Startup Europe Awards
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DATABASE (682)
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ARTICLES (719)
Co-founder of Smile and Learn
Blanca Rodríguez Montero won the MIT LatAm Startup competition in 2015 while completing an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at MIT's Sloan School of Management. She also worked in Boston for VCs like Rough Draft Ventures and Founder Collective while at MIT. In 2011, she started her first job at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) after graduating with in Law and Business Administration in Spain. In 2014, she joined BCG consultant Victor Sánchez Rodríguez to co-found edtech Smile and Learn. In June 2018, she moved to Paris as co-founder of Next Station, an online recruiting platform for international talent.
Blanca Rodríguez Montero won the MIT LatAm Startup competition in 2015 while completing an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at MIT's Sloan School of Management. She also worked in Boston for VCs like Rough Draft Ventures and Founder Collective while at MIT. In 2011, she started her first job at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) after graduating with in Law and Business Administration in Spain. In 2014, she joined BCG consultant Victor Sánchez Rodríguez to co-found edtech Smile and Learn. In June 2018, she moved to Paris as co-founder of Next Station, an online recruiting platform for international talent.
COO and co-founder of Capaball
Jose Luis Vega de Seoane graduated in 2012 as a software engineer from the Complutense University of Madrid. He has also completed a global management program at IESE Business School.In 2013, he co-founded video games developer Upplication as CEO. The mobile app maker was sold in 2017 to Mobusi, a leading digital marketing company. He left Upplication in 2018 and became a digital strategy advisor at the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX).In 2018, he co-founded Capaball as COO. He is also a mentor at Conector Startup accelerator and a board member of IBECOSOL. In 2020, the serial entrepreneur has founded two new startups: Heris, a platform to cure patients affected by aphasia and a digital marketing agency Trevol.
Jose Luis Vega de Seoane graduated in 2012 as a software engineer from the Complutense University of Madrid. He has also completed a global management program at IESE Business School.In 2013, he co-founded video games developer Upplication as CEO. The mobile app maker was sold in 2017 to Mobusi, a leading digital marketing company. He left Upplication in 2018 and became a digital strategy advisor at the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX).In 2018, he co-founded Capaball as COO. He is also a mentor at Conector Startup accelerator and a board member of IBECOSOL. In 2020, the serial entrepreneur has founded two new startups: Heris, a platform to cure patients affected by aphasia and a digital marketing agency Trevol.
CTO and co-founder of IOMED Medical Solutions
Gabriel de Maeztu is CTO and co-founder of IOMED Medical Solutions, which facilitates data extraction from electronic health records (EHR) and where he has worked since 2016. He had the idea for the software in 2014 and worked on it from then, completing two internships during that time: at QMENTA, formerly Mint Labs, a US drug development startup dedicated to brain diseases (where he worked in data science) and at Barcelona bioresearch center IDIBAPS in neuro-imaging research.De Maeztu holds a doctorate in Medicine from the International University of Catalonia, where he first had the idea for IOMED. He also holds a bachelor’s in Mathematics and a postgraduate qualification in Data Processing, Data Science and Big Data. He was also previously a developer at Barcelona tech agency Chroma Branding.
Gabriel de Maeztu is CTO and co-founder of IOMED Medical Solutions, which facilitates data extraction from electronic health records (EHR) and where he has worked since 2016. He had the idea for the software in 2014 and worked on it from then, completing two internships during that time: at QMENTA, formerly Mint Labs, a US drug development startup dedicated to brain diseases (where he worked in data science) and at Barcelona bioresearch center IDIBAPS in neuro-imaging research.De Maeztu holds a doctorate in Medicine from the International University of Catalonia, where he first had the idea for IOMED. He also holds a bachelor’s in Mathematics and a postgraduate qualification in Data Processing, Data Science and Big Data. He was also previously a developer at Barcelona tech agency Chroma Branding.
