AIA launches startup competition for vision technology innovators

29 Mar 2016

$10,000 prize awaits winning company using vision systems in “new and unique ways”. Application deadline is April 7.

BCON is Basler’s newly-developed interface, which offers reliable image data transfer.

AIA, which claims to be the world’s largest trade association for vision and imaging, is inviting vision systems companies to participate in its startup competition to be staged at forthcoming Vision Show, to be held in Boston, MA between May 3-5, 2016. Companies interested in submitting an application should be utilizing vision and imaging in “innovative ways”. The contest will be presented as a part of the Vision Show on the exhibition floor of Boston’s Hynes Convention Center.

The AIA says that vision and imaging technologies “are being used more today than ever before in areas such as robotics, military, security, drones, life sciences and consumer devices”, adding that “in recent years there has been a groundswell of startup companies introducing new products leveraging vision technologies.”

The Vision Show Startup Competition is seeking out startups to generate awareness of their new solutions. Jeff Burnstein, President of AIA, commented, “We recognize the critical role of startups in driving innovation and bringing forth new technologies to foster continued growth in the vision and imaging industry. We encourage them to take advantage of this competition opportunity to spread awareness and take their company to the next level.”

Shortlisted pitches

Eight semi-finalists will have five minutes each to pitch their technology to a panel of investors and vision experts, where they will compete for a grand prize of $10,000. Eligible companies should be leveraging vision and imaging in their products in an innovative way; have been around for five years or less; raised less than US $2 million since launching; and not be affiliated with a larger group.

Now with startup competition, AIA's Vision Show 2016.

All semi-finalists will be provided booth space on exhibition floor, putting them in front of an expected audience of more than 3,000 industry professionals interested in vision and imaging technology. To enter the Vision Show Startup Competition, intetested parties can apply online here. The deadline for applications is April 7, 2016.

Founded in 1984 to advance the understanding and use of imaging and vision technologies and to drive global expansion and growth through education and promotion, the AIA now represents over 330 vision suppliers, system integrators, users, researchers, and consulting firms from 32 countries.

As well as the Vision Show, the AIA is known for developing vision and imaging standards such as GigE Vision, Camera Link, Camera Link HS and USB3 Vision; it also presents the Automate Show (April 3-6, 2017 in Chicago); the annual AIA Business Conference (January 18-20, 2017 in Orlando) and a range of other industry events.