Tell us a little bit about your startup. Where did the idea come from? When? How many founding members were there in the initial team? Where does the name stand for? What kind of entrepreneurial experience does the current team have? Have they built successful companies in the past?
The idea of creating the service vetXpert.com was born during the development of the TellVet company. The innovative mobile application and web service designed by vetXpert.com will provide direct access to experts and veterinarians for pet owners.
The idea of creating vetXpert.com came from its founder Marcin Nowicki DVM, Ph.D, who is a scientist, university teacher, IT specialist and founder of TellVet company.
Name of the company stands for “vet” (veterinary, veterinarian), “xpert” (expert, specialist)
The current team consists of two people. Marcin Nowicki has an entrepreneurial experience as an owner of a service company in 2006-2010.
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What does a startup need to accomplish in its first year to be a success and have an impact?
VetXpert.com needs finances for launch the service, advertising among pet owners, building a strong brand and gain the leading position on the domestic market. After that, company plans to make a multi-language service and spread our services to the other European markets.
What will the company look like in a year? From any and all perspectives -- product, people, team, revenue?
Product/services:
- launch the sale of services in Poland
- strong leader position on the Polish market
- developed vetXpert.com service to multilingual service for pet owners
- obtained cooperation with foreign partners and widespread our services in other countries of Europe
Team:
- team increased by partners
Revenue:- achieved revenues attractive for investors
How big is the market for the product? How fast is it growing? Is this a stable market or one that is so cutting edge that nobody yet recognizes it's even a market? Is the market focused on consumers or businesses?
- Poland: 8 mln dogs, 6 mln cats, 6 mln exotics = 20 mln customers
- Europe: 75 mln dogs, 90 mln cats, 106 mln exotics = 271 mln customers
Zoological market in Europe:
- Annual sales of pet food products: € 13,8 billion
- Annual value of pet related products and services: € 11 billion
- Population of pets in Poland and in Europe is still growing
What sets the company apart in the market? Why do consumers choose your product over the competition? What competitive advantages does the company have to offer?
Poland: Our customers will choose our services because there is no other company that provides similar mobile services. vetXpert company will be first and only one on the Polish market. Pet owners will appreciate the comfort of quick, easy and direct access to professionals.
Europe: There are no professional services for pet owners in Europe. There are no services giving direct access to the pet experts. There are no other services in the world using a mobile application providing that kind of access. Our mobile application is available on Android, Windows Mobile and iOS. Pet owners have never had such easy access to experts.
What is the current runway? Start-ups vary in funding from being "paycheck to paycheck" to having over $1B. Also who are the investors? Do they take an active role?
VetXpert.com is an extension of the TellVet project and currently is inviting investors. VetXpert has a great support of Foundation Neo Media, which is an investor of TellVet company. The Foundation is taking an active role in runway of our projects.
How did the TWIST project help your startup? What were the key points that helped in your startup’s development? Would you recommend the program to other entrepreneurs, startups or would be entrepreneurs?
We hope the TWIST project will help us to obtain foreign partners and with obtaining finances for the development. If so, we definitely can recommend the TWIST project to other entrepreneurs, startups or would be entrepreneurs.
How will the company scale as it grows? Does the company have the infrastructure in place to take advantage of the opportunity?
The company will expand and grow with the increasing number of animals and their owners registered on the site. We will want to use to the maximum our chance associated with the introduction of this type of service as the first company in the world. We are ready to take advantage of the every opportunity.
Now let’s get down to some relaxing and informal questions to have a better look at your startup’s culture, people, ambience, and values.
What does the office look like at 8PM?
At 8PM our office is only relocated but still working and we are still in touch.
When is the last time the team members met after work -- what was the occasion?
Last time the team members met in July, after work, in a very memorable day, on the 15th of July 2015, when we got our first order.
What % of the team would you invite to your house for a party?
100%
Would you want your best friend to join this startup?
I am not sure if I would like to take this step. There are no friends in business, I think.
TWIST DIGITAL is the H2020 action, under the Startup Europe umbrella, that provides Transregional Web Innovative Services for Thriving Digital and Mobile to web entrepreneurs aiming at scaling up and competing in the global market around 4 interconnected web entrepreneurship startup ecosystems and hubs (Rome, Lille, Stockholm and Warsaw).
Startup Europe aims to strengthen the business environment for web and ICT entrepreneurs so that their ideas and business can start and grow in the EU. Startup Europe contributes to the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan.
Startup Europe's objectives are:
- to reinforce the links between people, business and associations who build and scale up the startup ecosystem (e.g. the Web Investors Forum, the Accelerator Assembly, the Crowdfunding Network)
- to inspire entrepreneurs and provide role models (e.g. the Leaders Club and their Startup Manifesto, the Startup Europe Roadshow)
- to celebrate new and innovative startups (with Tech All Stars and Europioneers), help them to expand their business (Startup Europe Partnership, ACE Acceleration Programme), and give them access to funding under Horizon 2020.