Co-founder of AllRead MLT
Marçal Rossinyol is a computer scientist, associate researcher and R&D project manager in the Computer Vision Centre (CVC) in Spain, where he participated in over 20 competitive research projects at national level and also for the European Commission. Since 2005 he is teaching assistant and lecturer at the Computer Science Department of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.Rossinyol also joined entrepreneurship programs in digital humanities and automatic reading systems, which, in 2019, led him to co-found AllRead MLT, a deep-tech startup that converts text, symbols and codes to Big Data using computer vision technology, character recognition and machine learning. His interests also include deep learning, data science, reading systems, information retrieval and performance evaluation.
Marçal Rossinyol is a computer scientist, associate researcher and R&D project manager in the Computer Vision Centre (CVC) in Spain, where he participated in over 20 competitive research projects at national level and also for the European Commission. Since 2005 he is teaching assistant and lecturer at the Computer Science Department of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.Rossinyol also joined entrepreneurship programs in digital humanities and automatic reading systems, which, in 2019, led him to co-found AllRead MLT, a deep-tech startup that converts text, symbols and codes to Big Data using computer vision technology, character recognition and machine learning. His interests also include deep learning, data science, reading systems, information retrieval and performance evaluation.
Co-founder, CEO of Visualfy
Manel Alcaide Dias is the Spanish CEO and co-founder of Visualfy, the first hardware and app employing AI-enhanced sound recognition for the autonomy of the deaf, where he has worked since 2017. Prior to this, he was co-founder and co-manager at the startup’s forerunner, Valencia-based Fusió d'Arts Technology, a communications agency for the disabled from 2011 until its pivot into Visualfy. This agency itself was a pivot from Alcaide’s previous startup Asociacion Cultural Fusió d'Arts, an arts and culture-based association for the deaf, which he also co-led from its founding in 2009. From 2002–2011, Alcaide was also founder and manager of a co-operative pub. Alcaide studied Business Administration and Accounting at Laurona Institute of Professional Training near Valencia and is fluent in sign language.
Manel Alcaide Dias is the Spanish CEO and co-founder of Visualfy, the first hardware and app employing AI-enhanced sound recognition for the autonomy of the deaf, where he has worked since 2017. Prior to this, he was co-founder and co-manager at the startup’s forerunner, Valencia-based Fusió d'Arts Technology, a communications agency for the disabled from 2011 until its pivot into Visualfy. This agency itself was a pivot from Alcaide’s previous startup Asociacion Cultural Fusió d'Arts, an arts and culture-based association for the deaf, which he also co-led from its founding in 2009. From 2002–2011, Alcaide was also founder and manager of a co-operative pub. Alcaide studied Business Administration and Accounting at Laurona Institute of Professional Training near Valencia and is fluent in sign language.
Operation & finance lead and co-founder of Graviky Labs
Nikhil Kaushik is one of the three co-founders of a startup company and MIT spin-off, Graviky Labs, which he began together with Anirudh Sharma and Nitesh Kadyan. The company developed AIR-INK, an industrial and customer-grade ink made of upcycled carbon emissions that are captured and purified through patented proprietary technology. At Graviky Labs, Kaushik heads its operations and finance, and formerly oversaw its supply chain and business relations.Kaushik is a qualified chartered accountant. Prior to Graviky Labs, he worked in Ernst & Young managing tax advisory and compliance work for large Indian and international corporates. Kaushik was named one of Foreign Policy magazine's 100 Global Thinkers in 2016 along with the other Graviky Labs co-founders.
Nikhil Kaushik is one of the three co-founders of a startup company and MIT spin-off, Graviky Labs, which he began together with Anirudh Sharma and Nitesh Kadyan. The company developed AIR-INK, an industrial and customer-grade ink made of upcycled carbon emissions that are captured and purified through patented proprietary technology. At Graviky Labs, Kaushik heads its operations and finance, and formerly oversaw its supply chain and business relations.Kaushik is a qualified chartered accountant. Prior to Graviky Labs, he worked in Ernst & Young managing tax advisory and compliance work for large Indian and international corporates. Kaushik was named one of Foreign Policy magazine's 100 Global Thinkers in 2016 along with the other Graviky Labs co-founders.
