1.As a person with a background in IT, what made you look deeper into the problems of the HR sphere? How did the idea of creating a platform for gamification of corporate training emerge?
As a team with my co-founder Aleksandar we come from Artistika – a creative digital agency and his first entrepreneurial success. We have been working together for more than 6 years. Together we have designed and implemented various digital solutions (systems, web, and mobile applications) for international clients from various industries.
In fact, through the implementation of a series of projects for digitization of corporate training for large companies through Artistika. We have seen the problems in the industry – that current learning practices, very soon after the training of employees, create knowledge gaps that management has no insight into. This causes serious problems for the company’s performance in many segments, especially in sales. We realized that the solutions available in the market are not effective enough. This is where the idea for Coach was formed.
For readers, this is their first encounter with what we do – Coach is a gamified tool for more effective corporate training. The people we communicate with often understand Coach as “Duolingo for corporate training”.
2. Konceptiva and the Coach platform have seen great success in the years of the pandemic, including gaining recognition as the startup of the month at the beginning of 2022, but also a very significant investment of 100,000 euros. What are the next steps for Konceptiva?
Although we have been working on this idea for more than 2 years, most of it was ‘behind the scenes. We believe that with such solutions intended for large companies, it is necessary from the very beginning to make the product at a high quality level. And also with a wide set of functionalities. At the end of 2021, as we got closer to realizing our vision for the product. We decided to take a step towards the public – to tell our story and present Coach. Which really moved things in the right direction.
The investment and support from XFactor is an important step for us and we aim to strengthen the team in the areas of marketing and programming. To place Coach on the market and strengthen sales activities.
The next important steps for us are: to get feedback and validation from the users, to prepare case studies supported by solid results, and then to enter the global market. In parallel with these activities, we are again developing new, revolutionary tools behind the scenes with the help of artificial intelligence – but more on that next time.
3. In your speech at Founders’ Night – From Freelancers to Co-Founders, you mentioned that the Konceptiva team is currently expanding to give the local freelancers the opportunity to offer their expertise to startups. Why do you think this is a good opportunity for both parties? What profiles of people are you looking for?
I think being a freelancer is not an easy job. Being successful in this field implies (or perhaps encourages) the development of many different skills.
A freelancer must be a great communicator. Have sales skills to be able to position himself better compared to competitors, offer quality in what he does. Be responsible and effective to maintain a great rating on the platform, successfully plan time, and organize projects. To know how to manage the client’s requirements. Even those that are impossible to meet and all this is usually done in a foreign language.
All these skills are very useful in the startup world. And on the part of freelancers. I think that the dynamism, independence, and flexibility that you would get if you become part of a startup fits perfectly with the lifestyle and work to which they are accustomed.
At the moment we need: frontend and full-stack developers (React + Java Spring) and creators of 2D games (Unity). I also encourage freelancers who do not belong to these profiles and have a desire to co-operate to feel free to contact us.
More details about the open positions can be read at: https://www.konceptiva.com/careers
The series of events – Founders Nights organized by Impact Foundation and Startup Macedonia and supported by RECONOMY are events where founders of startups will present their business to the public and will inspire freelancers to develop their own business. The goal is for freelancers to join as co-founders or members of the startup team.
