Startupnews of the week - week 41

COCOLI promotes environmental awareness in the furniture industry. INTEGRA Biosciences supports DNTOX. X2.0 launches fourth open call with €1.5 million. aidhere joins Sidekick Health. anny introduces new app.

anny introduces new app: Resource booking made easy

Cologne-based tech startup anny has launched its new native app that allows users to easily book resources such as rooms, workspaces, parking spaces and equipment. The app responds to the increasing demands for hybrid and flexible working environments and offers an intuitive weekly planner as well as a map view of the office to easily find resources and locate colleagues. In the future, anny is also planning a public marketplace for external offers. The app serves as a central point of contact for bookable resources and offers providers a platform to make their services accessible to a wider audience. The app is now available in the popular app stores.

INTEGRA Biosciences supports DNTOX

INTEGRA Biosciences has supported the Düsseldorf-based company DNTOX as part of its "INTEGRA supports start-ups" competition. DNTOX, specialized in neurotoxicity testing, received 31 manual EVOLVE pipettes, GRIPTIPS pipette tips worth 1000 USD and laboratory equipment. This equipment will facilitate the assessment of neurotoxicological hazards and increase the company's testing capacity. DNTOX offers low-cost, non-animal neurotoxicity testing in 5 to 6 weeks and plans to expand its laboratory and hire new staff to deepen its research and increase testing capacity. The company aims to protect the developing brain from neurotoxic damage and reduce animal testing in this area

X2.0 launches fourth open call with €1.5 million

X2.0 has launched its fourth open call and invites innovative start-ups in the field of smart cities and sustainability to apply for its 5-month growth program. Selected start-ups will receive €30,000 in innovation vouchers, mentoring and scaling services from over 200 impact builders. With a total of €1.5 million in funding, X2.0 aims to respond to the urgent need for sustainable urban planning and public services as projected by the United Nations, with the goal of improving quality of life while promoting sustainability. The program focuses on various sub-themes such as urban mobility, energy efficiency, waste management and climate protection. The application deadline is December 11, 2023 at 17:00 CET. In addition, X2.0 organizes webinars for start-ups and impact builders interested in smart cities and sustainability projects.

aidhere joins Sidekick Health

It has been announced that Hamburg-based aidhere will be part of Sidekick Health, a global provider of digital therapeutics based in Reykjavik, Iceland. With this acquisition, Sidekick expands its product portfolio and enters the prescription therapeutics market. The existing digital health application (DiGA) zanadio will remain available for prescription and will be usable without restrictions. Sidekick intends to invest in the digital health application space and plans to create a new prescription therapeutics business unit to be led by Henrik Emmert, founder and CEO of aidhere. This strategic acquisition will also support the creation of new jobs in various areas and all aidhere employees will be transferred to Sidekick. Sidekick Health offers various app-based health solutions and works with pharmaceutical companies and health insurers. The collaboration between aidhere and Sidekick Health aims to drive forward the digitalization of healthcare in Germany and strengthen the offering for patients and service providers.

OCOLI for greater environmental awareness and a circular economy in the furniture industry

The Berlin-based interior start-up COCOLI is committed to protecting the environment and promoting a circular economy in the furniture industry. According to the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), over 10 million tons of furniture are thrown away in the EU every year, while a similar amount of furniture is produced at the same time. COCOLI offers an online marketplace for high-quality vintage furniture, second-hand designs and discarded collections to extend the life of furniture and reduce its environmental impact. Greta Schindler, co-founder and CMO of COCOLI, emphasizes the importance of sustainability when buying furniture and calls for more transparency in the production and transport chain. COCOLI also promotes the reuse of packaging materials and plans to introduce a workshop for repairing returns. With a growing interest in second-hand and used furniture on the market, COCOLI shows how circular economy measures can have a positive impact on the furniture industry.

AlgorithmWatch receives the Brandenburg Freedom Award

AlgorithmWatch received the Brandenburg Freedom Award 2023 at a ceremony in Brandenburg Cathedral. The organization was founded in Berlin in 2017 and is dedicated to the analysis of algorithmic decision-making processes with social relevance. Its focus is on investigating the risks and effects of automated decision-making systems with the aim of making society fairer, more democratic, more inclusive and more sustainable. Ursula Nonnemacher, Deputy Minister President of the State of Brandenburg, praised AlgorithmWatch for its work in drawing attention to threats to digital freedom. The laudatory speech emphasized the importance of their work for compliance with rules oriented towards the common good in the digital space. Cathedral dean Bishop Dr. Christian Stäblein, the jury chairman, emphasized the need for the responsible use of algorithms. Matthias Spielkamp, Managing Director of AlgorithmWatch, expressed his delight at the award and its potential contribution to drawing attention to their work.