© Photo: Vystem

Vystem: All-in-One Platform for Event Organizers

Until now, event organizers have depended on various service providers, such as ticketing platforms or video conference service providers. Vystem combines all of the features that are necessary for live and online events in one place. We were able to talk with Dzekson Sedlakovic from Vystem.

Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem are you solving? 

Dzekson Sedlakovic, Vystem: Imagine a platform that combines the core functions of companies such as  Eventbrite, Vimeo & Zoom on one platform. With our web OS with integrated solutions for video-on-demand, webinars, video conferencing, participant management and ticketing, we are strong competition for major international providers and help event organizers plan, execute and follow up on virtual, hybrid and live events. 

That simultaneously answers your question. Instead of different tools that can hardly be coordinated with each other, Vystem is a full-service provider that bundles these solutions on one platform, solutions we developed ourselves so we can offer event organizers savings on licensing costs and reduced operational expenses. This also means that teams and organizations no longer have to build up know-how for all of these different tools, but can instead focus on their business. 

After registering on Vystem.io, organizers can get started right away and offer their participants a new user experience. They can take various event formats to a new level, but can also contact us if they need help with onboarding. 

Munich Startup: But that’s nothing out of the box! 

Dzekson Sedlakovic: Yes and no. All of the relevant functions for organizers are combined in a single solution. Our modular system also makes it possible to create a design that integrates a company’s own corporate identity, so that organizers can present themselves with their own look and feel. We offer organizers the opportunity to skillfully showcase speakers, partners, sponsors or their department as exhibitors and consultants. As a result, we’re particularly active in the segment of all kinds of conferences. This in combination with our GDPR-compliant framework conditions makes our offer more than competitive. And let’s be honest: A little competition and an innovative breath of fresh air from Munich is invigorating for the industry, even across borders. 

This is highly appreciated, for example, by agencies such as Territory and by direct customers such as the DGNB, the Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena, the AOK and customers in the public sector. 

Munich Startup: What’s your founding story? 

Dzekson Sedlakovic: Making a virtue out of (pandemic) necessity is probably the appropriate saying for our story. One of our clients that we had advised on digital issues had their back to the wall at the outbreak of the pandemic and needed a multifunctional solution to be able to hold their career events virtually. 

In short: Vystem was born. Timeframe: six weeks. The core competencies that have to do with the hosting of guests, talks and streams have remained the same since our founding. We quickly realized, however, that our solution was relevant to more than one customer and molded Vystem into the full-service provider we are today. 

Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far? 

Dzekson Sedlakovic: Launching a solution in 2020 and having the demand skyrocket within just a few weeks due to the pandemic. Recognizing which areas need to be set up in order to make scaling possible, optimizing operational processes internally and for your customers, as well as establishing a business model that is easy to understand, makes business sense and that enables and ensures healthy growth over the long term. The lessons learned from these issues and how we deal with the results is undoubtedly also decisive for us. 

Vystem: “Our customers can tell we never stand still” 

Munich Startup: How is business going? 

Dzekson Sedlakovic: Business is going well and is becoming increasingly dynamic. Our day-to-day business is stable, which gives us the opportunity to focus on the aforementioned optimization of internal processes. We positioned ourselves very broadly early on to be able to offer the organizers of live events tailor-made solutions in the areas of participant management, ticketing and admission management. This allows us to compensate for fluctuations in the field of virtual events and has made us an all-in-one provider for all aspects of events. 

It’s precisely this commitment that was acknowledged with the Agil Award of Bayme-VBM in the special category for companies with five to ten employees. We’re very proud of the award, which honors companies for their successful application of agile methods. We look forward to continuing to promote our agile way of working. In development as well, monthly updates ensure the customer-oriented use of our platform. 

Our customers can tell that we never stand still and that our campaign for market shares has only just begun. With virtual reality, big data, advertising and mobile first, there are more than enough future-related topics and opportunities in the event industry, now and in the future. 

Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far? 

Dzekson Sedlakovic: With Vienna and Munich, we have two locations that each offer great infrastructure for startups and their employees. In Munich, we have our headquarters in Werk1, which provides the ideal ecosystem for us as a startup. We’re constantly benefitting from communication with others and from the networks that this has helped us create. In addition, we benefit from a strong and innovative Bavarian economy and customers who deliberately work with local providers, are curious and want to make a difference. We would choose Munich again. The fact that I live in Vienna gave rise to our second office there. 

Munich Startup: Outsource or DIY? 

Dzekson Sedlakovic: That depends on the topic and the timing. We decided at the beginning of the journey to develop the platform ourselves in Munich. And that was also to maintain full control over internal processes and results. This makes it possible for us to make adjustments and changes quickly and independently of external providers in a very agile manner. That being said, there are certainly areas that we’re starting to outsource. If there’s a positive assessment about needing something over the long-term, then we’ll start to establish that know-how internally. In the past, now and in the future, this is a question we have and will answer specifically and individually.