IBM named Coriell Life Sciences and OnFarm the winners of its North American SmartCamp event in Silicon Valley. Part of the company's Global Entrepreneur Program, SmartCamps are designed to identify and support startup companies developing innovative solutions using cloud, big data, analytics, mobile and social technologies.
The winners were selected by a panel of judges consisting of venture capitalists, serial entrepreneurs and business and technology experts.
Coriell Life Sciences helps medical professionals use DNA and gene sequencing in real-world situations to better treat patients. The company's technology empowers doctors by delivering an easy to understand report that shows how well a given drug will work based on an individual's DNA.
OnFarm provides analytics and insights on key agriculture fundamentals that help farmers make better decisions about their crops. The average U.S. farm has five or six siloed systems they are trying to use for decision making. By combining that data into one dashboard, growers can save water, energy and fertilizer while producing higher quality crops.
The IBM Global Entrepreneur Program has proven to be a valuable incubator for IT startups. Past SmartCamp participants have now raised more than $115 million in venture capital funding while rapidly expanding their business. In addition, several companies have gone on to bring new offerings to market with IBM.
There is a growing network of startups working with IBM to help build a smarter planet with innovative solutions in areas such as healthcare, energy, transportation and commerce. From product creation to sales and expansion, IBM works with startup companies throughout all phases of development. Startups working with IBM receive ongoing coaching, access to technology, mentorship and connections to venture capitalists, clients and partners.
The Silicon Valley event brought together six companies from across North America. The other finalists at the event include Connectem, Mindful Scientific, Rifiniti and Toopher.
"The genome is powerful diagnostic tool for doctors, and with GeneDose we are bringing it directly to their office," said Scott Megill, chief executive officer, Coriell Life Sciences. "We are thrilled to be bringing the field of pharmacogenomics to the IBM Global Entrepreneur Finals and look forward to furthering our collaboration with IBM."
"Population rates and demand for food is rising, yet we the amount of land, and water we have isn't changing," said Lance Donny, founder and chief executive officer, OnFarm. "With OnFarm we now have the technology needed to help farmers better plan, monitor and produce more successful crops while reducing environmental impact."
Coriell Life Sciences and OnFarm have qualified to participate in the IBM SmartCamp Global Finals where they will compete against the winners from the European, Latin American and Asia Pacific regional finals. This year, IBM will host 17 SmartCamp competition events and 16 mentorship events in 24 countries.
To hear more from the entrepreneurs working with IBM to build a smarter planet visit:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL586879A85F4E71A7&feature=plcp.
To find out more about winners from other SmartCamp events visit the SmartCamp blog:
http://ibmsmartcamp.com.
