Do not forget to look at the startup from the client side. Opinion of Gary Fowler


    We live in the world of Moore's Law - every 18 months, the processor power doubles. But more importantly, what follows from this - over the past two years more information has been created than all the time before. This means that consumer data is becoming more and more. Already, a lot of information has accumulated, and more and more opportunities appear to receive and process it - this opens up an ocean of opportunities for startups. You only need to learn how to work with her. This is exactly what one of the MEGA Accelerator teachers Gary Fowler, the world-renowned marketer and speaker of TEDx, as well as a true expert on turning timid startups into a confident, working business does.

    But first, very good news!

    We are pleased to announce that we have summed up the selection stage of the MEGA Accelerator project, and we can name 10 final teams that will finalize their ideas within the business incubator in the next three months, and will also be able to compete for the main prize of the project.

    Of the nearly two hundred teams that submitted applications, experts from IKEA Centers Russia and GVA Launch Gurus selected the following:

    1. Sensart
    2. Texel
    3. Nobel mart
    4. Instashow
    5. GuaranaCam by Analytica
    6. “Rate it!” (Rate It)
    7. KMG Laboratory
    8. Intelligent solutions
    9. iLoveDonate
    10. IP Osadchuk P.O.

    Details can be found here .




    For the most part, Gary's professional experience relates to the management of companies in the field of high technology, services and consulting, as well as his own companies in the field of technology, development and consulting. He was CEO of Fowler International, an international business development consulting company that collaborated with leading companies interested in entering the Russian / CIS market. As senior vice president of marketing and corporate development at ClickSoftware (an Israeli company), he was responsible for international rebranding and effective marketing policy right up to IPO. In addition, Gary held senior positions in Hewlett Packard, Mirantis, Modcomp, Siemens, Planalytics and for two years he taught as a professor at the Skolkovo business school. Today, Fowler is an investor himself, actively investing in Russian startups. His contribution, including in the answers to all our questions, which will definitely be useful to IT entrepreneurs of the entire Runet.

    Gary, how many startups did you have?
    Since I am a GVA LaunchGurus cofinder, 185 start-ups passed through my hands and I launched 7 more myself. But the main success for me was working with an Israeli startup ClickSoftware - we successfully brought the project to IPO, despite the falling market.

    What are the main reasons for failures among startups?
    Most startups lack international contacts, funding and sales / marketing.
    But the main problem is in the projects themselves. Most startups simply do not pay attention to such an obvious thing as Customer Development, and this is crucial. Everyone makes a product and forget to look at it from the client side. Or they begin to believe that they themselves know better what the end user needs.


    Custom development is often opposed to a product-oriented approach (“make a cool product, but there is a customer”). If the startup is too keen on product development and has forgotten about consumers, the project usually fails. In practice, a balance must be struck between product development and customer research.

    How is MEGA Accelerator different from others?
    We have a high-precision production here. As a laser, we focus on the task of achieving serious results even at the stage of formation of a startup, we give a wide range of competencies. The philosophy of MEGA Accelerator is to cover the entire world of innovative experience and, due to this, to stay one step ahead of the competition.

    Tell us how you see the structure of customer experience - which items are the most important? For example, in your experience there is a startup that automates one of the most important elements in retail - the display of goods in a store. Can you talk about something similar in more detail?
    There is one startup that has integrated weather forecasting into a merchandising planning system. If it snows, the system will make sure that customers in the store are waiting for shovels and ice-freezer. They started from scratch, and now the system is in all major retail chains Walmart, Tesco, Sears, Home Depot and many others around the world.

    And the project simply used open data to better understand the desires of the consumer.

    Recommended Reading:
    The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
    The Startup Owner's Manual: The Step-by-Step Guide for Building a Great Company


    How do you see the future of retail? What startups will soon be in demand?
    MEGA Accelerator is looking for retail solutions in the first place. But everything that can be attributed to Big Data, payment processing and still augmented reality is also suitable - this is very cool, we believe in it.

    The future of shopping will change the opportunity to find out what the buyer wants using Big Data. The use of tools like augmented reality will also be used - they can radically change consumer experience. And of course, there will be many opportunities to pay even before you reach the cashier.

    MEGA always strives to improve the whole technological process and delve into the intricacies, so when building its shopping centers it finances the construction of metro stations and road junctions - how important is such a holistic approach?

    MEGA controls all the elements of his trip to the shopping center and this whole trip meets the high standards of the company. If driving to the mall is inconvenient, it will radically change the customer’s behavioral patterns. That is why it is so important to control the whole process, and this is one of the important rules that we are trying to pass on to Russian startups.

    After all, if everyone will be engaged only in their own area of ​​responsibility, a single project will not work out - this is obvious.

    What is the essence of your educational program? How did you come to her?
    We have Bootcamp, Growth Academy, Venture Academy and also our own StartUp Academy to give students basic skill sets. But in general, we have developed a comprehensive training program based on our rather deep experience. I am a serial entrepreneur, investor and startup consultant, that’s enough.

    There is a famous Hollywood script scheme in the movie - sit down and shoot. Is there the same formula for an ideal startup? What laws exist in the industry?
    A startup should have no more than 3 founders. These should be people with whom it is pleasant to work with, and they should also have a desire for which there is no adequate analogue in the Russian language. You call it “change the world”, but we are a little more specific - “to make a dent in the world” - it is not so much to change the world, but to make a dent on it, small, but noticeable. And the second golden rule is maximum attention to the "red" sector. Remember that creating a startup is not a direct ride, you have to consider feedback.


    Can you talk about examples of how the knowledge gained in your course helped startups come to success?
    The main thing they learned from us is how to pitch an investor. And they learned this themselves, in real life experience. Do you know how we teach them this? We take them with us to Silicon Valley and bring them to meet the most famous people in the industry. When you suddenly find yourself in a meeting with Guy Kawasaki, Bob Dorf or Steve Blank, you do not have time to get scared or confused. Acquaintance with investors takes place for granted and you can already speak on equal terms, a person comes to his senses and understands that he is making a world-class start-up - and this already costs a lot.


    Want this photo with Guy Kawasaki?

    On the course, they get their hands on many business tools - building business models, project management, financial planning, analytics, sales, marketing, customer development, pitching, and many little things. With these tools, we help them “turbo their startup.” And, of course, we give them mentoring and coaching at the international level.

    We have more than 35% of startups received funding. Among them were projects from medical record keeping systems to biotech and big data.

    And what is the secret of the success of MEGA shopping centers in your opinion?
    They believe they can succeed and just do it.

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