Chris will be taking questions from STRV CEO Lubo Smid at our Prague office about raising big-league VC funding as well as the ins and outs of product development, data security and anti-hacking — all within the realm of his expertise. Over the last decade, Chris has established a number of successful companies, including Revel Systems, an iPad point-of-sale company valued at $500 million.
Want to find out what’s in Chris’ secret sauce? Then reserve your ticket today, and get some questions ready to ask! Seating is limited. The fireside chat starts at 7pm and will be in English with networking (and beer) to follow at our seventh-floor Scrollbar.
We threw Chris some pre-show questions about his humble beginnings, how to approach fundraising and advice for those looking to launch their own startup.
Here’s a preview of what you can expect when Chris Ciabarra comes to town:
How’d you launched your startup career?
Started in high school when I opened up my own candy store at high school and did many businesses from there, including websites but not until college did I do websites.
Over the years, you’ve founded several companies. From your perspective, what does it take to be a successful startup founder these days?
Keep trying till you make it, as only one startup out of many make it to $500 million.
Let's talk about Revel Systems. What's the story behind this company and what made it so successful?
Revel was successful because a) we listened to our customers’ feedback, which is how we created the best iPad POS in the market, b) we worked harder and faster to push out features we got back from the customer feedback and c) the people that made Revel made it successful.
You've managed to secure generous VC funding for your companies. Any tips on how to approach fundraising for first-timers?
Get your product in front of customers and make sure you have at least 10 customers.
What advice can you share for those who are maybe thinking about founding a startup?
First know what you are getting into and be willing to make sacrifices. Make sure your products answers one simple question: “Does my product fix something?”
