In the ever-shifting terrain of startups and entrepreneurship, securing funding and carving out space in competitive markets is a complex dance. When I read about Israeli startup Port recently raising $100 million at an $800 million valuation to directly challenge Spotify’s Backstage, I couldn’t help but reflect on the lessons this holds for any woman blazing her own trail in Europe’s startup ecosystem. Let’s explore what this win could teach us, and how we can apply these insights to grow our businesses sustainably while bootstrapping, a route close to my heart.
Lessons from Port’s $100 Million Raise
From the outside, Port’s Series C funding looks like a simple financial triumph, but it’s layered with strategy and bold pivots. They didn’t just compete with Spotify’s Backstage, an open-source tool for internal developer portals, they optimized their product by focusing on AI-driven agent solutions. They identified an opportunity to not just mimic but surpass their competitor by solving unmet needs in the developer workflow.
Now, for women entrepreneurs in Europe, the question becomes: How can we achieve similar focus and growth without the external funding cushion Port had? You might not be raising millions yet, but certain strategic actions resonate across all scales.
How You Can Bootstrap with Purpose
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Delve Deep , Know Your Customer’s Unspoken Cravings
Port went beyond competing with Backstage’s capabilities by spotting what the market lacked: better AI agent orchestration, safety, and collaboration. This depth of understanding was their edge.For you, this means having numerous conversations with your target audience until trends and gaps in their struggles emerge naturally. Instead of assuming what people need, let them share where they feel the greatest friction.
Start ups using methods like this might spend time shadowing potential customers or gathering feedback from early product testers. Recently, I sat on a feedback call with one of my game users, and while they started in frustration over a bug, they revealed new use-cases that inspired updates to our roadmap.
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Be Realistic About the DIY Option
Spotify’s Backstage works, but it’s self-managed. That’s a bit like bootstrapping: empowering but exhausting if you don’t think about scalability. Similarly, your customers might sometimes need more support than your “lean solution” provides. Where can you embrace thoughtful shortcuts early, like ready-made tools or templates, that help you carry the weight better? And where can you differentiate to make sure you delight customers without overextending yourself?I used to avoid ready-to-integrate third-party tools for Fe/male Switch because I wanted to “own everything.” But eventually, we added smarter partnership layers, for instance, pre-built CRM templates, because not every feature needs to be custom-built.
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Track and Reinforce Product Viability
Port’s competitive edge with its AI focus was backed by bringing on heavyweight customers like GitHub and LG, any startup dream’s clients. Even before Port sought their Series C funding, those wins signaled proven value. While you might not have the resources for big-name partnerships, small signals of early traction still matter. Regularly check if your product’s promise connects to the real needs of users, even if feedback comes frustratingly slow early on. -
Experiment and Iterate Aggressively
Iteration doesn’t mean releasing a polished product. It’s about experimentation and involving your future users early; Port's journey into AI agent orchestration didn't begin all at once. Apply small tests weekly in your own projects, offering rough drafts to gauge reactions. Recently, we tested AI-driven mentors in Fe/male Switch using real-time user feedback loops. Some features floundered; some flew. The key is committing to fast, open adjustments based on signals. -
Network Ruthlessly Yet Authentically
General Atlantic and leading VCs frequently backed Port’s rise. This wasn’t accidental; their team likely spent months leveraging relationships to gain critical introductions. For a solo female founder, growing and managing such networks is doubly important, and challenging. I constantly remind my female peers to dare where imposter syndrome tempts them otherwise. The accelerator or pitch event you assume you’re under-qualified for? Attend. Nobody invites you to leadership-focused startup dinners? Organize one yourself.
Most Common Mistakes Solo Entrepreneurs Should Avoid
- Resisting Collaboration: In today’s ecosystem, nobody operates alone, and your business processes shouldn’t either! I see so many entrepreneurs turn down accelerators or avoid delegating key tasks out of pride.
- Ignoring High-Cost Tech That Could Save Years: Invest judiciously early into simplifiers like no-code platforms or plug-ins to free up hours for growth tasks.
- Copy-Paste Culture: DIY doesn’t mean imitation. Stand out by tweaking or reimaging instead of mirroring what others are doing. Acknowledge your customers as individual, specific voices.
- Getting Trapped in “Customer Research Forever”: Listening is great! But don’t let obsessive note-taking freeze you from acting for months. Done is better than perfect.
The Bootstrapper’s Advantage as a European Woman
From my experience, being underestimated becomes your advantage. Whether the European male-dominant tech scene hasn’t noticed your niche yet, or new social-economic challenges have created openings, quietly owning your capabilities here can pay off.
I also encourage learning from diverse sources. Take lessons from women outside immediate circles, or even industries. At CADChain, my blockchain background converges with game-thinking approaches. Merging education + fun helped Fe/male Switch offer a startup education product that hit funding milestones.
Port succeeded in reshaping how developers interact with their tools, fundamentally pushing agency through AI and carving a category where they saw an opening. What trick can you deploy to create breathing room in niches that seem crowded?
Key Insights to Remember
A manageable leap for each founder looks vastly different. But the thread tying them together is clarity: build what resonates, test for validation, and double down when signals of “fit” emerge. Europe's entrepreneur landscape for women remains in growth stages, meaning robust networks and extra patience can set you apart without needing external VC prioritization upfront. Think fast small wins, hungry iterations, and seize connections shamelessly. Port’s rise serves as both inspiration and proof that the real winners are those that challenge categories to their limits.
FAQ
1. What did Port recently achieve in terms of funding?
Port, an Israeli startup, raised $100 million in a Series C funding round led by General Atlantic, achieving an $800 million valuation. Read about Port's $100M funding achievement.
2. What is Port's main product and how does it compare to Spotify's Backstage?
Port offers a proprietary developer portal to manage and orchestrate AI agents, whereas Backstage is an open-source tool requiring companies to self-build. Discover Port's proprietary solutions.
3. What unique features does Port’s platform include?
Port's platform includes "context lake" for data organization, safety guardrails, performance monitoring, and “human-in-the-loop” controls for collaboration with AI agents. Explore Port's unique AI features.
4. Which notable customers are using Port’s services?
Port's notable clients include GitHub, British Telecom, and LG, highlighting the platform's enterprise appeal. Learn about Port's enterprise customers.
5. How has Port addressed the challenges of open-source developer platforms?
Unlike open-source platforms like Backstage, Port provides a streamlined SaaS model, offering easier scalability and implementation for enterprises. Understand Port's SaaS model.
6. What are the notable competitors in Port’s market space?
Competitors include Spotify’s Backstage, LangChain, UiPath, and Cortex, all vying for dominance in the developer tool and AI orchestration market. Read more on Port and its competitors.
7. How has Port positioned itself in the industry against Backstage?
Port differentiates itself by focusing on AI-driven agent orchestration, going beyond the traditional developer tool approach of Backstage. Learn more about Port vs Backstage.
8. Who are the key investors supporting Port and their future vision?
Key investors include General Atlantic, Accel, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Team8, showing strong confidence in Port's innovative platform.
9. How has Port utilized its Series C funding to grow?
The Series C funding allows Port to enhance its AI orchestration features, strengthen its developer platform, and expand its customer base. See how Port is scaling with $100M in funding.
10. What other trends are emerging in the developer portal and AI orchestration market?
There is increasing demand for managing AI agents within development workflows, positioning startups like Port at the forefront of enterprise adoption. Explore trends in AI orchestration.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
