"Join the workshop without second thought!" - Manos Barmpounakis on his experiences at bench2biz
For 2022’s edition, NCCR Automation member Manos Barmpounakis took part and was coached by KTT officer Ben Sawicki. We asked Manos for his thoughts on the experience.
NCCR Automation: Tell me about your research project
Manos: Currently, traffic studies mainly use cameras, loop detectors and sometimes even manual counting. This is too labor intensive, expensive and at the end you get questionable quality of data. The car-centric, old generation of equipment cannot adapt to the mobility needs of the 21st century city, where more people travel by bike and other non-auto based methods. We are offering mobility solutions to cities as an all-in-one service where we use drone data to map how people travel and, based on this highly detailed data, present reports with mobility recommendations that can help city authorities reduce traffic congestion and become more sustainable. Our technology can adapt to any city as an added layer to all existing infrastructure, without any permanent infrastructure cost. We solve problems not only related to congestion, but to mobility, safety, public transportation, emissions and logistics.
NCCR Automation: There are so many startup acceleration programmes on the market, what made you take part in the Bench2biz workshop?
Manos: From the first interview with the organizers, I liked that they emphasized the intensity and working in short time intervals. This makes it more realistic as out in the market, we do not always have the time we have in our lab during our research endeavors.
NCCR Automation: What did you get out of the experience? What has changed in your mindset since taking part?
Manos: Although the project was already quite mature, I got to “fine-tune” some small (yet important) details that can make a big difference during future pitches. I got to improve my skills in summarizing the project and find out what is important to include during an elevator pitch.
NCCR Automation: What do you plan to do in the future? Was this a worthwhile experience?
Manos: Yes, I totally enjoyed the experience and have already recommended it to colleagues. With my co-founder, we have created a specific yet flexible plan for our road to market. We aim to follow that, while getting as much feedback as possible from our mentors and coaches, but also potential customers to adjust when necessary.
NCCR Automation: How has the year since you took part in bench2biz been?
Manos: The last year has been amazing for our start-up MobiLysis. We have already started our first projects, will starting our first hiring rounds in November and will also be getting our own space.
NCCR Automation: What would you recommend to anyone thinking of taking part in 2023?
Manos: Join the workshop without second thought! Ask as many questions as you can as it’s rare to find all these experts… for free! Open your ears to the constructive criticism you will receive as this will advance your project faster than you’ve ever thought.
Read more about MobiLysis on their website, and apply for this year's bench2biz.
