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Launching a Startup in the Age of Generative AI

In the last year, Generative AI (GenAI) has significantly transformed technology and artificial intelligence. Its impact is evident across various sectors, from the arts to marketing, where it has streamlined content creation and spurred innovation. This widespread adoption highlights GenAI’s ability to unlock new creative possibilities and boost productivity. However, this rapid progress raises concerns for founders, particularly the fear of AI quickly surpassing human-led innovations. It begs the question of the viability of investing in ventures that AI could outclass in a short period, especially given the high costs associated with developing proprietary AI models. It’s a scenario that mirrors the rise of Amazon, which initially seemed to signal the end for other online marketplaces. But contrary to these predictions, the market saw the emergence of niche marketplaces offering specialised, user-centric solutions, such as Etsy. Similarly, in the GenAI landscape, while large companies like OpenAI and Google are setting standards, there’s a growing trend towards local, customised solutions catering to specific community needs and use cases. Currently, we’re observing the establishment and growing acceptance of GenAI among various users, and we should look at OpenAI not as a competitor but as a market enabler. We should look at OpenAI […]

Why Big Corporations Need Lean Startup Techniques: A Path to Innovation and Growth

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, the mantra “adapt or die” holds more weight than ever. Blackberry and Yahoo serve as a stark reminder: failure to innovate can lead to obsolescence. Regardless of size. In the meantime, it has become increasingly common to witness a startup, now and then, completely revolutionise an industry. Spotify. Netflix. Tesla. Historically, large companies enjoyed a lifespan of around 61 years, a figure now drastically reduced to less than 18 years. This trend signals an alarming rate of corporate mortality, with entities like Enron and Lehman Brothers serving as cautionary tales of stagnation and collapse. More than 50% of established corporations are now expected to leverage lean startup techniques at the business level to increase the pace and success of business transformation. Which is no surprise to me. At Altar.io, we’ve witnessed a surge in interest from major corporations eager to imbue their operations with startup agility and efficiency. This pivot towards Lean Startup methodologies, famously articulated by Eric Ries, emphasises validated learning, iterative development, and customer-centric strategies. While these principles are synonymous with startups, their relevance and potential benefits for established corporations are undeniable. In an era marked by digital disruption and fiercely heightened competition, this strategic […]

The Ultimate Startup Guide: From Ideation to MVP Launch & Beyond

Building a startup is a monumental feat, requiring a perfect blend of vision, strategy, and execution. Not to mention a comprehensive understanding of a laundry list of factors. Legal, sales, financing, marketing, building a team, technical knowledge, product expertise, and the list goes on. It can quickly become overwhelming to know what to focus on – and critically when to switch your focus for the good of your business. It’s something my team and I know a thing or two about. Our founding team have all launched their own startups in the past, and have been where you’re standing right now multiple times. More than that, since launching Altar, they’ve partnered with other entrepreneurs and business leaders, helping to bring over 70 startups to life using a tailored, proven process to create high-quality, user-centric software products that innovatively solve complex problems. Some of those companies raised money from Tiger Global and Disney – and went on to conquer their markets. Since I joined the team to lead the marketing efforts four years ago, and because we work mostly with entrepreneurs, my main goal has been to share valuable resources for startup founders looking to improve their chances of success and […]

How OpenAI Found Success by Being Product Driven (And How You Can Too)

Is this [ChatGPT product release from OpenAI] a pivotal moment? Out of all the GPT versions, 50 years from now when they look back on an early system that was really kind of a leap. This was the question posed by AI researcher Lex Fridman in a conversation with Sam Altman, former president of Y Combinator and current CEO of OpenAI. Altman’s response encapsulates the essence of what truly makes a product successful: It wasn’t the underlying model that mattered, it was the usability of it, both the RLHF (Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback) and the interface to it. These words underscore the fundamental belief that the core success of a startup is intimately linked to how your product delivers a valuable experience to its users. Using OpenAI’s ChatGPT as a prime example, I wanted to use this article to delve into these crucial aspects of product development in a Startup. Contents Product Timing The success of a startup often hinges on timing. YouTube, for instance, was founded when Adobe’s Flash Video player was gaining rapid popularity. This technological trend created the perfect environment for a user-friendly platform for easy video sharing. Similarly, Google’s development of transformer models was foundational to […]

Azamat Tyulebayev

Mastering the Art of Communicating Your Startup’s Value Proposition

Your value proposition is critical to the success or failure of your startup. Think about the last time you chose a SaaS product. Maybe you asked a friend or a colleague for a reference. Maybe you went to a review platform like G2. Or maybe you did your own research, saw a few demos and went for it. Now compare that with the process you used for acquiring a SaaS product 10/15 years ago. Not really the same, right? On one hand that happens because your standards have changed. Fifteen years ago we had fewer solutions; way more tolerance for a bug here and there and loading times that were a few seconds more than ideal. Now? Think about the last time you had something like that happen. And your response to it. The internet has matured. Digital solutions have matured. The competitive landscape is much more crowded. Users are more demanding than ever. This forces you not only to execute your product spotlessly, and you have to communicate with your users seamlessly also. If you look at the dozens if not hundreds of other solutions competing for your hard-earned bucks, you’ll be able to draw two conclusions: All the others failed […]

10 European Countries With the Best Tax Reliefs for Startups

Europe has long been recognised as a centre for innovation. In recent years, the tech startup ecosystem has experienced remarkable resilience across the continent in spite of economic downturns due to COVID-19 and the subsequent war in Ukraine. This is, in part, due to numerous European countries having implemented tax relief programs tailored for startups and investors. These programs contribute to making the region increasingly attractive for entrepreneurs looking to establish or expand their businesses. In this article, I’ll delve into the top 10 European countries offering the most advantageous tax relief schemes for startups. From the United Kingdom’s well-established Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) to more region-specific initiatives in countries like Spain, I’ll explore the diverse range of incentives available. By comprehending the various options at your disposal, you can make well-informed decisions about where to launch and develop your startup and ultimately maximize the benefits of these favourable tax climates. Contents 1. Portugal The Portuguese main tax incentives towards early-stage startups are based on the Enterprise Investment Scheme (UK) model. It is possible for a Business Angel, who is certified by IAPMEI (Governmental Small and Medium Enterprise Agency) and makes a certified investment in an SME (or startup) less than 3 years old. They can […]