CTO and co-founder of AgroCenta (Holdings)
Michael Ocansey graduated in accounting and IT from Regent University of Science and Technology in Dansoman, Ghana. From 2005 to 2010, Ocansey worked as a lead web developer at Ghanaian digital development agency Esoko in Accra, where he met business development executive Francis Obirikorang. Ocansey also worked as a contract web developer for software developer Origo in San Diego for two years until 2013.In 2015, Ocansey and Obirikorang co-founded Swappaholics Holdings in British Virgin Islands. He worked for one year as CTO for the online marketplace that allows users to “barter” or exchange products, skills and services.In January 2016, Ocansey and Obirikorang established AgroCenta (Holdings) Limited in Mauritius. The agritech startup set up its first office in Accra to provide an e-commerce platform, supply-chain and fintech services to smallholder farmers in Ghana.
Michael Ocansey graduated in accounting and IT from Regent University of Science and Technology in Dansoman, Ghana. From 2005 to 2010, Ocansey worked as a lead web developer at Ghanaian digital development agency Esoko in Accra, where he met business development executive Francis Obirikorang. Ocansey also worked as a contract web developer for software developer Origo in San Diego for two years until 2013.In 2015, Ocansey and Obirikorang co-founded Swappaholics Holdings in British Virgin Islands. He worked for one year as CTO for the online marketplace that allows users to “barter” or exchange products, skills and services.In January 2016, Ocansey and Obirikorang established AgroCenta (Holdings) Limited in Mauritius. The agritech startup set up its first office in Accra to provide an e-commerce platform, supply-chain and fintech services to smallholder farmers in Ghana.
CEO and co-founder of X1 Wind / PivotBuoy
Trained in mechanical engineering, Alex Raventos graduated from the MIT-Portugal’s Executive Master’s program focused on sustainable energy systems. In 2017 he joined the prestigious Global Solution Program led by Singularity University at NASA Research Park in Mountain View, California, where talents meet to develop innovative technology and groundbreaking solutions that address the greatest challenges for humanity today.Raventos has gained significant experience as head of economics and project coordinator in companies in the energy sector such as WavEC Offshore Renewables and Bluewater.In 2014 he founded Inn2Grid, consulting companies in renewable energy and focused on ocean energy technologies. Since 2017 he has been CEO and co-founder of X1 Wind, a Barcelona-based startup developing a downwind turbine technology to reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) in offshore wind plants.
Trained in mechanical engineering, Alex Raventos graduated from the MIT-Portugal’s Executive Master’s program focused on sustainable energy systems. In 2017 he joined the prestigious Global Solution Program led by Singularity University at NASA Research Park in Mountain View, California, where talents meet to develop innovative technology and groundbreaking solutions that address the greatest challenges for humanity today.Raventos has gained significant experience as head of economics and project coordinator in companies in the energy sector such as WavEC Offshore Renewables and Bluewater.In 2014 he founded Inn2Grid, consulting companies in renewable energy and focused on ocean energy technologies. Since 2017 he has been CEO and co-founder of X1 Wind, a Barcelona-based startup developing a downwind turbine technology to reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) in offshore wind plants.
COO and co-founder of Xendit
Tessa Wijaya joined Indonesian fintech Xendit as co-founder and COO in 2016, a year after the payment gateway startup graduated from the Y Combinator program and launched its platform in Indonesia.Wijaya obtained a master’s in philosophy from the University of Sydney in 2006 after graduating from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in 2003. She returned to Indonesia and worked as a corporate development officer for over three years. In 2010, she became an analyst at Principia Management Group and Fairways Investment Group, both being Southeast Asia-focused investment firms. In 2013, Wijaya went on to work as an associate at Singapore-based investment firm Mizuho Asia Partners for over three years before joining Xendit back in Jakarta.
Tessa Wijaya joined Indonesian fintech Xendit as co-founder and COO in 2016, a year after the payment gateway startup graduated from the Y Combinator program and launched its platform in Indonesia.Wijaya obtained a master’s in philosophy from the University of Sydney in 2006 after graduating from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in 2003. She returned to Indonesia and worked as a corporate development officer for over three years. In 2010, she became an analyst at Principia Management Group and Fairways Investment Group, both being Southeast Asia-focused investment firms. In 2013, Wijaya went on to work as an associate at Singapore-based investment firm Mizuho Asia Partners for over three years before joining Xendit back in Jakarta.
