Guernsey Venture Challenge 2024 Spotlight: Factforge Labs
The Guernsey Venture Challenge kick-starts innovative startups on the island. Our competition provides a launchpad for aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas, receive expert guidance, and a chance to secure funding at the Pitch Night Final at the end of the programme.
As a participant in the Guernsey Venture Challenge, Factforge Labs is among the promising ventures shaping the future of Guernsey's tech ecosystem in 2024's cohort.
Pictured: Sebastian Napiorkowski , Founder of Factforge Labs
In the fast-paced world of scientific research, staying up-to-date with the latest advancements can be a daunting task. Factforge AI was born out of a need to address this challenge, offering a platform that simplifies the way people interact with scientific literature.
Founded by Sebastian Napiorkowski, a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the chemical industry, Factforge AI leverages artificial intelligence to streamline the process of finding, understanding, and applying relevant scientific information. Inspired by the difficulties faced by researchers in navigating vast amounts of data, Sebastian combined his expertise in AI and software engineering to create this innovative solution.
Factforge AI aims to empower professionals, researchers, professors and students to organise and analyse scientific findings efficiently, making it easier to make informed decisions.
Pictured: Sebastian Napiorkowski pitching at the Guernsey Venture Challenge Pitch Night Final
How have you enjoyed the Guernsey Venture Challenge?
I really enjoyed the experience.
What was your most valuable learning from the mentoring sessions?
The mentoring sessions have been incredibly insightful. I’ve learned a lot about the competitive landscape and gained valuable advice from my mentor’s own challenges and experiences.
My mentor was a great fit, having worked on similar ideas in the past and securing funding from Blenheim Chalcot. His guidance has been very helpful in shaping our approach. Besides the 1-on-1 mentoring, we also participated in online lessons on unit economics and how to effectively pitch, which have been incredibly valuable.
What were some of the challenges you faced before the programme, and how has the programme helped you overcome them?
Before the programme, securing funding and resources was a major hurdle. The Guernsey Venture Challenge offers hope with the potential prize and has given us a chance to focus more on our project.
The AWS starter budget has been a generous boost, allowing us to further develop our ideas.
What were you most excited about as you prepared for the pitch competition?
I was really excited to share our progress and vision with the judges and the community, and also looking forward to hearing the pitches from the other participants.
What are your plans for your business after the competition?
We plan to launch a beta version of our product in the next quarter and start conducting our first round of user tests. If you want to stay up to date on the progress and launch of factforge.ai sign up for the waiting list at www.factforge.ai/
What advice would you give to businesses considering applying for the Guernsey Venture Challenge next year?
It’s an amazing opportunity to network, validate your idea, and if you win, it provides the capital to focus even more on your business. I’d highly recommend applying!
Pictured: Sebastian Napiorkowski pitching at the Guernsey Venture Challenge Pitch Night Final
