Archive for the ‘Love iQ Prize’ Category

Where are they now: #3 Octopied

octopied-final-trans-black

This week, Ronan Morris from Octopied is in the hot seat to let us know how things have been going post iQ Prize.

iQ: So what have you been up to since the iQ Prize?
RM: The product has advanced through several design iterations and we have taken further feedback from freelancers who are our key target market. We have also conducted some initial user testing based on outline screen builds.

iQ: How did the iQ Prize help?
RM: The most obvious benefit was that the IQ Prize motivated us to draw up a definite plan for the launch of the product. It also helped us pull our individual visions for the product into a single vision that we are now driving forward. We also got accepted onto to the Create Ireland program as a direct result of us being shortlisted for the prize.

iQ: What’s on the horizon?
RM: We will shortly finalise the screen designs and will also finish the back end design process, and then begin coding that.

iQ: What would you recommend to people looking to enter the iQ Prize next year?
RM: The best decision we made was to set up a practice run using a ‘Dragon’s Den’ type format. This prepared us well for the presentation stage and also helped us better understand the key selling points of our product. The presentation stage of the process is where it all happens and you really need to be word perfect. Also, you need to be further along the path than just having an idea and a plan - entrants that had a demo product were at a distinct advantage.

Follow Octopied via @webtogetherie, @octopied, Facebook, or pop into Harry Byrnes in Clontarf.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Love iQ Prize | No Comments »

Where are they now: #2 Plink

The PlinkArt app

The PlinkArt app

Next up is our Audience Choice winners Plink - Mark Cummins talks about the incredible few months they’ve had since the iQ Prize.

iQ. So what have you been up to since the iQ Prize?

MC: Well, we’ve been hard at work developing cool apps around our image recognition technology. The big news is that we were chosen as one of the winners of Google’s Android Developer Challenge, which came with a $100,000 award. We’ve launched our PlinkArt app on the Android market, an iPhone version is in the works, and we’ll soon be rolling out our Developer API to let other programmers use our image recognition system.

iQ. How did the iQ Prize help?

MC: I think probably the most helpful thing was that it gave us a deadline :). When you’re in the very early stages of a start-up, things are pretty unformed and it helps to have a near-term target to aim at. We then got some good feedback and contacts at the event, and of course the cash was also useful (we put it towards getting some professional UI design for our app, which went on the win us the Google prize).

concept

How PlinkArt works

iQ. What’s on the horizon?

MC: The app is now launched on the Android market. Next tasks are the iPhone version and our Developer API. We’ve also started discussions with some major art galleries to pilot the app as a replacement for those ancient tape-player audio guides that get used in museums.

iQ. What would you recommend to people looking to enter the iQ Prize next year?

MC: My feeling is that what impressed the judges is some evidence of a little momentum. It doesn’t have to be huge - we were definitely very, very early in our development when we entered - but it helps if you have a demo or something you can show that demonstrates where you might be able to take your idea.

Follow Plink’s progress via @plinksearch, @mark_cummins, and the Plink Art blog.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Love iQ Prize | No Comments »

Where are they now: #1 Decisions For Heroes

d4h

Decisions For Heroes at the UK Emergency Services Show 2009

A few months on from the iQ Prize, we thought it would be a good idea to catch up with our shortlist to see how they’ve progressed. First up is iQ Prize winner Robin Blandford from Decisions For Heroes.

iQ: So what have you been up to since the iQ Prize?
RB: Decisions For Heroes has started selling! We now have paying customers in the USA, Canada, UK & Ireland. The team has doubled in size and we now have someone undertaking sales. People really like the product and we’re finding new markets for it all the time.

iQ: How did the iQ Prize help?
RB: It’s amazing what being “Award Winning Software” means to people. We’ve been in sales meetings where people have said, “And I believe you’re award-winning?” The substantial monetary value of the prize means it is taken seriously by people not in the technology industry. The money has helped us research new markets and filled a huge stop gap of runway to get us to the point of first revenue.

iQ: What’s on the horizon?
RB: We’ve now got a reasonably good presence in the UK having exhibited at the biggest trade show for Emergency Services in the Coventry. We’ve lots of interest from big national organisations and that is certainly the direction we’re going in.

iQ: What would you recommend to people entering the iQ Prize next year?
RB: Be different. Find a blue ocean market. Work day and night to get a prototype. Open-source your application form. Nail the presentation.

Follow Robin’s progress via the Decisions For Heroes Facebook page, blog and @d4h.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Love iQ Prize | 1 Comment »

iQ Prize Blog

You are currently browsing the archives for the Love iQ Prize category.

Archives

Categories