Chief Creative Officer and co-founder of Beyond Leather Materials / Leap
Hannah Michaud first started exploring ways to develop sustainable textiles in 2016 while completing her studies in sustainable fashion at Copenhagen’s KEA School of Design & Technology. She also studied fashion technology and design at the KEA academy from 2012 to 2015.Michaud worked as a fashion design intern at Danish company Barbara I Gongini in 2016 and also at Weekend CPH in 2014. After her graduation in 2017, she decided to continue her research work on sustainable fabrics as co-founder and chief creative officer of Danish alt-leather startup, Beyond Leather Materials ApS, in Copenhagen.Originally from Maine, US, Michaud also studied music as a classical flutist at the University of Maine, where she was first chair in its Symphony Orchestra, and Sustainable Agriculture in the university’s Natural Science and Forestry department.
Hannah Michaud first started exploring ways to develop sustainable textiles in 2016 while completing her studies in sustainable fashion at Copenhagen’s KEA School of Design & Technology. She also studied fashion technology and design at the KEA academy from 2012 to 2015.Michaud worked as a fashion design intern at Danish company Barbara I Gongini in 2016 and also at Weekend CPH in 2014. After her graduation in 2017, she decided to continue her research work on sustainable fabrics as co-founder and chief creative officer of Danish alt-leather startup, Beyond Leather Materials ApS, in Copenhagen.Originally from Maine, US, Michaud also studied music as a classical flutist at the University of Maine, where she was first chair in its Symphony Orchestra, and Sustainable Agriculture in the university’s Natural Science and Forestry department.
Aspex Management was founded in 2018 by Hermes Li Ho Kei who was previously the executive MD and Head of Asia Equities at Och-Ziff Capital Management, aka OZ Management. Prior to joining OZ in 2011 Li worked at Goldman, Sachs & Co in Hong Kong.The London School of Economics graduate is now the chief investment officer at Aspex. The Hong Kong firm focuses on equity investments in Pan-Asia, specializing in sectors with long-term market growth potential and companies undergoing structural changes.Aspex led the $64m funding round for South Korean fintech unicorn Toss in August 2019. The P2P money transfer service platform Toss is created by Viva Republica backed by PayPal. Other participants in the round included existing Toss investors Kleiner Perkins, Altos Ventures, Singapore's GIC, Sequoia Capital China, Goodwater Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners.In May 2020, Aspex also invested in another startup Market Kurly, a grocery-delivery service provider that became South Korea’s latest unicorn via the Series E funding round that secured $328m led by DST Global. In July, Aspex also joined the $900m Series C+ funding round of Xpeng Motors, Tesla’s EV rival in China.
Aspex Management was founded in 2018 by Hermes Li Ho Kei who was previously the executive MD and Head of Asia Equities at Och-Ziff Capital Management, aka OZ Management. Prior to joining OZ in 2011 Li worked at Goldman, Sachs & Co in Hong Kong.The London School of Economics graduate is now the chief investment officer at Aspex. The Hong Kong firm focuses on equity investments in Pan-Asia, specializing in sectors with long-term market growth potential and companies undergoing structural changes.Aspex led the $64m funding round for South Korean fintech unicorn Toss in August 2019. The P2P money transfer service platform Toss is created by Viva Republica backed by PayPal. Other participants in the round included existing Toss investors Kleiner Perkins, Altos Ventures, Singapore's GIC, Sequoia Capital China, Goodwater Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners.In May 2020, Aspex also invested in another startup Market Kurly, a grocery-delivery service provider that became South Korea’s latest unicorn via the Series E funding round that secured $328m led by DST Global. In July, Aspex also joined the $900m Series C+ funding round of Xpeng Motors, Tesla’s EV rival in China.
