Frequently Asked Questions

What will the app look like?

The app will have a user-friendly interface where entrepreneurs can create profiles showcasing their business ideas, skills, track record, and team requirements. Users looking to join a startup project will also create profiles detailing their expertise and time availability. The app facilitates matches based on compatibility and interests. Once matched, users will negotiate their contribution in terms of time and effort for a percentage of the future business's success. The app provides tools for collaboration, communication, and progress tracking to ensure the project's success.

What will the main “idea page” include?

The main "idea page" on the app will include the following key components:

  • Idea Overview: A concise and compelling description of the business idea, highlighting its unique value proposition and potential market impact.

  • Founder Profile: Details about the entrepreneur behind the idea, showcasing their background, skills, and previous successes in the industry.

  • Team Requirements: Specific roles and skills needed to bring the idea to life, including co-founders, developers, designers, marketers, etc.

  • Skill Matching: A section where potential team members can list their skills and expertise, allowing for easy alignment with the required roles.

  • Projected Milestones: A timeline or roadmap outlining key milestones, such as product development stages, funding rounds, and launch dates.

  • Equity Offer: Clear terms regarding the percentage of equity or ownership that contributors will receive in exchange for their time and effort.

  • Communication Tools: Integration of messaging and collaboration features to facilitate communication between the entrepreneur and potential team members.

  • Progress Tracking: A dashboard or updates section to track the project's progress, achievements, and any changes to the original plan.

  • Business Model: Information about the proposed revenue model, monetization strategy, and potential scalability of the business.

  • Feedback and Endorsements: A section where users can leave feedback, reviews, and endorsements for the entrepreneur and their idea, helping build credibility and trust.

  • Privacy and Confidentiality: Assurance of data privacy and security measures to protect sensitive information shared on the platform.

  • Legal Considerations: A link to terms and conditions, outlining the legal aspects of participating in the venture and ensuring a transparent understanding of the commitment.

Overall, the "idea page" will aim to provide a comprehensive and attractive overview of the business opportunity, making it easy for potential team members to assess its potential and determine their level of interest and involvement.

How will the app protect the business ideas from being stolen and replicated, given that anyone could falsify their identity and simply collect information?

We think that it is better for Entrepreneurs to adopt an open approach in this setting, perhaps starting projects that don’t require a lot of secrecy. We think that the idea of entrepreneurs letting go of their concerns about competition and concentrating on building a team and their business revolves around several key points:

  • Execution is Key: Ideas alone are not enough to ensure success. Execution, market validation, and effective implementation are critical factors in turning an idea into a successful business. Focusing on these aspects often yields better results than fixating on idea protection.

  • Competition Drives Innovation: Embracing healthy competition can actually spur innovation. When entrepreneurs are open to sharing their ideas, they may receive valuable feedback and insights from others, leading to improvements and refinements that they might not have considered on their own.

  • Speed and Agility: Obsessing over idea protection can slow down the process of building and launching a business. By focusing on execution and assembling a strong team, entrepreneurs can move quickly, adapt to market changes, and refine their offering based on real-world feedback.

  • Real Value Lies in Execution: Investors and stakeholders are often more interested in the entrepreneur's ability to execute and deliver results than the idea itself. Demonstrating progress, achieving milestones, and showing traction are compelling indicators of a viable business.

  • Idea Validation: Collaborating and discussing ideas with potential team members, mentors, and advisors can help entrepreneurs validate their concepts more effectively. This validation can lead to adjustments that make the idea more appealing and feasible in the market.

  • Resources and Support: Engaging with a team can provide access to diverse skills, experiences, and resources that can accelerate business development. This collaborative effort can lead to a stronger product and a more well-rounded approach.

  • Challenges of Idea Protection: It can be challenging and resource-intensive to enforce idea protection, especially in the early stages. Legal battles and disputes may divert attention and resources away from core business activities.

  • Dynamic Markets: Markets are dynamic and constantly evolving. Even if someone were to replicate an idea, execution and differentiation in response to market changes play a significant role in determining success.

  • Networking and Partnerships: Engaging openly with others can lead to valuable networking opportunities and potential partnerships that may not have arisen if the entrepreneur had been overly guarded about their idea.

While protecting intellectual property remains important in certain cases, the argument emphasizes that focusing on execution, team-building, and adaptability can yield more meaningful outcomes and better chances of long-term success in the entrepreneurial journey.

What is the Marketplace?

This is a section of the app where investors purchase NFT’s representing percentages in a fully launched business, and trade NFT’s with each other on SparkBoot. This can provide additional opportunities for funding and liquidity within the app's ecosystem.

  • Investor NFT’s : Entrepreneurs can offer investor NFT’s that grant the holder the right to purchase a percentage in the business at a predetermined price and future date.

  • NFT Listing: Entrepreneurs can list these investor NFT’s on their business profile along with idea details.

  • Investor Marketplace: The app will have a dedicated marketplace where registered investors can browse and trade NFT’s. Investors seeking to diversify their portfolio or support multiple startups could find this feature appealing.

  • Trading Mechanism: The app will facilitate a trading mechanism for NFT’s, allowing investors to buy and sell them with each other. This can create a secondary market and provide liquidity to investors.

