Yesterday, 19th of June, in the final stage of the contest „New Book-hawker“ 2019 (https://www.naujasis-knygnesys.lt/), the most original and interesting digital solutions created in Lithuania in two recent years were represented.
This contest is the national selection to one of the largest world‘s global digital innovation contest that is under the guardianship of the United Nations – „World Summit Awards“ (https://www.worldsummitawards.org/). This year, Lithuania is represented by these 8 digital solutions:
MoQ (JSC „Mobilieji mokėjimai“), application for purchasing via smartphone (category “Business and commerce”)
ChestEye CAD („Oxipit“, JSC), solution for automatized description of X-ray photographs, by using deep learning neuron webs (category „Health and Wellbeing “);
Eddy travels („Eddy Travels“), digital travel assistant based on artificial intelligence (category “Culture and Tourism”);
VSight (Cihat Kahraman), augmented reality solution for manufacturing companies (category “Smart settlements and urbanization“)
BitDegree („BitDegree“), global online learning course platform (category „Learning and Education“);
Startup Visa Lithuania („Versli Lietuva “Startup ecosystem development subdivision „Startup Lithuania“), internet platform for foreign talents and investment attraction (category “Government and citizen involvement);
CHRG Network (Rokas Danusevičius), platform, uniting electric car charging stations to one network (category “Environment and green energy”);
Portal365 („Adel Salah“), funding and management tools platform for non-governmental organizations (category Involvement and empowerment “).
„Technologijų vedliai“ (bit&Byte academy of creative technologies) were awarded as the best solution for Lithuania. This is mentoring program and platform for primary class teachers that helps them to develop their versatile digital skills and to share it with their pupils.
Startup of the year, together with 3000 Euro cash prize and additional prizes actual for startups was awarded for the Ligence, startup. Its team is creating the unique solution for automatized heart ultrasound diagnostics.
The most popular solution with most likes from the audience – Attention Insight („Attention Insight“, JSC). This is an artificial intelligence system, created for marketing leaders and media channels, allowing them to see the design from perspective of the user.
Special prize from the commission – promise to dedicate some time of the commission members for advises and mentorship, together with a help to proclaim this innovation, is granted for Balsas (JSC „Kauno autobusai“) that helps visually impaired people to comfortably travel in public transport.
„World Summit Awards“, under the guardianship of the United Nations, is one more opportunity to proclaim Lithuania’s name in the world, by presenting our country as the attraction center of skilled, innovative digital solutions creators, – says Ieva Žilionienė, WSA expert of Lithuania and member of WSA world jury. – Opportunity for startups to appear in the world area and to meet with their like-minded is very important, and WSA gives chance to do that. We are very happy to see so many interesting, original and comprehensive digital solutions in this national contest – this allows us to expect that nominees of Lithuania will succeed in world contest”.
During the event, following multiannual tradition, the new book-hawker was awarded – a person that is very meritorious for the development of Lithuania informational society. This year, this honorable award is presented for Dr. Gintautas Grigas, docent of institute of Mathematics and Informatics of Vilnius university, project leader of the first Lithuanian computing machine “Rūta”, also perennial foster of Lithuanian computer terminology.
National selection contest in Lithuania is organized by Informational Society Development Committee (ISDC) and Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT). Friends of the contest: „Verslo žinios“ and „15min“, „Bitė Lietuva“, „Tele2“, „Telia Lietuva“, „StartUp Wise Guys“, „Change Makers On“, „Vilnius Tech Park“, „Startup Lithuania“, „Open Circle Capital“, „70 Ventures“.
WSA selection process consists of these stages:
- National selection contest stage. During this stage, each country elects its top-notch – maximum 8 national winners in each of the 8 contest categories. National selection in Lithuania is the contest “New Book hawker”. This contest uses same rules and criteria for selection as WSA. National expert of the country nominates winners of the local contest to world contest.
- WSA Internet jury stage. During this stage, experts from different countries evaluates and selects 15 – 20 finalists from 8 categories of the contest.
- WSA Grand jury stage. 16 of WSA Grand Jury members – recognized experts from all regions of the world carefully evaluates all finalists and selects 40 winners, 5 Solutions in 8 categories of the contest, who are invited into global 3 day event “WSA Global Congress”. Winners of 2019 contest will be invited to the world congress, which will be held in Vienna, Austria in March 2020.
Updated on 2019-06-25