Saturday, July 12, 2025
Home Blog Page 22

Better Juice and GEA Establish Sugar-Reduction Innovation Center

By
Quepatagra
-
0

New center offers manufacturers new opportunity  for testing Better Juice’s sugar-reduction technology

Israeli start-up Better Juice, and GEA Group AG, Germany, have established a new pilot facility, inviting juice manufacturers to test their sugar-reduction technology. The groundbreaking GEA Better Juice Sugar Converter Skid is included in GEA’s innovation center in Ahaus, Germany, and is completed with all the required processing equipment supplied by the global food system suppliers and incorporates Better Juice sugar reduction technology. The center will be fully operational by mid-July of this year.

Better Juice’s enzymatic process uses all-natural ingredients to convert simple sugars (fructose, glucose, and sucrose) into prebiotic dietary fibers and other non-digestible molecules, while maintaining the full flavor, body, and naturally occurring complement of vitamins and nutrients of the fruit. It can reduce up to 80% of sugars in natural fruit juices as well as in fruit-based compositions, such as purées.

“The pilot center creates a high-tech venue where we can host companies—mainly from EU, but also from all over the world—to come see, learn, plug in, and actually taste their products after they’ve been recreated with Better Juice process in a workshop environment,” explains Gali Yarom, Co- Founder and Co- CEO of Better Juice. “Here, we can now collaborate with our customers at the test center to strike the ideal balance between a sweet note and reduced sugar content.”

The center will offer lab services for testing all essential analytical parameters. A Better Juice team, together with GEA expert engineers, will be on site to accompany and guide visiting companies during their trials. 

“We set up a readily accessible platform for juice and fruit processing companies seeking to actively contribute their part to the global quests for reducing sugar consumption and concurrently give their products an added wellness edge,” says Eran Blachinsky, PhD, co-founder and co-CEO of Better Juice. “It will also eliminate a significant portion of R&D costs and time.”

As one of Europe’s largest systems suppliers for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors, GEA has the infrastructure for establishing such a pilot center. The group also possesses a global network of technical teams dedicated to implementing the GEA Better Juice Sugar Converter Skid into the production lines of juice manufacturers.

“Our collaboration with Better Juice cements our foothold in the world of innovation as we work together to make true game-changer impact,” adds Sascha Wesely who leads GEA’s activities in the non-alcoholic beverage business. “In return, we bring Better Juice all the corporate and technical support it needs to propel this venture to success.”

Quelle NutriPR

Resorcix, Gat Foods Launch Natural Solution for Preventing TAB Spoilage

By
Quepatagra
-
0

Clean-label, botanical extract is a game-changer for beverage bottlers fighting Thermophillic Acidophilic Bacteria (TAB)

Gat Foods, part of International Beer Breweries, Ltd. (IBBL), and Israeli startup Resorcix, Ltd., introduce FLAVORWATCHTM, a breakthrough natural, botanical ingredient with inherent ability to prevent Thermophillic Acidophilic Bacteria (TAB) spoilage in clear, fruit-based beverages.

FLAVORWATCH maintains the beverages’ organoleptic characteristics, fully retaining original flavor throughout the shelf life, and delivering a durable sensory experience in clear, high-acid still beverages. This innovative solution is poised to create a brighter—and clearer—future for soft drinks.

Gat Foods, a leading provider of fruit-based beverage solutions, partnered with Resorcix, to develop FLAVORWATCH,patent-pending,nature-derived solution to the problem of TAB spoilage. The bacteria strain, which negatively impacts the quality and organoleptic properties of most categories of still, non-alcoholic beverages, had been confounding beverage bottlers for decades.

The story of TAB 

TAB refers to a group of nonpathogenic microbes belonging to the Alicyclobacillus family and is ubiquitous in still RTD non-alcoholic drinks. The existence of TAB was first documented in 1982 in Germany after a spoilage outbreak in a commercial pasteurized apple juice brand prompted a major recall. Following a comprehensive lab inquiry, a new family of bacteria was discovered, one that is able to withstand pasteurization and that can multiply rapidly in acidic environments

TAB originates from certain ingredients frequently used in beverage preparation, such as sugar, pectin, water, and fruit concentrate. GMP measures can reduce TAB but cannot eliminate it entirely. This necessitates periodic batch testing and isolation which is costly and time-consuming, and still not 100% bullet proof.

Pasteurization—one of the common methods used for microbial treatment—does not eliminate heat-resistant TAB spores. In fact, since pasteurization kills most vegetative bacteria and fungi, it actually eliminates microbial competition and stimulates the outgrowth of TAB.

Keeping TABs on Spoilage

Indications of TAB spoilage in beverages include a hazy appearance and, upon opening the bottle, discharge of a smoky, clove-like smell. It also imparts a medicinal off taste. The bacteria multiply shortly following the bottling process, especially in warm weather. Although nonpathogenic, the unpleasant results of TAB contamination typically lead to a large volume of customer complaints and can ultimately trigger a costly recall and shattered reputation.

FLAVORWATCH contains natural compounds with a proven bacteriolytic effect, disintegrating TAB cells in the germination phase. This prevents the bacteria from producing off-flavored and unpleasant smelling metabolites. “The precious rainforest is known to reveal surprising botanical treasures,” shares Yehoshua Maor, PhD, pharmacologist, toxicologist, founder and CSO of Resorcix. “Our FLAVORWATCH solution is based on a botanical oleoresin that naturally possesses anti-TAB spoilage properties.” 

Maintaining Brand Reputation

“Building a CPG brand leaves zero room for failures in quality control,” says Shachar Shaine, CEO of Gat Foods. “Consumers deserve full transparency and maximum quality throughout the entire shelf life of a beverage. But while TAB-related recalls can damage a company’s image and destroy consumer trust in the brand, we can help bottlers keep their positive brand image.”

“Bacteriologists know that spores are almost impossible to eradicate”, says Lior Sinai, PhD and CTO of Resorcix. “That’s why we were extremely excited to discover natural molecules of plant origin that can eliminate these multi-resistant bacterial spores.”

