The 12 Pitch@Palace finalists include Prison Voicemail, which is supported by the Cambridge Social Ventures programme at the Centre for Social Innovation at Cambridge Judge, and Wave Optics, whose chairman Martin Harriman is a Fellow in Entrepreneurship at Cambridge Judge.
Prison Voicemail enables prisoners to exchange voicemail messages with pre-approved individuals on the outside using a prison’s existing phone system. Research shows that prisoners able to build better relationships with family members are less likely to reoffend.
Wave Optics has developed a patented waveguide technology designed to make augmented reality accessible and scalable; the technology doesn’t require prisms, mirrors or scarce materials, so it offers economies of scale.
Also attending Pitch@Palace, and eligible for the People’s Choice award voted by the broader public, are 2 ventures supported by the Accelerate Cambridge programme at the Cambridge Judge Entrepreneurship Centre – Satavia and Swift Molecular Diagnostics.
Satavia has developed environmental awareness solutions for the aviation market, combining meteorology with big data and 3-D visualisation technology, while Swift Molecular Diagnostics has developed devices for accurate and low-cost genetic detection that does not require laboratory facilities or trained personnel.
Top prize at the most recent Pitch@Palace 5.0 competition was awarded in March to JustMilk, a venture supported by Accelerate Cambridge that helps breastfeeding mothers safely deliver nutrients and medicine to their babies.