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Silicon Valley Spring 2013
Applications: Mar 17, '13
Sessions: Apr 01, '13 - Jul 09, '13
Vision
Our vision is to Globalize Silicon Valley by creating and fostering local startup ecosystems in promising markets across the globe. We aim to help launch 1,000 technology companies per year in over 50 cities worldwide.
Sponsors
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is the premier legal advisor to technology and growth enterprises worldwide, as well as the investment banks and venture capital firms that finance them. Over the past four decades, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has established its reputation by having an unmatched knowledge of its clients' industries and deep and long-standing contacts throughout the technology sector. The firm's legal expertise serves clients at all stages of growth, from venture-backed start-up companies to multibillion-dollar global enterprises. The firm's clients include some of the most recognized names in the technology, retail, life sciences, venture capital, and finance sectors. The firm has offices in Austin, Palo Alto, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, and Washington, D.C.
First Republic Bank and its subsidiaries provide private banking, private business banking and the full range of wealth management services with an emphasis on exceptional relationship-based service and a solid commitment to responsiveness and action.
Ravix Group - Ravix Group Inc.provides seasoned consulting expertise to outsource the finance, human resources, and facilities functions of early-stage and middle market companies so that management can focus on their priorities to increase the value of their company.
Purplepatch Services is a strategy consulting firm offering technology firms Marketing Communications and User Experience Design solutions.
Grad Profile: @Ondango brings e-commerce to Facebook Pages
Grad Profiles highlight the personal and professional stories of Founder Institute Graduates from across the globe.
This profile on Ondango, a Graduate of the Berlin Founder Institute, was written by Emma Tzeng. Founded in 2010 by José Matías Del Pino and Claudio Bredfeldt, Ondango offers a customizable shopping platform for Facebook users.
It’s impossible to deny that Facebook is a driving force in today’s communication and social channels. And because of its sheer prevalence in modern day society, the social media behemoth is certainly a force to be reckoned with.
E-commerce startup Ondango, however, is taking a different stance on the Facebook phenomenon. Instead of fighting the tide, Ondango leverages Facebook’s popularity by offering a customizable, user-friendly online shopping platform for Facebook Pages.
With Ondango, businesses can integrate an e-commerce platform directly onto their Facebook Pages so users don’t have to leave the social network to browse and purchase products. Ondango offers three pricing options ranging from $13 to $130 a month depending on business owners’ needs. The most basic plan includes one online shop with up to 12 products, one daily deal per month, and the ability to post on two Facebook pages, while the most premium plan enables users to manage 10 shops, 100 products per shop, five daily deals per shop, take advantage of personal support, and includes a product search engine, the ability to organize products into categories, create multiple user accounts, and provide fan-only discounts.
“We have invested a lot of time and energy on the look, feel, and usability of our shops,” co-founder José Matías Del Pino explains in an interview. “Since Facebook is a new medium for e-commerce, we make that users see our shops as an integral, natural part of the platform. [...] Our customers sell more because their users love our shops.”
Clearly, Ondango has taken great measures to design the platform with a user-centric mindset. To ensure that the service is a natural, seamless facet of the Facebook experience, Ondango customizes its platform so users don’t need to install an app in order to make a purchase. Users can also share products and purchases with their networks, which helps generate more awareness for the businesses using the platform.
Setting up the Ondango platform is a two-part process which involves a free sign-up and Facebook application installation. To protect users’ privacy, Ondango uses encryption technology to store personal information into its own networks instead of sharing it with Facebook.
Founded in 2010 in Berlin, Germany, Ondango began as an effort to help business owners monetize their Facebook presence. Today, the startup continues to roll out new features, languages, and payment options to support its growing user base.
Ondango users can choose a preferred form of payment, including Paypal, bank transfer, Sofortüberweisung (only in Germany), pay upon pick-up (for owners with a physical shop), pay on delivery, and pay upon receipt of invoice. The product is available in 13 languages, including English, German, Spanish, and Polish.
As Facebook continues its reign as a major player in the social network realm, users can expect the demand for business solutions such as Ondango to grow in time.
Learn more about Ondango:
