STARTUPS DESIGNING APPS for mobile devices will be the hottest sector for European investors over the coming year.
That is according to a survey of startup accelerators from Fundacity, which has produced a report into the industry.
It said the mobile app market was the one accelerators were most likely to invest in during the coming 12 months, followed by data analytics and the internet of things – a catch-all term for smart everyday devices.
Here’s what Fundacity listed as the hottest sectors:
The report also showed Ireland was punching above its weight when it came to being among the most active countries for accelerators last year.
The accelerator model is based on competitive applications for early-stage funding, as well as giving startups access to mentors and training.
Some 81 startups were put through accelerator programmes in Ireland for 2014, the fifth-highest number of any country in Europe.
The figure was higher than the total for Germany, although well behind the 599 startups supported through similar investment schemes in the UK.
The report said €39.5 million was invested in startups through accelerators across Europe last year of which about €1.9 million went to Irish companies.
The major players
Wayra, a startup accelerator backed by Spanish telecoms giant Telefónica, provided the biggest share of that funding.
It recently announced it was closing its Dublin office, one of 12 outposts worldwide, when the current cohort of businesses finished its programme in June.
Previous local graduates include Trustev, which in 2013 was named Europe’s best technology startup, and Restored Hearing, which began as a Young Scientist project in 2009.
The decision came after Telefónica offloaded its Irish O2 network to rival Hutchinson Whampoa, which operates the Three brand.
The Irish government-supported National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) was the third-biggest investor across Europe among the public funds, and in the top-10 overall.
By the end of last year, startups in its portfolio had a total market value of €220 million.
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