  • Transparent Information: The options marketplace should provide transparent and accurate information about the underlying business, its progress, milestones achieved, and any updates that might affect the value of the NFT’s.

Benefits:

  • Liquidity: Investors can potentially realise gains or exit investments earlier by trading NFT’s, providing them with greater liquidity.

  • Investor Participation: The marketplace could attract a broader range of investors who are interested in startups but prefer a more flexible investment approach.

  • Entrepreneur Funding: Entrepreneurs could use the funds generated from selling NFT’s to support business growth and development.

  • Price Discovery: The trading of NFT’s could help establish a market-driven valuation for the startup.

Considerations:

  • Regulatory Compliance: Trading NFT’s of this kind could involve regulatory considerations and compliance requirements that the app will address.

  • Transparency: Clear disclosure of risks and potential returns is essential to ensure that investors understand the nature of trading.

Implementing an marketplace within the app could add a unique dimension to the platform, providing both entrepreneurs and investors with additional opportunities for engagement, funding, and portfolio management. However, careful planning and adherence to relevant regulations will be crucial to its successful integration.

What does a Participant’s Page look like?

Participants' profile pages within the app are designed to showcase their skills, interests, track record, and availability in a visually appealing and informative manner. Here's how these pages will be structured:

  • Profile Picture and Introduction:

    • A professional profile picture of the participant.

    • A brief introduction or tagline summarizing their expertise or mission.

  • Skills and Expertise:

    • A list of skills, competencies, and areas of expertise that the participant possesses.

    • Skills can be represented as tags or icons for easy scanning.

  • Portfolio and Track Record:

    • A section showcasing previous projects, achievements, or relevant experiences.

    • Images, descriptions, or links to projects, products, or services the participant has been involved with.

  • Interests and Passions:

    • A section highlighting the participant's interests, passions, and areas of personal motivation.

    • This can help potential team members connect on a deeper level.

  • Availability and Commitment:

    • A visual representation of the participant's availability, such as a weekly calendar or time blocks.

    • An indication of their level of commitment or desired time allocation for the startup project.

  • Education and Background:

    • Details about the participant's educational background, degrees, certifications, and relevant training.

  • Testimonials and Endorsements:

    • Quotes or endorsements from colleagues, mentors, or previous collaborators.

    • These testimonials can vouch for the participant's skills and character.

  • Contact and Social Links:

    • Contact information or links to professional social media profiles.

    • This will facilitate direct communication and networking.

  • Achievements and Awards:

    • Any awards, recognitions, or accolades the participant has received in their field.

  • Collaboration Preferences:

    • Information about the participant's preferred collaboration style, communication tools, and team dynamics.

  • Project Interests:

    • An overview of the types of startup projects or industries the participant is particularly interested in.

  • Personality Traits:

    • Brief descriptions of the participant's personality traits, work style, and values.

  • Language and Location:

    • Details about the participant's spoken languages and geographical location.

The design of these profile pages will prioritize clarity, user-friendliness, and visual appeal. Users will be able to quickly assess whether a potential team member aligns with their needs and goals. Providing a combination of text, visuals, and interactive elements can enhance engagement and help participants make informed decisions when forming startup teams.

Participants and Entrepreneurs will need pages that list and summarise the projects and pages that they have registered interest in. What will those pages look like?

For both participants and entrepreneurs, having pages that list and summarise the projects they have registered interest in is essential for efficient communication and collaboration. Here's how these pages will be designed:

Participant's "Projects of Interest" Page:

  • Project Cards:

    • Each project of interest will be represented as a card.

    • Project title, brief description, and key details will be displayed.

  • Project Status:

    • Indication of the project's current status (e.g., planning, development, launched).

    • Visual cues for easy recognition of the project's progress.

  • Entrepreneur Information:

    • Display the entrepreneur's name, profile picture, and a brief introduction.

  • Actions:

    • Buttons or icons for direct actions, such as messaging the entrepreneur or accessing the project details.

  • Filter and Sort Options:

    • Allow participants to filter and sort their list of projects by various criteria, such as status, industry, or location.

  • Interaction History:

    • A timeline or log of interactions (messages, updates) between the participant and the entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur's "Applicants" Page:

  • Participant Cards:

    • Each interested participant will have a card with their profile picture and key details.

  • Participant Skills and Expertise:

    • Display a summary of the participant's skills and areas of expertise.

  • Interests and Availability:

    • Indicate the participant's project interests and availability for collaboration.

  • Status:

    • Display whether the participant has joined the project team or is still in discussions.

  • Actions:

    • Options to send messages, invite to the project, or view the participant's full profile.

  • Interaction History:

    • A timeline of interactions, discussions, or messages between the entrepreneur and the participant.

  • Notes or Tags:

    • Allow entrepreneurs to add notes or tags to participants for personalized organization.

  • Filter and Sort Options:

    • Enable entrepreneurs to organize and categorize interested participants based on their attributes.

Both pages will provide a clean and organized layout that makes it easy to quickly review and manage the list of projects and participants. The goal is to enhance communication, streamline collaboration, and provide a clear overview of ongoing interactions for both participants and entrepreneurs using the platform.