Entrepreneur, co-founder at @cloudoki, Startup Lover, Private Pilot License Student. Formerly at @quinzeandmilan, @samtexlive, @startupbus EU Winner 2013.

Feb 12, 2016

How we won StartupBus Europe, and how to win a startup competition

StartupBus.
For those who haven't heard of it, it is what is sounds like.

In 72 hours, on a driving bus, crossing countries, people pitch ideas, form teams, build startups and get put on the spot constantly. Always be pitching.

Every day, the bus stops at hot spots and locations where finals are being held, judged by a quick-firing and thinking jury. If the parts of your story don't add up to something credible, you won't make it to the next round (but of course you can keep building and show them what idiots they were).

An incredible experience, you'd be amazed what you can achieve in 72 hours on a bus with limited to no internet connection.

Some things I learned:

Incredible people

You know that people crazy enough to sign up for this kind of adventure must be half crazy and half brilliant. Developers, designers, marketeers, a volatile melting pot for innovation.

Isolation brings focus

The isolation creates a very concentrated workplace, with few distractions. You, your square foot, hopefully a piece of table, and the bus window as a white board.

One of two tables on the bus, with the Business Model Canvas on the window

Limitation forces creativity

Having next to no internet (I'm talking about a few kb/sec if you're lucky) and being very time limited forces you to take decisions and build very quickly.

Extra: prepare in advance, have all the tools you might need on your computer. Kits, frameworks, snippets, you name it.

No sleep for the Wicked

Sleep is in very low supply, get it while you can. It will help you.
Don't go out and get wasted, sleep, shower and fine-tune what you can before getting back on the bus. Advantage: you.

Needless to say, after the adventure, you'll pass out for a week or so, with a big smile on your face and a new view on life.

NH Hotel Prague, after only a few hours of sleep

Using the time, room and semi-proper internet to keep hacking

So, here are my tips on how to win a startup competition

1. Solve a problem

Solve a specific, real life problem. Help people, preferably a large group, preferably in a sector with room for disruption and money.

Know exactly what you're solving, for who, and what your value proposition is.

Try and keep it simple and clear. If you must, improve an existing product, or compare it (like 'the airbnb for x'), to clarify your story.

2. Make sure it can be a business

At least use the Business Model Canvas to get an understanding of your business idea. That includes identifying users and customers, partners you need, and definitely revenue streams. The skills to pay the bills.

3. Spend lots of time on your pitch

Coming up with a name, making a logo, building a placeholder, all very fun, but the most important part is your pitch. That's what the judges will look at first. Packaging it nicely is an added bonus.

If your solution is technology, showing a prototype is a must.

4. Validate your idea and assumptions

Get out there, and check if what you think is true, is actually true. Email, call, get out on the street and talk to anyone who can provide you with relevant feedback.

If you can show sign-ups, letters of intent or even paying customers, you obviously win a hundred extra credibility-schmeckles.

5. Make your presentation solid

That includes your story (based on your pitch) and your pitch deck. Write it out, rehearse, fine-tune and rehearse again until you know what you're saying and can bring it with conviction.

Be prepared for any question.

6. Show them what you got

Build a mockup, prototype, first version, MVP, show stuff.
Trim the fat, make it simple and as solid as you can, add whistles and bells if there's time left (there won't).

We simulated a mobile app by iframing a Bootstrap template, on a computer that happened to have a touch screen. Only took a few hours to build (although a few hours is a long time in 72 hours), and it solidified our proposal. Mic-drop-moment.

Pitching to a jury in Munchen after rehearsing the pitch for a thousand times

Us, the exhausted AIDEN-team right before the finals at Pioneers Festival, Vienna — 10th of November 2013

If you haven't, do a startup competition, like StartupBus, Startup Weekend, 3 Day Startup, or any other. It's incredibly challenging, eye-opening and so much fun. You don't need to be a coder or quantum physicist, in fact, they usually have enough of those.

If you have, isn't it about time you did another one? Yes.

Shameless promotion:
My company, Cloudoki, does application architecture and development in Open Source languages, organizes Hackathons and loves to share.

Reach out if I can help you.