set out to provide a user-friendly platform that simplifies healthcare management, making it accessible, personalized, and secure. Its focus on privacy and security ensures the confidentiality of sensitive health information. It aims to solve such problems as lack of access to data or problems with insurance by providing medical records and other information on a secure platform. It also helps to find a doctor. The company plans to launch in India in the coming years.
