3rd Edition
Online: 22nd of April 2025 – 10th of May 2025.
Bootcamp in 8-9th of May 2025
The First Customer programme in Kaunas saw perhaps the most diverse set of startups. This included a FoodTech startup BiodairyLabs, a circular solutions startup Re4vive from Germany, Biotech startups BrachyDose and Kosmeteka from Lithuania, Edtech startup Lerni from Lithuania and AgriTech startup GrowerAdviser from Poland. In terms of success, this was the most successful edition, with Re4vive and GrowerAdviser both securing clients post-program and BiodairyLabs and BrachyDose joining accelerator programs.
An interesting discovery in our third edition is that the journey for each startup looks very different. Some startups are quick to get off the ground. The industry dictates the speed of success or what success in that industry looks like.
The Bootcamp on May 8th, organized by Tech-Park Kaunas and Startup Migrants, aimed to help participants enhance their sales skills and expand their professional networks. The day began with introductions, followed by a session on how to organize a sales presentation and group work on crafting sales pitches. In the afternoon, expert speakers shared their experiences and best practices for achieving sales. (Mentors Mantas Venslaukas CEO of Vilimed company, and Algirdas Noreika, CEO of Indeform company, shared their success stories and gDaiave practical insights). Later, participants joined a networking coffee with mentors specializing in sales, marketing, and strategy to support early business growth. The official program concluded at 17:30, with an optional community dinner held in the evening.
The second day of the bootcamp focused on helping startups create professional video sales pitches. The program began with introductions, followed by intensive pitch training where participants presented to three different mentors and received feedback to refine their delivery. After lunch, teams gave final wrap-up presentations before moving on to filming their pitches. The day concluded with all startup pitches successfully recorded on video.
The programme success story is BiodairyLabs is a big success. Their product is a plant-based substitute for fat used in foods. BiodairyLabs started off solo and, through our mentoring, prioritized finding and creating a team. Since then, they have actively taken part in most food and agritech fairs in Europe. They have also been part of several acceleration programs in Europe.
Also Re4vive was an interesting startup. They already had a company registered in Germany and joined our program in hopes of raising funding. Although funding efforts are still ongoing, the startup has been able to secure three very big logos as clients. During the program, they onboarded a pilot customer and now have two more.
Most founders are so focused on building the perfect product that they are reluctant to get sales started. This has been another discovery: most startups neglect sales and look to hire salespeople rather than focusing on sales itself. Our focus throughout the First Customer programs has been to get these startups started on sales.