FLAVORWATCH is classified as a natural flavoring by FDA, EFSA, JETRO (Japan), and Israeli Ministry of Health regulations, and appears as such on label. Its mild herbal flavor is so slight it cannot be sensed in the beverage, as only a minimal amount is necessary to maintain the product’s clear appearance and sensory attributes. It works throughout the shelf life as a clean-label ingredient.

In both pilot and industrial-scale tests supervised by microbiologist Roni Shapira, PhD, of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, a FLAVORWATCH -treated, pineapple-based, RTD beverage showed zero colonies of Alicyclobacillus over a span of six months. The same beverage continued to maintain its TAB-free status for a further eight months in an independent analysis.

FLAVORWATCH is suitable for a variety of still, clear, RTD beverages, such as fruit beverages, fruity water and iced tea. It is easy to implement and highly cost effective, readily able to be incorporated into beverage bases or syrups in the preparation phase or added directly to the beverage tank before pasteurization. It can reduce the need for added flavorings, as it allows for pasteurization at lower temperatures, making it an energy-efficient solution. This, in turn, substantially reduces the number of lab tests required, shortening time-to-market, and minimizing the risk of recalls.

“FLAVORWATCH is an innovative clean label, natural flavoring that protects the beverage’s distinct flavor qualities providing a full guarantee and peace of mind for manufacturers. “It provides consumers consistent quality, with no compromise on flavor,” notes Hila Bentman, International Marketing Manager for Gat Foods. “It allows beverage companies to ensure consumers the distinctive and continuous sensory experience during the entire shelf life of their soft drinks.”

Source NutriPR

Be conscious of your time

By
Quepatagra
-
0

kodehyve, which is a technology venture that is building the digital operating system for the real estate industry

Please introduce yourself and your startup kodehyve to our readers!

My name is Felix Hemmerling, I’m an entrepreneur from Luxembourg with a focus on web2 and web3, including real estate, DeFi, and NFTs. In 2020, I co-founded kodehyve, which is a technology venture that is building the digital operating system for the real estate industry.

Kodehyve is the result of the work experience I gained in the years before: After I started my first tech company in Singapore while I was at university, I worked on digital onboarding experiences, e-signatures and KYC/AML technologies as a Fin/RegTech product manager in the financial sector. Together with my former colleague and now co-founder Julien Casse (CTO), I saw an opportunity in real estate a few years ago. It is an industry we both are passionate about, but that is still not sufficiently digitised. 

This is where we come in with the technology that we are building: kodehyve is providing a complete digital infrastructure, including Fin/RegTech technologies, that covers the whole real estate development process for almost all use cases. With our solution, we improve the collaboration between all stakeholders in the real estate ecosystem, with a focus on new construction projects. We started out in our home market Luxembourg, but have international ambitions as we identified a pressing need for digital transformation in the sector across borders as well.

How did you get the idea of kodehyve?

I bought my first apartment in 2019, which was supposed to be a big and exciting step in my life. But in fact, I was utterly shocked by the lack of customer experience I got in return for the fortune I spent. I realised that it is easier to track the delivery of a product you bought on Amazon for €10 than the development of a new property project that easily costs buyers a six- or seven-figure sum.

The main problem is that in the real estate sector, a lot of redundant work is happening by all the various parties that are involved. When it comes to document and information exchanges during the whole lifecycle of a new property development project or transaction, agencies, architects, property developers, subcontractors, banks, insurances, and the end customers all need to align, sign legal paperwork, and much more. With current processes and tools, this leads to a lot of inefficiencies, a lack of transparency, and unnecessary costs.

I discussed this negative experience with my co-founder Julien back then. He is a full-stack software engineer and also has a background in the Fin/RegTech space. Together we realised that we could actually solve a vast amount of these inefficiencies by implementing and tweaking some of the FinTech and RegTech technologies we developed for the financial sector. Based on that, I started to speak to some people in the real estate sector, including real estate developers, investors and agencies. The result was that no matter the size of a property development company, its legacy or experience in the industry, the frustrating experience I had was usually the same for all clients. That’s when Julien and I decided to do something about it, and this is how kodehyve ultimately was born.

Why did you decide to start with kodehyve?

Julien and I are both ambitious problem solvers and coders at heart with a shared passion for real estate. Since the problem we discovered in this particular sector is a huge one, we felt especially drawn to it – solving the described pain points of the real estate industry with digital technology is a big business opportunity. In Europe, the industry represents on average about 10% of a country’s GDP.

But the whole market is very fragmented with lots of players that are interdependently involved in real estate development projects and transactions, which leads to a lot of smaller subproblems that all need to be tackled. Most of the time, the different types of organisations within the market work with outdated processes and use numerous different tools in their daily business. We want to change this by providing an end-to-end operating system that covers various use cases and by simultaneously offering seamless digital user experiences. By applying our former experiences in FinTech and RegTech, building modular data-driven software solutions, we can help to elevate the whole industry and make it more efficient and sustainable. 

Lastly, Julien and I are very complementary as co-founders, which is why we eventually decided to start kodehyve together two years ago. Julien started to develop software at the age of 16 and has extensive experience in FinTech and RegTech. In his role as CTO, he is very focused on the user experience with the goal to build a product that our customers do not want to miss anymore. Given my background as an entrepreneur and product manager for digital customer onboarding, payments, AML/KYC processes, and e-signatures in the financial sector, we both share the same attributes and vision for where we want to go with our company.

What is the vision behind kodehyve?

Our vision is to provide the most powerful operating system to property developers and all other market participants alike, thereby adding substantial value to the entire real estate industry. Our software solutions shall increase operational efficiencies that will reduce human errors and costs, improve the quality and execution of real estate projects, and contribute to the decarbonation of the industry. By improving collaboration and the exchange of data, we want to increase the transparency within the ecosystem not only for property developers and their partners but also investors and end customers. Overall, we aim to digitally transform one of the most ‘old-school’, but at the same time most important, industries to accelerate the development of new real estate projects and create a positive impact.

How difficult was the start and which challenges you had to overcome?

We decided to formally quit our jobs at the beginning of 2020, just a few weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded. This was surely a challenge, but one that we managed to overcome by simply focusing on building the first version of our product. We did so without bringing any investors on board right in the beginning. So we simply took the leap and never looked back.

