Double afterburner. The first success story of Russian crowdinvesting
Good morning, Habr! And we have news for you.
The collective investment platform VCStart was launched in September, a month earlier announcing its existence to haber granite. Come, we said to young entrepreneurs, place your startups with us. Welcome, we called investors, invest your money in the projects you like.
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“Nothing will work out for you”, - skeptics answered us, nodding at previous packs in this field of activity, - “There was no crowdinvesting in Russia and no!” “This is understandable,” “Of course,” we dejectedly agreed, continuing to do our work. “Until there are no success stories, no one will believe in crowdinvesting,” summed up the eminent experts in the world of venture capital and constructively-minded habrakritika. It was impossible to disagree with this, but we continued to work on the platform and attracting microinvestors and startups to it. For if you do nothing, success stories will never appear by themselves.
But despite the skepticism of the majority of active commentators, both startups and investors came,maybe not as widely as we would like, but since then the platform has housed several hundred projects and more than 5,000 users have registered, and many of them have already made their own first investment.
We also looked intently at the incoming startups, eagerly awaiting our first Success story. Potential leaders became visible almost immediately - several projects noticeably detached from the rest in the very first weeks after launch and the number of backers and the amounts collected at the first stage.
And so, the first real result appeared! The logistics service Gruzopoisk, which attracted $ 150,000 in investment on our platform in exchange for a cumulative 10 percent share, found (thanks to us) the general investor, who invested the entire amount in it. And it seems that the effect will be double action. Since, in connection with this event, the management of Gruzopoiska revised the size of the alienated share, lowering the target amount for microinvestment on VCStart to $ 60 thousand. Of these, for a month and a half, $ 21 310 has already been collected, that is, more than a third.
Someone will say, here it is - greed. But everything is explained more simply - respect for your audience and certain obligations to it. “What does the audience have to do when it comes to investors?” - a natural question arises. Given that in the case of “Cargo search” it is in many respects the same thing.
"Cargo search", as the name implies, helps counterparties of the road freight market to find each other. It helps very effectively - the day of many cargo owners and carriers begins with notifications from the service of new offers.
The project has existed for almost two years, and all this time it has been purposefully developing, increasing the target audience in its market segment. The service is free for users, convenient functionality and availability attract up to 200 new users to it daily. By the beginning of the round of financing, more than 18 thousand people regularly used the “Cargo search” on our platform, and more than 80 thousand users were registered on it.
The idea of ​​converting the target user into an investor was suggested by the authors of the project by active feedback - it turned out that many regular customers - brokers, cargo owners and carriers, are not averse to participating in the service that they use every day and financially.
“Cargo search” will not always be free, the transition to a model of paid access to advanced information is not far off. “Light” tariff for free use will remain, but professionals do not need “light”. And, according to studies, more than 90% of active users are morally ready to pay monthly for a PRO account.
Investments in the service, in addition to the results in the near future (because it is working and potentially profitable), give investors of “Gruzopoisk” certain preferences. Investments from $ 30 (minimum deposit threshold for VCStart) give a month of premium access, more than $ 300 is a year of free use. That is, in fact, such a scheme minimizes the element of venture for users-investors - regular users will pay this money for the account in any case. (By the way, the founders of other start-ups on our platform should take note of such a system of encouraging investors, since it can significantly accelerate progress towards the target amount).
Support of the largest group of investors on our platform (more than 60 people) “Gruzopoisk” won in many respects therefore. And also because it scales on its own, without waiting for the arrival of “big uncles”.
The service is entirely created by three co-founders who have experience of working together on other projects. But it is better to let the CEO tell about him in detail:
Sergey Eroshenkov, CEO of the company “Gruzopoisk” - web developer with 9 years experience (layout, design, marketing). Participated in the development of b2b-platforms, social networks, online stores, corporate portals. 8 years of experience in logistics.
Sergey, the first question is traditional. How was the idea born, under the influence of what or who, how did you evaluate the prospects of this particular market?
