The journey continues to discover Genoese and Ligurian companies that are innovating in collaboration with Fondazione Genova Startup.
Luca Minutoli e Fabio Tarantino, rispettivamente CEO e CTO, (nella foto) raccontano Cantieri Online, startup che hanno fondato e che nasce da una osservazione: ristrutturare casa oggi è ancora un percorso a ostacoli complicato, poco trasparente e spesso stressante. È un mercato enorme che in Italia muove 200 miliardi di euro all’anno e coinvolge oltre 800mila imprese, eppure sembra rimasto fermo a decenni fa per quanto riguarda la fiducia e la tecnologia.
“This is where we started. We didn’t want to create yet another portal, but a new marketplace concept based on transparency and trust that would change the rules of the game. We imagined an ecosystem where businesses would not be forced to buy contacts blindly, as is the case with almost all existing portals, but could finally build their reputation, gain visibility and find serious customers at an affordable cost.”
On the other hand, there are private individuals, who finally have a safe place where they can compare companies based on objective parameters, without having to rely solely on good fortune.
We started a few months ago with a very dynamic approach. We launched the app on Apple and Android and listened to users: every piece of feedback helped us improve the service, changing direction when the market asked us to. Our model is straightforward: the app is free for individuals, while businesses pay simple recurring subscriptions. It is a scalable system with predictable revenues, but this is only the beginning. In the future, we will introduce new services and new monetisation methods, such as assistance during the negotiation phase to manage a fee on construction sites that have already started, thus increasing turnover and margins. Our ultimate goal goes beyond a simple marketplace. We want to build a real ecosystem where businesses can manage multiple aspects of their operations, finally raising the bar for the entire industry. In these first few months of testing, we have validated the pillars of the business: private individuals contact us to request work, and businesses pay subscriptions to use the service.
Minutoli has been working in digital marketing for five years, managing an advertising budget of €350,000 and generating €1 million in revenue for clients, specialising in the construction sector over the last three years. Tarantino, on the other hand, is a full-stack developer: in over six years, he has created dozens of applications used by thousands of users.
“At this stage, we are refining the service and increasing the number of partner companies to demonstrate solid traction. After that, we will open a first round of investment to quickly scale up what is already working in the field. We know that construction is a complex sector and often resistant to change, but that doesn’t scare us: we have found a way to break into this market and we are convinced that the digital revolution in construction, thanks to Cantieri Online, is only just beginning.”
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©