Startup of the week: SPACELING®

SPACELING® is a disruptive, user-centric social media start-up leveraging AI/ML/3D technologies, mission-focused on making a positive social impact in-line with its sustainable development goals by creating an inclusive and welcoming community where all voices matter – tackling global online-safety & social challenges on a global scale, while empowering users with a zero-tolerance policy towards harmful or toxic content, and giving users full control of their privacy, data and digital experience.

Including profit-sharing in-line with its ethical & fairness ethos, business & leisure features in one space, and a pioneering, visually-enhanced EXPLORE feature inviting users to step into a dynamic and immersive 3D universe to explore content in ways unseen before. 

SPACELING® champions and celebrates people of all ethnicities, races, cultures, and genders and is boosted by a strong, diverse, and cross-functional team of seasoned entrepreneurs and subject matter experts, spanning continents and comprising of over 50% women and 20% ethnic minorities – including 3x AI PhDs - all with a passion and belief in SPACELING’s ethos and core values.

We spoke to Michael Sperling, Co-Founder & CEO of the company, to find out more.

What made you become an entrepreneur?

Michael: I’ve always had the “entrepreneurial spirit” in me from a very young age, which had me founding, funding, and leading start-ups and SMEs from the ground-up, across sectors and continents—gaining a global perspective on business. From transport, travel & hospitality, through medical, high-tech, real estate, asset management, high-end goods and even LED manufacturing to name but a few, plus an aviator career to boot, my diverse career certainly hasn’t been boring!

I’m passionate about all-things start-up, whether be it wellbeing, new technology, sustainability, but especially things that make a significant positive social impact on humanity and society.

Having witnessed first-hand the negative impact that Social-Media can have on its users (particularly the young & vulnerable) creating a safe and inclusive space has long been a matter very close to my heart. So, when the chance came-up to Co-Found SPACELING®, I saw it as an opportunity not only to build an exciting business but to have a real go at fixing our BROKEN social-media ecosystem and making a significant & meaningful difference to society.

What is the most challenging part of running your own startup?

Michael: Start-ups, given their nature, operate in a high degree of uncertainty, and more so if they’re disruptive, involving new or unproven markets and/or technologies. So, of course, running a start-up of any nature is a challenge in itself, but something as disruptive as SPACELING® is certainly demanding – although I must say, I’m loving the journey and wouldn’t have it any other way.

For me, some of the stand-out start-up challenges include building the right team, innovating while still building a viable business, dealing with competition, acquiring customers, navigating legal and regulatory requirements, scaling the business sustainably, and managing both time and resources effectively.

But the three biggest challenges are definitely identifying a genuine market need, finding a product-market fit, and the biggie is, without a doubt, securing funding and managing cash flow.

That said, I’m very proud of the cross-functional team I’ve cultivated and all our hard work that’s gone into getting SPACELING® into its current position, and I’m very excited about the next stage of our development, financing, and marketing journey.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced when looking for funding?

Michael: Many, if not most, investors tend to operate on a vertical (sector) and/or geographic thesis, which is where start-ups often fall between the cracks, and this before they’ve even had a chance to showcase themselves, as they’re quickly ruled out as not being a good fit for the investors’ thesis.

This is particularly hard when it comes to a start-up belonging to a vertical which is not terribly “popular” or common within the investors world, not belonging to a sector-thesis that many investors subscribe to.

For example, a straightforward SaaS start-up shouldn’t find it too hard to find lots of investors who invest in that vertical and would, therefore, at least fit their thesis, which is always a good start. However, a start-up in the social media vertical will struggle more. Thankfully however, there are still many sector-agnostic and geo-agnostic Investors around, but it is nevertheless a greater challenge than some of the ventures I’ve worked on before.

What is the most rewarding aspect of entrepreneurship?

Michael: Building any start-up or SME from the ground up, and watching it slowly grow, is both exciting and very rewarding.

At SPACELING®, seeing our strong and brilliantly talented cross-functional team (which I have had the privilege to form) together overcome operational, commercial, fiscal, and tech challenges, solve problems with innovative solutions, and do so as a single-force for good, has been incredibly rewarding. I’m so proud of the way our team is driving to disrupt the social media ecosystem; all fully committed to make a real positive impact on society and humanity, working towards a better and more inclusive world.

The ability to solve complex challenges, develop innovative solutions using cutting-edge tech, and work with a truly talented team who shares the same vision, is what makes every challenge worthwhile.

Learn more about SPACELING® on their website: https://www.spaceling.com/