Another year of Barcelona's colossal Mobile World Congress (MWC) has wrapped up. Initially catering to mobile manufacturers and telecom companies, the rise of IoT has expanded its scope to include everything from mobility and wearable tech to smart cities and robotics.
The event also features its sister conference, 4YFN (Four Years From Now), showcasing thousands of startups alongside a vibrant lineup of side events.
This year, I’ve taken a remote approach—much to the relief of my feet, which are spared from trekking between pavilions spread miles apart. Here’s some companies to have on your radar from sunny Barcelona this week:
Algorized (Switzerland)
Algorized develops sensing and perception AI with scalable, low-cost, and low-power software for sensor manufacturers.
The robotics startup’s software analyses environments, detects people's presence at a distance, enables wearable-free localisation and people detection, even through walls, and captures vital signs such as breathing and heart rate for personalised user experience anywhere.
iPlayArt (Ukraine)
9 out of 10 people give up music within one year due to the lack of results, caused by the low efficiency of self-study.
iPlayARt is a music education platform that leverages AI to provide personalised learning experiences for aspiring musicians. The app features a Personal AI Tutor that dynamically adapts to users’ skill levels, offering real-time feedback, tailored exercises, and insights to enhance learning efficiency. Designed to be more accessible and cost-effective than traditional music lessons, iPlayARt supports multiple instruments, including piano and drums, and provides structured guidance for users at any level.
In the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) stage, iPlayARt is testing its business model while inviting early adopters to join the waitlist for three months of free use upon launch.
Nimble Diagnostics (Catalonia)
Stents, one of the most implanted devices globally, are used to restore the correct flow of blood or other fluids.
They are instrumental in preventing heart attacks or treating their lasting symptoms, but once implanted, they can become blocked or damaged, which occurs in almost a third of the cases. This progression occurs gradually, but symptoms appear only after the stent is already 90 per cent occluded, which is too late to prevent worsening conditions.
Then, in most cases, clinicians must perform an invasive procedure called angiography, which consists of inserting a catheter into the artery to inspect the stent directly. This is a very complex, invasive and expensive procedure.
In response, Nimble Diagnostics is developing a microwave-based technology that can read the electromagnetic signature of the stent non-invasively.
Its main objective is to measure and monitor any issue with in-stent restenosis, thrombosis or stent fractures, enabling early treatments and preventing negative outcomes.
Orquest (Spain)
Orquest is an AI-powered workforce management platform designed specifically for the retail industry.
The platform predicts demand to determine the tasks and hours required, automates scheduling based on actual needs, and ensures that the right employees are in the right place at the right time.
It optimises in-store operations by aligning employee availability with store demand, using advanced forecasting and scheduling to generate optimal work schedules, taking into account factors such as demand trends, associate availability, and store needs.
This approach helps retailers like Dior and H&M manage complex scheduling for over 250,000 employees across multiple countries.
Lead image: Christoph Sollich.
TokenMe (The Netherlands)
TokenMe uses wireless tag and sensor technologies to monitor "boots on the ground" and improve safety at construction sites using UWB, LoRa, WiFi and BLE technologies.
Construction workers wear smart badges or helmet tags (tokens) that transmit anonymous data to battery-powered mobile anchors mounted at strategic locations across the site.
The anchors send the information — worker presence, motion, temperature, humidity, loud sound, air quality, and light intensity — to the TokenMe database (cloud or on-premise), where data is processed using AI and rules to provide meaningful real-time insights and predictions on construction workflow and building conditions.
The TokenMe dashboard visualizes data as graphs, lists, and maps, giving an overview of task execution, location of materials and equipment, real-time presence of personnel, and progress tracking and predictions.
Falls are one of the highest risks leading to fatal accidents, so TokenMe uses a fall-detect and a "request for help" button to generate warnings and critical alarms. The easy-to-install solution substantially improves safety, reduces delays, and reduces project costs.
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