Startups leapfrog ahead at JFDI-Innov8 bootcamp

Lizz Buenaventura from HobbyMash appreciates the time mentors are giving to nurture startups at the bootcamp. Photo: JFDI.Asia

It’s past day 30 at the JFDI-Innov8 Bootcamp, a technology startup accelerator program (part of the Global Accelerator Network) where participants build a prototype within 100 days.

While some startups are still busy hatching their idea and creating their minimum viable products, others are frantically swimming around like tadpoles.

Flocations and Fetch Plus are two startups that were quick off the starting block. Singapore-based Tudor Coman, co-founder of Flocations, an online search-by-price air travel directory, already has a prototype up and running. His team is now working on ‘Project Picasso’, which aims to beautify and improve the user interface.

With any luck, they’ll unveil the new features by March. “We are big lean startup buffs, so we are releasing these cool functions exclusively to members that have been active on the site and getting direct feedback from them on a daily basis,” he said.

Carmen Benitez, founder of Singapore social media company Fetch Plus, is already meeting with sales teams from multinational corporations throughout Asia and in Australia, in addition to refining her product.

“What’s my start-up not working on? she asked. Several new companies in the United States are already testing out FetchFans, an app that builds highly interactive Facebook Page tabs and Twitter designs.

Whatever the progress of their startups, all the incubatees are learning valuable lessons on attracting investors, building a great product, and listening to customers.

Filipino Jofell Gallardo from Qryo, which is building apps based on QR codes, found the investor’s pitch on day two especially memorable.

“I swore to myself I will never be embarrassed that way again, though then again there is Reid Hoffman’s advice of  ‘If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late’,” he said.

Malaysian Devan Singaram from referral recruiting app TribeHired chimed in: “It’s like getting into a boxing ring and being on the receiving end of power punches before the bell has rung.”

Like any bootcamp, after the requisite breaking down comes a gradual building up process, courtesy of the ‘Frog Force’ of Hugh Mason, Wong Meng Weng, and a constant stream of guest mentors who readily share their entrepreneurial experience and insights.

While coding a product feverishly is important, Devan has learnt that appreciating the scenery is necessary too. “We need to take the time to think about the problem we face. Are we asking the right questions, and are we solving it in a different way?”

Lizz Buenaventura from Startup Weekend Manila winner HobbyMash, which is building a web community for people with shared interests, said: “The mentors are quite popular and probably wouldn’t give us the time of day if we approached them off the street. So it’s a big deal that they’re here and ready to teach.”