SpaceCo is a startup that has successfully transformed the way community spaces are booked and managed — starting with local community spaces, before expanding to governments and broader commercial applications.
SpacetoCo was founded by former teachers Daniel Franco — who generously shared his insights — Jeremy Hurst, and Daniel McCullen. Together, they have grown from an initial concept into a thriving business.
In this article, we’ll delve a little deeper into the founders’ backgrounds, the challenges they faced in their startup journey, and how they used technology to scale their business, offering valuable insights for other entrepreneurs, especially in WA.
Founders’ background
Jeremy Hurst, Daniel McCullen, and Daniel Franco, all of whom started their careers as school teachers, are the brains behind SpacetoCo.
Their shared background in education served as the “glue” that brought them together. Despite coming from different professional experiences at the time of founding the company — Hurst and Franco were working at an IT education company, while McCullen was employed at a building inspection company — the trio had previously worked as teachers. This diverse yet unified background laid the foundation for their venture.
The idea for SpacetoCo was conceived around eight years ago when Hurst initially brought the concept to Franco and McCullen. Over time, they fleshed out the idea, officially forming the company in February 2016. They spent the next year validating their concept, building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and launching the company.
The startup journey
The initial phase of SpacetoCo’s journey was filled with the typical challenges of a startup. The founders began by exploring residential and community spaces, particularly focusing on areas like backyard pools and residential areas.
However, they quickly realised that the commercial sector, specifically local government councils, presented a more significant opportunity.
A pivotal moment came when they first met with the City of Vincent, a local government in Western Australia. The founders, who initially had “big blue sky concepts” around space sharing, quickly realised the extent of the problem councils faced with booking and managing community spaces.
This meeting shifted their focus, allowing them to refine their product to meet the specific needs of local councils.
Acquiring first clients
The City of Vincent became SpacetoCo’s first significant client, serving as both a proof of concept and a foundational customer that helped shape the business.
The strategy they employed was simple yet effective: they built exactly what the City of Vincent needed. This customer-centric approach ensured that the features developed for one council could be replicated and scaled to other councils with similar needs.
The founders emphasised the importance of understanding the problem size and customer needs, allowing them to successfully onboard more councils. They noted that solving a problem for one council often made it easier to convince others to join, especially when they could demonstrate that the solution was already working elsewhere.
Tech and innovation
Technology has been at the heart of SpacetoCo’s growth.
Franco unashamedly shares how they have rebuilt their platform multiple times, each iteration reflecting their learning and the evolving needs of their customers.
Initially built on React, the platform has since transitioned through different versions and technologies, including Vue, to ensure scalability and better user experience.
The focus on architecture and scalability has been crucial, as the founders often discuss the need to consider future requirements while building current versions.
This foresight has allowed them to maintain a flexible and robust platform capable of handling increasing demand and complexity.
Scaling the business
SpacetoCo’s growth strategy has been marked by key milestones, including the significant rebuild during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Elle Bell joining as the NZ Director.
Franco reflects on that time, stating that “COVID saved our business” — a rare claim to make for many startups. He follows up to share that the pandemic, although challenging, provided the team with a unique opportunity to focus on product development without the usual pressures of customer demands. This period of intense development allowed them to emerge stronger, with a product better suited to their target market across Australia and New Zealand.
The founders also learned the importance of setting realistic goals. Initially, they set overly ambitious targets, often falling short. However, over time, they have become better at understanding their capacity and setting achievable goals, leading to a more sustainable growth trajectory.
Advice and insights
The founders of SpacetoCo offer several key pieces of advice for other entrepreneurs.
Firstly, Franco cautioned that if he could have his time again, he would reconsider quitting a stable job early, as having too much time on his hands, at times, led to wasted efforts on non-essential tasks. He stressed the importance of focusing on high-value activities, particularly when resources are limited.
Moreover, he highlighted the challenges of working with government clients, advising startups to double their expected timelines when dealing with such customers.
They also provide a grounded perspective on the startup ecosystem, reminding founders that success in competitions or networking events does not necessarily translate into a viable business.
The journey of SpacetoCo is a testament to the power of perseverance, customer focus, and continuous innovation.
From their humble beginnings as school teachers to becoming tech entrepreneurs, the founders have navigated the challenges of building a startup with determination and strategic thinking. As they look to the future, their story offers valuable lessons for other entrepreneurs and a promising outlook for the broader startup ecosystem.
