Serving as the oikos International President in reality meant participation in a year long, advanced, action-based leadership learning platform. Cooperation with a student Executive Board consisting of talented individuals, nurturing Local Chapters, presenting oikos story and values at international conferences equipped me with unique experiences. What was I up to afterwards and what lessons did I learn?
Money is available for those who dare
Biotrem – http://biotrem.pl/en/ – a start-up that invented the technology of processing wheat bran (by-product of flour production in milling industry) into biodegradable tableware. Being involved in the fundraising processes I learned that a disruptive business model, with innovative and ecological attributes, attracts a variety of financing options incl. the EU donations covering R&D expenditures or direct investments. In 2013 there were only 5 of us and a concept of technology secured with 2 patents. When I was leaving the team in 2016 the company was employing 20 people and had a production plant with capacity approaching 15 million pieces a year.
Failed initiatives receive support
DSS – a public company that I joined in the middle of restructuring procedures. I learned the insolvency law there. Realizing that there are institutions helping to harmlessly shut down unsuccessful companies made me even more eager and confident to open my own start-up one day.
High-tech can change the way we live, all we need is an effort to implement it
NaviParking – http://naviparking.com/index.en.html – a start-up I joined thanks to a girl I met during the oikos Winter School, which an oikos St. Gallen Alumnus may help me fundraise for. We developed a mobile app that maps car parks and parking meters, informs users about availability of parking spots and navigates towards them. It can end aimless driving in search for a parking spot, decrease road traffic and reduce air pollution. We are currently testing our solutions in Poland and are looking into entering Netherlands, Czech Republic and Switzerland. You can download the NaviParking app at Google Play or App Store (at this point you can get a glimpse of its functionality checking the city of Amsterdam). If you would like to support us, please feel free to contact me at dawid@naviparking.com
All in all, after getting a powerful push from oikos, all of the above were aimed at honing my entrepreneurial skills to one day emerge as a fulfilled change-maker.
Dawid Wroblenski was oikos International President 2012
