2019: New challenges & milestones for our StartUp Challenge alumni

2018, with all its highs and lows, is over – our StartUp Challenge alumni Eugenia Balysheva (Dotphoton), Sandro Schmid (Aaaccell) and David Gugelmann (Exeon Analytics) reveal the milestones they hope to reach in the new year and the challenges they expect to face.

Healthier nutrition, more exercise, less alcohol – seriously, what are your personal New Year’s resolutions?

Sandro: I don’t have personal New Year’s resolutions. I try to become better every day ?

Eugenia: I hope to achieve a more balanced work and family life.

David: We don’t do resolutions. ?

How has the environment for your start-up changed compared to the previous year?

Sandro: The market became more open for innovation and new solutions in asset and risk management.

Eugenia: Everyone is aware of the problems with big image data. What seemed to be the technology of the future (IoT, automotive, etc.) is turning into reality before our very eyes and the need for faster image transmission and efficient processing has become obvious to a considerably wider audience.

David: Cyber security is becoming a top-priority issue in many companies, as nearly every week another big company is being breached. We are benefiting from this raised awareness.

What are the biggest achievements you’re planning for 2019?

Sandro: We work on our footprint internationally and will open new offices in the US and Seoul. This will be supported among others through an AAAccell film about innovations in risk & return, featured globally in 2019 through Discovery Channel, CNBC and FoxTV.

Eugenia: In January, Dotphoton compression software will be in the market and we are thrilled to receive our customers’ feedback.

David: To establish Exeon Analytics as the Swiss alternative to the existing US cyber security companies.

What’s your primary concern right now?

Sandro: Being fast enough to grow nationally and internationally.

Eugenia: We have already achieved sophistication in custom-built compression products, so our next aim is to provide the same quality of image compression in more replicable products, so our technology can become widespread more quickly.

David: We must become less shy in terms of our marketing and sales activities.

Which sentence would you like to say at the end of 2019?

Sandro: Wow, what a year! We have a great team, a creative culture, impressive clients in Switzerland, the EU, the US and Asia, and different solutions with a high market demand.

Eugenia: It was a very tough year, but I am grateful for everything we learned, new people around us and their support and for the team we managed to build.

David: We made it.