Co-founder of AllRead MLT
Dimosthenis Karatzas is Senior Research Fellow and Associate Director at the Computer Vision Centre (CVC) of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). He specializes in computer vision, document image analysis and color science. In 2007, he co-founded TruColour in the UK, where he currently is a member of the board of directors. In 2013, he was awarded the IAPR/ICDAR Young Investigator Award “for outstanding service and innovative research in human perception-based document analysis.” Karatzas also worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool and University of Southampton in the UK. Since 2019, he has been part of the co-founding team of Allread MLT, a deep-tech startup that converts text, symbols and codes to Big Data using computer vision technology, character recognition and machine learning.
Dimosthenis Karatzas is Senior Research Fellow and Associate Director at the Computer Vision Centre (CVC) of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). He specializes in computer vision, document image analysis and color science. In 2007, he co-founded TruColour in the UK, where he currently is a member of the board of directors. In 2013, he was awarded the IAPR/ICDAR Young Investigator Award “for outstanding service and innovative research in human perception-based document analysis.” Karatzas also worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool and University of Southampton in the UK. Since 2019, he has been part of the co-founding team of Allread MLT, a deep-tech startup that converts text, symbols and codes to Big Data using computer vision technology, character recognition and machine learning.
CSO and co-founder of iLoF
Paula Sampaio is a biochemist who completed a PhD in biomedical sciences at the University of Porto in 1998. She worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the IMBC INEB Associate Laboratory for four years. In 2002, she was promoted to the role of head of advanced light microscopy and stayed there until 2015. Sampaio is now the national coordinator for Portuguese bioimage platform PPBI and the head of advanced light microscopy at the Institute of Research and Innovation of the University of Porto (i3S).In November 2019, she joined iLoF as CSO and co-founder. iLoF gets technical support from i3S at the R&D center in Porto. The medtech startup focuses on personalized medicine through the use of AI and photonics to create optical fingerprints in a cloud-based library to gather and manages disease biomarkers and biological profiles.
Paula Sampaio is a biochemist who completed a PhD in biomedical sciences at the University of Porto in 1998. She worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the IMBC INEB Associate Laboratory for four years. In 2002, she was promoted to the role of head of advanced light microscopy and stayed there until 2015. Sampaio is now the national coordinator for Portuguese bioimage platform PPBI and the head of advanced light microscopy at the Institute of Research and Innovation of the University of Porto (i3S).In November 2019, she joined iLoF as CSO and co-founder. iLoF gets technical support from i3S at the R&D center in Porto. The medtech startup focuses on personalized medicine through the use of AI and photonics to create optical fingerprints in a cloud-based library to gather and manages disease biomarkers and biological profiles.
CTO and co-founder of Bygen
Ben Morton is an Australian entrepreneur and a chemical engineer by training. While serving in the Royal Australian Infantry, he attended Flinders University, pursuing a double honours degree in physics and organic chemistry. After graduating in 2013, Morton briefly worked as a chemist at fertilizer company SprayGro. In 2016, he enrolled at the University of Adelaide to pursue a PhD in Chemical Engineering. There, he joined Philip Kwong’s research group and met fellow PhD student Lewis Dunnigan. Using technology they developed at the research group, in 2017 Morton, and Dunnigan established Bygen, a startup offering a low-cost, novel way process of making activated carbon using various forms of agricultural waste, with Kwong as a technical adviser and fellow co-founder. Morton is now CTO of Bygen.
Ben Morton is an Australian entrepreneur and a chemical engineer by training. While serving in the Royal Australian Infantry, he attended Flinders University, pursuing a double honours degree in physics and organic chemistry. After graduating in 2013, Morton briefly worked as a chemist at fertilizer company SprayGro. In 2016, he enrolled at the University of Adelaide to pursue a PhD in Chemical Engineering. There, he joined Philip Kwong’s research group and met fellow PhD student Lewis Dunnigan. Using technology they developed at the research group, in 2017 Morton, and Dunnigan established Bygen, a startup offering a low-cost, novel way process of making activated carbon using various forms of agricultural waste, with Kwong as a technical adviser and fellow co-founder. Morton is now CTO of Bygen.
