At first glance, Mason Mincey’s advice to aspiring startups is, to put it plainly, kind of gross. But when you dig deeper, it’s a pretty good line.
“Be the cockroach,” advises Mincey, COO and founder of Soarce, an advanced material startup based in Central Florida. “Just don’t die. Figure out the business that you need to build in order for customers to want what you have built.”
It’s a bit of advice Mincey has lived, helping pull Soarce through a major pivot from what it was when it started. The company has developed nanomaterials that are reportedly eight times stronger than steel.
Soarce headed to Synapse Florida last week at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in search of customers.
Orlando Tech News caught up with two other Orlando startup founders to talk about the benefits of attending events like Synapse.
THE EDUCATOR
Kelly Shea has been part of Orlando’s entrepreneurial community for a couple of years now.
She has been an inventor.
A mentor.
Now, she’s launched an education effort to teach others how to think creatively.
Innovation Station Kits help teach invention education through hands-on, engaging activities.
She attended Synapse to grab feedback and hone her company’s message.
In addition, she said, “you never know the connections you may meet.” This was the first time she attended Synapse as an exhibitor.
Question: How did it go?
Answer: At Synapse, I was able to make many direct and indirect connections for my company. Some schools were walking around, but I was also able to meet many high-level experts there that know educators, are familiar with the space, or even have a business of their own offering feedback and advice to me.
Q: Why is it important for you, as an early stage, to get to events like Synapse and “meet the public?”
A: As an early-stage company, it’s important to attend events such as this to create brand awareness. Your company is only as much as you make and promote it. By starting to build a network early on, people begin to meet you and gain an understanding of your mission.
Q: Finally, what’s your advice to startup founders out there who want to start a business in Orlando?
A: Get out there and get involved in the community. Orlando and Tampa Bay provide so much support for startups by offering many free events, educational activities, and networking opportunities no matter what industry you are in. Represent yourself well and put yourself out there to gain feedback for your business and create that brand awareness you need. Even if you don’t think an event is completely relevant to you, you never know who you are going to meet and the value that can be provided.
THE FOUNDER
Adam Ben-Evi was on the lookout for fellow innovators, investors and entrepreneurs at Synapse.
Something that drives him as he builds his Spot Fitness app is building the future of technology and wellness.
“We always meet new people who connect with our mission at Synapse, so it is a great way to expand our support network and community,” he said.
Spot Fitness is a locator-type app for healthy activities that aims to build real-world connections.
We caught up with him post-Synapse to talk about what value he received this year.
Q: How did Synapse go for you?
A: Synapse is always a fantastic experience. We had over 100 attendees try out our fitness challenge, and the response was incredible. What’s even more exciting is that we’re starting to get recognized year-to-year. The experience always informs and reinforces our vision.
Q Why is it important for you, as an early stage, to get to events like Synapse and “meet the public?”
A: As an early-stage company, building trust and community is essential. Synapse lets us share our vision, get real-time feedback, and refine our product to better serve our users. Engaging with potential users, partners, and investors face-to-face helps us strengthen our network and spread awareness of the positive impact Spot can have on individuals and communities. While the need never goes away, it is especially important for early-stage companies to listen to their audience, understand their pains and desires, and get direct input on how we can best solve their problems and empower them.
Q: What’s your advice to startup founders out there who want to start a business in Orlando?
A: Orlando is an incredible place to launch a startup, especially for companies building two-sided networks like Spot. The region offers a supportive and dynamic ecosystem full of resources for founders. We’ve benefited greatly from the Florida High Tech Corridor, whose support and sponsorship made it possible for us to have a presence at Synapse. Without their backing, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to showcase Spot and engage with the vibrant tech community. My advice is to get plugged into this ecosystem—attend events, build relationships, and leverage the incredible support available here.
