Who are you and what do you do?
I am Paul Archer and I am the founder of Duel. Duel is a fully automated, AI powered tool that lets brands manage user-generated content with absolute control. They can run photo, video, GIF and idea competitions, polls and automatically post highly engaging interactive display adverts featuring the best of this content.
Where in the world are you from and what drew you to London?
I started the company in Bristol and moved to London now it has begun to scale and I need to be closed to our clients. It’s also one of, if not the most exciting cities in the world.
What excites you most about London (one startup point and one non-startup point!)?
London has everything you need. Every company has a major office here, and it’s perfectly positioned to travel to markets all around the world. It also never stops. There’s always something amazing and interesting going on every hour of every day (and night).
Explain why your company is a MadTech company, and how you plan to disrupt the larger ecosystem.
We help brands let their customers tell their stories. Our product allows brand managers unlock the power of their audience and brings them into the conversation on a platform that is safe for the brand.
What is one challenge you have had to overcome since beginning your journey?
Finding product market fit. We have under taken 1 major and a number of minor pivots to get to this point. However, the learnings along the way have been completely worth it.
Tell us about where you think Collider can add the most value to you over the next four months.
I think collider will open up doors that we could previously never do. It is also a huge stamp of approval, giving us extra validation as we roll out to brands.
What advice would you give to founders who are applying to accelerator programmes?
Look at the kind of businesses that they accept and only apply to ones that are relevant to you – you could waste weeks filling in forms and wasting time when you don’t fit the mould. Then when you find one that works, through everything at it!