Futurae selected for StartJLM program

Start JLM is a five day business trip that brings together innovative early-stage start-up founders from around the world to explore and experience Jerusalem’s vibrant start-up ecosystem. This year for the first time a start-up from Switzerland was selected for this program. The winner, Futurae, was selected at a pitching event organised by the Embassy of Israel in cooperation with CTI.

Futurae offers companies a comprehensive authentication suite with AI-based authentication and regulatory-compliant products. These products provide increased productivity and improved user experience for both employees and customers. The best known product is SoundProof, a hands-off two-factor user authentication system for online applications that require additional security. While the user logs himself in, SoundProof records the surrounding sounds of two devices (i.e. mobile phone and computer) within three seconds, and compares these data hence granting authority to the user. In comparison with other solutions, this password process does not need any interaction of the user with his mobile device; the phone can stay in one’s pocket. Futurae has first customers in place and runs several POCs. The trip to Israel offers the Swiss start-up the opportunity to get in touch with potential customers, business partners, VCs and strategic investors.

Apart from Futurae eight promising early stage start-ups were selected for the event:

ACUBE’s goal is to revolutionize the access management and people authentication by using the smartphone instead of all extra items used today. 

AuxD, a project of Idezo, is a system for city-wide audience analytics for advertising posters based on a smart camera with face and emotion recognition. 

CVcube offers SMEs a recommendation engine for further education and courses for their employees. 

Expertiz builds a web platform for the valuation and insurance of artworks 

Project Iris focusses on the digitisation of real estate valuation and property trading

Trialitics develops a data driven approach for hospital selection for cinical trials 

Still Active offers elderly people a marketplace for cultural, educational and sports activities. 

Impressive exit deals in Israel
At the event ambassador Jacob Keidar presented some basic facts about the vibrant start-ups ecosystem in Israel. The most impressive from a Swiss point of view were the numbers about exits. In 2016 there were 115 exit deals in Israel worth around $10 billion. In the first half of 2017 $17 billion was paid in 57 exit deals.

The second keynote was held by Lutz Nolte, president of Start-up and Entrepreneurship funding area at CTI. He spoke about the Swiss start-up ecosystem and emphasized similarities as well as differences between Switzerland and Israel. He sees a huge potential for cooperation between the two countries and referred to StartJLM as a perfect example for exploring synergies between Israel and Switzerland. 

Picture: Ambassador Jacob Kedar presents the award to Sandra Tobler, Cofounder Futurae