- The initial idea was born a long time ago, more than 10 years ago, I still had no idea about web-development and was superficially versed in computers. My father is a trucker, asked me to look for loads on the Internet. At that time, it was possible to search normally only on one site - ati.su, but even then it was obvious that it was inconvenient, difficult and expensive to work on it. I wanted to do something more “humane”, perhaps this was the impetus for the study of web-technologies, then I also thought that to make such a service is easy. Over time, the development has delayed, worked for several years in different projects. I returned to the idea of ​​a service for freight forwarders in 2012, at the same time I offered to implement it to my friend Alexei Kozlov. In May 2012, we began to actively write code. Later, another developer joined us - Andrei Yarish.
- First customers, who they are, where they came from, how quickly did you reach a more or less serious level? In the project description on our platform, you mention that everything was done without any advertising? Then where are all these people from - SEO on their own?
- Even before writing the first lines of code, we came to the conclusion that it would not be possible to just enter the market and rush in, we need preparation, so the first thing we did was download several thousand static pages along the cargo routes that the search engines liked, added to these pages the form “We will start soon, leave an email” and within half a year we collected about 4000 leads. When the site was launched publicly in December 2012, they sent out the newsletter and received more than 1,500 registrations in 3 days. The start was hot.
- Currently, the project is not monetized at all, as I understand it? Prior to the commercial version is focused only on the operating time of a loyal clientele?
- So far it is enough to register for work at Cargo Search, the site is free. The cost of the development and maintenance of the project is feasible, since the entire team consists of developers. A loyal clientele is already there and there is really a lot of it, but I don’t want to rush things; before entering paid accounts, it was decided to develop all the important functionality.
- About competitors. It is clear that first of all, we are talking about stronger or equal. What kind of competitive advantages can you name in comparison with Autotransinfo, for example? What can you say about Flagma.ru, Perevezi.ru and others, who are the first to emerge in the search engines for a target request? As I understand it, the last two are now actively investing in advertising.
- AutoTransInfo is the oldest, strong and important competitor, they formed this market in Russia. This resource is focused on logisticians and transport brokers, carriers were forced to use it in the absence of alternatives. Unlike ati.su, on Cargo Search, the user does not regularly request new requests on his own, but the filter system notifies of new publications. This approach is especially important for carriers who can not spend much time at the computer. Also, given the high mobility of our audience, we initially developed a Cargo Search adaptive for various mobile devices; AutoTransInfo mobility can not boast. Flags - bulletin board, as well as Avito. Partially copies ATI (in a reduced form). Perevezi.ru and Lucky Everyone - these are good and strong projects, but they work on another field - b2c, that is, if you carry a sofa or refrigerator, go to them, and to us - when you need to transport 20 tons of potatoes regularly.
- You need investments first of all for what? Is mobile application development for the main platforms, an advertising campaign for expanding the client base, something else included in their targeted spending? What is meant by geographic scaling - are you interested in entering the neighboring European market?
- Can I answer this question simply - YES?
- Please describe some features that you plan to introduce in order to justify the transition to a paid model for those who are used to free services.
- We work in a difficult market, so it is very important for us to try to provide the most accurate information about users and potential partners. The first thing that will be developed before entering paid accounts is the rating of companies with customer reviews, black and white lists of companies, cargo insurance together with insurance companies. After that, active work will be carried out to improve accessibility to information and more in-depth automation of processes for users.
- What do you think about the crowning investment model of financing, its effectiveness?
- Honestly, I learned about this quite recently, and since I didn’t know anything before, I was concerned with crowd funding and crowdinvesting with a bit of skepticism. Placing your project on VCStart, we considered it more like an experiment. But the result - there is a very beaten-up expression here that literally exceeded all expectations. We received not only investments, but also a new team member represented by the main investor, who will have his own important role in the project. Currently, he is already actively involved in the development of a product promotion strategy.
