Kali Tal is one of our STAGE UP participants. In the workshop ‘Online Networking & Basics of Business Modelling’ we got to know her better and found out what problems her start-up ‘Publisher Pro’ solves.
«Who owes their current job to their network connection?» This is how Miriam Gantert, Managing Partner at Superloop, opened the STAGE UP workshop on ‘Online Networking’ and underlined its importance. «Networking should be fun. If it’s perceived as a chore, it doesn’t work», Miriam encourages participants to «meet people outside your ‘bubble’ or network. Look for commonalities, points of connections. Ask questions and be interested. Interest is always interesting; People like to talk about their passion or their product.» But how does virtual networking work? You can «invite them for a virtual coffee date, short call or walk. And use social media to network. Tag your contacts in social media posts with ‘semi-private’ content. Addressing people directly makes them feel valued.»
In the first breakout session, participants are encouraged to talk about their personal strengths. Kali Tal, founder of the start-up Publisher Pro, says:
«I’m a big picture person. I am extremely organized and a systematic thinker.»
These qualities are also evident in her start-up: With the software as service (SaaS) application ‘Publisher Pro’, Kali systematizes the work of writing scientific papers. She knows that medical researchers must publish in English to advance their careers, but most find writing difficult and time consuming, and few receive training or writing support. She explains that Publisher Pro will be «the first platform to systematize and support the scientific writing process with detailed automated coaching and tools.»
The next breakout session is all about challenges. «What is your biggest challenge at the moment and in the near future?» Miriam Gantert asks.
«My biggest challenge is moving from a theoretical and academic world into a world of business.»
«Turning my idea into a business, this is my greatest challenge for sure», answers Kali. The others agree. That is why assembling the right team is crucial. «Choosing the right people is another challenge. Who can I rely on? I’ve done so many things on my own in my life. Now I am looking for a COO. Even though no one can really tell me what a COO does, I sure know, that I need one», she says, which makes her start-up colleagues smile.
In the second part of the workshop Christine Weber, Founder of Venturize, introduces the principles of creating a lean business model. «The lean canvas is a single page business model diagram created by Eric Ries and further elaborated by Ash Maurya. It helps you deconstruct your idea into its key components which typically consist of numerous assumptions at an early stage. It replaces extensive business plans with a single page business model overview, reducing the elaboration from weeks to a 20-min exercise.» The lean canvas helps start-ups focus on the essentials. Christine explains that start-ups should be aware of the ‘innovators bias’ and critically check if «we waste needless time, money, and effort building the wrong product.» She recommends asking yourself seriously:
«Is there really a problem that is worth solving? Are customers willing to pay for this?»
Your business model is your product. Your solution (technology, platform, software, etc.) is only one part of that model; the rest derives from the customer’s problems.»
Kali presented her completed lean canvas model and showed how Publisher Pro solves the problems of different customer segments like graduate students & postdocs, lab supervisors & institute heads and of institutions. She has three groups of ‘early adopters’: 1. scientists under enormous pressure to write, who don’t know where to start; 2. experienced writers who are sick of running into the same problems over and over; and 3. non-native English-speaking writers who are frightened of writing in English.
Kali summarizes the main problem she is solving: «When writing a scientific paper, the major problem is, that you don’t know where to start. It’s overwhelming. So our software has to be a system where you can enter at any point. If you have 15 minutes, you can write a paragraph. Even if you only have little time, it is worth working on the paper. Our software enables low-threshold entry for scientists at any stage of the writing process.»
Kali is not afraid of criticism. In this round, she asks, «What do you think about my lean canvas? Feel free to push as hard as you can!»
«That’s the right attitude», Christine agrees. «Share and discuss your lean canvas with others as early and often as possible. Focus on the customers. Be concise in filling it out.» Kali’s colleagues seem to approve of her canvas. But how will the market receive Publisher Pro? We’ll stay tuned.
Verwandte Themen und weitere Start-ups der aktuellen STAGE UP Durchführung:
