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How to Create a Business by Learning from a Competitor's Mistakes
Dmitry Oreshkin is a Russian-born IT entrepreneur, currently developing a business on the Côte d'Azur.
His innovative idea was inspired by a similar project that failed. While he was a student, Dmitry began working on automating government systems, such as online transport registration and tax automation.
After selling his first business ten years ago, Oreshkin moved to France to realize his vision of creating a larger and more independent project that would not be subject to political risks.
His innovative idea was inspired by a similar project that failed. While he was a student, Dmitry began working on automating government systems, such as online transport registration and tax automation.
After selling his first business ten years ago, Oreshkin moved to France to realize his vision of creating a larger and more independent project that would not be subject to political risks.
The result of his hard work is the startup SmartBot Parking (https://itsmartbot.com/), which is the world's first real-time parking space management system. It helps condominiums increase their income by 2.5 times in just six months. However, the solution is not limited to condominiums, as it can also monitor parking standards on city streets. The program is already in use in Nice, where it is optimizing traffic flow and contributing to a cleaner environment.
Oreshkin's ability to learn from mistakes is one of his greatest strengths. In 2013, Nice launched a project to control street parking in real time using underground sensors, which ended up incurring millions of dollars in losses. Dmitry analyzed the project and even disassembled the sensors he found in an abandoned parking lot to understand how they worked. This experience led to the birth of SmartBot Parking.
Oreshkin's ability to learn from mistakes is one of his greatest strengths. In 2013, Nice launched a project to control street parking in real time using underground sensors, which ended up incurring millions of dollars in losses. Dmitry analyzed the project and even disassembled the sensors he found in an abandoned parking lot to understand how they worked. This experience led to the birth of SmartBot Parking.
"Mistakes can be used as indicators of what needs to be improved and where to grow."
Dmitry sees great potential for investment in the govtech field in France, given the small number of developers in this area and the long contract terms that discourage competition. He has invested several hundred thousand euros in his business and is now seeking partners to help him become the market leader.