What is EasyIntro?
Q: Can you share some background information about EasyIntro?
A: I’m Dan, the CEO of EasyIntro. What we do is simple yet impactful—we make it easy for founders to connect with the right investors. My entrepreneurial journey began in Silicon Valley. My first startup was in the travel sector, but then COVID hit and we had to shut it down. I then moved on to my second startup, which was backed by Entrepreneur First, one of the top accelerator programs in the world based in London.
That’s where I met my current co-founder, and together we launched a Web3 startup called TimeStake. But you know how volatile the startup world can be, right? The Web3 crash happened, trust in the industry took a hit, and we decided to pivot. That’s how EasyIntro came to be.
Why Entrepreneur First?
Q: What made you apply to Entrepreneur First?
A: After closing my first startup, I was hungry to learn and grow. Entrepreneur First was like this amazing playground for that. It’s not just for folks who already have an idea or a team. They throw you into the deep end, give you the right tools and structure, and let you build something cool from the ground up. They guide you in refining the core idea, nailing down the problem you’re solving, and even finding incredible co-founders. Honestly, the platform they’ve built is next-level, and you just can’t get that kind of hands-on learning experience anywhere else.
Entrepreneur First Application Process
Q: Can you walk us through the application process at Entrepreneur First?
A: The process might have evolved since my time, but the gist remains the same. They focus on two key aspects: your ability to think outside the box and your commercial mindset. For commercial founders like myself, they want to know what sets you apart. You’ve got to show them real examples of your unique thinking. Then they evaluate your commercialization skills, like how you spot business opportunities.
For the technical founders, it’s all about tech know-how. Whether you’re a full-stack developer or have a Ph.D. in some cutting-edge technology, they want to see it. But it doesn’t stop there; they also assess how you’d commercialize that tech expertise.
In a nutshell, the application is a deep dive into what makes you tick, whether you’re on the commercial or technical side. It’s pretty thorough but super rewarding.
Inside Entrepreneur First’s Program
Q: What’s the program like in Entrepreneur First?
A: It’s intense from the get-go. Imagine being thrown into a room with like 80 to 90 other super-driven people. Your job is to find the right co-founder amidst a whirlpool of team formations, and breakups. It’s like Love Island meets The Apprentice, with a dash of Dragon’s Den.
The pressure’s always on because everyone’s trying to snatch the best co-founders, and the pool is limited. On top of that, you’ve got your personal mentor and other VPs dissecting your progress every week. So, you’re in this never-ending cycle of adapt, change, adapt, change. It led to many sleepless nights for me, trying to make everything click.
The emotional rollercoaster is real. If a team breaks up or an idea fizzles out, you’ve got to pivot fast. In my case, I went through the most co-founders and ideas in my cohort—like four or five co-founders and around 15 different ideas. It’s a wild ride, but if you can hang on, the rewards are life-changing.
Q: How did your initial idea with your co-founder come to life?
A: So we were diving into the Web3 space, exploring how content creators could monetize their fan bases with unique experiences traded through NFTs. We gained some early traction, with influencers jumping on board, which was awesome. I lived in LA for a bit, and we even snagged investment from a guy working at Apple Music. Things seemed to be clicking.
We built the platform, and it functioned well, but toward the end, we hit some snags. We realized there were things we should’ve done differently from the start. Hindsight’s 20/20, right? But that’s how it goes in the startup world. You learn by doing, even if it means stumbling along the way.
Q: Did you have access to mentors?
A: EF hooks you up with an experienced lineup of VPs. They’re seasoned pros who’ve usually exited companies and have VC experience. They cover a whole range of industries—B2B, biotech, medtech, consumer, Web3, you name it.
The idea is they guide you through those super crucial early stages. They help you validate your concept, and then they roll up their sleeves and work alongside you to build your solution the right way. The endgame is getting you ready for that pre-seed fundraising round. They essentially walk you through three main steps, setting you up for success in the startup world.
Q: Did you get funding from the Entrepreneur First program?
A: EF gives you £80,000, taking equity via a SAFE note. This usually comes halfway through the program. So, you start off spending the first three months validating your idea, and then you make your pitch to their Investment Committee. If they decide to invest, then, you’ve just graduated to the next phase.
Now you’re in the launch stage, and that’s another three months of hard work, getting ready for Demo Day. Here’s the kicker: most startups end up raising a million-plus in their pre-seed round after Demo Day, which is just mind-blowing. The funding setup within EF is pretty phenomenal and it’s structured in a way to set you up for some serious growth.
