The Bits & Bytes Series - Guglielmo Schenardi
Hosted by Jessica Ge
Whenever you use an app, access a website, or do anything in the virtual space, you create data. But do you actually know where your data is going? And who’s using it? ❓🤔
Today’s guest, Guglielmo Schenardi, along with his co-founder, created Rita Personal Data - an app with over 100,000 members and a 4.5-star rating from almost 2,000 reviews. Rita allows users to view, control, and earn rewards from their own data. And founded only 3 years ago, Rita has already secured €1 million in pre-seed funding. 💸
Alongside a successful startup, Guglielmo has also recently launched the first start-up program offering a double university Masters called Genoa Entrepreneurship School (GES). GES is a joint initiative between Georgetown and Genoa university so that you can build or work in a venture whilst attending a masters. 🏫🚀 This way, you don’t have to choose between pursuing a startup career or pursuing education, you can do both.
In this episode, we will focus on two key topics- the importance of data privacy in an increasingly data-driven world and how education and entrepreneurship can co-exist. ✌
Manage your personal data:
Build your next venture from school:
Timestamps:
2:05 - Who is Guglielmo Schenardi?
2:46 - The conception of Rita Personal Data
3:40 - Why should you use Rita?
4:50 - Trusting Rita with your data
6:01 - Building a tech product from a non-tech background
8:18 - How to raise €1 million in preseed funding
10:34 - You need an advisor!
12:20 - Guglielmo’s life-changing experience
14:04 - MTV’s documentary on Guglielmo’s daily life
16:43 - Creating a university startup program from scratch
20:20 - How to build the dream team
21:41 - Building a venture whilst pursuing two masters, how?!
28:15 - What’s one thing Guglielmo would change about society?
29:58 - Guglielmo’s unconventional truth that helped him achieve his success
31:46 - Reflect, reflect, reflect
34:14 - Guglielmo’s dream interview guest
Shoutout to Jessica Ge for self-producing this episode! 🕺