Naomi MacKenzie & Anastasia Hofmann, founders of Kitro AG and trainers for the Innosuisse start-up training Business Creation, Module 3, share four valuable tips for launching a start-up based on their experience.
1
Gather the Right People around You
They say you shouldn’t start your start-up with your best friend. But for us it was the best decision we could have made. It doesn’t have to be your best friend, but it’s important to team up with someone you trust, who you want to be around every day, and who believes in what you’re doing together, just like you do. The same applies when recruiting other employees: they do not need to have all the skills you want at once, but they do need to believe in the common vision and have the necessary talent.
2
Seize Opportunities and Learn All the Time
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and open as many doors as you can. This includes having the courage to ask for help. The Swiss start-up ecosystem is teeming with experienced people and great programmes that can help you with your venture. We have received a lot of support, especially from Innosuisse. As trainers for the start-up training, we can now give something back. In our courses, we not only teach other founders; we also learn a lot from them.
3
Talk to Your Customers
Don’t develop the product you think your customers want. Talk to your customers and develop the product they need and that they are prepared to pay for. That’s what we learned in start-up training module 2. I was still a student at the time and at first I didn’t understand why I had to spend a whole afternoon calling people. I wanted to finish our product and get it to market as quickly as possible. But of course, this is exactly the right approach in order to identify customer needs.
4
Believe in Yourself
No matter how big the challenges are – this one thought should always be in the back of your mind: “Someone’s going to make it, so why shouldn’t it be me?”
About Kitro
Founded by hospitality insiders in 2017, KITRO is a Swiss start-up embarking on a global challenge by harnessing the power of technology and using it for sustainable change. With artificial intelligence as the foundation, KITRO offers an automated food waste data collection and analysis solution that can be adopted by food and beverage outlets worldwide.
Kitro is a state-of-the-art imaging solution that provides instant analysis of your food waste. Their customers have reduced up to 57% of their edible food waste where reductions range anywhere from 10 to 55%. This results in savings between 2% and 8% of the annual food cost. Typically, Kitro’s customers see a ROI between 200-600% in just one year.
Support by Innosuisse
- Start-up training modules 2 and 4
- Initial coaching and core coaching
- Innovation Project
- NTN Swiss Alliance supports data-intensive services (data + services)
Innosuisse
This content was shared by Innosuisse, whose role is to promote science-based innovation in the interests of industry and society in Switzerland.
The Innosuisse start-up training programme helps you develop your business idea, set up your company and implement a strategy for growth. Their four training modules are led by experienced entrepreneurs and held all over Switzerland.
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