A Blues session at the venture kick final
22.10.2014
Since 60 years, electric guitars have always been built the same way. Relish Guitars, a Lucerne-based startup founded in 2010, promises to revolutionize the market with their e-guitar called “Jane”. Jane’s innovative manufacturing technique (no tropical wood is used), as well as her sound and design, have already impressed many musicians and key industry players in Switzerland and abroad. Now they convinced the venture kick and TOP 100 Swiss Startup Jury. In our interview you hear more about the Rockstars of the Swiss startup scene.
 Since 2010 Pirmin Giger (left) and Silvan Küng (right) have been developing their e-guitar "Jane"
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 "Janes" sound is unique, due to the innovative construction,
materials and design.
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Silvan, how and why did you launch relish guitars?
We first just had our prototype “Jane”, which my colleague Pirmin did in his studies for industrial design. We showed it around in our music network and the feedback was fabulous. So we decided to develop the guitar construction concept and make it more serial like. More and more we realized “Jane” is getting more attention in the market. So we incorporated the company.
What stage of its development is relish guitars today?
The stage of proof of market has been successfully established - even with the prototypes we got up to 10 preorders. So until the end of this year we will have produced our first serial models, which will be an enormous improvement again compared to the prototype models. We are attending in November the Holy Grail Show in Berlin, where 120 producers will show their high-end guitars. Next year we will be at the NAMM Show in California and at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt. Our distributor in Japan showed our guitar already in Tokyo. After attending the Frankfurter Musikmesse last year we built up a distributor network for in Germany, Austria, Japan and France.
How your product is positioned regards to your competitors?
We have a complete new construction in building an e-guitar, which enhances the sound of an electric guitar to more sustain and richness of sound.
Why did you apply for venture kick?
To be able to finance the expensive production of our product. We needed new machines and many handcrafting tools.
How did you convince the jury?
“Jane” did (laughs). We helped just with a good thought-out business plan and that we do our business with a lot of passion. I don't think our Blues session in beginning of the pitches was the reason to win at all - there are other musicians as Philipp Fankhauser who do better Blues as we do.
What are the most important benefits of the venture kick program?
Beside the money they helped us very much in creating the right business case and also to have the right vision in a global business.
What do you think is the impact of the venture kick program on the Swiss startup industry?
They select with a good board of experts which product has a reasonable chance to be successful. Without venture kick there wouldn't be many opportunities to get kicked-money in an early stage. This is really important, because many ideas balk while not having the needed seed money to try out an idea into prototypes - I suppose.
Why would you recommend the venture kick program to other startups?
Due to learn how to pitch - it is just a great experience to stand in front of a jury, convince them about your product and show them a great business plan - it makes fun.
What kind of advice would you give to another young entrepreneur?
Be passionate about what you do - don't try to find a money business only - start the other way around - try to make the world better, but not too much - just as possible as you can do with your skills. With this way everybody else will believe in your product / service as you do.
"Janes" sound is unique. Watch the video to hear it:
We first just had our prototype “Jane”, which my colleague Pirmin did in his studies for industrial design. We showed it around in our music network and the feedback was fabulous. So we decided to develop the guitar construction concept and make it more serial like. More and more we realized “Jane” is getting more attention in the market. So we incorporated the company.
What stage of its development is relish guitars today?
The stage of proof of market has been successfully established - even with the prototypes we got up to 10 preorders. So until the end of this year we will have produced our first serial models, which will be an enormous improvement again compared to the prototype models. We are attending in November the Holy Grail Show in Berlin, where 120 producers will show their high-end guitars. Next year we will be at the NAMM Show in California and at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt. Our distributor in Japan showed our guitar already in Tokyo. After attending the Frankfurter Musikmesse last year we built up a distributor network for in Germany, Austria, Japan and France.
How your product is positioned regards to your competitors?
We have a complete new construction in building an e-guitar, which enhances the sound of an electric guitar to more sustain and richness of sound.
Why did you apply for venture kick?
To be able to finance the expensive production of our product. We needed new machines and many handcrafting tools.
How did you convince the jury?
“Jane” did (laughs). We helped just with a good thought-out business plan and that we do our business with a lot of passion. I don't think our Blues session in beginning of the pitches was the reason to win at all - there are other musicians as Philipp Fankhauser who do better Blues as we do.
What are the most important benefits of the venture kick program?
Beside the money they helped us very much in creating the right business case and also to have the right vision in a global business.
What do you think is the impact of the venture kick program on the Swiss startup industry?
They select with a good board of experts which product has a reasonable chance to be successful. Without venture kick there wouldn't be many opportunities to get kicked-money in an early stage. This is really important, because many ideas balk while not having the needed seed money to try out an idea into prototypes - I suppose.
Why would you recommend the venture kick program to other startups?
Due to learn how to pitch - it is just a great experience to stand in front of a jury, convince them about your product and show them a great business plan - it makes fun.
What kind of advice would you give to another young entrepreneur?
Be passionate about what you do - don't try to find a money business only - start the other way around - try to make the world better, but not too much - just as possible as you can do with your skills. With this way everybody else will believe in your product / service as you do.
"Janes" sound is unique. Watch the video to hear it: