{"id":15631,"date":"2019-10-11T10:49:04","date_gmt":"2019-10-11T08:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tfu.de\/bawuekommt-2019-day-3-bratislava\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T11:55:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T09:55:22","slug":"bawuekommt-2019-day-3-bratislava","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tfu.de\/en\/bawuekommt-2019-day-3-bratislava\/","title":{"rendered":"baw\u00fckommt 2019, Day 3: Bratislava"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A departure befitting the occasion, right in front of the State Opera House. Unfortunately, the hotel\u2019s ultra-central location didn\u2019t do us any favors when it came to cultural activities, but it\u2019s still nice, I guess. <\/p>\n\n

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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. <\/p>\n\n

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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. <\/p>\n\n

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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. <\/p>\n\n

Slovakia is perfect for startups, says Peter; the talent is there, and so is the test market.<\/p>\n\n

There is a small venture capital scene, and the government understands the issue. So far, the company has been operating successfully without investor capital. <\/p>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

EU support is important; funding has improved, and developments in recent years have been positive. It\u2019s 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\u2014hence the term \u201cbrain drain.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

Next stop: Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava.<\/p>\n\n

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First of all, there’s the culinary foundation of every startup activity: pizza. The amount we ordered should last until next week… <\/p>\n\n

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Sensoneo has been on the market for 5 years and offers sensor-based waste management. USP: particularly ugly, but extremely durable sensors. <\/p>\n\n

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Co-founder Andrea Basilova<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n

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The team has developed well; Michael is the lead sales representative for the DACH region<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Sensoneo is currently working on radar-based waste detection methods. What sets it apart in Germany: customers with LoRaWAN networks throughout the country. <\/p>\n\n

Tip for startups: Use web chat to generate leads. By the way, these leads are generated through the website and distributed among 8\u20139 sales reps. Instagram helps, too. <\/p>\n\n

Andrea says that there’s now a thriving startup scene in Bratislava, with some very interesting venture capital and mentor connections.<\/p>\n\n

Next stop: CIVITTA at the university, where we\u2019ll also be meeting with Sapie, an innovation alliance for the digital economy.<\/p>\n\n

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Bratislava has a large campus-style university; we are now in the building of the Faculty of Computer Science<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

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Peter from CIVITTA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Here we learn that a great deal is actually being done, even if the activities are still too fragmented.<\/p>\n\n

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My conclusion\u2014one I’ve reached many times before\u2014is 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.<\/p>\n\n

Jaroslav, of Neulogy Ventures, believes that everything happening here is happening in spite of\u2014and not because of\u2014the government.<\/p>\n\n

An interesting discussion about Slovakia’s prospects.<\/p>\n\n

Another new stop\u2014the last official one today: Sygic. <\/p>\n\n

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Just an interesting teepee in the background…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Navigation software for professional and personal use, as well as a dashcam and driving behavior analysis.<\/p>\n\n

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…and the presentation is really cozy. Top-notch “startup” setup… although a company founded in 2004 with 200 million users can no longer be considered a startup.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n

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Here’s the model in the foyer, but this is what it looks like in real life, too.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

By the way, there are guitars on stage here, too.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
This is what a “baw\u00fckommt” group looks like after 3 days of hardcore travel: pretty worn out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A departure befitting the occasion, right in front of … <\/p>\n

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