GoonIntroduction to SwipeSpec: An AI-Powered Requirements Management Tool
Marko Sustic, the founder and CEO of SwipeSpec, shares his career journey and the vision that led to the creation of an AI-powered tool designed to simplify and enhance spec writing. In this article, we will explore Marko's background, the challenges he faced, and the pivotal moments that shaped SwipeSpec into the product it is today.
Early Life and Education
Marko comes from a small town in Continental Croatia, from a normal middle-class family. He went to Zagreb University of Applied Sciences, where he got his strong fundamentals of web development, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and more. Marko's college experience was very useful to him, and he learned a lot about branding and marketing.
Freelancing and Discovery of Value
Between his second and third year of college, Marko took his first freelance project, which is where he figured out that the skills he had in terms of coding had value that someone else is willing to pay for. He discovered value in his work and ever since then, he was freelancing and trying to monetize this skill.
First Job and First Business
Marko's first 9-to-5 job was in a web development marketing agency, where he was a web developer. However, he wasn't satisfied with the job, so he started his first business, Game Perspectives, a gaming news portal. Unfortunately, the site wasn't making any money, and Marko had to do freelance work and his 9-to-5 job to keep the business afloat.
Second Job and Second Business
Marko's first job was not sustainable, so he quit and started looking for a new job. He joined a second agency, where he learned a lot about internet marketing, analytics, and how to position products. Marko then started his second business, Stem Digital, which was also a service-based business. However, this business was not a success, and Marko had to part ways with his partners.
Joining Rimac Automobili
Marko joined Rimac Automobili, a hypercar company, as a web developer. He was part of the first growth batch when the company went from 10 people to 100 people. Marko worked on various projects, including the infotainment system and the Bugatti Chiron.
Pains of Doing Proper Requirements Management
Marko realized that if he's not jumping around between departments in his role as a product manager, things started to drift. He figured out that having a centralized source of truth for specifications and requirements is crucial. Marko found a consultant who implemented a requirements management tool, but he realized that the tool is not a silver bullet and that underlying processes and obedience to those processes are necessary.
AI and Writing Requirements
When CAD GPT came out, Marko tried typing in some natural language inputs and found that it can generate structured requirements. He realized that there is an opportunity for AI to do this work and started looking into AI and requirements management.
Going to Silicon Valley
Marko went to San Francisco to give a speech about AI in requirements management. He met with investors and potential co-founders, and the idea for SwipeSpec was born.
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Starting SwipeSpec
Marko and his co-founder decided to apply for a hackathon, where they had to invent a business that involved AI. They worked on SwipeSpec, an AI-powered requirements management tool, and won the hackathon. They raised $330,000 in pre-seed funding and incorporated in the United States.
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What is SwipeSpec?
SwipeSpec is a lightweight, AI-powered requirements management tool aimed at product managers, business analysts, and product owners. The tool allows users to write requirements in natural language, which are then automated into a structured format.
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Where is the Value of SwipeSpec?
The value of SwipeSpec comes from multiple places. First, the tool makes the user's life easier by automating the process of writing requirements. Second, the company has higher-quality requirements on time, which means they will not break deadlines or do any work with poorly written requirements.
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$330K Raised in Pre-Seed Funding
SwipeSpec raised $330,000 in pre-seed funding, which they used to incorporate in the United States and start working on the first version of the tool.
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Advice to Founders
Marko's advice to other founders is to set strict deadlines and adhere to them. He also emphasizes the importance of trusting oneself and being the strongest believer in one's own ideas and convictions.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, Marko's journey from being a web developer to founding SwipeSpec is a story of perseverance and innovation. SwipeSpec is an AI-powered requirements management tool that aims to simplify and enhance spec writing. With its natural language inputs and automated structured format, SwipeSpec has the potential to revolutionize the way product managers and business analysts work.
