From the first computer to the first smartphone tech has been at the coal face of innovation for decades.
BusinessCloud joined forces with Havas PR to find the next generation of those that dare digitally – the pioneers and technological boundary pushers from across the UK.
We were inundated with nominations but in the end our judges settled on our 51 Tech 1sts.
The products could be game-changing or just a bit of fun but part of it had to have had an element of being first. Several of the companies that made the list also pitched at a special BusinessCloud event on November 28th with ORCHA taking home the prize of a ticket, or cash equivalent, to CES 2018 in Las Vegas.
Products had to be less than five years old and entrants had to provide evidence of the entry being a first to market.
This week we’re sharing the 51 game-changing pieces of tech from our Tech 1sts list. Today we start with the first 10 on our list.
VST Enterprises, Manchester
Link, inform and secure anything with VCode, a symbol similar to a QR code. The tech is being used in an incredible range of situations – from bank notes so shops can check for counterfeits, to the corner of a pizza ad letting users scan, order and pay in seconds.
Smarter, London
Never return home to find yourself without milk again. The Smarter FridgeCam is the first wireless fridge camera to let you see what’s in your fridge from wherever you are. It also adds items to your shopping list automatically, tracks expiry dates and suggests recipes based on what you have left.
MDH Hologram, Middlesex
Deliver speeches and attend meetings from the comfort of your living room. MDH’s Musion eyeliner holographic technology turns you into a realistic hologram that can appear onstage and interact with audiences from anywhere. It was famously used to bring the late rapper Tupac to life again for Coachella festival.
inamo Restaurants, London
Have fun while you wait for your food at inamo’s London restaurants. Its patented overhead projector systems lets users play games, doodle and order on their table-tops as they dine – perfect for keeping the kids busy or a fun date.
Emma.ai, Guildford
Never rush for a meeting again with Emma.ai as your personal travel assistant. She connects to your calendar to provide transport suggestions and scheduling information. Funded by Innovate UK, Emma also learns how you like to travel so you get more tailored suggestions over time.
Nebula Labs, Newcastle
Parking in cities is always a nightmare. Enter Nebula Labs’ The Parking Fairy, a free app that helps drivers find the nearest available parking space in city centres using smart parking tech.
RazorSecure, Basingstoke
RazorSecure uses machine learning to keep us safe as we travel. It works out ‘normal’ behaviour for transport systems and if anything unusual is detected begins a defence mechanism to protect itself and reports the breach – even working when there’s no data connection.
Kisha Smart Umbrella, London
Never lose an umbrella again with Kisha’s fashionable smart umbrellas. A world-first pairing your phone to your brolly via Bluetooth technology, the app warns you of bad weather and alerts you if you leave the umbrella in a place you haven’t marked as ‘safe’.
HiyaCar, London
Billed as ‘Airbnb for cars’, HiyaCar’s QuickStart technology lets you access your rental car without having to collect keys from the owner. It lets car hirers open the car with their phone as soon as their booking starts and can revoke access at any time, adding reassurance for owners.