Startups are, above all things, about people. These last days we had the chance to meet the new entrepreneurs that were selected for the Beta-Start program and see their determination on taking the first step into the Startup world. Here’s your chance to also get to know them.
Beta-Start 2016 Spring Edition just kicked off last week with seven teams ready to take their ideas to the next level during an intensive one-month program. Beta-Start was designed to help all those that have an idea and the drive to make it happen, guiding them through the first steps on building a Startup. Through a strong network of experts and mentors, these entrepreneurs will learn all the basis that will allow them to build a sustainable business.
The workshops and talks cover subjects like Lean Innovation, Startup Culture, Validation Tools, How to talk with your Costumers, Prototyping, from Concept do MVP, How to Pitch and Go-to-Market strategy.
One of the most exciting aspects of the program is how we’ll probably witness some of the teams absorb all the learnings and customer feedback and start applying them into some very interesting pivots.
So we’re proud to present you our Beta-Starters and the market they’re addressing
Always on the Go: Sofia was born in Rio de Janeiro, grew up in Portugal and lived in Mozambique. With a strong background in Events and Communication she saw the main challenges in the industry at an international level and she’s now developing a way to bring that expertise to the market creating a channel that allows party planners and events organizers to plan their events abroad.
Buzaco: Diogo has already studied and worked in 6 different countries and his experience in a familiar business led him to the idea of creating an online community where designers, producers and consumers can work together to produce outdoor furniture that not only has a functional side but also a focus on design, contributing to a modern outdoor aesthetics.
FlyPilot: It was ever since a kid that Miguel wanted to build things, fly airplanes and study the stars. He’s currently a pilot so he’s now focused on his other goal, “build things”, developing a platform where plane owners can either rent them or promote plane tours.
Off the Line: Nowadays everyone is focused on online marketing, but the offline campaigns continue to be a major focus for medium-sized and big brands. That’s the opportunity Andre, with a Masters in Marketing, is addressing by creating a platform that allows marketing managers or CEO’s to choose where they’ll invest their budgets by analyzing the ROI of all the different offline channels.
Solo with Cris: Passionate about travelling, foreign countries and different cultures, Chris is also a true believer of the work-life balance and she’s now applying her vast experience as a solo traveller to create a platform that promotes and guides all those that travel by themselves, allowing them to make the most out of each place they visit.
Sweat Experience: Marvin graduated in Business Management and always had an interest for everything that surrounds digital identity and online self-representation. Andrew, who has a background in Computer Science, worked at IBM and shares Marvin’s passion for sports and innovation creates a team that is working on an active network whereby athletes can showcase their stories and gain support.
Viable: Jaime and Manuel were both at the Entrepreneurship Course at the Lisbon MBA, where their idea was born. They’re looking to create a way that allows all the stakeholders in the entrepreneurship world (entrepreneurs, incubators, accelerators, investors and funds) to evaluate projects in a simpler way, optimizing resources (financial, human and time).
All of these Beta-Starters have already taken the first step by having the courage to start working on their own ideas. Now it’s time to survive the Bootcamp.
Unfortunately, Eminem isn’t one of our mentors, but he perfectly summarizes the challenge at Beta-Start:
“Look, if you had, one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted. In one moment
Would you capture it, or just let it slip?”