BERNE – Swisscom AG, a leading provider of communication, IT, and entertainment services, has revealed the top 10 picks for its inaugural 5G StartUp Challenge. In a pioneering move, this year’s challenge opened its doors to start-ups worldwide, attracting 125 applications from 30 countries. The finalists, selected from this diverse pool, will present their innovations in an online final on December 17, according to a press release published on EuropaWire.

Partnering with Ericsson and Qualcomm CDMA Technologies, Swisscom expanded the scope of its StartUp Challenge to a global scale. The top 10 finalists, representing a variety of industries and regions, will vie for the opportunity to advance their 5G applications and prototypes.

The finalists, hailing from Switzerland, Germany, and the USA, offer a glimpse into the future of technology. With a focus on autonomous drones, robots, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things, these start-ups showcase the transformative potential of 5G technology.

The judging panel, comprised of industry experts and senior executives, scrutinized each submission for its innovative use of 5G technology and potential for collaboration. Among the standout finalists are Aero41, Perspective Robotics, Hegias, Morphean, qiio, Rigi Technologies, Robotic Systems, Smart Mobile Labs, Somniacs, and ZaiNar.

As the competition heats up, the public is invited to cast their votes for their favorite start-up. The winning team will earn a coveted spot at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

On December 17, the finalists will present their pitches to a distinguished panel of judges, including Martin Bürki of Ericsson Switzerland, Enrico Salvatori of Qualcomm EMEA, Christoph Aeschlimann, Chief Technology Officer of Swisscom, and Roger Wüthrich-Hasenböhler, Chief Digital Officer of Swisscom.

For more information and to cast your vote, visit www.swisscom.ch/startups.