- Sergey, the main question, perhaps, is because everyone, without exception, is interested in investors, both already invested and potential. It is clear that a startup is an enterprise, by definition, with a high degree of risk. But your project is significantly different from the majority of those hosted on our platform - I would say you have a higher start. Can you somehow predict the time to reach dividends for micro-investors?
- Over the next 5 months we include monetization, after which we expect to become self-sustaining within 2 months. Six months later, we are planning the first dividend payments.
- That is, the total is obtained year?
- Yes, a year.
Well, compared to other startups, the prospects are simply bright. For some reason, Sergei's calm confidence does not cause doubts, and the project itself is associated with a powerful and durable tractor, hundreds of which, receiving orders for Gruzopoisk, ply through the vast Russian expanses. The new member of the team shares my opinion , investor Oleg Zakharchenko , who told how he came to this decision, and why, in fact, “Gruzopoisk”:
You can get acquainted with the project “Cargo Search” on our platform VCStart . I recall that at the moment the amount of investment is $ 21,310. There is less than two thirds of the way to the goal of the financing round.
The collective investment platform VCStart was launched in September, a month earlier announcing its existence to haber granite. Come, we said to young entrepreneurs, place your startups with us. Welcome, we called investors, invest your money in the projects you like.
')
“Nothing will work out for you”, - skeptics answered us, nodding at previous packs in this field of activity, - “There was no crowdinvesting in Russia and no!” “This is understandable,” “Of course,” we dejectedly agreed, continuing to do our work. “Until there are no success stories, no one will believe in crowdinvesting,” summed up the eminent experts in the world of venture capital and constructively-minded habrakritika. It was impossible to disagree with this, but we continued to work on the platform and attracting microinvestors and startups to it. For if you do nothing, success stories will never appear by themselves.
But despite the skepticism of the majority of active commentators, both startups and investors came,
We also looked intently at the incoming startups, eagerly awaiting our first Success story. Potential leaders became visible almost immediately - several projects noticeably detached from the rest in the very first weeks after launch and the number of backers and the amounts collected at the first stage.
And so, the first real result appeared! The logistics service Gruzopoisk, which attracted $ 150,000 in investment on our platform in exchange for a cumulative 10 percent share, found (thanks to us) the general investor, who invested the entire amount in it. And it seems that the effect will be double action. Since, in connection with this event, the management of Gruzopoiska revised the size of the alienated share, lowering the target amount for microinvestment on VCStart to $ 60 thousand. Of these, for a month and a half, $ 21 310 has already been collected, that is, more than a third.
Someone will say, here it is - greed. But everything is explained more simply - respect for your audience and certain obligations to it. “What does the audience have to do when it comes to investors?” - a natural question arises. Given that in the case of “Cargo search” it is in many respects the same thing.
"Cargo search", as the name implies, helps counterparties of the road freight market to find each other. It helps very effectively - the day of many cargo owners and carriers begins with notifications from the service of new offers.
The project has existed for almost two years, and all this time it has been purposefully developing, increasing the target audience in its market segment. The service is free for users, convenient functionality and availability attract up to 200 new users to it daily. By the beginning of the round of financing, more than 18 thousand people regularly used the “Cargo search” on our platform, and more than 80 thousand users were registered on it.
The idea of ​​converting the target user into an investor was suggested by the authors of the project by active feedback - it turned out that many regular customers - brokers, cargo owners and carriers, are not averse to participating in the service that they use every day and financially.
“Cargo search” will not always be free, the transition to a model of paid access to advanced information is not far off. “Light” tariff for free use will remain, but professionals do not need “light”. And, according to studies, more than 90% of active users are morally ready to pay monthly for a PRO account.
Investments in the service, in addition to the results in the near future (because it is working and potentially profitable), give investors of “Gruzopoisk” certain preferences. Investments from $ 30 (minimum deposit threshold for VCStart) give a month of premium access, more than $ 300 is a year of free use. That is, in fact, such a scheme minimizes the element of venture for users-investors - regular users will pay this money for the account in any case. (By the way, the founders of other start-ups on our platform should take note of such a system of encouraging investors, since it can significantly accelerate progress towards the target amount).
