Reaching new markets with our Belgian Startup Studio
On both sides of the Atlantic Ocean
For the last 5 years, our Startup Studio Make it developed a methodology to build new businesses by working on 200+ entrepreneurial projects all over Brussels and Wallonia. This year, however, is the year we focus on market expansion, and this is how we’re doing it.
Why we need this expansion
Since 2014, we’ve been developing most of our business in the Southern side of Belgium and in its capital, Brussels. We built out the Studio to over 30 employees with hands-on expertise in software/hardware engineering, growth marketing, design, and more. We’re nearing market-saturation.
Don’t think, test
We could keep guessing as to what market we should expand to next, but instead we decided to Test it. Since the beginning of 2019, we’re officially an international company. Our previous CEO Alexis Bedoret is now in “The City of Angels”: Los Angeles, while our new hire Louis De Keyser is tasked with exploring our opportunities in Flanders (don’t know which one has the toughest job 😉). Both places are very different to our original Wallonia and Brussels’ market. Different language, culture, maybe even needs, but that’s what we’re trying to figure out in 2019.
Why we’re expanding to Los Angeles
In the words of Alexis: “We need the American mindset to survive”. In Belgium, one thing we have way more of than the US is complainers. Too often, people complain about their life situation, their salary, their bosses, that fuel is too expensive… They naturally graduate towards the problem and not to the solution (which is ironic, as we work with entrepreneurs that are usually in love with their solution, forgetting to often the problem they are trying to solve). People often complain, but very rarely do they want to do anything about it. We want to be in an environment where dreaming is possible (and encouraged), where people will actually believe in you and support each other to push the limits.
Taping in to bigger markets
Another reason we’re expanding to the USA is because Belgium on his own is a fairly small market, so when startups grow in Belgium, they need to scale somewhere else. Companies could opt to expand to neighboring countries but this is probably not the most efficient way. In Europe, they will have to navigate dozens of different languages, cultures, legislations, etc. While, when going straight to the USA, they only need to understand one culture, one language, all to reach more than 300 million people. Especially important for Software products (apps) but the IoT space there is also very active.
Learning how to export
When the startups we build or help build are ready to export, they need a playground that has already been tested and teased. So Alexis’ goal is also to nurture the grounds for FullUp, Helpilepsy, Tipaw and Aerosint (the spinoff companies Make it currently runs) . Help them to get their first customer traction and to see whether the market is ready for them or not.
Technology watch
Make it needs a technological and business watch. LA/SF are great places where you have many startups to build and use the latest technologies. I want to bring those back in Belgium. Technology but also business wise. Think about Billy ? Well those similar businesses existed way before in California.
To find more risk takers
Europe is slow, in general, they don’t like risk, the way Europeans invest is way different than how Americans invest and see ventures grow. We need to understand how that happens in the US and learn how to master ‘the best of both worlds’ to gather our own funds.
And last but not least, because we can
I know we complained about complaining in Belgium before, but we’re big fans of Belgium! We are convinced that Belgium has great talents, we just have to nurture them and wake them up! How? By showing them that it’s possible! By sharing the success stories. By inspiring them and showing them how to do it. That’s why we’ve built this machine, to help the ones that have the drive to build ventures.
Why we’re expanding to Flanders
Well, as we’re located in Belgium already, this one’s a little more obvious than the last. Flanders is a great market to explore as it’s market is about 2X the size of the Wallonian and Brussels’ one we’re currently in. We hired our first Flemish speaking sales representative a month ago to (re) connect with the Flemish contacts we already have and explore new business opportunities on the other side of the country.
What is Make It?
We build Startups. Since 2014, we’ve successfully developed what we describe as ‘a machine’ to test, launch and/or grow startups by working with over 200+ entrepreneurs and building our own. We strongly believe in the ‘Test It’ mentality: test fast, fail cheap, and try again.
Are you ready to Make it happen?
Let’s see how we can help!
