For several years now, Marcelo Kronfeld, a restless 24-year-old entrepreneur, has been spending his summers with friends on the coast of Roche. In early 2010, he came to the conclusion that the camping industry needed to enter the digital age. After giving it some thought, he decided to look into the matter. It was then that the graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Management and Administration approached several owners of these establishments and proposed creating a software tool that would allow them to offer their young customers the ability to reserve and pay for their spots online.
The response was positive, so Marcelo turned to the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at ORT University to receive the theoretical and practical support he needed. Likewise, the CIE sponsored him to present his project to the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII), which decided in August of this year to support his project called Zona Camping.
Zona Camping will begin operations in late October or early November of this year, according to the graduate. So far, 9 campgrounds have joined his project, though he expects that as the season approaches, there will be 12 participating establishments, with the goal of “covering all the most important campgrounds in the country for Tourism Week 2011.”
Below, the graduate tells us about his approach to the CIE, the ANII’s approval of his project, and the main features of Zona Camping:
- How did you get involved with the CIE?
- Diego Mariani, the Coordinator of the Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (CET), was the one who introduced me to the CIE. He was the advisor for my final thesis project, so we were in contact for almost six months. In addition, a friend of mine (Ariel Burschtin, a graduate in Systems Engineering) launched his company, Pedidos Ya!, through the CIE. They helped me put together the business plan and supported me in connecting with the contacts I needed. When I presented my project to ANII, the CIE sponsored me and helped me complete all the required documentation; in short, they are always there to help you until you implement the project.
- How did the idea to create a website for campgrounds come about?
- For the past three summers, I've been going on vacation to Rocha with my friends. We noticed that over the last three or four seasons there has been significant growth in tourism, particularly in relation to camping. I started crunching the numbers, conducted a mini market research study, visited the Ministry of Tourism to gather information, and then began developing the project through sketches and mockups until I decided to apply to the CIE.
In my case, I’ve always been very focused on technology and management. My Bachelor’s degree in Management and Administration helped me provide a theoretical framework for those interests; I’ve always liked the philosophy of working anytime, anywhere, and by objectives; thanks to technological advances, we can do that today.
- What stage is the project at?
- We are currently finalizing the software development and finalizing contracts with campgrounds, payment providers, and sponsors. I am leading the project, though I work with a team that includes, among others, David Lazar, a graphic design student at ORT’s School of Communication and Design. We plan to launch the initiative in late October or early November. So far, we have nine campsites affiliated with Zona Camping, mainly in Rocha and Maldonado, and we hope to reach 12 by the start of the season.
- What are your thoughts on the future of Zona Camping?
- The plan for the future is to expand within the region, starting with Argentina. That said, I was surprised by the number of resources available to entrepreneurs in Uruguay; it’s a great place to start a business, given the support provided by various organizations and how easy it is to make connections.