Support of the largest group of investors on our platform (more than 60 people) “Gruzopoisk” won in many respects therefore. And also because it scales on its own, without waiting for the arrival of “big uncles”.
The service is entirely created by three co-founders who have experience of working together on other projects. But it is better to let the CEO tell about him in detail:
Sergey Eroshenkov, CEO of the company “Gruzopoisk” - web developer with 9 years experience (layout, design, marketing). Participated in the development of b2b-platforms, social networks, online stores, corporate portals. 8 years of experience in logistics.Sergey, the first question is traditional. How was the idea born, under the influence of what or who, how did you evaluate the prospects of this particular market?
- The initial idea was born a long time ago, more than 10 years ago, I still had no idea about web-development and was superficially versed in computers. My father is a trucker, asked me to look for loads on the Internet. At that time, it was possible to search normally only on one site - ati.su, but even then it was obvious that it was inconvenient, difficult and expensive to work on it. I wanted to do something more “humane”, perhaps this was the impetus for the study of web-technologies, then I also thought that to make such a service is easy. Over time, the development has delayed, worked for several years in different projects. I returned to the idea of ​​a service for freight forwarders in 2012, at the same time I offered to implement it to my friend Alexei Kozlov. In May 2012, we began to actively write code. Later, another developer joined us - Andrei Yarish.
- First customers, who they are, where they came from, how quickly did you reach a more or less serious level? In the project description on our platform, you mention that everything was done without any advertising? Then where are all these people from - SEO on their own?
- Even before writing the first lines of code, we came to the conclusion that it would not be possible to just enter the market and rush in, we need preparation, so the first thing we did was download several thousand static pages along the cargo routes that the search engines liked, added to these pages the form “We will start soon, leave an email” and within half a year we collected about 4000 leads. When the site was launched publicly in December 2012, they sent out the newsletter and received more than 1,500 registrations in 3 days. The start was hot.
- Currently, the project is not monetized at all, as I understand it? Prior to the commercial version is focused only on the operating time of a loyal clientele?
- So far it is enough to register for work at Cargo Search, the site is free. The cost of the development and maintenance of the project is feasible, since the entire team consists of developers. A loyal clientele is already there and there is really a lot of it, but I don’t want to rush things; before entering paid accounts, it was decided to develop all the important functionality.
- About competitors. It is clear that first of all, we are talking about stronger or equal. What kind of competitive advantages can you name in comparison with Autotransinfo, for example? What can you say about Flagma.ru, Perevezi.ru and others, who are the first to emerge in the search engines for a target request? As I understand it, the last two are now actively investing in advertising.
- AutoTransInfo is the oldest, strong and important competitor, they formed this market in Russia. This resource is focused on logisticians and transport brokers, carriers were forced to use it in the absence of alternatives. Unlike ati.su, on Cargo Search, the user does not regularly request new requests on his own, but the filter system notifies of new publications. This approach is especially important for carriers who can not spend much time at the computer. Also, given the high mobility of our audience, we initially developed a Cargo Search adaptive for various mobile devices; AutoTransInfo mobility can not boast. Flags - bulletin board, as well as Avito. Partially copies ATI (in a reduced form). Perevezi.ru and Lucky Everyone - these are good and strong projects, but they work on another field - b2c, that is, if you carry a sofa or refrigerator, go to them, and to us - when you need to transport 20 tons of potatoes regularly.
- You need investments first of all for what? Is mobile application development for the main platforms, an advertising campaign for expanding the client base, something else included in their targeted spending? What is meant by geographic scaling - are you interested in entering the neighboring European market?
- Can I answer this question simply - YES?
- Please describe some features that you plan to introduce in order to justify the transition to a paid model for those who are used to free services.