Another challenge for us was that it often takes time to educate property developers and their stakeholders (i.e. employees, clients, partners) about new technologies. Having them go through a digital transformation can be a lengthy process. However, by zooming in on their pain points through countless conversations with different players within the real estate industry over time, we found a way to make the transition and adoption of our technology quite smooth by now. 

Who is your target audience?

We mainly work with property developers, but our clients and use cases also include real estate funds, real estate agencies as well as real estate federations or associations like the Luxembourg Chamber of Real Estate (Chambre Immobilière). Our target clients and partners usually range from small organisations with only two people all the way up to hundreds of employees. At this stage, we are mainly focused on new residential property development projects in Western Europe.

What is the USP of your startup? 

One of the main advantages of using kodehyve is that we are harmonising a tremendous amount of data from various sources that usually is not managed well due to the fragmentation of the market. Our data-driven platform visualises and reconciles the available data to help property developers make more informed, high quality decisions. We put utmost attention on data security as we are dealing with many confidential and sensitive information – which is something we learned to prioritise when working in FinTech and RegTech before. Moreover, as we are building the operating system for the entire industry, we are offering an integrated end-to-end solution that covers almost all use cases that occur within the market instead of just a few specific ones. 

For example, we have recently launched an e-signature platform. At the moment, it is specifically tailored to the needs of the real estate industry in Luxembourg, providing ready-to-use legal documents and templates for the various stakeholders in the market that are officially approved by the Luxembourg Chamber of Real Estate (Chambre Immobilière). Solving the pain points around managing documentation and signing legally binding paperwork is not a standalone product, but a feature that is integrated with all the other functions that we provide, i.e. financial data analysis, KYC/AML checks, workflow management, and planning. We will roll out the feature locally adapted in other markets going forward.

Can you describe your typical workday?

When you’re a startup founder, your workday varies greatly. For me, every day is different depending on what is currently going on and which period we are generally in with the company. Overall, my main daily responsibilities are focused on product development, sales & marketing, HR, and investor relations. For example, a major task in my role as CEO is to provide the best conditions for our team so everybody has all the information they need and the right environment to excel in their respective roles.

Since our product is the heart and centre of our company, I dedicate a lot of time to talking to our customers and sales leads in order to exactly understand their needs – which I then share with our product and development team to help optimise our product roadmap. Additionally, Julien and I check in every day as well, which is crucial as co-founders to stay aligned and adapt our strategy if needed. Whenever I can take the time, a round of ‘foosball’ (table football) is definitely also part of a typical workday.

Where do you see yourself and your startup kodehyve in five years?

Our goal is to build the most powerful operating system for property developers in Europe and beyond. It is important to us to build the best available product that is specifically tailored to the needs of our specific target group  – great software engineering is at the core of what we do today and aim to continue to do also in five years. As the next step for us as a company, we are preparing for strong international growth, which means that we will hire many new talented team members in the coming years to help us execute our expansion plans. Since the real estate industry is such a big market around the globe, there is lots for us to do. We will continue to diversify our product and adjust it locally where needed in the near and long-term future.

What 3 tips would you give to founders?

1.) Do not worry about being an outsider and potentially stepping on people’s feet. I think it is important that you listen to your intuition and follow your own vision and goals. You do not have to justify yourself to anyone when you want to build a disruptive business.  I recommend not hesitating to speak up and to be vocal about who you are and what your thoughts are about a certain problem, industry, or service. Of course it helps to have your ideas and plans challenged by people you appreciate – but it goes a long way to stay equally sceptical and careful whose advice you take. What is actually the most important at any given point in time: Care deeply about what your users and customers think than anyone else.

2.) Be conscious of your time. As a founder, you should only spend your time on topics, activities, and people you are truly excited about and admire. You don’t have to be present at every startup event and network with everyone just for the sake of it.You won’t get your time back, so make sure you focus on the things that are truly important and essential.

3.) Work in the background. You do not need to do something special to get constantly noticed. Just like with your time, you only need the attention of the right people rather than by everyone. It is better to invest your energy in building amazing products than in catering to certain outside expectations that do not get you closer to reaching your goals. Lastly, never forget to enjoy the process of doing so.

More information you will find here

Thank you Felix Hemmerling for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

Treat your employees how you would like to be treated

By
Quepatagra
-
0

Fashion technology scale up Looklet launches product that allows retail customers option to style and mix and match clothes virtually

Please introduce yourself and your startup Looklet to our readers!

My name is Adam Berg – I’m the CEO and co-founder of Looklet, a technology scale-up for fashion retailers’ image production. We offer a photo solution for fashion e-commerce players without models or photographers, ultimately reducing costs and streamlining the e-commerce process. Some of our clients include Saks Fifth Avenue, Holt Renfrew, Fenwick, and Lands End.

How did you get the idea of Looklet?

Some friends (later cofounders) and I cracked it. The original idea was to create a styling tool online where users could combine actual garments with real models, and that original idea is actually coming to fruition now in 2022. We had a feeling that with the rising costs of fashion retail production, there would need to be an option for retailers to streamline the process and digitise as much as possible, without sacrificing the final product’s image quality. 

The idea of it as the B2B solution for creating images that is our main focus today grew organically as our licensing customers understood how they could achieve higher quality and save money with our process.

Why did you decide to start with Looklet?

I’ve always dreamt of running my own company, building something great, and being my own boss. My cofounding friends and I noticed that with the rise in e-commerce, retailers needed to amplify their online presence to stand out in the pack. We had a background in fashion, tech, and advertising, so we decided to put our brains together to come up with a new solution. The fashion industry is massive and there are innovations for many problems. However, the actual fashion image production process is, in many cases, very manual, not scalable, and delivers inconsistent results. This is why we wanted to create a solution that different-sized enterprises could benefit from.

What is the vision behind Looklet?

Simply put, we want to be the global first-choice in fashion product imagery. I believe that eventually, image production will be fully digitized, and each consumer will see personalised imagery and can virtually try on their style and fit. Looklet is at the forefront and driving this development.

How difficult was the start and which challenges you had to overcome?

As many startups do, we started in a very dodgy basement with a small group of friends who spent time with each other 24/7 building the first beta version of our product. None of us had deep pockets and we weren’t backed by investors, so a lot of the challenges were obviously around resources and funding. Being broke was the reality for the first few years. We took out new mortgages on our apartments, sold our cars, and cut down on everything possible to fund our idea.

