ducksboard - building an internet startup in spain (from a coder's point of view)

Ducksboardbuilding an Internet startup in Spain

(from a coder's point of view)

aitor@ducksboard.com@aitorciki on twitter

What is Ducksboard?

● it's a web-based dashboard...

What is Ducksboard?

● it's a web-based dashboard...

● to display SaaS / your own metrics...

What is Ducksboard?

● it's a web-based dashboard...

● to display SaaS / your own metrics...

● with heavy focus on UX...

What is Ducksboard?

● it's a web-based dashboard...

● to display SaaS / your own metrics...

● with heavy focus on UX...

● huge bet on REAL real-time updates...

What is Ducksboard?

● it's a web-based dashboard...

● to display SaaS / your own metrics...

● with heavy focus on UX...

● huge bet on REAL real-time updates...

● and much more in the near future!

What is Ducksboard?

Who are we?

Who are we?

Diego MariñoSerial Entrepreneur, CEO

● proudly dropped out from CS and MBA!● Abiquo founder ($15M in international funding)

Who are we?

Diego MariñoSerial Entrepreneur, CEO

● proudly dropped out from CS and MBA!● Abiquo founder ($15M in international funding)

Jan UrbańskiDatabase Guru, CTO

● PostgreSQL contributor superpowers!● Core Team leader at Flumotion

Who are we?

Diego MariñoSerial Entrepreneur, CEO

● proudly dropped out from CS and MBA!● Abiquo founder ($15M in international funding)

Jan UrbańskiDatabase Guru, CTO

● PostgreSQL contributor superpowers!● Core Team leader at Flumotion

Aitor GuevaraA nice guy..., CTO

● link between Diego and Jan● Web Team leader at Flumotion

Why starting a company?

● we all were in the same place at the same time

Why starting a company?

● we all were in the same place at the same time

● Jan and Aitor wanted to change jobs

Why starting a company?

● we all were in the same place at the same time

● Jan and Aitor wanted to change jobs

● we were looking for our ideal company...

Why starting a company?

● we all were in the same place at the same time

● Jan and Aitor wanted to change jobs

● we were looking for our ideal company...

● … which didn't seem to exist!

Why starting a company?

● we all were in the same place at the same time

● Jan and Aitor wanted to change jobs

● we were looking for our ideal company...

● … which didn't seem to exist!

● we had the money to back an adventure :)

Why starting a company?

The principles

● lean startup (iterate fast, validate, MVP)

The principles

● lean startup (iterate fast, validate, MVP)

● small team

The principles

● lean startup (iterate fast, validate, MVP)

● small team

● build a culture of transparency

The principles

● lean startup (iterate fast, validate, MVP)

● small team

● build a culture of transparency

● competition? be better!

The principles

● lean startup (iterate fast, validate, MVP)

● small team

● build a culture of transparency

● competition? be better!

● keep it fun, for fuck's sake

The principles

The USA incubators chronicles

● Y Combinator...

The USA incubators chronicles

● Y Combinator... rejected

The USA incubators chronicles

● Y Combinator... rejected

● TechStars NYC...

The USA incubators chronicles

● Y Combinator... rejected

● TechStars NYC... rejected

The USA incubators chronicles

● Y Combinator... rejected

● TechStars NYC... rejected

● AngelPad...

The USA incubators chronicles

● Y Combinator... rejected

● TechStars NYC... rejected

● AngelPad... rejected

The USA incubators chronicles

● Y Combinator... rejected

● TechStars NYC... rejected

● AngelPad... rejected

● SeedCamp...

The USA incubators chronicles

● Y Combinator... rejected

● TechStars NYC... rejected

● AngelPad... rejected

● SeedCamp... finalists

The USA incubators chronicles

● Y Combinator... rejected

● TechStars NYC... rejected

● AngelPad... rejected

● SeedCamp... finalists

The USA incubators chronicles

Launch early!

● private beta after ~4 months

Launch early!

● private beta after ~4 months

● 3.5K users / 8K beta subscriptions

Launch early!

● private beta after ~4 months

● 3.5K users / 8K beta subscriptions

● 10K widgets

Launch early!

● private beta after ~4 months

● 3.5K users / 8K beta subscriptions

● 10K widgets

● lots of spotted bugs and feedback

Launch early!

● private beta after ~4 months

● 3.5K users / 8K beta subscriptions

● 10K widgets

● lots of spotted bugs and feedback

● but some drawbacks too!

Launch early!

Seed funding

● many Internet investors in Spain

Seed funding

● many Internet investors in Spain

● the MBA-paradox

Seed funding

● many Internet investors in Spain

● the MBA-paradox

● terms are everything!

Seed funding

● many Internet investors in Spain

● the MBA-paradox

● terms are everything!

● choose well

Seed funding

Grow the team

● pending work accumulates

Grow the team

● all commits: 2195

● commits on weekends: 612

● commits between 22:00 and 6:00: 332

● off-hours commit ratio: 43.01%

Grow the team

● pending work accumulates

● learn to delegate

Grow the team

● pending work accumulates

● learn to delegate

● hire someone you can trust

Grow the team

● pending work accumulates

● learn to delegate

● hire someone you can trust

● integrate and motivate!

Grow the team

Build a culture!

● measure your success

Build a culture!

● measure your success

● replenish vital forces

Build a culture!

● measure your success

● replenish vital forces

● work hard

Build a culture!

● measure your success

● replenish vital forces

● work hard

● take pride in what you do :)

Build a culture!

And that's it! Questions?

Thanks for listening!Get yours at ducksboard.com!