NOQ: Cashless, Contactless, Covid-safe | Seedrs

When investing, your capital is in danger. 

—

Amidst altering restrictions and well being considerations, the outlook for the way forward for the occasions trade seems loads completely different than it did a yr in the past. Nonetheless within the wake of each disaster comes innovation, and startups like NOQ are tackling the problem head-on.

Whereas its cutting-edge ordering and funds app is conducive to a safer leisure trade, it additionally unlocks advantages for occasion suppliers and a extra handy expertise for company. With rising partnerships in F&B, POS programs and leaders in occasion administration, NOQ is gearing as much as construct an all-in-one platform for occasions – in-app schedules, ticket gross sales, merchandise ordering, promoting, you identify it.

We sat down with CEO Param Kanabar to seek out out what the occasions trade seems like in 2021 and past, and the way NOQ will assist it return in full pressure.

—

What first impressed the thought for NOQ?

Whereas on the Rock in Rio in Lisbon, I used to be listening to my favorite artist and having the time of my life. As I seemed to get my subsequent pint, I all of a sudden realised it was going to be time consuming. The considered topping up, standing in a queue and lacking out on the music simply didn’t appear interesting. That is the place the thought for NOQ happened. 

Had you ever pursued entrepreneurship earlier than this? 

I’ve at all times had an entrepreneurial spirit, following go well with from profitable enterprise entrepreneurs inside my household. I began as a child, shopping for and promoting marbles, which then moved onto Pokemon playing cards, soccer stickers after which sim playing cards! For the reason that age of 16, I held a part-time job promoting glasses and cellphones. After my college diploma, I went down the company profession path, with the intent to at all times come again and begin my very own enterprise.

How did you go about selecting your core crew?

Persons are pivotal to any enterprise, particularly initially. You need to encompass your self with people who drive you, help you and stick via the tough patches. I’ve constructed a crew with shut pals who’ve the precise ability units to fulfil the important duties of the enterprise. We’re a pushed, tight-knit crew aiming to develop quickly. Our places of work opened up in Tottenham Courtroom Highway on the 14th of April, and the work surroundings is wonderful! We concentrate on 4 core capabilities: gross sales, product, operations and advertising and marketing, and the core crew contains one sturdy member for every space.

What’s NOQ doing that really stands out from different gamers available in the market?

We have now branded ourselves as an app specialised in occasions. Operating occasions is a mix between a robust, versatile product and operational excellence. The mixture of each these parts is what is going to permit us to construct belief within the trade and show our success at varied kinds of occasions. This yr, we’re masking a number of kinds of occasions; from music festivals to pet exhibits; from comedy exhibits to bike exhibits, air exhibits and extra. Moreover, our B2B2C technique versus our opponents’ B2B strategy will give us a robust foothold within the trade. 

Covid-19 has compelled the occasion trade to alter and adapt – how is that this answer suited to a post-pandemic world? 

Covid-19 has meant cell ordering apps have gone from a nice-to-have to a necessity. We began on this journey pre-Covid to deal with the problems round queue administration. So the affect of Covid-19 has been two fold:

Firstly, there was a rise in demand for the product and the trade turned effectively versed in utilizing this sort of expertise, which has consequently led to excessive buyer adoption. Secondly, new companies have come into the house to supply an answer through the present local weather and post-Covid. The market want is rising quickly and there are numerous alternatives


What are the important thing options of your tech that give NOQ a robust aggressive benefit?

NOQ is a local market app. This in itself presents numerous alternatives. Native apps permit us to faucet into location settings and notification settings, that are key to extend fan engagement and function occasions efficiently. Net purposes – which most opponents provide – are a short-cut answer, which match the aim for eating places and pubs. Marketplaces are initially a harder promote to carry on companies, as all of them need their very own branding and whitelabel apps. However the energy of {the marketplace} will increase as customers and companies enhance, which we’re en-route for. 

Our enterprise mannequin has longevity and a long-term imaginative and prescient, as an end-user doesn’t need to obtain a number of apps at a number of occasions and venues. From a companies perspective, to deal with the necessity for a personalised app, our product is now offering an clever consumer interface with the ‘personal branded’ feeling, while rising our personal market. 

What has been one of the thrilling successes for the enterprise thus far and the way did your crew rejoice?

Touchdown funding for an thought associated to occasions throughout Covid-19 was initially such a troublesome activity. I’m very happy with the place we have now gotten since our launch solely 9 months in the past. Over 15,000 customers, a number of caterers and occasions utilizing us, touchdown a tech funding for a crew of seven full-time builders for 3-years, closing a family and friends spherical of 116ok and now Seedrs! All throughout Covid. There may be nice momentum to the enterprise and we’re totally driving for fulfillment.

What do you anticipate would be the greatest problem going ahead?

Persistence and persistence is the important thing to success. Many companies fail as a result of they really feel like they’re hitting a wall. You will need to be agile and pivot as wanted and control the long-term imaginative and prescient. Gamers are going to enter the market because it grows, however the companies who develop organically, via sturdy relationships and belief will create the precise presence within the trade. 

What would be the main use of proceeds from this spherical? 

54% of the funding goes in direction of workers prices for four full-time members together with myself. That is the primary time our enterprise may have full-time members engaged on the venture. Up to now it has been part-time with us all having day jobs. That is why we imagine we are able to now scale quickly, dedicating our 100% to it and pushing the gross sales and advertising and marketing channels. The rest of the proceeds shall be used for advertising and marketing, product wants and F&G.

What’s a very powerful factor you’ve realized in beginning a enterprise?

It’s a must to make selections along with your head and never your coronary heart. I’m a really passionate individual and naturally take heed to my coronary heart loads! Having a enterprise of my very own, has taught me to function with my head and perceive what’s being placed on the desk and what’s in it for us. Strategic pondering is vital to making sure our long-term success. 

What’s been a silver lining of the UK lockdown? 

UK lockdown has meant extra financial savings, more healthy investments, particularly in crypto and fairness markets!

What sort of occasion are you wanting ahead to most because the world opens again up? 

Music and meals festivals are my favorite. I like good music and tasting a variety of flavours. We’re very excited with the occasions we’re engaged on this yr and sit up for listening to James Morrison ‘You Give Me One thing’ at Park Proms. Hopefully with the app getting used, I’ll get to squeeze in some backstage time!

—

To search out out extra about NOQ and for the chance to take a position, try the pitch now.