Introducing a new app, Makerpeer. An audio and video e-learning App that helps young entrepreneurs gain knowledge from each other, create their own community, increase their networking and build and promote their own brand. Sofia Drobychevskava, Chief Operating Officer, Frederikke Leth, Chief Executive Officer, founded the company in 2020.
To find out how all this came about, we spoke with Sofia Drobchevskaya. Continue to read her story.
Sofia Drobychevskava & Frederikke Leth, founders of Makerpeer App
Q: What is your background? And what made you start this company?
I am from Belarus, currently living in Poland and I am a student at the European Business School. In addition, I graduated from the Belarusian State University with a major in Chemistry Analysis.
At the age of 18, I founded my first startup which was in the field of Sports Tech, as I played tennis at a professional level. With my former startup, I completed the Sports Tech sector’s most famous accelerator program and went through the Hype Sports Innovation accelerator program. My startup was shortlisted as a finalist and was selected among the top startups in the Dubai and Qatar program. Future entrepreneurs can get inspiration from these technology startup business ideas.
Today I am the COO of Makerpeer, which consists of an international team from Romania, Poland, Italy, Serbia and Denmark where the headquarter is located. Our Chief Executive Officer, Frederikke Leth is from Copenhagen, Denmark. We met recently ten months ago and decided to work together on the Makerpeer idea.
Q: Tell us briefly about the startup you have founded? How did you come up with the idea for the Makerpeer App?
As an entrepreneur, I have often had difficulties finding the right information for my startup, or meeting with the right people in order to enhance my skills and networking that would bring my startup to the next level. I would usually do this at meetups, but at times of the pandemic, this was not possible offline. Together with my co-founder, Frederikke, we have built an application where we can access insights, and know-how from other founders and experts and where we can share ideas, get feedback and collaborate with other startups and founders. This way we want to build the one and only social meetup and professional community app, where people meet via audio and video sharing.
The Makerpeer App is an excellent way to grow your network, share your knowledge and monetize your professional skills and knowledge, say Sofia Drobychevskaya COO and founder of the Makerpeer App.
Q: Considering the fierce competition in today’s business world, could you highlight its unique features to the user that make it stand out?
I would say, the main feature is that the application is focused on a niche; entrepreneurs, business people and professionals. The market has traditionally been approached by formal conferences and meetings, With Makerpeer, we want to create a unique space for live streaming audio and video interactions and sharing of ideas that will make the users interact more with the mentors and increase their network. The second feature that I would like to highlight is an exclusive invitation to our application. We want to build a strong community and a unique place for people to grow their skills and network. Since our applications is based on an exclusive approach, only the members who already use the application can invite new members and friends, and colleagues outside the application.
Q: Are you planning to go global with the App? If yes, what regions or countries will the Makerpeer App go into in the near future?
We will grab the European market first. And since we focus on the exclusive approach to serve the users., the user base of the app will grow within this region because they will invite people they know. And we plan to launch the app content directly to the closed audience who have already signed up for presale via our website, and then we will slowly grow our user base in that direction. Hopefully in a few years, we’ll be able to onboard the USA and Asian market. All content, all users and features will be in the English to serve as many people as possible.
Q: Who do you see as your target audience? And is the service cost-free?
Our target audience is divided into three groups. The first group is entrepreneurs and founders looking for knowledge from influencers, business experts, lecturers that are absolutely for free. The second group will be influencers or expert founders who will create content and provide knowledge to their target audience. It will also enable them to earn pocket money from premium subscriptions and advertising from the Makerpeer App. The third group will be accelerator programs, universities and brands who want to promote their services directly to startups, top founders and collaborate with influencers.
Apart from the free service, we also have a premium subscription model targeting the creators and B2B. If you want to use this tactic to your advantage, it would only be imperative for you to learn details like how to value a subscription business.
Therefore, the basic features will be enabled for the user at free cost. But the premium subscription feature, for example, access to exclusive content and access to the community, will be at a cost. However, the price for the premium subscription is not decided yet because we want to understand people’s needs and behavior.
Q: How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected the Makerpeer App in gaining popularity?
The pandemic prompted us to develop this app since the demand for communication and social interaction has increased by forty-five percent since last year which I believe is an advantage for us. We will be moving forward along with the changes in the world. But in a nutshell, the Covid-19 pandemic is the real reason we are building this application.
Q: Thank you, Sofia, for the interview. Our last question is, how do you see the company develop in the next few years?
It is hard to say for now how it will look since we are learning the needs and wants of our users, and working to understand their behavior when using the publication.
