Goa, March 29, 2019: The Forum of Innovation Incubation Research and Entrepreneurship (FIIRE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) promoted hackathon event VHAcK raised a storm amongst startups in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) space in Goa with over 24 startup teams exhibiting their technology solutions.
VHAcK is an initiative of Goa-based Technology Business Incubator FIIRE, catalyzed and supported by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India as part of its inked 5-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) to identify, nurture and seed fund startups in India with a focus of technology solutions using Artificial Intelligence.
The VHAck involved requirement gathering, mentoring and solution identification. The startups pitched for AI enabled Chatbox solutions for the Human Resource Department at GSL and also AI enabled Automatic Text Messaging Service at GSL for the operations.
Speaking on VHAck, DS Prashant, CEO, FIIRE said, “At VHAck, solutions can be provided by market validated matured startups as well as early stage startups, who will be provided an opportunity to deploy the solution at GSL and remotely manage the maintenance and support.”
Vikas Ambasta, AGM, IT, GSL, said, “The idea is to incorporate AI technologies (methods, processes) into shipbuilding. There should be a scalable jump in terms of the process we are following, manufacturing deadline we are currently meeting must be reduced as a result. We want AI technology to help Goa shipyard achieve those targets.”
At VHAck the startups will be judged and selected based on use of relevant technologies, implementation strategies, quantum of funds required for BETA testing and gap analysis with current scenario, expressed Vikas Ambastha – AGM ERP, GSL
Out of the twenty four startup teams from across India, nine startups – Hexcoderz, AIKA Disruptive Pvt. Ltd., Galatea-Tech, Sparkles Tech, Intellis, Kanerika, Octo Internet, Saurabh Kanekar and Fieldnotes.ai made it to the final list of shortlisted startup teams.
Four startups from the nine shortlisted startups will get an opportunity to implement their solutions at GSL.
Under the tenets of the MoU, GSL shall provide the mentoring services with access to laboratory facilities, value addition services such as facilities for prototype development and validation of prototypes, linkages with other countries to market the prototypes and limited seed fund to the startups.
FIIRE shall provide the infrastructure augmentation, training & coaching, business support, prototyping, corporate connect and outreach events.
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