Get Plugged In: Three Communication and Collaboration Startups to Keep an Eye On

An annual appreciation for European Technology is once again set to take place.  On Thursday, March 11, 2010, showcasing companies, live speakers, judges, and a public crowd will participate in this year's Plugg Conference at the Belgacom Surf House in Brussels.  Already, twenty companies have been recognized as finalists for the Start-Ups Rally, which pays special attention to the new and upcoming businesses in the European digital industry.  Of those, there are three contenders that should receive special notice from those most interested in communication and collaboration.

CloudSplit

The first is a company called CloudSplit.  This company has recognized the need for financial tracking in the world of business clouds- most specifically the Amazon's highly popular product.  The real time image of the computing cloud and related expenditures provides users a clear picture of how money (a very real possession) is being allocated in the virtual world.  In having this precise view, companies can assure that budgets are held up and spent intelligently to provide the best opportunity for further growth.

Flowr

Another company that is sure to make some headway in the collaboration industry is Flowr.  Much like the buzz happening in the collaboration industry in America currently, the minds behind Flowr have recognized the need for a social-networking-like venue for enterprise.  With real time flow of information, European industry is sure to see improved efficiency and decreased expenses thanks to companies like Flowr, which provides a secure area for information share.  Currently, the service provided by Flowr is free for groups of twenty people or fewer and it has the option of an installable system for the office.

Inbox2

Inbox 2 by Tabdeelee, functions on your desktop, from the Web, or on your mobile phone.  Acting in the cloud, Inbox2 is able to bring all your emails, social networking friends, and contact lists together so they can be accessed from anywhere- office, home, cell, or elsewhere.  Filters pull the most relevant information- the favorites- into a separate box.  It allows the user to send one message to a group of contacts, whether a contact via email or social network and it is designed to further enhance productivity with reminders for when to read and what to do with specific messages.