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TechTrade | 17 May 2012 :  Music analytics start-up Soundwave has been announced as the winner of NDRC's Lift Off competition. The winning start-up has access to an investment fund of €50,000 from SOS Ventures and prizes provided by Grant Thornton, Mason Hayes & Curran and the Irish Internet Association.

A spin out of NDRC's LaunchPad accelerator programme, Soundwave competed against 14 other promising start-ups by pitching in front of investors, mentors and a judging panel. The 15 participating companies are amongst 80 digital ventures created by NDRC, with other spinouts from NDRC's investment programmes having raised over €5 million in follow-on investment, with market capitalisations in excess of €10 million.

Headed up by Brendan O'Driscoll (pictured), Soundwave is a music data analytics service that allows users to discover and track what songs are being listened to, and where, in realtime. It combines geo-location and ID3 music tagging technology. Soundwave provides actionable analytics that allows the music industry to understand and react to what their market is doing in realtime and respond with local and targeted marketing campaigns, pr injections, tours and promotions for increased returns on investment. Musicians can track their global distribution in realtime. Users can discover what songs their favourite locations, friends and celebrities are listening to.

Other winners were Building Eye, a technology that enables users to monitor and research planning applications and other developments; Jumpzter, a travel application and children's forum to explore the world and recount their holiday experiences; and Sneaky Vegetables, an online educational games system whose first product teaches freehand 3D drawing to children using mobile devices.

TechCentral Reporters