One of my co-founders had a knack for poker, so he spent his few hours off at the casino to finance his living expenses since we didn’t have a salary for quite some time. I wouldn’t recommend poker as a way of funding your living expenses but it is a testament to our dedication. We were young and foolish, we sacrificed family and personal relationships, and took a lot of personal risks. When I look back at that period I’m thankful for all the support I had from my family, and especially my wife who endured living with me through that crazy period.

Another big challenge was to build our hardware.

Our team is software experts but our solution required a new type of hardware to be designed. We managed to solve that by asking a group of industry designer friends to help us out and a local construction firm to make a bet on us. We ended up with a really great beta product and we still work with that local construction firm that took a bet on us all those years ago.

In essence  – starting a company is no joke: It is challenging in every way. It’s not glamorous – it’s downright hard work. After a while, you basically become an expert in making mistakes and solving problems, because that is what you deal with all day. But now and then, you manage to make a big leap. It might be signing a new client, managing to convince a fantastic developer to join the team, or releasing something really great product-wise. Those moments and that rush is worth all of that blood, sweat, and tears and that’s why I love doing what I do.

Who is your target audience?

Our target audience is predominantly high-volume, multi-brand retailers, such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Veepee, and Fenwick. While our services are available globally, we primarily focus on Europe and US.

What is the USP of your startup?

We digitise model photography to simplify, optimise, and boost fashion e-commerce photo production. Compared to other photo production options, our solution at Looklet is photorealistic and is consistently and extremely high-quality.  We offer beautiful and consistent model imagery for e-commerce at scale, and we do it without models or photographers on set.

Additionally, we can enhance retailers’ e-commerce efforts around the globe. Not only do we shoot and style their garments at an affordable cost and without the need for an elaborate photo production process, but we also make the result look incredibly realistic. We shoot models, digitise them, and put them into the system so our clients can style products the way that is best for their brand. We have actually learned from our clients that they’ve saved 30% – 40% in photo production costs through our services without sacrificing the quality that their end-users, the consumers, deserve.

Can you describe your typical workday?

I get up at 6 am and I hit the gym. Lifting weights is my yoga and I consider it an important part of my workday since it allows me to decompress and get focused for the day ahead.  I start up by meeting with the team based in Stockholm. We go over the big projects for the day, chat about priorities, and divide and conquer on all of Looklet. Running a company is balancing strategy with operations, you have to love mixing the two in order to do a good job.

Next, I spend time working on our product. This usually means collecting feedback from our clients and discussing ways to improve together with my cofounder and CPO. We have a huge backlog of things we want to do and when everything is a top priority, nothing is. So, a lot of the time it’s about making tough and sometimes frustrating decisions that are necessary for true prioritisation. The afternoon tends to vary depending on what Looklet is up to at the moment. I try to be as flexible as possible during this time in case I need to touch base with any of our teams around the globe.  I have a great and motivated commercial team, but I usually handle or work together with them on some of the larger strategic deals – this means doing demos or crafting presentations, proposals or negotiating contracts. 

And I always try to get home at 6 pm, have dinner with my family, and spend time with the kids, my wife, and my dog. I spend a few hours in the evening normally between 9-11p talking to my cofounder going over what happened during the day, checking up on slack and emails, and make a plan of attack for the following day.

Where do you see yourself and your startup Looklet in five years?

A lot can change in five years, but an exciting update that will keep us busy for the foreseeable future is our Dressing Room project, which just launched in May. Dressing Room leverages all of our core image rendering tech here at Looklet, along with our AI and 3D systems to create high-quality and color-accurate imagery. It’s been in the works for some time now and we’re now able to offer the product to retailers – the next version of the Dressing Room will enable the consumer to capture an image and data of themselves directly from their smartphone for styling. We’re predicting a lot of changes in the near future with Dressing Room along with some exciting updates and features. 

What 3 tips would you give to founders?

Treat your employees how you would like to be treated: At the end of the day, you are all in it together. Make sure to laugh, have fun, be transparent, show that it’s OK to fail as long as you are going for gold, and make sure to share success.  The successes that you share will feel that much better when you’re on great terms with your team and can trust them. I’ve always seen employees as more than colleagues, they are an extended family that you spend an awful lot of time with. Invest in that relationship, it will make your work life so much more rewarding and fun

Understand that success is not linear: Companies have hits and misses all of the time, but it’s not indicative of overall success. Focus on what you want to accomplish, your vision, keep your head down, and work hard. Prepare for a rollercoaster ride and be aware that nothing lasts forever, good and bad – that’s what makes this fun.

Give yourself an occasional break: If you overwork yourself, there won’t be any energy left for anything else and that isn’t sustainable in the long run, especially for a founder. When your body and mind tell you to take a breather or walk, listen.

More information you will find here

Thank you Adam Berg for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

Listen to other people’s opinions and advice, but always do it your own way

By
Quepatagra
-
0

vidby is an AI translation software tool for video professionals

Please introduce yourself and your startup vidby to our readers!

We are Alexander Konovalov and Eugen von Rubinberg, founders of vidby.

Our start-up vidby is an AI translation software tool for video professionals. The tools support for example international companies, influencers, NGOs or media houses in making their videos accessible to a global audience in over 70 languages using AI technologies.

How did you get the idea of vidby?

We at vidby strive for an innovation-driven business culture. We believe in the power of ideas and are even more happy when we can solve worldwide problems with our solutions, like preserving the linguistic diversity on earth. In this way, we can make the world a better place by scaling up our ideas and deliver the best solutions.

Why did you decide to start with vidby?

Today, basically all relevant and important content is first created almost exclusively in English before the information is accessible in other languages. Keep in mind, that only 12% of the world’s population speaks English. In this way, we leave many people behind on important information, that is key to understanding and succeeding in the world. On the one hand, this highlights the size of the market for the vidby solution. On the other hand, it shows that there is still a lot to be done in intercultural dialogue. For understanding and fairness across cultures and languages, vidby wants to make a significant contribution. 

What is the vision behind vidby?

To make any video content accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world. For better understanding, diversity and interconnected people and markets. vidby wants to help preserve linguistic diversity.

How difficult was the start and which challenges you had to overcome?

