A departure befitting the occasion, right in front of the State Opera House. Unfortunately, the hotel’s ultra-central location didn’t do us any favors when it came to cultural activities, but it’s still nice, I guess.
Next stop: Bratislava. A startup space in a shopping mall. It looks a bit worn from the outside, but inside we find ourselves in a familiar startup world.
It even includes significant improvements over the standard setup: in addition to the sound system for the pitches, there is a piano and two guitars.
Introducing YesElf. YesElf helps companies establish a suitable digital culture using AI. The system enables software solutions to be deployed and trained optimally, and provides ongoing support and explanations.
Slovakia is perfect for startups, says Peter; the talent is there, and so is the test market.
There is a small venture capital scene, and the government understands the issue. So far, the company has been operating successfully without investor capital.
The startup ecosystem in Bratislava has a few Spaces; Slovakia does have some unicorns, but few successful startups. Technological capabilities are strong, but marketing and sales are a challenge.
EU support is important; funding has improved, and developments in recent years have been positive. It’s hard to find the right talent, but the technical training is very good. Marketing suffers from a lack of experience, and talented people may end up staying abroad—hence the term “brain drain.”
Next stop: Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava.
First of all, there’s the culinary foundation of every startup activity: pizza. The amount we ordered should last until next week…
Sensoneo has been on the market for 5 years and offers sensor-based waste management. USP: particularly ugly, but extremely durable sensors.
Customer-driven solutions, funded through two rounds of investment totaling EUR 2.2 million. Citysens, if you’re listening: feel free to get in touch.
Sensoneo is currently working on radar-based waste detection methods. What sets it apart in Germany: customers with LoRaWAN networks throughout the country.
Tip for startups: Use web chat to generate leads. By the way, these leads are generated through the website and distributed among 8–9 sales reps. Instagram helps, too.
Andrea says that there’s now a thriving startup scene in Bratislava, with some very interesting venture capital and mentor connections.
Next stop: CIVITTA at the university, where we’ll also be meeting with Sapie, an innovation alliance for the digital economy.
As a network operating at the national level, CIVITTA supports startups, investors, companies, and the academic community in the areas of Funding (including EU Funding), innovation, and globalization.
Here we learn that a great deal is actually being done, even if the activities are still too fragmented.
My conclusion—one I’ve reached many times before—is that the startup world knows no bounds, and even if there are a few snags at the national level here and there, the mindset is certainly global.
Jaroslav, of Neulogy Ventures, believes that everything happening here is happening in spite of—and not because of—the government.
An interesting discussion about Slovakia’s prospects.
Another new stop—the last official one today: Sygic.
Navigation software for professional and personal use, as well as a dashcam and driving behavior analysis.
Sygic is located in an office complex surrounded by several construction sites. Bratislava is in the midst of a construction boom. The buildings aren’t quite as tall as those in Shenzhen, but they’re still very modern.
By the way, there are guitars on stage here, too.
