Aitizaz Hassan

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Epiphany – a startups accelerator firm – joined forces to organise an artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) boot camp called AI/ML Reactor. The AI/ML Reactor is a rigorous five-week virtual program aimed at driving the AI/ML awareness and empowering startups in Pakistan.

The AWS received an overwhelming response for this program. Twenty-five startups were chosen out of 250 startups that applied from across Pakistan. The participants had access to exclusive master classes, a group tech mentoring session, and one-on-one mentoring sessions with AWS specialists and thought leaders. At the end of the program, they presented their AI/ML solutions to a panel of judges.

Salesflo -- one of Pakistan’s fastest growing software as service (SaaS) platforms -- got the first prize in the pitching. They build tools to improve in-field sales efficiency for consumer goods.

Currently, only 2% of Pakistan’s 700,000 retail outlets are merchandised. This provides growth potential for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies to make their products available, visible, and engaging to consumers. Salesflo’s winning solution enables a shop to be merchandised, providing greater store coverage, lower costs, and faster availability.

Salesflo has also completed successful pilot tests with clients such as Unilever and Friesland Campina. In addition, they have been working on embedding this module within their product Engage to enhance merchandising and optimise workflows. The program is a step towards fulfilling the potential of the retail industry and bringing innovation to the up-and-coming tech sphere of Pakistan.

Ozoned, an insurtech startup that aims to digitally transform the insurance value chain, got the second position. It services multiple stakeholders (insurers, insurance brokers, insurance agents, customers, and others) in the insurance ecosystem. Ozoned joined the AI/ML reactor program to develop solutions to overcome digital data entry errors and minimise high survey costs in the automotive insurance space. With Amazon Textract, Ozoned was able to extract data automatically from a customer’s government-issued identification card to activate motor insurance coverage.

The AI/ML Reactor program allowed Ozoned Digital to impart AI/ML training to its team and come up with a world class AI/ML technology solution in the insurtech space. XpertFlow, an AI-powered preventative healthcare company founded in 2019, got third position. Its mission is to reduce mortality from hospital acquired infections (HAIs) that eventually lead to sepsis -- the body's extreme response to an infection.

In Pakistan, approximately 350,000 people are affected by sepsis each year, and more than 275,000 lose their lives. It costs public and private hospitals more than Rs10 billion ($66 million) per year to treat sepsis. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.

After the AI/ML Reactor program, the sepsis AWS AI model is now fully tested and is being piloted at a few hospitals in Pakistan. XpertFlow has started using SageMaker to estimate blood pressure noninvasively, continuously, and without using arm cuffs. They are currently running trials for this new approach towards calculating blood pressure in a hospital in Islamabad.

Trukkr, which provides financial services and technology for logistics in Pakistan, also got third position. It gives both large and small businesses a comprehensive technology platform to manage and provide all their logistical needs. Trukkr saves organisations’ time and money, while providing them with deep data and powerful insights.

During the AI/ML Reactor program, Trukkr delivered initial solutions to optimise their onboarding funnel. They extracted data from uploaded documents using Amazon Textract, and used that information to prefill a signup form.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk