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Greek SME is looking for a partner for further developing and exploiting the potential of its integrated location-based mobile application for tourism

Country of Origin: Greece
Reference Number: TOGR20180202001
Publication Date: 2 February 2018

Summary

A Greek ICT SME has developed an integrated location-based mobile application (compatible with most popular mobile operational systems) that delivers targeted and interactive multimedia content, both indoors and outdoors, and enhances tourism and/or shopping experience. The company is interested in a joint venture or research cooperation agreement with tourism related SMEs.

Description

The Greek start-up company invests consistently in designing, developing and marketing applications for mobile devices. The company presents a mobile application which allows the user to create digital pathways in order to enhance his/her tourism and shopping experience. It combines the physical location of a user, with a set of targeted and interactive multimedia information (image, video, sound, narration, etc.), both indoors and outdoors. The given information can be delivered to the user based on his/her location and/or proximity to a specific Point of Interest (PoI).



PoIs can be placed on any outdoor map (in example, Google Maps). Depending on the direction the user follows, the application generates a dynamic real-time restructuring of the digital paths on the map, and helps the user quickly and easily discover PoIs that correspond to his preferences, at any given time. The application utilises gamification techniques, that is, it has embedded game-design elements and game principles in a non-game context, through which it maximizes users' engagement with the application and its content. It also enables users to interact and connect through social media in order to share their experiences.



The application is integrated with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons, which are based on the iBeacon, that is Apple’s technology standard, which allows Mobile Apps (running on the Apple mobile operational system and also those running on the most popular non-Apple mobile operational system) to listen for signals from beacons in the physical world and react accordingly. iBeacons are used to inform the user of their location, and provide proximity services and information, as he/she approaches certain areas and PoIs. 



Any indoor facility (museums, municipalities, shops, restaurants, advertising & media companies, etc) can achieve full functionality with the application and provide content to it, through the use of iBeacons. Such content providers, are also able to highlight selected PoIs in order to increase/attract user traffic towards them.



The Greek SME is interested in the following types of partnerships with SMEs of all sizes, active in the tourism and cultural heritage sector. The company is interested in either a joint venture agreement or a research cooperation agreement.

Advantages and Innovations

In comparison with the available in the market tourism and shopping mobile apps, this mobile application has the advantage that it supports, through the use of iBeacons, real-time data delivered to the user from multiple sources and even indoors. The biggest strength of this application is the ability to add custom web actions to any Point of Interest, outside or inside. Any existing responsive services, can instantly be integrated to the application. They can be triggered by a simple tap, or by proximity to an iBeacon.



In contrast to other location-awareness and triggering technologiesbased on GPS (Global Positioning System) which are used for sending push notifications when a user enters a specific location, the integrated with the application iBeacon technology can be used in closed spaces (indoors), and has a much-reduced impact on mobile battery life as well as a better precision. 



Another innovative feature of the application is that it allows for the creation of campaigns by content providers. Campaigns are collections of Points of Interest, buildings, maps, media, info, actions etc., all grouped to each campaign brand.

Stage Of Development

Already on the market

Stage Of Development Comment

The basic edition of the system is already available on the market.

Requested partner

Type & size of partner sought: SMEs of all sizes with tourism related services for both individuals and groups.  

Preferred type of collaboration: Joint venture agreement in accordance to which partner sought will support the development, promotion and distribution of transnational thematic tourism services & products, boosted with the extended use of mobile apps systems, for stimulating the awareness and the commitment of the existing as well as the potential customers, at European and international level. Another type of collaboration interested in is a research cooperation agreement in accordance to which partner sought will design and develop transnational thematic tourism services & products to be integrated with the described mobile application system.