Tips for startups building a mobile business

If your startup is based on a mobile app or service, here are some tips from Qvik on how to make it a success.

1. You can trash most web-based ideas in business, development and design. Mobile is not the same thing as web.

2. Try to understand mobile as a media and use it’s possibilities to full extent.

3. Visual design, user experience and fast value creation are the main success factors.

4. Cut 70% of the features for the first launch.

5. Be ready to iterate quickly.

6. Measure everything and set clear goals.

7. Choose your target market wisely. Test in a commercially viable market (for you Finns, Finland is not always optimal).

8. Make sure your business model scales wisely in it’s target market.

9. The mobile ecosystem is becoming a crowded space – remember that marketing has a huge importance.

10. Build your team so that they know mobile – the ecosystem, tech and user experience, or buy this knowledge from a consultant (like us).

11. The founders must let go of the product at some point to think about business, or hire someone to do it. Sitting on the product will not make your business grow.

These tips are written by Lari Tuominen, the CEO of Qvik, who has helped various startups in developing their mobile concept, as well as adviced companies at App Campus, Venture Garage, Arctic Startup, Mobile Monday and Arctic 15 to name a few startup communities.

CEO of Qvik, Lari Tuominen.