KAPSLY Blog

"Kill Your Company" is a workshop where a leadership team deliberately imagines how a competitor, or an entirely new kind of player, could put their business under real threat, then uses that threat to decide where they actually need to innovate.

Most industrial SMEs and hidden champions hold a strong, profitable position in a narrow niche. That's exactly what makes it easy to stop asking how it could end. A glass manufacturer supplying lab equipment isn't losing sleep over AI disruption, and doesn't need to be. But the underlying risk, not seeing a real threat coming until it's too late, applies to them just as much as to any tech company. That's what this workshop is for: not predicting the future, but pressure-testing the present.

This article walks through how we run the "Kill Your Company" workshop, and how leaders can take it further to build a habit of looking outside the company for innovation, including through venture clienting.

Navigating the healthcare market is a complex endeavor, especially for HealthTech founders who are often more familiar with the technical aspects of their innovations than the intricacies of market dynamics. Understanding the potential pitfalls in market analysis can be the difference between success and failure. Here, we explore five common mistakes that can derail your efforts and how to avoid them.

For HealthTech startups it is not very straightforward who their customers really are. There are patients, doctors, insurance companies, hospital procurement and medical technology department. Often the argumentation for new medical devices is that they diagnose more accurately, are less invasive, more accessible or safer for the patient - but all the points individually are not enough to lead someone to a purchasing decision and adaptation of your innovation in the market. 

In today's fast-paced tech world, MedTech corporates must innovate to stay on top of the S-Curve — or, even better, to kickstart the next one. This concept, influenced by Schumpeter and developed by McKinsey, highlights the need for innovation while you still have a strong market share and healthy margins. With innovation cycles getting shorter and new technologies like AI and quantum computing accelerating these trends, it's evident that many large MedTech companies need to look beyond their R&D departments to keep their edge.

When it comes to startups, the quality of competitor analysis can vary significantly. More often than not, it tends to lean towards the lower end. However, a thorough and well-executed competitor analysis brings immense benefits and is crucial for convincing investors that your solution stands out in the market.

Typically MBA programs are not designed to create startup founders but to forge the next generation of top management for large corporations. Hence, in this article I do not want to list the obvious startup frameworks, like the Lean methodology Build-Measure-Learn or the Business Model Canvas that rather made it from the startup world into the MBA programs. I want to share more traditional tools that I learned during the HSG MBA program, which I believe every (HealthTech) startup founder should know. 

In our previous blog, we explored the five most common reasons why HealthTech startups often struggle more with commercial activities than other startups. Now, we turn our attention to actionable strategies that can help you overcome these commercial challenges. Whether you're a startup founder or part of a growing team, these tips will offer valuable insights to help you navigate the complex HealthTech landscape.

In the fast-paced and dynamic world of HealthTech, only one in five startups possesses the necessary commercial expertise within their team. Founders, often brilliant inventors, may lack the business acumen required for successful commercialisation. This underestimation of the commercialisation process, combined with an undue focus on product development, poses significant challenges. But why does this become a problem for so many HealthTech startups? 

In the fast-paced world of Medtech, staying ahead of the curve isn't just an advantage—it's a necessity. As traditional models of innovation struggle to keep pace with the speed of technological advancement, a new approach is gaining traction: venture clienting. This model, eschewing the complexities of equity investments and acquisitions, instead positions large corporations as clients of innovative startups.

It's an approach that promises to reshape the landscape of corporate innovation, particularly in the Medtech sector. 

Entrepreneurship is a journey fraught with challenges, uncertainties, and countless decisions to be made. For founders navigating the complex terrain of startup life, finding the right support system can be a game-changer. While traditional mentorship and coaching have their place, a growing movement in the startup ecosystem is recognizing the immense value of peer-to-peer support networks. In this article, we'll explore why moderated peer-to-peer group meetings are emerging as a powerful resource for entrepreneurs and how they can accelerate startup success.

Research Professionals (RP) is a leading GCP compliant CRO based in Hungary (EU Member) with operations in Poland, Czechia, Romania, and Bulgaria, serving customers from across Europe and the globe.

The journey of a HealthTech founder is an exciting and challenging one. As they navigate the complex landscape of healthcare innovation, they often seek guidance and support from mentors, advisors, and coaches. While mentorship and coaching are incredibly valuable, there is a growing concern that many HealthTech founders might be overcoached.

Securing early funding to build a product without traction is a daunting task. With economic uncertainties all around the globe in particular, traditional financing options like venture capital or loans are less accessible, leaving startups searching for alternative ways to grow and scale their businesses.

In a startup, equity agreements are essential to ensuring a fair distribution of ownership among founders, key team members and potentially even service partners that work for equity.

Service-for-equity arrangements can be a powerful tool for startups and service providers to collaborate and achieve mutual growth. However, like any business decision, these deals come with risks and rewards that should be carefully evaluated before entering into an agreement. 

The startup landscape is constantly evolving, and so are the strategies for growth and success. With investors pulling in and out of markets, it is sensible to explore and understand alternative options as well.

Based on the latest VC-funding downturn and the overall economic situation, it is easy to believe that investing in startups could not be a good idea at the moment. Late-stage funding went down by 40% quarter over quarter. Early-stage funding is down 39% compared to last year. Seed stage funding has been impacted the least until now. It looks like there won’t be a quick V-shaped economic recovery like after Covid. 

Being a founder today sort of sucks. If you missed the opportunity to raise money during the all-time high of valuations and VC-funding, well, you missed out. But also startups that did not miss out struggle and face down rounds, which is often the beginning of the end.

Did you know that the value of sweat equity in the USA equals 1.2 times their GDP, which is over 20 trillion USD¹? I was stunned when I read that.

The market for service-for-equity is probably not so big (yet). But it is definitely a serious option to get the resources you need to build a business. It is much more direct than fundraising and finding investors because here you can take the direct route. So, how do you do it?

So keep on reading if you consider this option to build your startup.