Mapotic was selected as one of startups attending the CzechMatch acceleration programme already in 2020 but due to COVID-19 restrictions, we’ve been able to attend it more than one year later, in November 2021. The main goal of the business trip was to get feedback on our product, better insights in the US market and to build contacts.
Newark airport and queue 1h (the first day the U.S. borders were open)
New York, New York
Traveling in the (post)pandemic era is different of course. Vaccination, PCR test, keeping face mask the whole trip there and back. But it was with no doubt worth of it!
Good morning, New York & Central park!
VentureOut and first days in NY
VentureOut, our contracted host, has taken care of the week’s programme and prepared a number of mentoring and match making sessions. We’ve talked to amazing people and experts from sales and marketing, product messaging, fundraising sectors. Part of the programme was also about getting more know-how regarding starting & running business in the U.S.. This is a snapshot from our sessions in Manhattan’s skyscrapers.
Sales and brand strategy
Although a big amount of work is still ahead, it seems that we might be on the right path with Mapotic’s latest development, as B2B SaaS, low-code or no-code are trending lately.
With our latest additions to US based clients we feel that we have something attractive and are digging into how to set up effective marketing and promotion on the U.S. market. That’s why we highly appreciated the marketing and strategy insights lesson from AOKgroup. Yes it’s about storytelling and simplicity – but to set this right it is always good to spend some time on finding an answer to “Why” by Simon Sinek, or figuring out an archetype of your company.
Archetypes diagram. Credit: Marchbranding.com
Investment and fundraising
As Mapotic is close to the next investment round, we’ve spent some time in conversations with a few VC funds and investment experts. The pandemic situation in the last two years has caused even more cash going to startups and the investment amounts that used to be a standard for Round A are now often reached already in Seed. Fear of missing out is big and getting investment it’s easier than it used to be.
With +400 lawyers focused on startups and VC, McCarter & English’s Joe knows a thing or two about doing business in the U.S
Pitching and Pitch night in Czech house
At the end of our mission we attended pitch night where all startups pitched their products. The competition was great and we are proud on other Czech companies presenting their amazing products be it in robotic in agriculture industry (Ulmanna), ozon cleaning technologies (Health City), building management BeiT, luxury watches with smart capabilities (Leitners), Adiquit focused on quitting smoking or another Czech mapping company Maptiler. Big congratulations to the startup CareBot, which deservedly won the Czech pitch night.
Czech pitching night and networking
Central park in Autumn
Enjoying combination of famous bugers and startup buzz at Burger Joint
Down town in the morning I.
Down town in the morning II.
