Challenge
The challenge lies in ineffective networking at industry business conferences and the absence of a suitable networking tool in electronic form to facilitate the collection, organization, and management of contacts acquired at events. The key issues identified by respondents to our survey, when examining the needs of app users, were:
Finding useful information about speakers and attendees at an event.
Selecting people to engage with.
Identifying the right business partner.
Maintaining contact after the event.
Solution
The ZUMA application is a database application designed for industry conference users. With its user-friendly interface, we offer a straightforward solution that meets the needs of even the most demanding conference guests who expect the highest quality of service. Our application includes all the necessary functionalities for efficient event registration and allows users to gather contacts acquired during the event in one place, eliminating the need to use other applications or programs.
The golden circle - start with “WHY”
Why?
Because we identified a gap in the market and want to enhance the comfort of conference participants. Work on the ZUMA application began while attending various industry, social, political, or cultural events, where we noticed a lack of a suitable tool for managing contacts gathered at these events. For this reason, we decided to create our own – easy to use – tool.
How?
By providing a full-featured product whose functionality is based on researched user needs. The application will compile extensive databases and assist in organizing contacts.
What?
ZUMA is an application for collecting contacts acquired at conferences and useful during events. Our mission is to create an networking app that will become a powerhouse in both the business and public events market.
Business Model
B2B
Organizers of industry conferences, various types of events, and foundations; founders who bring together communities with specific interests and business profiles; individuals looking for new contacts and business relationships; business owners; and event agencies that manage databases of participants and speakers for the events they organize.
B2C
Our target audience consists of professional customers who are aware of their needs and skills. The group we aim to reach with the ZUMA application comprises individuals open to innovative technological solutions, aged between 18 and 60, residing in cities that host business conferences, community festivals, and other thematic events. Users of the app encompass people working in corporations, foundations, think tanks, as well as scientists, experts, entrepreneurs, and freelancers running their own businesses.
Development
Roadmap
April 2024
Launching of the first test version of the application - MVP, receiving feedback from first testers, collecting improvements
May 2024
Research and collection of contacts for event organizations
June 2024
Conducting qualitative interviews, perform in-depth competitive analysis and undertake market segmentation
July 2024
Refinement of investor presentation
August 2024
Trip to the European Forum Alpbach
September 2024
Commence investor search
October 2024
Forming the start-up team and recruiting new members
November 2024
Forming the start-up team and recruiting new members
December 2024 - June 2025
Working on application development
July 2025
Launch of the application; release of the production version with a fully functional frontend and backend
September 2025
Acquisition of the first European customer
September - December 2025
Company growth, continued application development, and implementation of improvements
2026
Implementation of AI algorithms; expansion to operations in 5 countries within the CEE region
New technologies
Artificial intelligence
Big data analysis
Cloud computing
Machine learning
Virtual Reality
Internet of things
Pricing
Our primary revenue stream comes from a paid subscription model. We envision our business model as SaaS. We are targeting both the European and global markets, and therefore, we offer price lists in euros and dollars.
Sustainable Developement Goals
Which UN Sustainable Development Goals does the ZUMA application meet?
ESG Index
The ZUMA app is a sustainable mobile tool designed for networking before, during, and after events. Our mission is to shape the society of the future by fostering strong connections among young Europeans. These connections will enable individuals and groups to self-develop and enhance their future career paths. The momentum of growing networks serves as the catalyst for creating new social circles. These circles aim to transform the society of tomorrow and shape a brighter future, ensuring a better life for everyone in Europe and around the world.
The application’s main feature is to facilitate finding potential business partners, freelancers eager to co-create innovative projects or start-ups, and to guide users in building lasting interpersonal relationships.
Our goal is to establish a business model rooted in values. The primary objectives of the business of the future should focus on social inclusion, reducing social inequality, and acting to protect the climate. In our case, this involves reducing water usage in the production of business cards. By doing so, we combat deforestation, decrease water consumption, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The ZUMA app aims to introduce sustainable solutions within a closed-loop economy model to protect the planet through technological innovation. We strive to improve the quality of life, promote green transformation, and create new job opportunities.
The mission of the ZUMA app is to create a European community that, through informed participation in the development of new technologies, strives to reduce disinformation in society, ensure equal access to education and decent work, and combat the climate crisis. The year 2024 is a pivotal moment for ZUMA as a socially engaged start-up. The future of a project that can influence Europe’s future and improve the quality of life for Europeans hinges on this crucial time. My goal is to unite European society and enhance its resilience to international crises.
ZUMA aims to be a company that not only has a positive impact on the environment but also generates social impact on multiple levels. In our future company, we intend to prioritize diversity in management and the team, as well as uphold workers’ rights. We aspire for ZUMA to operate sustainably.
Founder Experience
Founder Experience
Zuzanna Kowalewska jest absolwentką dwóch kierunków studiów - ukończyła licencjat z Zarządzania ze specjalizacją Kapitał Ludzki oraz studia magisterskie na kierunku Stosunki Międzynarodowe.
Zuzanna jest zalicza się do grona alumnów prestiżowych programów dla młodych innowatorów w dziedzinie rozwoju start-up’ów takich jak, regionalny program organizowany przez Miasto Łódź „Młodzi w Łodzi – Mam Pomysł na Start-Up ŁÓDŹ”, Shesinnovation Academy by Perspektywy Women in Tech oraz Inkubatora ASPIRE by Social Tides EU.
Zuzanna zdobywała doświadczenie zawodowe pracując przez 4 lata jako Event Manager w firmie organizującej wydarzenia o tematyce marketingowej i biznesowej – Hexagon Digital – gdzie zajmowała się tworzeniem programu konferencji oraz zarządzaniem relacjami z prelegentami.
Pracowała również jako Project Manager w polskim oddziale paneuropejskiej sieci redakcji EURACTIV.PL, gdzie zajmowała koordynacją pracy zespołu, prowadzeniem i rozliczaniem projektów unijnych we współpracy z przedstawicielami europejskich placówek naukowych, organizacji pozarządowych oraz administracji publicznej.
Do tej pory pracowała przy organizacji eventów takich jak m.in. Wolontariat MFF Nowe Horyzonty 2017, Orange Warsaw Festival 2017, Konferencja EUEXS — Beauty & Pharma Trends 2018, konferencja EUEXS — Digital & Marketing Tools 2018, konferencja Sales & Marketing Executive Summit 2021, gala Dyrektor Marketingu Roku 2018, 2019, 2021, Targi China Home Life — edycja VI oraz XI 2022 czy Wolontariat długoterminowy Campus Polska Przyszłości 2022.
Podczas studiów Zuzanna angażowała się w działalność społeczną. Aktywnie uczestniczyła w organizacjach studenckich takich jak Samorząd Studentów Collegium Civitas, gdzie pełniła rolę zastępcy Przewodniczącej Samorządu Studentów w 2022 roku oraz współtworzyła koło naukowe z dziedziny zarządzania Collegium Procuratio, gdzie pełniła funkcję zastępcy koordynatora grupy marketingowej #markeTEAM.
Była współtwórczynią kampanii #NieZaMłodzi – kampanii studenckiej promującej młodych aktywistów oraz walkę z wykluczeniem ze względu na wiek.
Zuzanna posiada szerokie doświadczenie w zarządzaniu zespołami, przygotowywaniu kampanii społecznych oraz organizowaniu wydarzeń zdobyte podczas pracy przy realizacji wielu wydarzeń. Dzięki wysokiej komunikatywności i otwartości na relacje z ludźmi szybko nawiązuje i buduje relacje, co skłoniło ją do stworzenia aplikacji do networkingu oraz budowania community.
Recent achievements