CTO and Co-founder of Play2Speak
Based in Madrid, Fabio Polimeni is an Italian computer engineer from Torino Polytechnic. After completing a MSc in Videogames Programming at the University of Hull in 2009, he worked for almost three years in Cambridge UK for Ninja Theory as an engine programmer.In 2013, he worked as a senior core-tech programmer at the Lionhead Studios in Guildford UK, designing and maintaining low-level and multi-thread systems, physics library integration, as well as gameplay optimizations.Together with Alberto Gordillo who also worked at Lionhead Studios, he co-founded Poligor Studio in 2016 as CTO to develop a VR tech-demo and simulation of the Great Fire of London 1666. They left the London startup a year later and went to Madrid to set up Play2Speak with Polimeni as CTO. Since 2019, he is also a core-tech consultant for Polystream.
Based in Madrid, Fabio Polimeni is an Italian computer engineer from Torino Polytechnic. After completing a MSc in Videogames Programming at the University of Hull in 2009, he worked for almost three years in Cambridge UK for Ninja Theory as an engine programmer.In 2013, he worked as a senior core-tech programmer at the Lionhead Studios in Guildford UK, designing and maintaining low-level and multi-thread systems, physics library integration, as well as gameplay optimizations.Together with Alberto Gordillo who also worked at Lionhead Studios, he co-founded Poligor Studio in 2016 as CTO to develop a VR tech-demo and simulation of the Great Fire of London 1666. They left the London startup a year later and went to Madrid to set up Play2Speak with Polimeni as CTO. Since 2019, he is also a core-tech consultant for Polystream.
Backed by pharmas, doctors, medtech startup DyCare is expanding fast across Europe
Its remote musculoskeletal rehabilitation and monitoring system sets to improve rehabilitation outcomes in an overtaxed sector
4YFN: Investment booms across Europe during pandemic
Speaking at the recent 4YFN conference, prolific European startup investor Mattias Ljungman provided a highly optimistic assessment of the continent's current ecosystem strength and climate for seed funding
Refurbed: Electronics recycling marketplace gets $54m for EU consolidation, overseas expansion
Consumers can reduce their carbon footprints by shifting toward a circular economy, become carbon-neutral by planting one tree with every purchase from Refurbed
FuVeX: Long-range hybrid-technology drones for multiple business uses
With its innovative hybrid helicopter and airplane technology, FuVeX is poised to take full advantage of the business opportunities afforded by new European regulations governing long-range drones
Sheetgo: Easy and secure cloud-powered spreadsheet data at your fingertips
Named Most Scalable Product at South Summit 2018, Sheetgo turns spreadsheets into data clouds for business users around the world
James, an AI-powered tool for faster, more accurate credit risk assessment
Capable of analyzing over 7,000 types of data, the award-winning credit risk tool for financial institutions is also quick to install and roll out
GOI Travel: From collaborative economy to professional transporter
Optimizing last-mile delivery to guarantee the cheapest service
Clicars: Bringing certainty to buying a used car
Spanish online used car dealer aims to sell 10,000 vehicles by 2021 via its unique sales offer that has booked it €50 million in sales since 2016
Lluvia Sólida: An economic lifeline for farmers in drier, unpredictable climate conditions
Reducing the need for watering by up to 90%, this Mexican startup’s polymer-based water retention technology is a potential game-changer for farming worldwide
In Spain, women are busy launching startups
Official data show women-led startups are on the rise in Spain. We take you to some of the biggest names in the game
Solatom: Cost-effective flatpack mobile solar energy units for SMEs
Solatom's turnkey solar thermal solutions can cut energy costs by 37%. Its real-time data analytics can also be used to ensure that the industrial processing units are operating at optimal conditions
BEEVERYCREATIVE: Taking 3D printing from classrooms into Outer Space
Innovative 3D printing for daily use from a picturesque fishing village in Portugal.
Europe ramps up development of local EV battery sector in race to zero emissions
Startups, automakers jostle or unite to ride the fast-growing EV battery market, as the EU pumps billions into developing its own value chain, to cut reliance on imports
In Portugal tourism tech gets disrupted, in time for post-Covid-19 era
As Portugal reopens to tourists early next month, the sector is banking on a new generation of tourism tech startups to enable safety and reassure visitors
Drone Hopper: Firefighters of the future
A senior Airbus engineer from Spain has developed heavy-duty autonomous drones to quell wildfires safely
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