One of the startups that is currently in the Film and Multimedia Accelerator’s first batch, is SoFutu. SoFutu focuses on on software development and consulting. The founders of this startup are Julio Naya and Federico Winer from Argentina and Vittorio Allegra from Italy. Julio is a software engineer with over 15 years of experience, working on projects for banks and telecoms. Federico has 20 years of experience in project management and business development. Their first product, VisioTag, is the fastest video tagger, doubling editing speed for sports, media, and content creators.
All three founders introduced their startup in more depth.
How did you come up with the idea to create a startup?
“We believe entrepreneurship is a path to both professional and personal growth. Starting a business felt like the natural step to develop and distribute VisioTag globally, leveraging digital marketplaces like Apple and Microsoft. Federico has been an e-resident of Estonia for nearly a decade, which made the process of establishing and launching the company smooth and efficient, aligning perfectly with our business goals.”
What have been the biggest challenges/failures and the biggest wins so far?
“Our two biggest wins were getting into the Tehnopol accelerator program, which helped streamline our processes, and develop our software MVP in just four weeks, securing our first two customers within 90 days. The biggest challenge has been managing the operations and bureaucracy involved with software marketplaces.”
What sets your startup apart from competitors?
“We strongly believe in agile development with no unnecessary complications. We focus on delivering exactly what’s needed, on time, and to the highest standards.”
Why did you apply to the Film and Multimedia Accelerator?
“The content creator industry is undergoing a revolution fueled by new social media channels and streaming trends. With users globally spending an average of 6-7 hours online daily – 2-3 hours on video streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube, and 1-2 hours on music or audio streaming – the demand for innovative solutions is growing. We saw this firsthand through our work on software projects for the media and film industries.
Recognizing the opportunity in Estonia, we set out to deliver a product that addresses real user needs, particularly for content creators who spend countless hours tagging and managing footage, a challenge that has only increased with the rise in streaming consumption among younger audiences, who spend up to 4-5 hours daily on video content alone.”
Where do you see your startup in 1 year? And where in 5 years?
“In a year, we aim to have the app consolidated on new software platforms and to secure Series B investment to enhance VisioTag beyond sports. We’re already looking at the challenges faced by TV networks and social media content creators like YouTubers, and we want to help them with video footage and metadata management. In five years, we want to be the global leader in AI for video archiving and tagging.”
Who is the next (Estonian) unicorn?
“We attended Latitude59, one of the best European tech events, and were impressed by companies like AskToSell, Migrevention, Siffi, and KOOS. But we believe SoFutu, with VisioTag, will be the next Estonian unicorn!”
Which books/podcasts/publications and influencers in your field do you follow and would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs?
“We recommend Walter Isaacson’s biographies of Elon Musk and Steve Jobs – they show the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, from startups to major corporations. Another great book is Pavlo Phitidis’ “Sweat, Scale, Sell” which offers clear and valuable insights.”
If you’d get a chance to meet with Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos, what would you ask them?
“We’d ask them what they would improve in VisioTag. We’re always open to suggestions to make the best video tagger on the planet even better.”
