Trophée Startup 2024: Qisa3D and Theodora AI are this year's winning startups
Date :
Changed on 09/12/2024
The contest, which promotes Chilean science and technology-based projects with the potential to grow and internationalize, will allow those selected to have the opportunity to enter the French market and expand throughout Europe.
Innovation, entrepreneurship and international collaboration came together in the exciting final of Trophée Startup 2024, where Qisa3D and Theodora AI were crowned as winners, opening the way to internationalization in France and Europe. The closing of the competition marked a significant milestone by offering new growth and commercialization opportunities to high-potential Chilean initiatives, thanks to the Trophée Startup internationalization program in France and Europe.
The Trophée Startup is organized by the French Embassy in Chile, Business France and Inria Chile, with the collaboration of entities such as the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID), Banco Estado, the French Foreign Trade Advisors, Corfo, ProChile, and Start-Up Chile, along with the support of the companies Accor, Air France, and Eramet.
The jury, composed of Nayat Sánchez Pi, Director of Inria Chile; Patrick Flot, Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Action and Director of the French Institute in Chile; Anne Marchal, Head of the Economic Service of the French Embassy in Chile; Dominique Boutter, Director of the Southern Cone of Business France; Sylvie Le Ny, President of the CCEF Chile Committee; Javiera Araneda, Start-Up Chile Manager of Corfo; Neha Khadakkar, Open Innovation Manager of Eramet; and Felipe Mancini, Vice President of Chiletec; listened to the pitch of each of the 5 Chilean science-technology based companies finalists of this edition, who presented their initiatives. Among the finalist startups were:
Bionaute/JMB Biotechologies: It develops sustainable precision pesticides to protect crops and people. By understanding the genetic mechanisms of each pest, Bionaute designs molecules that interfere with their infection and growth processes.
Simbionet: It produces cellulose from organic fruit and vegetable waste from the city, guided by an algorithm to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Solaero: Manufactures drones equipped with solar panels for greater flight autonomy.
After the jury's deliberation, Qisa3D and Theodora AI were finally selected as the winners of the competition.
Verbatim
We are very pleased with the level of the startups that have applied. This year we received 20 applications from very high-level startups with a solid scientific background, which has really caught our attention. This is precisely the type of startups we want to support, and the winners represent that perfectly: a combination of top-notch science and robust scientific methodology that turns into a product and solution with social impact, as is the case of the two startups that won this year's trophy.
Auteur
Poste
Director of Inria Chile
Verbatim
This competition is very relevant for the local innovation ecosystem because it gives Chilean startups with a scientific and technological base the opportunity to explore the European market, with France as a gateway. We evaluated very diverse ventures, which use different types of technology to solve problems ranging from health to agriculture, and we are looking forward to seeing what they can continue to achieve in the future with this expansion opportunity.
Auteur
Poste
Manager of Start-Up Chile
Benefits to the winners
Qisa3D and Theodora AI will receive a wide range of benefits that will allow them to scale their initiatives in new markets in France and Europe. The winners will receive, among other benefits, training in digital technologies with Inria Academy; presentation of the French market and its opportunities through Business France; participation in a program with a world-renowned accelerator with training and dedicated program; and participation in the Vivatech 2025 event, a major international meeting on innovation and startups, which will take place in Paris in June next year.
Meet the winners of this day's event
Qisa3D is a technology startup dedicated to innovate in the medical field through in vitro 3D printed models to simulate endovascular embolization of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and other vascular pathologies. Founded in 2023 in Santiago, Chile, Qisa3D combines technology and medical knowledge to create models that raise the standards in interventional neuroradiology education. With high-fidelity 3D printing, AI-assisted design and anatomical accuracy, the company aims to lead in brain AVM models, collaborating with educational institutions, healthcare professionals and companies in the simulation and development of endovascular procedures.
Verbatim
We are very happy, as a team, to have won in this edition of the Trophée Startup, because for us, France is a place that feels very natural. Since we started our research, everything we have developed has had its roots in France, always maintaining a close link. Now it is important for us to return with a more mature product to the country where we were born.
Auteur
Poste
CEO of Qisa 3D
Theodora AI is a technology that analyzes texts and phrases to detect and mitigate bias in legal and judicial documents, advertising, contracts, emails and social media posts, among others. It is capable of identifying biases related to gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability and socioeconomic characteristics, generating metrics and diagnosing reputational risk according to the type of bias prevalent in each organization.
Verbatim
Having this opportunity is incredible, because unlike other competitions or initiatives, the Trophée Startup includes a direct incorporation of the ecosystem of France in Chile, travel, participating in international events, among other benefits. Entrepreneurship is very difficult, so these opportunities are like a dream. So for us it seems to be a spectacular award and very different from what is currently offered in Chile.
Auteur
Poste
Chief Innovation, Design & Brand Officer of Theodora AI