In
Imola, two close friends turned business partners, set up a company focussed on
technology consultancy with a marked social vocation. It deals with technology,
but has people at its heart. For FARE INSIEME, Giampaolo Colletti interviews
Umberto Ciriello and Antonio Marotta, co-founders and CEOs of Quinck
by Giampaolo Colletti
@gpcolletti
Photocredit: Giacomo Maestri e Francesca Aufiero
School
mates, mate of nothing. So sang Antonello Venditti. But is that true? After
all, these school mates became mates in everything. That is, of a world
rotating around a desk, a smartphone and a football pitch. A world that has
grown over the years through insights, visions, ambitions.
Company
profile. This is the story we are about to tell you: a story about two best
friends who have become business partners. A story about friendship, but also
about enterprise. And more: a story about failure and success, about falling
but being able to get back up again and make a difference. A story that unites
the two in a venture that does business, conquering markets and then putting
down roots in their community, in that midland that stretches southwards
between Emilia and Romagna. A land of doing and, above all, of doing together.
A land that unites people and technology in a winning alliance. A land that
attracts and scouts talent, bringing it into a community that welcomes it. A
land that, all things considered, the whole world envies us. We are in Imola,
in the first industrial area. This is where Quinck is based. The start-up
employs almost twenty people and has a high profile customer portfolio that
includes IMA, Satispay and the Sacmi Group. Growth is in triple figures at
Quinck. In 2022, +300%; in 2023, +100%. “We have changed over time. We started
out as a product start-up but the market did not respond well to our
innovation. So we established Quinck as a consulting firm for software
innovation and development. We then re-introduced the start-up element,”, say
Umberto Ciriello and Antonio Marotta. They have known each other for almost
thirty years. And together they set up this company as co-founders. Today
Umberto is CEO, with Antonio as co-CEO. But merely doing business is not enough
for them. The community is just as important. That is to say, everything
rotating around the business. And so the non-profit project Setiserve.it, a
platform that meets the needs of citizens, was launched.
The winning
lesson. But let's take a step back in time. Because this story has much to
teach us. That initial insight, which failed shortly afterwards, allowed the
two friends and partners to pinpoint another idea that turned out to be the
winning one. Never give up, especially when you play the entrepreneurial game
together. “The truth is that we are part of our community and believe in the
mission of creating virtuous business in Italy. We are thankful to this
ecosystem that has supported us in different ways and that has the same desire
as us to grow and offer positive models. At the outset, our aim was to create a
product start-up in the public mobility sector, a sort of telepass (electronic
motorway toll payment system) for public transport to encourage its use,
helping companies to better manage flows with a data-driven approach. But the
idea did not take hold on the market. Yet we didn’t give up and decided to look
for a new way to work together. In the end, we found a profound and lasting
synergy. It was an excellent decision and we are now reaping the results. The
sense of brotherhood has often spurred us to push ourselves past our limits and
become a better version of ourselves,”say Umberto and Antonio. For these two
start-uppers, there are three key concepts in doing business:
findingopen-minded, honest and committed people. Focussing on a product
technology that is viable, useful, sustainable and, even, indispensable.
Investing in relationships with experts, partners, the community. The Emilia
Valley model? Think global, act local. “We truly believe that this is a valid
approach. This region is learning practices and virtuosity from the global
start-up ecosystem and is a great place in Italy to be innovative. Obviously,
at the start, local ecosystems have their own peculiarities and think in a way
that is tailored to the local fabric. Yet, over time, we began to look further
afield”, say Umberto and Antonio. They started to look to the future with
optimism, understanding, curiosity. And set up a software house, reinforcing
partnerships and alliances, and a start-up studio. Never giving up. Because the
road to innovation is winding, but together they can tackle it better.
https://podcast.confindustriaemilia.it/
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