At first, there was a funding problem. Otherwise, we could have brought our solutions much earlier to the market. To find funding, you need a built product and to build a product, you will need a funding. It´s a circle. To bypass the problem, we as founders, found an opportunity to finance the start of the project from our own resources. After we built a working prototype, we were able to get a few more angel investors. Now, vidby stands on a firm financial fundament.

Who is your target audience?

Our main target groups are B2B & B2G. Especially international companies, media houses, NGO’s, states/public organisations, Influencers and the education sector. So basically, anyone that can make a profit or reach their overall goals by translating video-content into other languages.

What is the USP of your startup?

Language is of most important matter in intercultural communication. With the help of technology, the world can move a little closer together. AI, like the one behind vidby, can contribute to this and thus preserve linguistic diversity and knowledge.

The methods and algorithms behind vidby are state-of-the-art for the automatic translation of video soundtracks. An international team of scientists, business and marketing experts uses the technology for a unique and ready-to-use solution for video translation.

We as vidby founders made an impact in language technology with our earlier projects. For example, we were technology partners of Google with the vidby predecessor DROTR. DROTR was the world’s first real-time translation service for video calls. The vidby solution is a technical evolution of the technology behind DROTR.

Can you describe your typical workday?

Our work schedule is really based on the day of the week. For example, Monday we focus on development, Tuesday – marketing and sales. Wednesday is meetings and bookkeeping. Thursday and Friday tasks, depending on the work schedule. If we take a typical working day, it is always divided into work with mail and task managers, work with documents, calls, monitoring processes and performance indicators.

Where do you see yourself and your startup vidby in five years?

Our task is to become a world leader in our segment and to make the word vidby synonymous with video translation, as today the word “Google” is synonymous with search, YouTube – video hosting and so on.

We also want to expand our market of opportunities, adding the ability to voice with emotions and by age, so that we can expand our market to feature films. The main goal is to create a new opinion among people that the language of a video is no longer a problem for the perception of it and that it is possible to watch all the videos in the world in your own mothers tounge. We are sure that our growth strategy will bloom.

What 3 tips would you give to founders?

1. Listen to other people’s opinions and advice, but always do it your own way.

2. If something does not work out now, then it means that it is so necessary. Wait, go ahead and everything will be in time. Because it’s never too late to do the right thing.

3. If you have been rejected by many investors and no one understands you, then most likely you are on the right track.

More information you will find here

Thank you Alexander Konovalov and Eugen von Rubinberg for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

How To Buy YouTube Views Effectively

By
Quepatagra
-
0

To buy YouTube views is an extremely popular phenomenon. Now the competition is very high, and newcomers are forced to use various methods of promotion. After all, the number of viewers of the content is a key parameter of the success of the channel. Pay attention when you meet two similar videos you are guided by the number of impressions. Therefore, the number of viewers is a very important argument.

How does the video get to the recommended

In fact, there is no universal formula for being recommended by YouTube. In any case, we can list several conditions that will potentially give you a good boost. 

The algorithm takes into account:
  • percentage of retention;
  • number of YouTube likes, views, subscribers, and comments;
  • appearance of new subscriptions to the channel after views;
  • appearance of links to videos from websites and social networks.

Summing up all the factors, YouTube decides how to rank the video highly.

If the video is 3 minutes long and people watch only the first minute, the retention time is 33%. If it is watched in its entirety, this indicator is 100%.

Viewers usually watch the first 30-60 seconds of the video and leave. If it is long, the retention time will be short. This is a signal to the algorithm that the video is not interesting. The channel’s reputation suffers. 

Accordingly, only those videos with a long retention time, about 50% or more, reach the TOP. 

It’s also important that after the views there are other reactions. That is, you need to order not only views, but a complex: buy YouTube subscribers, and comments.

What to do before buying YouTube promotion services

If you have created a channel quite recently, you shouldn’t immediately buy YouTube views, likes, and comments. It is very likely that the algorithms will be watching you closely.

The first videos should gain views on their own. To do this, send the link to your friends and ask them to watch your video. Add it to all social networks, groups, and sites you have access to.

When the video will collect 100-300 views, you can start buying.

Possible consequences of buying YouTube views

YouTube does not block for buying real YouTube views, comments, and likes. If the algorithm notices unnatural promotion, it either ignores the views or writes them off. If you use this method aggressively (buy bots, too high speed), YouTube will send a warning.

How else to promote a video

Be sure to work on the sound quality. A bad picture with an interesting story can be forgiven, but a terrible sound can’t.

It’s important to optimize your video for the query. This will make it easier for users to find it by keywords and for YouTube to understand when to show the video in the recommended list.

When posting a video you need to add:
  • keywords in the title;
  • tags that are relevant to the topic. These can be both direct and related keys;
  • keywords in the description of the videos;
  • thumbnail to attract attention.

Next, to promote YouTube, you can add videos to the groups of all social networks, personal or others (for a fee).

Google AdWords advertising will be effective. Test this form of advertising with a small budget. Then increase it if the ads get good results.

Conclusion

So, if you use buying services for YouTube, it’s better to do it for short videos, buying as much retention rate as possible. It is important to buy additional reactions in the form of likes, comments, and subscribers, so the set of actions is more appreciated by the algorithm.

Photo by pixabay

Autor: Frank Hamilton

More articles from Frank Hamilton you can find here

Frank Hamilton is a blogger and translator from Manchester. He is a professional writing expert in such topics as blogging, digital marketing and self-education. He also loves traveling and speaks Spanish, French, German and English.

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

Don’t be afraid to try new things

By
Quepatagra
-
0

Traya main goal is to treat hair fall from the root cause

Please introduce yourself and your startup Traya Health to our readers!

I co-founded Traya with Altaf. Traya is a new-age health startup that provides online diagnosis and doctor-prescribed treatments to all those suffering from hair fall. 

How did you get the idea of Traya Health?

Traya in Sanskrit refers to the threefold way, which is precisely what the company utilises to manage hair loss, by marrying the science and clinically proven results of western medicine, Ayurveda, and nutrition. Traya has documented its success with 1 lakh+ hair diagnoses and consultations in the last 18 months.

Why did you decide to start with Traya Health?

