iQ Prize Shortlist Announced

Pheew! After a monstrous response (249 entries), and a herculean effort from our judges, we’re delighted to announce the shortlist for the iQ Prize.

The quality of entries was really exceptional. Getting down to the final 8 was really, really tough. We could easily have filled the shortlist 4 or 5 times over, such was the quality of entries.

A big thank you to everyone who submitted an entry to the iQ Prize. And massive congratulations to our final 8, who are….

So who’s on the shortlist?

The 8 short-listed companies are:

• Decisions For Heroes (Robin Blandford) –A web application that saves lives by helping rescue teams record and analyze their rescue operations and training
• GetitKeepit.com (Alan Coleman) – A web application to help consumers declutter their lives by offering an online portal for the management and retention of important documentation
• MyHotel.ie (David and Matt Sherlock) – A website and booking engine that reinvents the traditional booking model, offering hotels a powerful new marketing channel with no booking fees
• Neurosynergy Games (David Delany, Lorraine Boran and Michael Boran) – Innovative online brain training application designed to enhance both intellectual (’IQ’) and emotional (’EQ’) performance for healthy people and people with specific mental disorders
• Octopied (David Behan, Ronan Morris and Michael Flanagan) – A web application for freelancers, helping them manage invoicing, project management, sales and support through one simple and cost-effective tool
• Our Writers’ Bloc (Owen Gallagher and Karl Quinn) – An online marketplace that connects self-published authors directly with their readers, and facilitates the distribution of material over multiple formats including mobile phones and e-Reader devices
• Pendle House (Michael Furey) – An online currency exchange marketplace that allows companies and individuals around the world to trade currencies directly with each other, cutting out all transaction costs
• Plink (Mark Cummins) – An image-driven search engine that allows users take a photo of an object with a mobile phone, and automatically retrieve information about it online

So what happens next?

On July 8th, the final candidates will make a Dragon’s Den type presentation to the judges, followed by a public event where the candidates will be able to make a short elevator pitch to the audience. The People’s Choice Award of €1000 and the Grand Prize of €10,000 for the overall winner will be announced at the end of the night.

Find out more?

Lots of great online chatter about the Prize, which is brilliant. In particular, check out:

• As-it-happened: A video from Villa 81 capturing the shortlist announcement as it happened (no, we hadn’t rehearsed!) - cheers Emmet
• Another video of the shortlist announcement from Bootcamp attendee Damian Bannon - cheers Damian
• Great article from Marie Boran of Silicon Republic rounding up the Prize to date (Free the iQ 8!) - cheers Marie
• Web2Ireland article from iQ Prize judge Conor O’Neill giving insights into just how good the entries were, and just how tough the final decision was

Big thank yous all round

Thanks to everyone who’s entered, covered, tweeted, and supported the iQ Prize to date. But especially massive thanks to our entrants and our judges: it’s been a brilliant competition, and you made it happen. Looking forward now to the next stage. And we hope you’ll all come along on the 8th of July and let us buy you a drink to say thanks.

Posted in Entrant information, Q&A, iQ Prize in the news