In Founder Focus we introduce entrepreneurs and change-makers working on innovative startups, social enterprises and SME’s around Aotearoa New Zealand.
At a glance
Founder: Dr Manuel Seidel
Business: ecoPortal
Founded: 2010
HQ: Auckland
Can you tell us a bit about your business?
We’re ecoPortal and we exist to help keep people safe and environments healthy.
Today the lack of engagement with H&S (Health & Safety) and risk management results in reactive and low compliance cultures, so we’re the H&S + Risk Management Engagement Software on a mission to help move the industry from compliance to best practice, creating proactive safer cultures and healthier environments.
We work with the leaders in the space to help reimagine, reframe and elevate health and safety by increasing engagement in every way. With the workers, teams, companies, and industry – championing the best of H&S and working to make it the new industry standard, by being the first H&S software teams love to use.
What’s the backstory for your business idea?
Our story is a classic startup tale. Think of an accelerated university venture, humble roots, and the birth of something pretty cool, from a bunch of students.
We started out as an environmental management solution. However, following changes to legislation, we saw a rapidly increasing demand for software that would keep organisations compliant, so we expanded to create the fully integrated software you see today.
We still like trees, but now we like keeping people safe too.
13 years on, we’re the leading provider in Australasia for health, safety, environment and enterprise-risk management solutions. We’ve created something special. Not only the product, but a team of like-minded people who share a love of safety, coffee, sustainability, collaboration, D&D, cricket, video games, pool, cycling, innovation, food, and creating out-of-the-box solutions for others.
What programmes, learning or mentoring, or resources have been of assistance so far?
- SaaStr
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