Altaf was going through a series of health issues including an uncontrollable thyroid, hair loss, and weight gain. During this journey we realised that the current hair loss treatment market is broken – no commercial shampoo, oil or serum actually works because hair loss needs a diagnosis and a doctor-prescribed treatment. On realising that not just Dermatology but combining Ayurveda and Nutrition can help to create a preventive approach for hair fall, we set out to help friends and families facing similar issues with a holistic three science formula.

What is the vision behind Traya Health?

Traya believes in treating hair fall through internal healing. Along with getting to the root cause of hair fall, our ultimate goal is to get every young Indian onto the #thetrayawayoflife to manage lifestyle-triggered health issues. Today we use the Traya philosophy for hair which we hope to take to every household. But there are numerous health conditions that need this approach such as digestion, sleep, cholesterol, and PCOD. Soon we’d like to help people in these areas too. 

How difficult was the start and which challenges you had to overcome?

For too long, the hair industry had made it very difficult for people to trust genuine treatments because none of the so-called hair fall treatments worked. So according to me, the biggest challenge would have been to switch the notion of people using shampoos and serums to fix hair fall. The other challenge would have been to make people understand that there is no genie in a bottle that can cure hair fall instantly. Finally, busting the myth that genetic hair fall is the final verdict rather they can fix this hair fall by treating the root cause provided they start early.

Who is your target audience?

Although 75% of Traya customers are men, we have seen a sharp increase in women customers (35%) in the recent past. The reason behind this is that hair loss in men is much more visible than in females because men experience a receding hairline with their forehead getting large while women experience a wider partition. 

What is the USP of your startup?

Traya is a solution oriented company where the main goal is to treat hair fall from the root cause. Each and every customer gets the benefit of a well thought out plan from our expert team comprising of dermatologists, nutritionists and ayurveda practitioners. We bring the best of 3 sciences all on one platform to manage something as stubborn as hair fall. After analysing over 1 lakh cases, we have the data to gauge whether our treatment plan will help you see guaranteed results or not and so we are confident enough to offer a 5 month money-back guarantee on our treatment plan. Traya also provides a hair coach to every customer to guide them along their hair growth journey and track their progress. 

Can you describe your typical workday?

I believe in starting early, it gives me a few extra hours to set my plan for the day and what we want to achieve as a team. Half my job is done when I plan out my tasks for the day. The rest of the day. I have all my calls aligned during the latter half so that my work is not hampered. At the end of the day, I focus on reviewing the data so I can have my learnings and accordingly plan the next assignment. 

Where do you see yourself and your startup Traya Health in five years?

At Traya, growth is important but our north star metric has always been the LTV of the customer. We have achieved a repeat rate of 80% with our consumers. We are in the business of managing hair loss and the disease is such that it takes 4-5 months to see the desired results. Our primary focus is not to sell 1 million SKUs of a product but to get 1 million people to benefit from the treatment. We’re building a brand that does not compromise on efficacy and is loved by customers. So in the next few years we wish to be the go-to for anyone who faces hair fall. We are also looking at venturing into new avenues of chronic health concerns and hope to get there in the near future.

What 3 tips would you give to founders?

Never underestimate or undersell yourself, be confident.

Wrong decisions are not the problem, slow decisions are.

Constantly learn and improve. Don’t be afraid to try new things

More information you will find here

Thank you Saloni for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

Believe in yourself and your product/technology

By
Quepatagra
-
0

Ohh-Med Medical Vertica helps men who are dealing with erectile dysfunction

Please introduce yourself and your startup Ohh-Med Medical to our readers!

I’m Daniel Lischinsky, founder and CEO of Ohh-Med Medical, a med-tech startup company that develops and manufactures innovative, patented medical solutions for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in men using radio waves (RF). Vertica, our first device, allows for self-care and home treatment, is non-invasive, and does not require a prescription from a doctor.

How did you get the idea of Ohh-Med Medical?

Around the world, hundreds of millions of men suffer from erectile dysfunction but tend to ignore it or refrain from seeking help because of embarrassment. At Ohh-Med Medical, we have developed a technology that uses RF energy to rehabilitate collagen tissues in the physiological mechanism that is responsible for erection.
My interest in this topic began with a scientific study I read in 2015 that pointed out a connection between the strength and quality of collagen fibers in the penis and the strength of an erection. When I came across this article, it became clear to me that I could leverage the experience and knowledge I had acquired from my previous startup – which specialized in RF-based skin treatments for collagen restoration – to develop a rehabilitation treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Why did you decide to start with Ohh-Med Medical?

As mentioned, around 15 years ago I founded my first startup, EndyMed. We developed unique medical devices for skincare (skin tightening, acne, cellulite, etc.) based on RF technology. I registered a patent and we received CE and an FDA De Novo approvals for Collagen Remodeling treatments.

In 2018 I left EndyMed with the goal of developing more medical applications based on a new patent technology. After learning about the connection between penile collagen tissues and the erectile mechanism, I raised a seed investment from a private investor, founded Ohh-Med Medical, and developed the Vertica prototype. In 2020, the ArbelOn Fund joined as an investor, and today the company enjoys a very high order and sales rate.

What is the vision behind Ohh-Med Medical?

The vision of Ohh-Med Medical is to help any man who is dealing with erectile dysfunction to improve the quality of erection with a home and non-invasive treatment, in order to experience normal and healthy sexuality that will have a positive effect on his quality of life in the physical and mental aspect. We are proud to pioneer a groundbreaking solution with Vertica®, which gives back men their self-confidence and natural functioning.

How difficult was the start and which challenges you had to overcome?

The first steps were challenging because we work on an hypothesis and it required a lot of energy and belief in what you do to achieve the first results. Once we started seeing positive results, we enter in a second phase of fine tuning the technology and product.

Who is your target audience?

The Vertica device is marketed directly to private consumers, but we are developing additional and advanced equipment for use by physicians in clinics and medical centers.
Currently, the device is only available in Israel. It will be made available in the US and Europe through local distributors following CE and FDA approval. Local distributors will also sell the device in the Asian and Russian markets, subject to local approvals. Additionally, we recently signed a major distribution agreement in Brazil.

What is the USP of your startup?

