Female Founders: Alina Colceag

Here at EF, we are finishing 2016 on a high note by kicking off our Female Founders series. Every fortnight we’ll be interviewing one of our female founders from across the EF portfolio. This week, we spoke to Alina Colceag from EF7.

Why did you want to join EF?

I was keen to combine my creative mindset with my analytical side. I studied two degrees at the same time; Computer Science and Graphic Design.

In my second year of uni I found a co-founder, we started designing and developing our own project and we were actually making money. That’s when I realised it doesn’t matter how old you are.

I never did internships because I knew my worth and I knew I was worth more than an internship. I didn’t want to waste my time on that. I felt that I could learn more, and learn more about myself, by working on my own projects.

After finishing uni, I really wanted to make a positive change in Romania. I tried co-founding with two people. However, it didn’t really work out; they just wanted to use me to build the platform because I had the technical skills.

I realised that in order to make a change and have impact I needed to move abroad. The UK has the biggest tech scene in Europe where you have easy access to everything. I joined EF because I wanted to reach my full potential and I knew EF could give me the opportunities, possibilities and the ecosystem and network for me to be able to express myself and see what I can do. It’s been an amazing journey. Being challenged all the time, and pushing myself to new limits.

Can you tell us about your experience on EF so far?

Every day you have to get out of your comfort zone. It might seem scary at first but once you do it, you realise that it’s creating positive outcomes, and you’re opening yourself up to new possibilities. Right now, if I see somebody interesting on the street, I just go to them and say hi and talk to them about the idea I have for my company. I’ve made really awesome contacts just doing that with people on the street. Society sets these boundaries, like you shouldn’t talk to that person on the street, but if you start questioning these principles and ask yourself why, then you start to realise that you can do those things.

Just today I saw a lady, she looked extremely creative. I went up to her and explained that I’m building a VR company and she is also working on VR projects for kids and now we’re in touch. Last week, too, there was a guy in the cafe opposite the office, I just went up to him and he is actually a tech entrepreneur and also into social impact. I am now going to meet him for a coffee to talk about in more detail. Creating a healthy network of people is really important.

You left your job as a Product Designer at Lystable to start your own company, was that a tough decision for you?

To be honest, I had times when I hesitated. But at the end of the day you always have to choose what you love doing most, and that is what pushed me to make the decision in the end which turned out to be for the best.

What are you working on right now? How did you get started with that?

When I went to WIRED Next Generation, I realised the potential in tailoring VR products for kids. I think VR headsets are going to be the next PlayStation of our generation.

Bigger companies are really focused on developing low cost VR hardware to be mass-marketed. So, their focus is making VR technologies become more accessible to a wider consumer base. Microsoft is releasing, Google is getting there. The big players in the hardware industries are focused on developing low cost hardware.

I’m focusing on VR software. There is this amazing opportunity. The price of accessing VR software is going to get lower and lower. There are two groups; 20–33 year olds (they have disposable income) and also the younger audience whose parents have disposable income. If you can tailor software that can influence how kids think, and how their minds develop, it’s a huge opportunity. VR is a revolutionary way of learning.

What have been the best and most difficult parts of building your own company?

All of it has been tough but equally enjoyable at the same time. One crucial moment that comes to my mind is when I broke up with my cofounder. It was Friday, and I was pretty much devastated. I tried going out for drinks with some people from the cohort but I just couldn’t…I went home. But the next day, I thought what is the next thing I can do? So I focused on finding my next co-founder and focusing on VR.

The best thing that has happened to me is this [EF]. When I moved to London I thought ‘how am I going to do this?’. Most incubators are focused on people who already have a cofounder or an idea and traction. But what I found really valuable with EF was that they see potential in individuals. It’s a big leap of faith from EF to invest in people.

Why did you come to the UK to start a startup?

The US is not very accessible and the UK is an aggregator for Europe’s tech scene. In terms of network, opportunities and general quality of people around you, it is the best place in Europe to reach your potential. It’s a no-brainer to come to London as a tech individual. Anytime you want to get in touch with someone they are in London some way or another.

What is your strongest asset in your technical career?

My greatest asset is be able to pair my creative mindset with technical capability. I am able to organise my lateral thinking into vertical thinking. Everything that comes from a creative stream, I am able to input them into a very methodical process.

If you had to choose one characteristic what would you say is the most important trait to being a good founder?

Resilience. Positive mindset. That’s it.

What has been the most unexpected lesson to come out of being a founder?

When I first joined, I felt that I had the potential to do something big. But I was always questioning, ‘how can I as a 23 year old woman talk to clients and take meetings? How will people take me seriously?’. By going through this process, and being pushed, it has forced me to overcome my doubts. Being here I have realised I can actually build a company. This is possible.

Do you have any role models or mentors that have influenced and guided you to where you are today?

I take inspiration from everybody. I don’t think having a role model is about seeing someone in Forbes 500. My biggest role model is probably my Mum. She’s not a successful entrepreneur… but she did a lot for us. She was very strong and she did a lot to give me and my brother the best education we could have and she had the insight to take us to Computer Science classes since we were little and she got us to the best Computer Science high school. We got the best education we could have had in Romania.

When I was younger, tech wasn’t cool. I was called a nerd or a geek. It was uncool. Now, I have friends who are so excited that I can code and they ask me to teach them. Everybody wants to get in the tech scene.

What do you think is the best part of being a woman in tech? What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced?

I’ve only had positive experiences in tech; I never felt undervalued. At the beginning, when I first started working at Lystable I did feel that I needed to prove myself a little bit more to be taken seriously. I’m not sure if that’s because I’m a woman or being fresh out of uni. I think it’s a very good time in history to be a female founder.

What’s the most effective way for women in tech to help other women in tech succeed?

Setting an example; women who are already in tech should be proactive, getting into communities. E.g. how Alice did with Code First: Girls. She opened up opportunities for women who want to get into tech to learn how to code. We can all try and be more proactive in offering opportunities to other women.

You can find Alina on Twitter @alina_colceag. If you want to build your own company in 2017, the deadline to join EF8 (March ’17) is 31st December. You can apply here.