Inspiring Moments at Entrepreneur First
Q: Besides funding, what were the most impactful benefits you got from the Entrepreneur First program?
A: Look, the money is great, but what you really walk away with is a winning mindset. I’m talking about digging deep into problem statements, really understanding what makes an issue urgent, and how to craft a solution that captures that urgency. EF helps you scrutinize the key pillars of your startup—like whether are the right team to pull it off, your go-to-market strategy, your revenue model, and the strength of your solution.
It’s a way of approaching entrepreneurship that’s hard to find anywhere else. It’s kind of like they downloaded this seasoned entrepreneur mindset into you from day one. It’s invaluable, especially for folks who haven’t been through the startup wringer before.
Q: Can you share any aha moments during the program that surprised or inspired you?
A: The mentorship at EF is no joke. They really make you think differently about how you approach an idea. I was working one-on-one with mentors and the level of scrutiny was intense. You have these hunches, these hypotheses, and they make you prove them. Again and again. Get evidence, and make sure it holds water.
It’s a game-changer. It teaches you to build your startup from the ground up in a way that’s rock solid. It was kind of a shift in perspective for me. I wasn’t looking at things this way before EF, but now it’s part of how I operate.
Q: Can you dive deeper into the pivot moment of your initial idea and how you transitioned to EasyIntro?
A: We missed the official EF Demo Day. We were in a spot where we had to be creative. We basically DIY’d our own Demo Day. Had to hustle to get in front of investors. And we did—landed like 60 investor meetings in a really short span.
That was the genesis of our new startup. We realized that if we could do this for ourselves, why not help other founders do the same? That’s how EasyIntro was born. We started it as a service-based business that basically becomes a founder’s best friend during their fundraising round. We’ve helped founders raising anywhere from 1 to 10 million get in front of the right investors super quickly.
Now, we’re taking that experience and scaling it. We’re just about to launch EasyIntro as a tech SaaS product. The idea is to let founders supercharge their fundraising process, and get it done quicker, so they can focus on what they do best—building a successful company.
Current Status of EasyIntro
Q: What are you focusing on these days?
A: Right, so let me break it down for you. We’re bootstrapped and self-sustainable from day one, which feels great, by the way. So fundraising isn’t our focus now, it’s all about scaling up—fast.
Our team is small, just three of us, but we’re crushing it. My co-founder is a rockstar, no joke. It’s a pretty straightforward dynamic: He builds, I sell. He can churn out features in a couple of weeks, which is just insane.
So all in all, strong revenue, a small but powerful team, and a product that’s ready to go big. All systems are go, you could say.
Q: Have you experimented with any growth channels yet?
A: Here’s the funny thing: we haven’t even dipped our toes into growth channels. From the get-go, the demand was just through the roof. We’re talking 100+ startups knocking on our door in the first few weeks alone. So our game has pretty much been playing catch-up ever since. We’ve been churning through these leads for months, and word of mouth has kept that pipeline flowing.
But here’s the plot twist: up until now, we’ve been mainly a service business, which meant our capacity was limited. Now, as we’re rolling out our SaaS product, things are getting juicy. It’s scalable and it’s freeing up bandwidth, so we’re poised to really kick the throttle and scale. A whole new game for us.
Final Tips
Q: Any final tips for founders contemplating a jump into Entrepreneur First?
A: Look, if you’re hovering over the “apply” button for EF, just smash it. It’s been a game-changer for me. But here’s the deal: you’ve got to be all in. Half-heartedness won’t cut it.
Before stepping in, take a hard look at your skill set. I wandered into EF like a kid in a candy store—dabbling with different co-founders and ideas—mainly because I didn’t have my compass dialed in. EF will help you navigate through the fog, but, you’ll save a bunch of time if you’ve got some clarity going in.
For me, sales and marketing are my home turf. That’s where I thrive. Initially, I was knee-deep in projects that were either too technical or just not aligned with my wheelhouse. Knowing your strong suits upfront helps you cut through the noise and focus on where you can make a real impact.
Don’t worry if your million-dollar idea isn’t fully baked yet. Mine wasn’t. But as you maneuver through EF, the dots start to connect. You’ll land on something that clicks, and you’ll be like, “Yeah, this is my jam.” Trust the process and trust yourself.