Unlike other solutions for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (pills, injections, surgery for prosthesis implantation, etc.), Vertica is designed to achieve a natural long-term erection regardless of the time at which you engage in sexual activity. Our RF technology  improves the penile collagen tissues and thus restores the erection mechanism so that the patient returns to enjoying a spontaneous erection, without preparations or any planning that impair spontaneity.


The treatment is performed independently by the patient, about twice a week for 15-30 minutes, depending on the need and severity of the erectile dysfunction. When there is an improvement, treatment can be stopped and returned later if needed. The Vertica device is very easy and convenient to operate, safely and non-invasive.
Because it does not require a medical prescription, the Vertica device is marketed directly to the customer on the Ohh-Med Medical website, without the need for any interaction with salespeople, store representatives, or doctors. The device is shipped to the patient’s home in a closed kit that does not disclose its contents, in order to secure discretion.

Can you describe your typical workday?

Sure, 8:30 – 9:00 at Ohh-Med offices, pushing R&D, Manufacturing, marketing and sales activities with each Ohh-Med employee responsible for each area, then when USA/Canada wake up, start conferences… finally and usually late hours of the day, I have some time for myself to think on next steps and new technologies for Ohh-Med.

Where do you see yourself and your startup Ohh-Med Medical in five years?

I see myself leading Ohh-Med as an international company with few technologies and multiple products in the market. We are building a robust and healthy company for long time…

What 3 tips would you give to founders?

With your permission I would like to give 5 tips:

Believe in yourself and your product/technology

Believe in yourself and your product/technology

And believe in yourself and your product/technology

Work hard! no matter what…

Bring the best partners you can! you can’t do it alone.

Photo Credit: Shay Vazdias

More information you will find here

Thank you Daniel Lischinsky for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

Just start and don’t worry about perfect

By
Quepatagra
-
0

Manara placed engineers across the US, the UK, Ireland, Germany and the UAE

Please introduce yourself and your startup Manara to our readers!

My name is Laila Abudahi and I grew up in Gaza, Palestine. I hacked my way from Gaza to becoming a software engineer in Silicon Valley. My engineering background: I graduated with a degree in computer engineering from Al-Azhar University in Gaza.  I hold a masters degree from the University of Washington in Seattle and am a Fulbright Fellow.

Prior to Manara, I worked at Nvidia as a senior software engineer building autonomous vehicles. On a more personal side, I’m a plant mom and I do woodwork for fun

How did you get the idea of Manara?

The companies my co-founder and I used to work for (Upwork, NVIDIA) were constantly seeking software engineering talent but couldn’t find them. In the meantime, our talented friends in the Arab world couldn’t get these jobs because their resumes look untraditional and they are unfamiliar with the  interview process. We wanted to bridge the gap between the demand and the talent pool in the region. 

Inspired by my own journey from Palestine to getting my dream job at Silicon Valley, I wanted to make it easier for people back home to do the same. Ultimately, these engineers will become the CTOs and senior engineers that the region needs in order to accelerate the growing success of its own tech ecosystem.

That’s how Manara was born. 

Why did you decide to start with Manara?

The Middle East has the world’s youngest population and has made large investments in education since the Arab spring. The number of college grads is doubling every 5 years. The region has  an increasing interest in STEM. In Palestine, for example, the number of high school students applying to “Code for Palestine” increased 22x between 2015 and 2020.

The region will graduate an estimated 500,000 STEM grads by 2025 – equal to the US and more than Eastern Europe. The talent pipeline is the biggest challenge facing the tech industry, and diversity of talent continues to gain priority.  

Covid has led to a seismic shift towards remote hiring, which only makes things easier to remotely hire engineers in the Middle East.  An estimated 52% of computer science graduates in Palestine are women, 62% in Tunisia, 80% in Qatar. Currently 83% of women computer science graduates in Palestine are unemployed and numbers are similar in other countries.

What is the vision behind Manara?

Our mission is to unlock the human potential of the Middle East and North Africa

We are building a community committed to diversifying the global tech sector while uplifting the economies of the Middle East and North Africa, with a focus on Palestine and women. The engineers we place at companies like Google today,  will become the backbone of MENA’s tech sector in the future. 

How difficult was the start and which challenges you had to overcome?

The start was difficult because we started with the toughest city in the Middle East for hiring – Gaza( and especially for women) and we aimed for placements at top tech companies like Google. The rationale for this was if we can prove the model for talent from the toughest city with the highest barriers and place them in positions at Google, we can do it from anywhere. 

One of the biggest challenges we faced was switching the mindset for talent in Gaza. The candidates were talented and highly qualified but did not believe in themselves, especially women who were not confident enough to even apply. At the very beginning of Manara’s journey, it required hours and hours of mentorship per potential candidate until the stage of applying – because simply no solution existed like that and getting a job at Google seemed completely out of reach. 

Today, one of our biggest pillars and support units in Manara is our mentorship program that focuses on overcoming this imposter syndrome.  The second biggest challenge was rebranding the Middle East as a source for tech talents versus what the region is typically associated with like wars, displacement and crisis.

Who is your target audience?

We target top talent software engineers and computer scientists – with a focus on women and Palestine. Manara runs the career acceleration program twice a year.Requirements for entry include under-graduate or post-graduate computer science or engineering degree candidates with strong English language skills. 

The other target audience we are looking to reach are partners we can work with, such as Google, Meta and Amazon. Europe’s tech sector is growing quickly. There’s a massive need for new solutions to access talent, whether remote or onsite. The Middle East and North Africa is an obvious fit because of proximity and time zones.

What is the USP of your startup?

Manara is a Public Benefit Corporation. We believe in leveraging the best of the tech sector to achieve social impact sustainably and at scale. Top investors and companies from Silicon Valley are helping us turn our vision into a reality. Manara has paid partnerships with FAANG companies and placement rates higher than they see with any other diversity solutions

We placed engineers at Google, Meta, Amazon, Flexport, Repl.it, and more. 80% of our graduates get great jobs. On average, their salaries increase 3x after Manara. We secured 80 roles for computer scientists & engineers with the biggest employers to date being Google & Meta 

Can you describe your typical workday?

