How the startups got started

Every startup has its own story. After the launch of Facebook’s Startup Garage at Station F, we caught up with some of the companies in the program to discover how it happened for them.

Facebook was once a startup: we have a special appreciation for companies that grow fast and innovate. Creating an ecosystem that enables emerging companies to learn from each other is the focus of Startup Garage. As a company that grew alongside and learned from other ambitious startups, we know what a difference this ecosystem makes.

Startup Garage offers startups in the data-driven economy the chance to grow and monetize their idea. Each one of the companies we chatted with is exploring ways to use personal data. Their products are designed to help people use personal data to improve their lives. Treading this new ground comes with its own unique set of challenges, aside from the usual hurdles startups face in their early stages.

Curious to find out more, we asked these companies to share their experiences.

STARTING UP

How do cofounders meet?

Any successful company knows that the importance of recruiting and retaining the best team all starts from the top. The startups all revealed that solid collaboration between cofounders from the beginning was the secret of their success so far.

Each of the data-driven cofounders we spoke to had met years earlier, either at school, college or work. Florent Robert and Louis Chavane from Bruno met in high school. Their product is an innovative savings tool that enables people to put money aside each week automatically. Blending their separate talents in tech and finance, Bruno developed the idea for their personal financial assistant.

But, as the founders of The Fabulous demonstrate, that’s not the only way to meet a cofounder. Their clever science-based app is aimed at people looking to lead a healthier lifestyle. Although two of their startup team were school friends, the third was found over email, as a freelancer.

FINDING THE DRIVE

Are founders motivated by ideas, or ambition to own a company?

The big idea is integral to any new company. A combination of the right people, and the right idea is what leads to success. But what comes first? The idea, or the desire to be a founder?

The idea is the key.

Out of the six startups we talked to, most cited a personal drive to come up with new ideas and solve problems as the whole reason for their company’s existence.

Pascal Nizri and Remy Bellavoine at Chekk met while working together at a large international bank in Asia. Pascal already had a background in launching a venture in the software service space years earlier. But, the idea of Chekk as a way of solving the push, pull from consumers and businesses over personal data is what drove him back to entrepreneurship. The result is their smart app, which helps people take control of their digital identity.

Focus on improving lives.

The team at Riminder shared a similar story. Riminder’s intuitive software matches CVs to jobs, helping companies to streamline their recruitment process. They ultimately wanted to impact and improve the lives of others. The idea is what came first, above the desire to be a founder of a company.

The founders at Bruno cited a blend of the two however. From a young age, they wanted to start a company. Their commitment to creating their own ideas went hand-in-hand with their ambition, along with a desire to change the way of life as we know it.

FINDING SUCCESS

How long does it take to reach the first big milestone?

Part of being a startup is figuring things out and covering new ground. That can make the reality of hitting major milestones a little hazy. For Chekk, reaching their first big milestone happened within months, after extensive work. They consider the release of their first mobile app and APIs their first big milestone, which came after months of mock-ups, prototypes, initial discussion with banks, and recruiting a full team.

Bruno mirrored Chekk’s approach to gathering data as they got started. They used a bot that connected with 240 banks in France around November 2016. By December 2016 they released a beta, and one month later, they had enough data to launch Bruno. Then there’s Welcome to the Jungle, a recruitment company that helps people make informed career decisions. They reported doubling in size within months.

TIPS FOR PEOPLE LOOKING TO CREATE A COMPANY

Having a passion, focus and strong work ethic were all top of the list with the startups when it came to giving tips to any future founders. Getting that initial traction with a new company, particularly in a challenging area like the data-driven economy isn’t easy.

Here was the startups’ advice:

• Prioritize design — The Fabulous particularly pointed this out. And they should know, as the proud owners of a design award.
• Remain empathetic to users — Each startup talked about how they wanted to change lives in one way or another. Keeping this philosophy at the front of their minds was important to make their ideas work.
• Stay focused on the product first, rather than branding — The startups believed that the functionality and usability of the product was the most important thing, with branding coming at a later date.
• Always be adaptable and remember to multitask — With so much going on in the day-to-day, the founders of Chekk relied on their skills to juggle plates and stay adaptable.
• Take time for talking as well as creating — Spending at least 2–3 hours a day talking through the product, goals, and what’s happening right now was the advice from The Fabulous’s team.
• Be resourceful and multi-skilled — Many of the startups pooled a variety of skillsets to bring their ideas to life. Relying on just one bag of tricks, as Riminder put it, isn’t the way they tackled things.
• Get regular feedback from others — Bruno built up a good network of people to share their plans, and get fresh ideas. This constant feedback has been integral to their product design.
• Be obsessed with your idea; live and breath it — It’s a way of life for most of the startups. The Fabulous reported thinking about their company from the moment they wake up, right through to bedtime.
• Only employ motivated, trustworthy people — As an example, Chekk employed people with a combined 100+ years’ experience in finance and technology.

Final note from the startups

In one way or another, almost every company we spoke to at Startup Garage mentioned a passion for creating beautiful products. Riminder perhaps put it best when they offered advice to any future startup founder. They advised to “make products people love”. That goes beyond something that’s functional. Creating a product that innovates and delights people is what really drives success for new startups.