An award like this is always an exciting affair, but how do you actually get involved?
It all started with an email inviting us to apply. For applications of this kind, you do not send a classic CV, but have to answer a lot of questions. Whereby, well. Actually, it is a CV, namely the Senzoro CV that you submit here.
How long has Senzoro existed? What does Senzoro do? Why did you earn the job, excuse me, award?
Actually, these are all questions that you would be asked in a traditional job interview. Based on these questions, the companies were pre-selected and invited to a pitch at the end of September. By the time of the pitch, there were only 6 of the original 40 left. And yes, the "Corona effect" really shook up the plans of us and KPMG. A pitch from us was not possible due to Markus Loinig's quarantine, but no one can tell the story of Senzoro better than Markus, so we had to switch to an online pitch at short notice. But management consultants usually help with the really big problems of this world, so the short-term switch from offline to online was no problem. We thank you for your flexibility ;)
The big question in pitching is actually always "three" or "five"?
That is the typical time window in which you have to tell your highlights as a "start-up". You guessed it, that is somehow not too much time, especially when it comes to AI. KPMG has opted for the crisp 3 minutes, so let us prepare for that.
But: how do you actually prepare for a pitch?
Short answer: practice, practice, practice and the rest: trade secret ;) The exciting thing about the evaluation of the pitches here: It was not KPMG that evaluated the pitches, but 20 people from the top management of the Austrian economy. We know them all, we have the list, but we are not allowed to reveal it. You know, GDPR and all that ;)
The highlight of this pitch?
At the end we knew directly who had won. An online vote by the jury made it possible. At the same time, we had to swear/sign that we would not reveal the winner until the official award ceremony. Fair enough, because then the tension is maintained.
But what actually made the jury choose Senzoro as one of the top 3?
We do not know the reasons, of course, but what stands out compared to others is that the combination of AI ultrasound fascinates people and it is a very tangible application of artificial intelligence. Often, you first have to find the benefit for AI in your own company; with us, the benefit is crystal clear right away. Want to know how a roller bearing is doing? Call Senzoro. Do you want to reduce maintenance costs? Call Senzoro. You just want to experience AI? Feel free to get in touch.
For the official award ceremony?
We were allowed to pitch again in a great location "Tech Gate Vienna". This time they were more generous with 5 minutes and there was even time for questions from the audience. The event was broadcast live, and a total of around 200 people listened in. The biggest audience for Senzoro so far, only the appearance at the Hannover Messe, of course in 2019, was a bit more "pompous".
Perhaps finally the question: what does this actually bring us?
KPMG's goal is to offer promising AI companies a platform to become better known, and it definitely succeeded. Afterwards, one or the other member of the jury simply calls. Sometimes you get into business and have one more client.
Did we really party?
Sure, the Senzoro team did party a little, but at the end of the day we all like to sit in front of the results of the last model calculation and are all curious to see what the AI has learned. Bearings OK, but bad lubrication? Aha, it can now suddenly recognise that, very good. We give the AI a new (nickname): SCHOKI - comes from the German word for lubrication “SCHmierung” and OK.
https://wien.wirtschaftszeit.at/unternehmen-detail/article/kpmg-ki-award-2020-fuer-start-up-cogvisai
