CompAct is developing an interactive tool for companies and institutions – a chatbot aimed at shaping environmentally sustainable habits among employees. As a result, the company will save costs considerably and create a green image for itself. In addition, employees will be more connected, motivated and productive. The team is led by two entrepreneurial young women Kaisa Hansen and Egle Truska.

Chatbot as a friend or colleague

Based on which virtual communication channel the company uses (Skype, Slack, Messenger etc), a chatbot can be added on, meant to serve as sort of a friend or colleague. It communicates with employees on a daily basis: gives tasks, advice and reminders. “For example, the chatbot asks you whether you came to work by bike or car, maybe you picked up a colleague on the way? During the day, the chatbot also recommends using the stairs instead of the elevator, drinking tap water instead of bottled water, printing on both sides of the page and encourages organising “vegetarian Tuesdays” in the office,“ describes Kaisa. The principle is simple: the more environmentally-friendly you are, the more points you can collect.

Points can be collected both individually and in teams formed at work. How much resources and money is saved can be monitored based on data displayed in real-time. The individual and team results can also be reviewed on a current basis. “It`s a solution that the company, the individual and the environment all benefit from,“ says Kaisa. CompAct is therefore a B2B solution, which is currently primarily meant for medium-sized companies. After initial tests, the plan is to go to larger cross-border markets.

Two crossing paths led to birth of CompAct

CompAct was born in 2018. One of the founders of the team, Egle, participated in the world`s largest green innovation summer school Climat KIC: the Journey in August 2018. Over three weeks, she got advice and experience on how to save resources and the environment with new solutions. In September, Kaisa won the largest Baltic creative industries hackathon Loomehäkk with a very similar idea. A team of 6 formed on the spot was able to complete the first demo version by the end of the weekend, which got positive feedback from the jury.

One jury member liked the idea so much that the team was given the opportunity to do a pilot project. However, in the long run, it wasn`t possible to continue efficiently with an international team, so there had to be a different solution. Kaisa`s and Egle`s paths crossed in quite a logical way when both had come to a similar solution under different circumstances – they are the ones leading CompAct now. Those who have met Kaisa would probably agree that her do-good nature makes her an active young entrepreneur with a let`s-do-it attitude working on several fronts. Kaisa`s start-up 3CULAR also reached  Ajujaht`s Top 30 last year. Kaisa and Egle both feel that sustainability, circular economy and innovation are close to their hearts. Kaisa and Egle are driven by the objective to create major change in society by giving new meaning to people`s habits.

Marie Udam is also on the team and is currently responsible for developing the chatbot. In autumn, CompAct won first place and several special prizes in STARTERtech programme. In October, CompAct secured immediate entry to Ajujaht`s TOP100 with its Climathon win, and then CompAct managed to pitch its way into the TOP 30. In addition to participating in Ajujaht`s development programme, the team is launching the first pilot projects with interested companies in March to collect preliminary feedback on the user experience and functionality.

Support network matters to move forward 

Operating in the start-up landscape is anything but stabile, safe and predictable. Oh no. The pace is high and challenges keep rolling in.  These, as probably for every start-up, have to do with finding the right people and recruitment, also  combining competences and personalities in a team. CompAct has found a valuable mentor through Ajujaht`s mentor programme, SEB HR Manager Merle Raamat, who has been of great help with these very issues. “Since in addition to issues related to people and recruitment, SEB is closely tied to corporate social responsibility, we were completely in sync as soon as we met Merle for the first time!“ admits Kaisa.

A start-up needs to not only build a team and keep it viable, but also keep on top of other issues like funding, legal assistance, IT and lots more. Thanks to the special prize from Tehnopol`s Incubator won at Climathon, CompAct has had two mentors from Tehnopol since January, who help with these issues and refer them to the right people: Head of the Incubator Martin Goroško and Green Start-up Expert Indrek Kelder. Yes, sometimes it seems that the start-up world is an endless highway. It is important to treat challenges as opportunities and most importantly – not to forget your mission and greater objective – to create the kind of future we actually want to live in. In that respect, we recommend everyone follow CompAct’s example!

Ajujaht is Estonia’s largest business idea competition. Ajujaht was established by Enterprise Estonia, partner SEB and main sponsor Elisa. In addition to the aforementioned, Ajujaht is supported by Law Office Triniti, Estonian Employers` Confederation, Estonian Chamber of Agriculture, Harku Municipality, City of Pärnu, Saue Municipality, City of  Tallinn, City of Tartu. Ajujaht is funded by Enterprise Estonia`s European Regional Development Fund finances. Ajujaht is implemented by Civitta Eesti AS, Kommunikatsioonibüroo JLP and Tehnopol.