The three finalists for the IT Solutions award, the technological vertical of the BMAP competition supported by KCS IT, have been selected. The maturity and quality of the more than 3,000 ideas submitted mark the 12th edition of the initiative.

Lisbon, September 27, 2022 - The three finalist projects for the IT Solutions Award have been chosen, the vertical of the Banco Montepio Acredita Portugal (BMAP) competition supported by KCS IT, which seeks to develop technology startups with a focus on the digital transformation of companies and the reinvention of traditional commerce.

Selected from more than 3,200 ideas registered for this 12th edition of the program, the finalists were chosen following an assessment at a Pitch Day. The selection criteria focused on the startup's maturity (traction and market validation indicators and the quality and suitability of the team) and synergy with the vertical (potential to innovate in the sector and solve its challenges). They will now take part in Phase 2 of the competition, which aims to generate connections and visibility for the selected startups.

For Tiago Farinha, Managing Director of KCS IT, "The partnership we have developed with the BMAP Competition is part of a continuing approach to supporting entrepreneurship through technology and innovation, dimensions that are part of our DNA and the way we create solutions for our clients. As this has been an experience for a number of years, we can clearly see in this edition the maturity and quality of the proposals submitted, which translates into an increasingly sophisticated entrepreneurial ecosystem. We believe that we can make a significant contribution to helping this type of project evolve, become more viable and have an impact on the market and the community."

The focus of this year's Contest was to attract more mature startups with the aim of having solutions with greater potential to carry out projects with sponsors and to strengthen the brands - of the program and sponsors - by associating them with outstanding startups in their verticals. This strategy attracted the interest and recognition of the players in the ecosystem and made it possible to increase media coverage.

It has been possible to reach more mature startups, pointing to active prospecting and the internationalization of the program's communication to attract quality projects and entrepreneurs from other Portuguese-speaking countries.

The three finalist projects:

• GetCommerceIntelligent sales platform, with an artificial intelligence system that combines predictive analysis and automatic recommendations, recovering most of these sales that would be lost on any other platform. https://getcommerce.com.br/
• Invisible CollectorWhile Debt Collection Departments and Agencies rely on manual, underpaid and underqualified work, intimidating debtors to the point of exhaustion and completely disregarding their position as customers, Invisible Collector carries out in-depth behavioral analysis, providing customers with a solution that allows them to identify and contact tomorrow's debtors today. https://invisiblecollector.com/

• Whywaste: Uses big data and artificial intelligence to help food retailers reduce their losses from expired products by up to 75%. https://www.whywaste.com.br/

About the 12th edition of the BMAP Competition

• Investment Raised: +70% of startups have already raised at least one round of investment, in which the average raised was €982k. This metric indicates validation from investors and support for the development of these companies.
• Annual revenue: +90% of startups already have revenue and the average is €565k per year. A very significant number of startups are not just in the ideation phase, but are already operating with paying customers.
• Number of applicants: Although this was not the main focus of prospecting, we tried to ensure a high number of registrations, as this was a priority in previous years. In this edition the initiative had 3,257 registrations.

About KCS IT

KCS IT is a technology services company with an innovative approach and an agile team, focused on creating value for clients through strategic consulting, project management and training. It has a multifaceted range of services and partnerships with which it takes its clients' businesses to new heights of excellence. It develops business innovation. It is recognized for its expertise in project management, through the implementation of international PMI® best practices. It is aligned with Salesforce, SAP, Microsoft, Oracle and Esri solutions. It creates value for businesses in the digital age, developing strategies and dynamics through its Key Services unit. More information at www.kcsit.pt.