Mornings 

Starts with a walk to get coffee – I use this trick to switch to work mode on days I’m working from home, otherwise I’m working from a coffee shop

I manage a team of remote engineers in time zones all around the world – my priority is to ensure the tech product is running and that I’m unblocking any team member on tasks before our daily team stand-up

As an engineer, Jira is great for task management

Afternoons

All my meetings in the afternoon are walking meetings, it helps me stay focused. Meeting at a coworking space with my co-founder. This is mainly to build strategy and set our goals. To keep up with Silicon Valley, I enjoy listening to podcasts & check Twitter

Where do you see yourself and your startup Manara in five years?

We raised $3 million in pre-seed funding from Silicon Valley and European investors.  The funding round was led by Stripe and included Reid Hoffman (founder of LinkedIn), Paul Graham (founder of Y Combinator) and Eric Ries (founder of Lean Startup).

Our goal is to use this investment to scale its existing cohort-based solution to go from 60 engineers per year to 6,000 engineers per year. In addition, we plan to launch a self-service product for interview practice, networking and mentorship that can reach millions of software engineers.  

What 3 tips would you give to founders?

My one and only tip for founders is to just start and don’t worry about ‘perfect.’ Build your product, put it out there for your users and keep on improving it everyday. 

More information you will find here

Thank you Laila Abudahi for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

The Impact Of Social Media on SEO In 2022

By
Quepatagra
-
0

What is the place of social media in SEO in 2022? How does social media affect SEO and how can you use social media tools in marketing? How does social SEO work?

Let’s start with the fact that direct links from social networks do not affect the ranking of documents in the search. Nevertheless, for Internet marketing professionals, social networks are a storehouse of traffic that can not only indirectly improve the place in the google rankings but also attract a targeted, solvent audience. According to Forbes, search and social both provide significant digital marketing potential.

Let’s look at the main ways to promote through social media:

Links from social media drive traffic to the site

Posts with high-quality content can garner likes, shares, and comments, so you can increase the number of people who see your post. A well-chosen description for the target audience will encourage users to follow the link to your site.

The attracted social traffic, in turn, will improve behavioral characteristics, which directly affects the google rankings. Double benefit: get visitors who can convert into a deal and improve the visibility of documents in search. To check the quality of your promotional methods, we recommend using SEO auditing tools, learn more about them here. 

Getting external links using social networks

Quality inbound links remain a significant ranking factor. There are many trust sites that are looking for information on social networks for further publication on their resources. By posting your article, such sites become quality donors, leaving a natural backlink that leads to one of your pages. 

The higher the quality of the content you produce and post on social media, the more likely you are to get a backlink. Try to post based on the interests of your group members, as this will encourage users to share your post.

Social media increases brand awareness

The Facebook audience for the second quarter of 2016 amounted to 1.71 billion monthly active users. The Twitter audience is about 317 million users. If at least a fraction of a percent of this entire audience learns about your brand, the result will be tangible!

Engage with social media audiences. Chat with them, respond to comments, ask questions, and engage them in discussions. This way, you can get new customers and fans for your brand.

Social network group profiles can appear in searches for a number of queries, just like websites

If you enter a branded query into the search, it is likely to see a group from the social network in one of the leading positions, along with the main site. Thus, if you constantly update the groups, you can take over the entire google rankings. Wherever the user clicks, they will be in contact with your brand. Sometimes, this can help to knock out negative information about your company or competitors’ pages from the first pages of the issue.

Make sure your social media profiles are up-to-date, updated regularly, and aligned with the design of the main site. With regular user contact with the brand, you will increase your awareness and, accordingly, the popularity of the snippet in the search results.

Social media is the best place to deal with negativity

If it so happened that you got a dissatisfied client for any of the reasons: you yourself are to blame, or the client is too picky – try to find him on social networks. If a negative review about your company is left in any group – respond to the negative with a constructive one directly in this group. So, you will show that you are interested in customer satisfaction and, as a bonus, this will be seen by a lot of other people who may be interested in your products/services.

Work with negativity, look for an individual approach to disappointed customers and they will become evangelists of your brand, tell their friends and acquaintances about you. Even in Internet marketing, word of mouth is not turned off.

Here are a couple of tips to get your SEO and social media working together:

Optimize social media profiles

Fill out your profile on the social network to the maximum, using all the platform’s opportunities. Moreover, try to optimize the information provided. To get started, identify the main keywords and phrases that are relevant to your business (compose a semantic core). Then use them in titles, descriptions, links, and wherever appropriate.

Optimize your content

You can often find groups and profiles whose content is not optimized for key queries. This is a big mistake. It is necessary to make sure that the search engine can attribute each new post to a specific topic, highlighting important keywords and phrases. Accordingly, these keywords and phrases must be present. A message whose subject matter is too vague and vague is not of great interest to search engines. 

Connect with influencers

To quickly reach a large audience on any social network, you can partner with influential users and groups that have a large number of subscribers. Guest posts are an old and proven way of promotion.

Be active

Social networks love activity. Try to publish content regularly, quickly answer questions from visitors, actively comment on messages from other users, and subscribe to popular groups. This is perhaps one of the most important tips you can give about social media marketing. Inactive profiles quickly “die” as they become uninteresting to visitors. At the same time, “live” and active profiles, as a rule, grow and gain subscribers.

Conclusion

Social networks do not provide direct support in the battle for the TOP. Still, they can indirectly affect the positions and surprise you with the good effect of Internet marketing in general. As the audience grows in social networks, the result of the work being done will become more tangible. In any case, neglecting the sources of traffic, brand contact and other obvious benefits of working with social media is a big omission.

Photo by pixabay

Autor: Frank Hamilton

More articles from Frank Hamilton you can find here

Frank Hamilton is a blogger and translator from Manchester. He is a professional writing expert in such topics as blogging, digital marketing and self-education. He also loves traveling and speaks Spanish, French, German and English.

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

1...212223...27Page 22 of 27

LATEST NEWS

LATEST NEWS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

StartupValley is one of Europe’s leading magazines for start-ups, founders, and entrepreneurs. We deliver daily news on emerging trends, breakthrough technologies, and innovative business models that are influencing the international start-up scene. What sets us apart? Our exclusive interviews with successful founders and leading investors – plus in-depth insights with a special focus on the European start-up ecosystem.

Contact us: contact@startupvalley.news

FOLLOW US

© StartupValley Media & Publishing