⚡ How this Coffee Start-Up Air-Roasted their Beans to Reduce CO2 Emissions

Morning Innovators ⚡ In less than 5 minutes, we’ll cover…

🥳 The best funding opportunities, events and jobs in the start-up world
📰 The biggest news stories in the start-up world
☕️ How this Coffee Start-Up air-roasted their beans to reduce CO2 emissions
🥳 How paying for a party can get thousands of eyes on your business
🧘 An AI tool to help you do better deep work

✨ Last weeks most clicked link was this link detailing how two Welsh twins have just secured £3.2 million in funding to scale their travel Start-Up.

Happy hustling,
Rich

🎤 Events/Opportunities

🧑‍🚀 Spring Studios have opened up applications for the next cohort of Founder Launchpad. Receive the opportunity to access $150,000 in funding, build and grow alongside 30 other founders, access Spring Studios’ institutional customer relationships, and get 1:1 mentorship and webinars from industry experts, previously exited founders and investors. You can apply here.

💸 The Royal Academy of Engineering have launched their Regional Talent Engines Funding programme which gives you a £20,000 equity free grant, 6 months of 1-1 coaching, lifetime enterprise hub membership and access to investor networks. You can apply here.

💼 Job opportunities

🐶 Product Designer, Wagel
🎽 Head of Marketing, In Print We Trust
🌍 Full Stack Engineer, Earthly

💵 Venture debt funding is up, and it’s paving the way for M&A. Sifted

💻 Youtube are testing a feature that lets content creators use Gemini to brainstorm video ideas. TechCrunch

🤳 UK Satellite Start-Up, Blue Skies Space, wants to sell Astronomy data ‘as a service’. TechCrunch

💤 A Start-Up that ‘digitally prints’ smells to improve sleep has just raised £2.2m. UKTN

☕️ Presto Coffee: Brewing Success with Sustainability and Quality

In an era where consumers are increasingly conscious about the origins and environmental impact of their purchases, Presto Coffee stands out by offering sustainably sourced, high-quality coffee. Catering to coffee enthusiasts who value ethically sourced and environmentally friendly products, Presto Coffee combines premium taste with responsible practices. This article delves into Presto Coffee’s journey, highlighting the strategies, challenges, and lessons that have shaped their growth, offering valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs in the specialty food and beverage industry.

The Genesis of Presto Coffee: A Commitment to Quality and Sustainability

Presto Coffee’s journey began with a mission to provide specialty coffee that doesn’t compromise on quality or sustainability. The brand’s offerings include air-roasted coffee beans, ground coffee, and convenient coffee bags, all designed to appeal to discerning coffee lovers. Air roasting is a key differentiator for Presto Coffee, reducing CO2 emissions and ensuring a cleaner, more consistent roast. This commitment to both quality and the environment has become the cornerstone of Presto Coffee’s identity.

Acquiring the First Customers: Leveraging Social Media and Email Outreach

Presto Coffee’s initial customer acquisition strategy was a blend of social media engagement and targeted email campaigns. By actively engaging with coffee enthusiasts on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, Presto Coffee was able to share their story and highlight the unique qualities of their coffee. Complementing this, targeted email campaigns offered promotions and discounts to encourage first-time purchases.

Scaling the Business: SEO, Influencer Collaborations, and Retail Expansion

Scaling beyond the initial customer base required a multifaceted approach. Presto Coffee invested in search engine optimisation to boost organic traffic to their website, enhancing visibility and attracting new customers. Collaborations with influencers and coffee bloggers expanded their reach, while the introduction of subscription services ensured repeat business and increased customer lifetime value. Additionally, launching their products in well-known retail outlets like Booths, Ocado, and Zapp in 2023 marked a significant step in scaling their distribution.

Lessons Learned: The Importance of Community and Consistent Engagement

Reflecting on their journey, Presto Coffee emphasised the importance of building a strong online community and engaging with customers regularly. If they could start over, they would focus more on fostering a community of brand advocates and increasing their social media presence to share behind-the-scenes content. The Founder, James Haggerty, said that the Presto team now realise the importance of showing customers what’s going on behind the scenes at all times on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Funding the Start-Up: Bootstrapping and Strategic Investment

Presto Coffee began with personal savings and funds from friends and family, maintaining lean operations to grow organically. When it came time to seek external funding, networking with industry professionals and pitching to angel investors interested in sustainable businesses proved crucial. Demonstrating strong market potential and a clear business plan was key to securing the necessary funds.

Overcoming Challenges: Navigating Supply Chain Disruptions

One of the most significant challenges for Presto Coffee was managing supply chain disruptions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These disruptions affected product quality and delivery times, complicating the already challenging task of raising investment during uncertain times. Global disruptions, from the pandemic to fluctuating coffee prices and geopolitical events, underscored the importance of resilience and adaptability in business operations.

Strategic Relationships and Contingency Planning

A key lesson for Presto Coffee was the importance of building strong relationships with multiple suppliers to avoid reliance on a single source. Implementing more robust contingency plans for unforeseen events would also be a priority if starting the business again.

Planning a trip away for business or for pleasure?

Finalrentals, a pioneering car rental fintech headquartered in Wales, has revolutionised the industry with its innovative approach and product-centric strategy. By addressing key challenges within the car rental sector, Finalrentals has experienced remarkable growth, increasing its size sixfold in the past 12 months. The company's expansion is not limited to growth metrics alone; it has also successfully established a robust global presence, extending its footprint across the EU and the Caribbean.

Book your rental here!

You know what they say about really knowing what your customers want, well, the Youni team have got that down to perfection!

The target customers for Youni are University Students, and with a whole new batch of students about to take the step up to University in the UK, the Youni team have capitalised. They’ve put together a social campaign which means one lucky winner will have their results party paid for by Youni, but in doing this, they’ve created a crazy chase around London whilst collecting thousands of views across multiple platforms. You can see the full video here.

Is there a way that you can engage with your audience beyond social media?

Each week we highlight our favourite tools - either something we’ve been using in our businesses, or tools that our innovator community have recommended.

Flowith is the AI for deep work. Surpassing traditional chat-based tools, it streamlines tasks on a multi-thread interface powered by a most advanced agent framework. The intuitive canvas and smart framework boost productivity, helping users stay in the flow.

Next week we’ll be highlighting another awesome start-up (if you want us to feature you, drop us a message), as well as sharing all the usuals including funding opportunities, Start-Up news, plus plenty of awesome tips, tricks and tools.

P.S. Connect with us on LinkedIn…