Prematch: Balancing User Growth vs. Revenue | KPIs, User & Usage Data in Sports Social Networks | Investor Pooling | Investor Communication | Hiring and Core Team Development

About this episode

From WhatsApp Group to Million-Dollar Funding

Lukas Röhle, co-founder of Prematch, demonstrates impressively how a simple idea can evolve into a successful app community for active football players. With hundreds of thousands of downloads, a top ranking in the app charts, and a successful funding round of four million euros, Prematch has proven that community building can be the key to success.

Prematch's journey began unconventionally: initial ideas and mockups were shared directly with the football community via Instagram and WhatsApp. This direct connection to users runs like a thread through the entire company history. User feedback has played a paramount role in product development from day one.

Usage Before Revenue: The Prematch Philosophy

Prematch focuses on a clear prioritization: usage and users come before revenue. This approach might seem counterintuitive to many founders, but proves strategically smart in the sports sector. By focusing on genuine user engagement and strong community bonds, Prematch creates a solid foundation for later monetization.

The distinction between social media and social networks is crucial for successful community building. While social media focuses on reach, social networks are about genuine connections and interactions between users. Prematch understands that sustainable growth only emerges through authentic community structures.

Investor Pooling as Strategic Advantage

A particularly interesting strategy from Prematch is investor pooling. Instead of relying on a few large funders, they deliberately built a broad network. With prominent names like Verena Pausder and Jürgen Klopp's family office, they gained not only capital but also valuable know-how and network access.

This strategy brings several advantages: the collective intelligence of various investors can be utilized for strategic decisions. At the same time, it reduces the risk of dependency on individual funders. Investor communication is strategically used to leverage the accumulated knowledge and experience of partners.

From App to Solid Company

The biggest challenge lies in transitioning from "we're building an app" to "we're building a solid company." Prematch solves this challenge through a clear focus on sustainable business development. Recruiting and organizational development are at the center of strategic considerations.

The core team is built strategically, where not only professional competence but also cultural fit plays a crucial role. Learnings from organizational development show that early structuring and clear role definitions are essential for scalable growth.

Fundraising Tips for Consumer Startups

For other consumer startups, Lukas shares valuable fundraising tips. Particularly important is the authentic story and the ability to communicate the vision convincingly. Investors must understand why this specific team can solve the problem and what market potential exists.

The combination of strong KPIs, clear user and usage data, plus a well-thought-out growth strategy forms the foundation for successful funding rounds. Transparency toward investors is crucial – both regarding successes and challenges.

Outlook and Strategic Hypotheses

Prematch continuously works on strategic hypotheses for the future. The next twelve months will be decisive for validating important assumptions and further refining the business model. The focus lies on developing sustainable monetization strategies without jeopardizing strong community bonds.

Prematch's vision extends beyond a mere app: from the community, an economically solid company should emerge that creates long-term value for all stakeholders. This holistic approach demonstrates how modern entrepreneurship can function in the digital age.