Slovenian start-up Gotoky began Startupbootcamp HighTechXL in the first week of September. The Eindhoven-based programme gives start-ups three months to work intensively on getting their company off the ground. For Gotoky, it’s a chance to further develop a smart walkie talkie – before the competition does. CEO Denis Lončar will be talking to e52 every week about his experience with Katja Lipičnik, Chief Marketing Officer, over the next three months. This week: A Famous Surname (Read all the previous instalments here)
To kickstart or not to kickstart, that was the question this week. Kickstarter, the American crowdfunding platform, is one way the Gotoky device could be quickly developed and sold, but Denis just made the decision not to kickstart. At least, not yet. Some research into the statistics shows that putting your product on Kickstarter at the end of the year – which was the Gotoky team’s initial plan – isn’t a good idea. It seems you have a much greater chance of raising enough funding in the months of January and February. “Moreover, 90% of our supporters (read about how Gotoky got a huge Facebook community in no time here) really don’t seem to be familiar with Kickstarter.”
And so it’s too early for Kickstarter at the moment. Denis and his team will do things differently, namely through a presale on their own website. The webshop on their site will be launched in mid-November and early birds will be able to order a Gotoky. It’s all happening so fast! But, in any case, the first step has already been taken. Last week, Denis signed a contract with a company in Slovenia to start the production of the Gotoky. “And from now on it’s really all about working hard.” Denis and Katja are also feeling the pressure from Startupbootcamp, which is racing ahead at breakneck speed. “Last week, we had a team meeting with all of our colleagues, even those who aren’t physically at Startupbootcamp. Everyone’s got to really work hard now.”
But there’s also a little bit of time to relax this week. Well, we say relax: “We’ve been invited to a dinner in Rotterdam with the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Rotterdam, as well as Jan Peter Balkenende (current partner at EY) among others.” Denis had no idea that the former Prime Minister was once nicknamed after a famous wizard, but it gives rise to an unexpected connection: Denis’ surname means ‘Potter’ in English.
Part 5 next week.
Read all of the previous instalments here.
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