These Startups performed at Launchpad Meetups in Paradiso

How can Paradiso improve the service to its audience, making use of technology? That was the central question of the Launchpad Meetup that took place Wednesday the 7th of December in Amsterdam’s most famous music venue Paradiso. The Launchpad Meetups are an initiative of Startup Amsterdam and The Next Web. Paradiso invited five startups for a pitch jam session, in which they could explain how their businesses could benefit Paradiso’s audience service.  

Launchpad Meetups

It is always exciting when a big company invites your company to do a presentation. In the Launchpad Meetups, startups get the chance to pitch their startup ideas to big names, such as the Rabobank, or conference center RAI Amsterdam. Today, the Meetup was all about improving the experiences of Paradiso’s audience. Founders keen to work together with Paradiso shared their startup ideas on stage in the Paradiso.

Paradiso Labs

Technological developments are moving fast, and a big music venue like Paradiso cannot stay behind. That’s why it invited startups to find out how new ideas can improve its customer service. The event was opened by Mark Minkman, director of Paradiso. He mentioned that, although they are doing very well at the moment, Paradiso is looking for new ways to improve its business. Just like us, he was very interested to hear which solutions the startups came up with.

Extending the Paradiso experience

First startup that entered the stage was Kollekt.fm. It has created a radio station that could “extend the Paradiso experience beyond the venues”. Contrary to Apps such as Spotify, this radio station does not take the customers somewhere, but instead aims to go where the users go. Faceculture presented another way to extend the Paradiso experience. This startup creates video content and connects it to media items. Faceculture produces video interviews as well as live sessions. Currently, they work together with the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, and they already have their own page on Dutch news site Nu.nl.

A tech stamp

Tic-Tag developed a stamp that can identify users by a simple scan with their Smartphone. Paradiso could use it as an easier way to scan tickets at events, but the stamp could also be used in the cloakroom by hanging the stamp with the cloakhanger, and giving the customer a digital number. This way, visitors don’t need to worry anymore about losing their cloakroom number, and it is much faster. The stamp is also available in sticker form and Paradiso could use it for example to give extra’s for the visitors. Think of a limited version of a song of the artist at the end of a concert. The visitors can access these extras just by scanning the sticker, that could be attached almost anywhere.

Find your events

Schedjoules offers a service with which you can easily find events, and add them to your calendar. The App also shows you whether there are tickets available, and if so, you can purchase them directly. This way, users can plan their events, or book an event last-minute. With the App, users would “experience the Paradiso events in a brand-new way”. Is this really going to help the venue? Obviously, Paradiso believes in it, as it turned out to be a customer of Schedjoules already. Another fun fact:  Schedjoules is one of the startups now doing the intensive Startupbootcamp program.

Where is the party?

You want to go partying or clubbing tonight with your friends, but how do you know where it’s on? Nocto created an App with which users can upload real-time pictures and videos of events. This way, other users can see where the parties are, and where nothing is happening. Moreover, if users contribute to the platform, they can collect the so-called “nocs”. Nocs are credits for getting free stuff at events. Think of free entrance, a free beer, or credits for a free toileting. Nocto saves and maps out the statistics, that Paradiso can use to get to know its audience better. Nocto definitely performed the most charming pitch of the event, not just because of its unique and creative ideas, but also due to the unbridled enthusiasm of the pitcher.

An open end

The end of the meetup was somewhat abrupt, as there was not really a final word. Nickman perhaps needed some time for all the new ideas to settle down. After all, the meetup for Paradiso was to create a space to exchange ideas and explore new possibilities.

Photo of Paradiso by Shutterstock and Hollandfoto.net