- Two thirds of the pre-selected teams come from startups, while the remaining third come from universities. Regional presence is strong, with representatives from Concepción, Viña del Mar and Temuco. This is the second consecutive year of this open innovation challenge, organized by the Chilean Navy, Know Hub and AthenaLab.
On Tuesday, September 28, training begins for the 10 pre-selected teams of Avante 2021, an open innovation challenge that seeks to solve two problems identified by the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) through science- and technology-based ventures that could become sophisticated suppliers to the defense sector and the civilian market (dual technologies). This is the second consecutive year of the initiative, organized by the Chilean Navy, Know Hub Chile and AthenaLab.
Two thirds of the pre-selected teams come from startups or ventures, while the remaining third come from universities. A woman leads one of the teams, and regional presence is strong, with representatives from Concepción, Viña del Mar and Temuco.
The three organizing institutions of Avante 2021 were part of the evaluation panel. Know Hub Chile was represented by its executive director, Javier Ramírez, and AthenaLab by John Griffiths, Ignacio Mardones and Fernanda Muñoz. The Chilean Navy was represented by Officers Francisco Mackay, Felipe Balmelli, Leonardo Grilli and Jorge Maldonado. Héctor Reyes and Fernanda Maldonado, representatives of the Chilean Army (Ejército de Chile), also supported the process.
Avante 2021 schedule: what’s next?
For four weeks, the ten teams will receive training in the Dual Tech methodology, focusing mainly on beneficiary discovery. In fact, on October 5 and 6 the teams will take part in their first bootcamp. The goal of this process is clear: to deliver a pitch at the end of October. Five teams will be selected from there; they will receive USD 6,000 to develop their Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and will continue their Dual-Tech training for seven more weeks. During this stage, they will be accompanied by a team of experts, facilitators and mentors responsible for providing methodological and practical tools to the innovators and entrepreneurs taking part in the program.
In mid-December, the five teams will once again present before a jury of experts, who will choose the two winners. First place will receive up to USD 65,000 and second place up to USD 55,000. These resources are intended to implement a six-month work plan to scale the MVP and bring the technology closer to its dual market.
The 10 selected teams and their leaders
How can naval assets be available whenever and wherever they are needed? This is called Naval Asset Availability, and this year Avante is focused on solving challenges related to this topic, specifically for one of the naval assets that is hardest to maintain and sustain over time: ships. Two challenges brought together entrepreneurs, researchers, and undergraduate and graduate students: Engineering systems diagnostics, with an emphasis on data analysis and sensing, and Remote technical assistance, with collaborative and augmented reality tools. The 10 teams embarking on the challenge of solving these problems, and their leaders, are:
1. Blue Monster: a platform that integrates hardware, firmware, software and wireless links to optimize and automate data-driven processes. Tzu-Chiang Shen, startup Blue Monster Ingeniería.
2. Collaborative and support tool: technical advice and remote support for field activities in geographically complex environments. Andrés González, startup Streltech.
3. Preventive tool for ship maintenance: a system based on log analysis to support the maintenance of naval and maritime vessels. Andrés Ávila, Universidad de la Frontera.
4. JakSol: a predictive and prescriptive maintenance platform for engineering systems, with vital-sign measurements to improve the planning and management of naval assets. Felipe Bueso, unaffiliated.
5. MINERVA: a multiplatform application with tools aimed at increasing the effectiveness of field personnel, a library of procedures, blueprints, manuals, guides and videos, along with video-calling capability. Iván Díaz , Startup Innod.
6. Failure prediction and logistics orchestration: a solution that diagnoses and classifies failures in propulsion plants using statistical analysis and artificial intelligence. Aaron Cassorla, startup Omnix Corp.
7. PredictiveLab: a platform for identifying failures in equipment and systems by processing monitoring data with machine learning algorithms. Viviana Meruane, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Chile.
8. RENAMASS: integrated diagnostic software that uses artificial intelligence for predictive maintenance, with low-cost, in-house developed sensors and a machine learning module. Sergio Vera, startup InnerCore.
9. SIDMO: a platform for monitoring and diagnosing engineering systems through sensing and data analysis. Daniel Núñez, Universidad del Desarrollo.
10. Zentinel: a solution that seeks to integrate offline and online maintenance management through communication systems and software, connecting onshore personnel with remote maintenance teams. German Domke, Startup KTI Ingeniería.
