{"id":24895,"date":"2015-09-11T08:05:43","date_gmt":"2015-09-11T06:05:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/e52.nl\/?p=24895"},"modified":"2015-09-11T08:05:43","modified_gmt":"2015-09-11T06:05:43","slug":"ticket-to-eindhoven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/ticket-to-eindhoven\/","title":{"rendered":"Start-up life # 1: Ticket to Eindhoven"},"content":{"rendered":"

Slovenian start-up Gotoky began Startupbootcamp HighTechXL last week. The Eindhoven-based programme gives start-ups three months to work intensively on getting their company off the ground. For Gotoky, it’s a chance to further develop a smart walkie talkie \u2013 before the competition does. CEO\u00a0Denis Lon\u010dar will be talking to\u00a0e52 every week about his experience with Katja\u00a0Lipi\u010dnik,\u00a0Chief Marketing Officer, over the next three months.\u00a0<\/em>This week: ticket to Eindhoven<\/i><\/p>\n

Denis Lon\u010dar loves the mountains. It’s really beautiful above the treetops where the \u201cmoonscape\u201d begins, says the founder of Gotoky <\/a>and participant in the third edition of the Startupbootcamp HighTechXL<\/a>, which\u00a0kicked off last week. Over the next three months Denis will be on the flat lands of the High Tech Campus.<\/p>\n

The idea for Gotoky came high up in the picturesque\u00a0Slovenian mountains. \u201cYou go as fast as the slowest person in your group when you’re in the mountains.\u201d But not all of the mountaineers with him that day followed this mantra. Denis got separated from his group and looked at his phone: why doesn’t this thing do anything here?<\/p>\n

So how does\u00a0Gotoky work? In short, a small device connects\u00a0with your smartphone to work like a walkie talkie. You can also\u00a0text and there is\u00a0GPS as well as an SOS function. The walkie talkie works on radio frequencies, independent of your mobile\u00a0network or satellites. If your phone doesn’t have signal, you can still communicate with Gotoky, even up to 14.5 kilometres into the mountains.<\/p>\n

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Denis was busy working on the idea with his team in Slovenia when Startupbootcamp approached them. \u201cOne of the expat spouses got in contact with us and asked if we would be interested in taking part in the programme.\u201d<\/p>\n

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We have already written<\/a>\u00a0about how the expat partners at Eindhoven Startupbootcamp HighTechXL helped with the selection of new start-ups.<\/i><\/p>\n

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At the end of June, Denis and Katja flew to Eindhoven for the selection process: four gruelling days when every team from A to Z was vetted. On 30 June, the last day, they stepped into the High Tech Campus auditorium where the final eleven were to be announced. \u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were very eager to be selected, but not quite convinced we would,\u201d laughs Katja. \u201cWe were tired and impressed by the other teams. We just kept telling ourselves that the other candidates were more promising… it was just great to be a part of the selection day… and maybe it would be better if we weren’t selected.\u201d<\/p>\n

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But they were. The jury loved the idea of being able to reach remote areas easily and affordably with Gotoky.<\/p>\n

As for Denis and Katja, they’re thrilled: \u201cThree months working non-stop on Gotoky is a great opportunity.\u201d They’re especially pleased with how quickly they’ve been able to make contact with interested interlocutors. Within the first week alone they were sitting down with a TU\/e professor to talk about improving the antenna. \u201cThat would have taken a bit longer in Slovenia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part two next week.<\/p>\n