- We work in a difficult market, so it is very important for us to try to provide the most accurate information about users and potential partners. The first thing that will be developed before entering paid accounts is the rating of companies with customer reviews, black and white lists of companies, cargo insurance together with insurance companies. After that, active work will be carried out to improve accessibility to information and more in-depth automation of processes for users.
- What do you think about the crowning investment model of financing, its effectiveness?
- Honestly, I learned about this quite recently, and since I didn’t know anything before, I was concerned with crowd funding and crowdinvesting with a bit of skepticism. Placing your project on VCStart, we considered it more like an experiment. But the result - there is a very beaten-up expression here that literally exceeded all expectations. We received not only investments, but also a new team member represented by the main investor, who will have his own important role in the project. Currently, he is already actively involved in the development of a product promotion strategy.
- Sergey, the main question, perhaps, is because everyone, without exception, is interested in investors, both already invested and potential. It is clear that a startup is an enterprise, by definition, with a high degree of risk. But your project is significantly different from the majority of those hosted on our platform - I would say you have a higher start. Can you somehow predict the time to reach dividends for micro-investors?
- Over the next 5 months we include monetization, after which we expect to become self-sustaining within 2 months. Six months later, we are planning the first dividend payments.
- That is, the total is obtained year?
- Yes, a year.
Well, compared to other startups, the prospects are simply bright. For some reason, Sergei's calm confidence does not cause doubts, and the project itself is associated with a powerful and durable tractor, hundreds of which, receiving orders for Gruzopoisk, ply through the vast Russian expanses. The new member of the team shares my opinion , investor Oleg Zakharchenko , who told how he came to this decision, and why, in fact, “Gruzopoisk”:
“According to statistics, in the US, a successful business can be built by a person who fails an average of 5 times before. And I liked the idea of ​​building a business from scratch since childhood. And so, by my 30 years of age, having received an education in the field of business management, tempered his practice in a consulting company, having filled several cones, I began to look for a project where I could apply my accumulated experience in full force. The project, in my opinion, had to meet several criteria: first, it had to bring people benefit. For everyone, this concept is subjective. But for me, this was the main point - the benefits should be not only online, but also in real life. Secondly, it had to have the potential to scale.
Last year I watched two world famous companies develop: Airbnb and Uber. This example of international expansion makes me watch with admiration every time the development of their business. But to start a startup in the area of ​​rental housing or ordering a taxi today is complete madness. The market is fully saturated with various services and will not notice another player. Third, the project should have already formed a team to achieve its goals. I am not even talking about the fact that it would be good to formulate goals too. At least for half a year.
When I met the guys who created Gruzopoisk.ru, I immediately realized that the project meets all my criteria. And the point here is not at all in the amount of funding, but in my contribution, as a specialist, which I can contribute to this project. And this is the very case when you realize that you are ready to sell your home and invest the proceeds in a team of 3 people who create a second eBay or Amazon in their spare time.
Yes, the competition in the field of freight is high, both in Russia and around the world. But didn’t there be smartphones in the world before the first iPhone appeared? The main question is not whether there are analogs and what these analogs can be copied in your project, but what you can do in person so that the company you work for can reach Google level. Someone will say that the goal is too ambitious or, even worse, that these young people will not be able to achieve such heights. And I am sure that we all do something for the first time, but the most important thing is how we do it. I am sure that Gruzopoisk.ru will be a successful project. And perhaps there are still many potentially successful projects that meet my criteria. But, unfortunately, there are many examples in history when first-class ideas remained only on paper. I am pleased to take part in such projects. Maybe I would even be glad to participate in them for free as a mentor, as it has become fashionable to say now. But perhaps it should take some time. For the next year and a half, I would like to devote my attention and time to creating the leader of the b2b market for freight traffic, both in Russia and abroad, together with the Gruzopoisk.ru team. ”
You can get acquainted with the project “Cargo Search” on our platform VCStart . I recall that at the moment the amount of investment is $ 21,310. There is less than two thirds of the way to the goal of the financing round.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/237653/
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