Y Combinator, a massive incubator for innovative start-ups, is having its annual conference as we speak. Here are the five most interesting startups from this year’s event going on right now in Mountain View, CA.
-
Emote
Poor scholastic performance is not without emotional cause or consequence. Unfortunately, it’s one of the most difficult things for teachers to track inside of the classroom. Emote is an app that will provide teachers with real-time insights into how the emotions of their students are affecting their grades. True, it’s a little big brother-ish, but, if in the right hands, it can enable teachers and counselors to understand and help their students like never before.
-
Revlo
UFC fighter Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, while being a longstanding champion in the sport, wanted to boost his income and have a little more fun. So what did he do? Play video games. Twitch and other live-streaming “let’s play” platforms are becoming a popular and therefore lucrative form of entertainment. Revlo attempts to streamline information on audience engagement and demographics for these modern entertainers, allowing them to better understand their target market. Who’s watching you play Minecraft? And why are you getting paid for it? Now you can answer all of your mom’s bothersome questions.
-
Proxy
Many businesses use RFID cards instead of keys to allow employees access to certain areas. Of course, the only problem with this model is that, just like keys, these cards can be easily lost. Proxy looks to remove this problem by using what nobody leaves behind nowadays: the cellphone. Using Proxy, workers will be able to scan their way into exclusive areas without carrying anything extra.
-
CoinTent
Seems like everyone’s using Adblocker right now. And why not? It takes seconds to download and install, and afterwards you never have to worry about watching a corny GEICO insurance commercial before your YouTube video starts up. Alas, CoinTent is trying to change that by giving businesses and websites the tools to identify users with ad blocking software — charging them for access or blocking them entirely. Enjoy these golden ad-free days while you can.
-
Jumpcut
The “ADD Generation” has become a pretty trite slur for twenty- (and soon to be thirty-) somethings these days. When it comes to media, the faster the pace, the better. Jumpcut wants to parlay this formal preference for education by featuring online classes and lectures that employ a more cinematic style. Quick cuts and dynamic shots will be used instead of a fixed camera. Cynically, we can imagine a future lecture on Kierkegaard where the professor’s TA has to jingle keys in front of students to keep them awake.
Featured image by Robert Scoble on Flickr.
