The TechCrunch team is currently in Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress 2024 (MWC) to provide you with all the exciting updates happening at the event. Sit back, relax, and stay tuned throughout the week as we bring you the latest products, announcements, and startup news from MWC that you won’t want to miss.
So far, we’ve witnessed some major announcements, including new Android features from Google, Lenovo’s innovative laptop and rollable phone concept, and Xiaomi’s robotic dog. As MWC continues, here’s how you can keep up with our team’s coverage.
Wednesday, February 28
Five finalists revealed in 4FYN pitch competition
4yfn Awards
Annually, the Four Years From Now (4YFN) pitch competition aims to discover the best startups globally. In this year’s competition, five finalists have emerged from a vast pool of startups:
- Bitsensing (South Korea) is developing radar technology that can detect passengers in a car without the use of cameras.
- Mica AI Medical (Israel) is training its OS to detect early signs of suspicious findings in mammograms.
- Ocean Ecostructures (Spain) is working on a biodiversity regeneration program to mitigate the environmental impact of “grey oceans.”
- Qilimanjaro (Spain) is a quantum computing company focusing on high-quality qubit architectures for faster market entry.
- Whispp (Netherlands) is developing an assistive voice tech and calling app that converts impaired speech into natural voice in real-time.
Image Credits: Natasha Lomas/TechCrunch
Revolutionizing Thread with Eco-friendliness
If you’re not a fan of kombucha’s taste, a new use for it may catch your interest. During 4YFN, Natasha Lomas explored a research project at the Barcelona School of Design and Engineering that aims to create eco-friendly filaments from fermented tea waste, known as Biocel. This bio-filament is set to be commercialized, providing a sustainable alternative for organic waste recycling.
Introducing Nothing Phone (2a)
Image Credits: Nothing
London-based company Nothing has unveiled its Nothing Phone (2a), teasing out details gradually as part of their strategy. While technically their third phone, the “a” designation suggests a budget focus. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chip, providing a blend of flagship features at an affordable price point.
Tuesday, February 27
HTC Vive Transitions into Enterprise
Image Credits: HTC
About a decade ago, HTC’s Vive headsets shifted from consumer-focused to enterprise applications. Brian Heater spoke with Dan O’Brien and John Dabill from HTC Vive to discuss the shift to enterprise, their Vision Pro concept, Magic Leap integration, metaverse advancements, and generative AI technology.
eQub Digitizes Peer-to-Peer Lending in Africa
Image Credits: eQub
Meet eQub, an Ethiopian startup and the winner of the fintech pitch-off at 4YFN 2024. eQub is digitizing a local form of peer-to-peer credit called Equb, targeting banked Ethiopians with limited credit access through an innovative app.
