In addition to the rise of international startups such as Lockitron and Kevo, Spanish startup Param 24/7xs, founded in 2011 is taking a different approach to the digital locks space. Focusing predominantly on B2B, Param have developed a patent pending cloud-based automation platform that uses mobile phones as an alternative to keys for accessing different types of … [Read more...]
TutoTOONS: Educational Games Made Easy
Ever thought you could create a company in a day? The guys at TutoTOONS did. Winners of Startup Weekend Barcelona, the young and dynamic team lead by CEO Mantas Kavaliauskas, is tackling the educational market head on. Various attempts are being made by young businesses to increase learning capabilities through technology, although with such a large market at stake, many … [Read more...]
How To Make Sense Of An Investor Term Sheet
During the last 6 months, you’ve spent so much of your precious time pitching investors and finally it’s time to get down to business. When the money hits the account you can start executing on all of the things you haven’t been able to do until now. Exciting times! But hold on, first comes the fun part. Before any money exchanges hands you have to do a few classes in … [Read more...]
ViCloning, Your Round-The-Clock Virtual Agent
Every company no matter the size should strive to provide top-level customer service. Doing so, and doing it better than everyone else, will set you apart from the rest of the pack. For the smaller guys out there with fewer financial resources at hand this can pose a problem. People cost money. Let’s just say the SME’s and early stage startups are at some disadvantage compared … [Read more...]
OP/ED: Why I Love (And Hate) Barcelona Summers
How great is summer? It’s holiday time, the sun is shining, your shorts are on and you’re feeling spicy, you’re pouring back the Mojitos on the beach without fear of being considered a raging alcoholic, you feel unproductive at work (but that’s okay as everyone else does too), your city becomes saturated with semi-naked people (and fully naked ones at the beach – ok maybe … [Read more...]
Rising Barcelona Startup Akamon Takes Aim At $2.5B Market
With the continued success of Social Point and the newly minted Akamon Entertainment, anyone would think Barcelona has become a hub for social gaming. Barcelona’s Akamon Entertainment is recognized as an international player in the social gaming field, specializing in casino and traditional games owning over 35 titles such as Poker, Dominoes, Roulette and Tarot. Dominating the … [Read more...]
The 5 Most Annoying Pieces Of Startup Advice
I read a great piece by Ev Williams last week on why ‘All the Startup Advice You Read is Wrong (But you should read some anyway)’ which examines why most of the advice you come across isn’t applicable to your business. The problem is that startups are undeniably complicated and unpredictable beasts. With so many uncontrollable variables at hand, most advice that intends … [Read more...]
Barcelona Startup KNOK Takes Home Swapping Global
It’s holiday season, I’m sweating profusely in my shorts, and like many of you, I can’t wait to go on my well-deserved vacation. As always, when it comes to choosing somewhere to stay, I have a bunch of options at my fingertips; hotels, short-term rental apartments, sleeping on the street, all of them providing me with a different type of experience. However, one I haven’t … [Read more...]
9 Ways To Keep Your Startup’s Burn-Rate Down
We all like spending money, whether it’s on lavish underwear or new and freaky gadgets, however much to our dismay; if the money going out doesn’t match the money coming in, we go into debt, fall out with the bank and it all heads downhill from there. Having a business is no different. Cash is your fuel, if you run out and find yourself stranded in the middle of the dessert, … [Read more...]
Better Know A Barcelona Startup: Marfeel (@marfeel)
Most content based websites don’t have a responsive website let alone a smartphone or iPad app. So when it comes to viewing your favourite content on mobile devices such as smartphones or iPad’s the viewing experience is usually shit - a duplicate (and awkward) version of what you see on your desktop browser. Readers not being able to digest the content they want and … [Read more...]