BUSINESS PROFILE

Tell us a bit more about your business and how it started .

Star was founded in 2008 by me and Juha Christensen , a serial entrepreneur who founded multiple ventures , including Symbian . From our different backgrounds , we were both frustrated that there wasn ’ t a single consulting firm that could help start-ups go from initial idea to finished product and that founders had to rely on several competencies and partners to do the job . We set up what was initially called Cogniance but changed to Star to help companies reduce their time-to-market and increase their chances of success .

How has the business grown since it started and how did you ensure growth ?

While the company ’ s model has remained unchanged since it started , the type of customers we work with has changed . A few years ago , Star went from focusing solely on start-ups to also engaging with large , international companies . This was due to the fact that larger companies were being disrupted by smaller , faster and more innovative players and beginning to wake up to the realisation that they had to be disruptive . We already had credibility because we were the ones helping start-ups to be the disruptors .

We now work with both unicorn start-ups and large enterprises that have complex go-to-market needs , including to digitally transform their business , maximise the value of their product portfolio , expand into new segments , minimise inefficiency or future-proof the business .

What ’ s the business ’ approach to management ?

Star is a global consultancy that connects strategy , design and engineering to help companies accelerate their growth and value . Michael Schreibmann , Co-founder and CEO and a seasoned leader within the world of global management and innovation consulting , talks about how the company helps enterprises and start-ups in FinTech , AdTech , automotive and HealthTech design , engineer and monetise solutions , transforming them into tech-enabled businesses .

Star was the first major consulting company that did not have headquarters . Our crew of 900 + spans the globe , including design and tech hotspots in Silicon Valley , Tokyo , London , Munich , Copenhagen , Kyiv , Wroclaw , Ho Chi Minh City , Medellin and other creative centres . Our goal is to bring together a multi-faceted team of people who are the world ’ s top experts in their field , a team our clients would love to have .

What is your company ’ s vision and goal ?

Our mission is to support our clients every step of the way – no matter how long their journey . We anchor everything we do in ‘ endgames ’. So , in an increasingly competitive and challenging global marketplace , we help clients imagine their endgame – perhaps three to eight years in the future – and then work with them to realise it . We bridge the gap between the overly strategic approach of big management consultancies and the product design and build , led by specialist tech and engineering firms .

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