55 up-and-coming robotics firms from 21 countries worldwide are taking part in Innoechos Call for Startups 2015. Judged by a panel of 6 investors from around the globe, the 5 selected companies, each in business for less than 5 years, will be given a free booth at Innorobo 2015.

Lyon, France, February 11, 2015.

Innoecho, the company behind Innorobo, Europes leading event in robotics technologies, markets and innovations, has just closed the application process for its Call for Startups 2015. Held every year since the first edition of Innorobo in 2011, the Call for Startups gives budding robotics companies from around the world a helping hand and a chance to shine. A prestigious panel of international investors will select the 5 entrepreneurial ventures that will present their robotics projects at a plenary conference during the 3-day Innorobo 2015 event in Lyon, France.

Some 59 applications were sent in to Innoecho this year, with 55 selected to take part in the project screening process. Participating startup companies must be less than 5 years old, receive less than €2 million in funding and not be affiliated with a large group.

Startups from 21 countries have applied to take part in the 2015 edition, whose 5 finalists will be awarded a booth at Innorobo 2015, from 1 to 3 July in Lyon, where they will pitch their project in front of a panel of international investors on 2 July.

A panel of renowned international investors

This year, 6 high-profile international robotics industry investors will be on hand to judge the 5 finalists:

* Malgosia Iwankowska - Co-Founder & Board Member of KB Medical SA
* Anastasia Emmanuel - UK Hardware, Technology & Design at Indiegogo
* Baybars Altuntas - Entrepreneur & Angel Investor, VP of Eban-Belgium
* Jean-Philippe Olier - VP Business Development, Safran
* Alexandre Ichai - Founder, Robotcapital & Director, Robotlab
* Oussama Ammar - Co-Founder and Partner, Thefamily

For more information on the panel and Call for Startups, visit http://innorobo.com/call-for-startups/

Everyone at Innoecho wishes all of the participants the best of luck. The names of the 5 finalists will be revealed in March 2015.

"We are delighted to have startups from 21 countries taking part in our Call for Startups 2015, which also brought in the highest number of applications since Innorobo was started, as well as a panel of renowned investors," said Catherine Simon, Founder and CEO of Innoecho. "This shows that the growth of the robotics industry is worldwide and knows no borders. I congratulate todays entrepreneurs who have understood that they can longer limit themselves to their regional ecosystem, but have to get out and find their market, partners and investors where they are, all over the world… and namely at Innorobo."

In 2014, the five finalists were:

* Fahad Azad, Robosoft Systems (India)
* Thierry Claudel, Tyva Energie (France)
* Kai Sim, CTRLWorks (Singapore)
* Alban Guyot, MyKompany (France)
* Francesca Iannibelli, Hands Company (Italy)

About Innorobo:
Innorobo, Europes leading event dedicated entirely to the robotics sector and its innovations, has created a unique ecosystem to speed up the emergence of technologies that provide solutions for the major challenges our world is facing. Innorobo brings together established robotics companies from around the world, as well as research laboratories, start-ups, inventors, institutional players, strategy and innovation decision makers from major international groups, SMEs and the media. www.innorobo.com

About Innoecho
An Impact Consulting firm focused on business development through innovation and expertise in worldwide robotics markets, Innoecho brings together a vast business ecosystem of disruptive technologies in order to make the world a better place. Throughout the year, Innoecho drives a community of over 3,500 robotics companies worldwide with nearly 10,000 leaders and decision makers who work together through open innovation and see robotics technologies, products and services as opportunities for technology-fueled growth and competitive advantages. www.innoecho.com