Deep within Startup Alley at Disrupt Europe in Berlin we discovered a few great companies. These are two of them. This is their story.
Cupflow is a clever solution to an age-old problem: how do you give away free coffee? The system uses a Wi-Fi enabled system that will trigger any electronic coffeemaker to spew out a nice cup of coffee. How do you use it? You scan a QR code, perform a social interaction (Liking on Facebook, Twooting a Tweet, or Google+ing someone), and the coffee begins to pour. It was an interesting way for folks with waiting rooms, for example, to share some coffee while getting some social love.
Another interesting startup was Edgar, a way to tell highly visual stories using large photos and a clever reading interface. The stories are high-concept and very readable (Ink is a pretty good one). Think of them as a source for highly complex yet usable presentations and a way to share clever slideshows with your friends. These things, in their own way, are important.