"Our work will help the people": how "NanoServ" will create a cleaner and warmer world
Elena Levina, founder of "NanoServ", one of the four winning projects of GenerationS- 2014 accelerator is sure: "If you do everything properly, you can handle any job." Probably, this was the way of her team's thinking, when, after a not very successful performance at the last year competition, she submitted another application to participate in the CleanTech track accelerator. As you may see, the project confirmed the efficiency of Elena's theory. She shared the "NanoServ" success story and explained why the team is the main resource of her project.
I am an economist by education, but the choice of this profession was not that conscious. Since my childhood I have had a mathematical mindset and developed leadership skills and I always wanted something more than just a job.
I founded "NanoServ" company in 2012. But the technology of biological cleaning of heat supply systems existed much earlier. Still in Soviet times, Professor Victor Zvenigorodsky worked on creation of bacteria to remove milk stone. His colleague, Victor Bogomolov, suggested using these bacteria to remove deposits when cleaning the thermal equipment and heating systems. We have significantly improved his technology. Now our team is composed of 17 full-time employees, plus seasonal hired crews. Our team includes a microbiologist, technologist, laboratory assistants, laboratory coordinator to work with dealers, technical department employees, as well as the employees of sales and marketing, accounting, key management personnel - we have everything. Moreover, we are actively cooperating with the doctors of sciences – professors from major Russian universities, trying to involve them into the solution of complex issues.
Our work will really help the people. Sludge, scale and deposits represent a huge problem not only for industrial and heat-generating enterprises, but also for ordinary people who have heating systems of more than 3-5 years installed in their houses. Before us, there was no effective and safe solution to this problem in the market.
We will make the world cleaner and warmer. Our technology is environmentally friendly, does not harm the equipment, people and environment. In addition, we address such an important issue for the society as the energy conservation. Our technology can be used for washing and restoration of heating systems in the apartment blocks, municipal buildings, schools and kindergartens.
All our team was involved into preparation for GenerationS-2014! Last year we didn't manage to be shortlisted, but this year we did our best. In 2013, the projects from all tracks had a common training: there were many interesting educational programs, but they were more focused on IT-startups and it was difficult to apply them in our project. We did not win then, though many were surprised: in the final people were approaching me with congratulations and getting very embarrassed to learn that we were not among the winners. But then I got my important personal prize – Guy Kawasaki signed a book for me: "To the most authentic entrepreneur".
This year I enjoyed very much an individual approach to the projects. We worked in small groups on a very strong, well-designed program for technological companies, including projects from the field of "clean technologies".
Frankly speaking, I found it difficult to "tear myself away" from the business during the acceleration program. The pace of competition events was very active and it was really hard to combine studies and high-priority operating tasks. And I strongly suffered from my lack of knowledge of foreign languages: the competition was attended by the eminent English-speaking lecturers, but I could not understand them in the original! But I'm working on this flaw - I started learning English.
"Combat mission" was the most memorable part of the competition. It was the name we gave to the meetings with companies and investment funds, when we presented our projects in a very limited time. And these meetings were held with the representatives of the highest level - we could never access them on our own. It was a great experience: we received a strong feedback from the investors and potential partners. Great!
It's a pleasure to be able to choose your business partner! After the accelerator and investment session, we received a lot of offers from the investors interested in the project. We have already started negotiating with some of them. Without GenerationS it would be impossible.
The team is the most important resource of the project. All people in the team must understand and move in the same direction - then we will achieve the most ambitious goals. That is why we spent a part of GenerationS prize on the employees bonuses and now we are preparing a big coaching session for the team.
Our plan is to "conquer the world”. This year we want to build a production site in Krasnodar, in the next one – another 3 sites in Russia and then try to enter into European - and not only - countries. Our goal is to take leading positions in the market of thermal cleaning equipment by strengthening our positions with additional solutions for the customers. Our team is proud of its achievements and confident in its own abilities. If you do everything properly, you can handle any job.
