Walking through the IFA Next hall on Saturday morning, usually the peak day of the Berlin electronics fair, two questions arise spontaneously. First of all: but where is everyone? And then: why are there so many empty stands?
The field experience is the same in other areas of the fair and clashes with the resounding announcements of the “sold out” by the organization on the eve of the event. Even last year the turnout and the number of stands was well below the golden years. But the 2022 edition was the first after the pandemic break, and above all it was affected by the absence of almost all the small and medium-sized Chinese companies still unable to travel which in other years filled a good part of the stands.
In the IFA Next area the main problem is positioning. For some obscure reason, startups have been moved from a high-traffic area near one of the main entrances of the fair to a larger but also more isolated peripheral pavilion. With the result that many of the visitors have to arrive here on purpose after long walks, without knowing exactly what they will find.
And that’s a shame, because a trip to IFA Next after your glut of identical washing machines, dryers, blenders and robot vacuum cleaners proves that the ideas and innovation are still here. They have the faces of many startuppers who have come from all over the world to tell their stories and showcase their products. Sometimes brilliant, other times bizarre, often naïve, but always full of an optimism that is very good in times of war and growing divisions. We asked for a few stories and ideas: here we have selected the ones we liked best.
Seetrue Tech: my eyes
At IFA Next there weren’t only finished products, but also still immature technologies in search of a final form and above all of investors. This is the case of SeeTrue Technologies, a Finnish startup that has developed a super-compact eye movement tracking system. According to the startuppers, the yield is comparable to the systems of SensoMotoric Instruments, a German startup acquired by Apple in 2017: it is said that that technology is the basis of the eye tracking of Apple’s Vision Pro.
Why we like it: you will forgive the joke, but eye tracking is certainly a sector to keep an eye on. The release of the Vision Pro in 2024 will spark a race to imitate and technologies such as that of SeeTrue Technologies will be the basis of future developments and potentially new products and commercial applications.
Bluevent MuMu: the table composter
The Korean Blueven has created a line of ultra-fast composters that transform organic waste into dry fertilizer in less than 24 hours. They are super silent, do not create odors, have a self-washing system and have a design that does not clash even in the most sophisticated kitchens.
Why we like it: optimizing waste processing and reducing the weight of waste arriving at landfills is a great way to do something concrete for the environment. A composter like this is a useful and sustainable device that can help.
Ladis, the ultraviolet rays that disinfect
Born in 2016 as a university project that went on to win the Dyson Award, Ladis is a super-compact ultraviolet lamp that can disinfect the contents of an entire bottle of water in just a few minutes. Several bacteriological studies demonstrate its effectiveness: the product is already available in Korea and is aimed in particular at campers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Why we like it: the founder of Ladis has the approach, determination and physique du role of an ingenious and solitary inventor who fully believes in his idea. Literary fascinations aside, the product works and can have very important applications. Not so much for wealthy Korean or European campers, but in poor communities in developing countries where it could help prevent diseases like childhood diarrhea. According to ActionAid data, the disease, despite being trivial, easy to prevent and treatable, kills more than half a million children every year mainly in very poor countries. Disinfecting your water using a device like this could make all the difference.
MyMoony, frequencies against menstrual cramps
The French startup MyMoony has created an electronic belt capable of relieving menstrual cramps thanks to massaging stimulation and heat. To make men experience the sensation of cramps, the startup has set up a test with two electrodes: here we have tried it, we do not recommend the experience, and we would like to say that we deeply empathize with women all over the world for what they have to pass every month.
Why we like it: for obvious reasons we cannot say if the device really works and how much it can relieve menstrual pain, but we really liked the idea and the naivete with which this small French startup tries to solve a common but still tending problem with technology too often to ignore.
Permitted – Heads up display for all cars
The brainchild of a Swedish innovator, Consenz is an intelligent heads-up display that can be installed on the dashboard of any car. Thanks to a connection with the car, it can show the main driving data and some important notifications selected so as not to distract the driver. It connects to the car via the OBD port and to the mobile phone via Bluetooth.
Why we like it: in the transition to electric many new cars will mount new connected and integrated electronic interfaces, but what to do with older cars? Ideas like this help keep vehicles that aren’t ready for the junkyard alive for a while longer. Also interesting are potential B2B applications such as a live directions system for delivery vans, for example.
Nooku, air quality is a game
The Scots at Nooku make a compact, portable device that can analyze the air quality in your home and give you tips to improve it. Thanks to a dedicated app and an intelligent UI based on the principles of gamification, the whole family can turn improving the air quality in the home into a game.
Why we like it: compared to other products seen at IFA Next, this is the most complete and ready for the market. The interface is very well made and the idea of focusing on raising awareness of the issue of air quality with a device that is also aimed at the little ones with an educational approach is, in our opinion, a winning one.
Becon, hair analysis with AI
Also from Korea, the most represented country at IFA Next, comes Becon, a hardware device and an intelligent solution software platform for hair analysis which, thanks to computer vision, can perform a complete check of the scalp in just a few minutes. The platform can determine hair density, the degree of sebum production, skin dryness, hair quality and thickness, plus many other parameters that make it possible to recommend the most suitable treatment, where necessary.
Why we like it: in a fair where the buzzword AI is everywhere, often without any reason, it is interesting to discover concrete applications of machine learning and technologies based on machine learning. Even when they reveal to us that, in our specific case, a little more could be done for the scalp and hair health.
I pay, the payment ring
The German startup PagoPace creates an NFC ring that allows you to pay contactless at all European and international POS terminals. A smartphone app allows you to quickly connect your current account (any SEPA account can work): to pay, just bring the ring close as you would with your phone or smartwatch.
Why we like it: the idea of a wearable for payments is not new, but the pago team seems to have managed to solve the problem of onboarding and integration with banks in a simple and elegant way.