Paid Founding Pilot in Vienna

Why this exists

Three problems, one pilot

Independent shops lose out online, in-store, and in advertising. StartToFind is built to fix all three, and the founding pilot is how we get it right before we open up publicly.

Search friction, online

Invisible in local search compared to big chains and marketplaces.

Search friction, in-store

Customers can't find what they need once they're inside.

Advertising you can't target

No customer/product data to spend advertising budget efficiently.

The offer

What a paid pilot spot gets you

Selected SMEs pay a modest one-time development fee to help shape core product features around their needs: custom indoor mapping, catalogue integration, the comparison filters that matter for what you sell.

That fee funds development directly and validates the product before public launch. In return:

Your store mapped and indoor-navigable, free of charge
Direct input into the features we build next
"Founding Partner" placement and badge at launch
Pilot fee converts into future ad credit at 200%, paid-pilot-only, plus 3 years of free analytics

200%

Ad credit refund

3 years

Free analytics

€500–5000

Indicative pilot fee

StartToFind advertising targeting options: shoppers likely to buy, near this shop, similar products, or buyers of another product

Why the ad credit is worth having

The advertising engine to promote product to who will by them.

The 200% ad credit will be even more effective than on other advertising platforms as our model filters out those users that are interested in an advertisement while they are close to your shop and buying related articles.

See the full product walkthrough →

Why the Analytics is worth having

Live location to optimize your shop

StartToFind site analytics dashboard showing connectivity, reachability, and mobility insights for a shop floor

Those analytics show where shoppers pause and wait, which aisles they skip, where the biggest bottlenecks are, and which spots work best for visibility actions. We also run cross-correlation across all products to identify which items are bought together, so the shop can turn those patterns into promotions, bundle offers, and merchandising actions.

See the full product walkthrough →

How onboarding works

We come to you first, then it scales

The pilot rollout is deliberately hands-on at the start, so we can prove the process before automating it.

Step 1 · First pilots

In person

The founding team visits your store, walks it with you, and maps it together on-site. No setup work on your end.

Step 2 · As the cohort grows

Video-guided

A video-guided self-mapping process with live remote support, once the workflow is proven and repeatable.

Step 3 · At scale

Fully automated

A self-service upload-and-map flow that lowers the cost of each additional pilot as the cohort grows.

FAQ

Common questions

What do I get from a paid pilot?

More than a return on your advertising budget. A paid pilot is your chance to help shape and support a platform built to bring more customers to your shop, an investment in your shop's digital independence. Want a specific feature built? This is the moment to partner with us on it.

What does the pilot actually cost?

An indicative one-time fee of €500–€5,000 depending on your site size and how much customization you want (custom filters, catalogue integration, etc.). We agree the exact number with you before anything is charged.

How does the 200% ad credit bonus + 3 years free analytics work?

Your pilot fee is converted into an ad credit balance on StartToFind at 200% of what you paid. A €1,000 pilot fee becomes €2,000 in future ad credits, and you also receive 3 years of free analytics. It's redeemable once StartToFind publicly launches in your region.

Do I need any technical skills or a website?

No. For the first pilot cohort, the founding team comes to your store in person and handles the mapping and setup directly.

Is basic participation on StartToFind ever paid?

No. Core listing, search presence, and a digital storefront stay free forever. The paid pilot is an optional, limited, early-stage program to help fund and shape development, not a fee for basic access.

What kind of shops are you looking for first?

Shops that sell physical products are the first focus: bakeries, bookstores, boutiques, specialty grocers, and similar. That's where product-level search and in-store navigation deliver the most value first.

Help us build StartToFind around your shop. Get paid back in advertising.