Although each team started the event with a clear idea of what business they wanted to launch, 12 weeks of strategic guidance, mentoring, and hard work during Bootcamp saw each team grow their business ideas in unexpected ways.
“The journey is never a straight line,” says Emily Sullivan, Bootcamp Programme Manager and Viclink’s Student Entrepreneurship Manager. “Pivoting—that is, the act of refining your market or idea as you work to validate it—is an expected part of the entrepreneurship process, and Bootcamp gives them a safe and supported place to do that without any of the usual risks involved.”
Student John Phillips from team GrowfastNZ (formerly Wellington Microgreens) agrees.
“We were certain we knew what our business was going to look like and who our customer base was going to be, but we discovered a more viable market and business direction,” he says.
GrowfastNZ originally planned to use aeroponic technology to develop an urban farm in central Wellington, but through Bootcamp they were able to develop a business idea that supports already existing farms and fills a gap in the market—providing technical support to urban farmers.
Team Re: Centive also adjusted their original idea and their name, changing from a focus on general consumer waste reduction to CuteFuture, an organisation that helps reduce the amount of baby clothing that currently ends up as waste. Their idea is to deliver a different box of dry-cleaned, second-hand baby clothing to families each month on a subscription, and student Carla Schwarting says their idea is already attracting interest.
“According to Greenpeace, global clothing production has doubled since 2000—yet only around 15 per cent is recyclable—so we wanted to come up with a way that would encourage people to actually buy less,” Carla says. “Families like the fact that it will save them money and have a positive effect on the environment.”
Teams Qisma Tech, Happy Earth Games, and Team RYA also made some changes, focussing on new markets, products, or both to create more successful businesses.
“While outcomes are important, the lessons our Bootcamp students learn along the way are equally transformational,” says Emily. “There’s a quote that I think nicely sums up the Bootcamp ethos: ‘Success is a journey, not a destination, where the doing is often more important than the outcome’.”
In 2019, Bootcamp students will also receive additional support from Victoria Business School throughout the year, helping them continue to develop their businesses and their entrepreneurial skills.
Viclink is the University’s commercialisation unit. To find out more about Victoria Entrepreneur Bootcamp, contact Emily Sullivan on 04 463 9604 or Emily.Sullivan@viclink.co.nz.