{"id":34807,"date":"2023-10-20T14:35:08","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/a-startup-named-disrupt-on-why-muru-ds-second-wave-was-a-gnarly-ride-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T14:35:08","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:35:08","slug":"a-startup-named-disrupt-on-why-muru-ds-second-wave-was-a-gnarly-ride-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/a-startup-named-disrupt-on-why-muru-ds-second-wave-was-a-gnarly-ride-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"A startup named Disrupt on why muru-D\u2019s second wave was a gnarly ride – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Customised 3D-printed surfboard and sporting goods startup Disrupt was among 10 graduates to pitch to investors at muru-D\u2019s demo night, marking the end of the Telstra-backed accelerator\u2019s second program.<\/p>\n

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Disrupt co-founder and chief executive Gary Elphick told StartupSmart<\/i> the night was a good opportunity to meet with potential investors, and the beginning of its fundraising journey.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was pretty awesome. Telstra had 10 startups that presented to a hall full of investors and industry folk for five minutes each. Afterwards, there was a showcase where everyone had their own space for a booth and the investors had a chance to get to know all the investors and the teams,\u201d Elphick says.<\/p>\n

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Before launching Disrupt around eight months ago, Elphick was undertaking an MBA program, but decided instead to focus on his business. He now describes muru-D as being far more valuable in terms of developing the mindset necessary to successfully launch a startup than an MBA course.<\/p>\n

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According to Elphick, one of the signs customisation is gaining popularity in the sporting goods market is that Nike\u2019s customised shoes and accessories brand, NIKEiD, now accounts for 20% of its online sales. He estimates customised equipment could similarly represent 20% of the broader sporting goods market.<\/p>\n

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\u201c[Disrupt] came about because I\u2019m a surf instructor, and when we were out we noticed a lot of people would be out drawing on their boards with Posca pens. Then a friend of ours introduced us to 3D software, and we found somewhere to physically produce the designs we came up with.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe made custom boards for ourselves, and then friends, and friends of friends. Soon, I had a queue of 10 people at my door, and my housemate said \u2018you\u2019re going to either have to put a stop to this, or turn it into a business\u2019.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf you\u2019re into sport and you\u2019re passionate about it, it defines who you are as an individual. So you go into a sporting goods store and everything on the shelves is mass-produced \u2013 the same size, same styles, same colours. For something so personal, you don\u2019t want equipment that\u2019s mass produced.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Looking to the future, Elphick estimates there are around 125 sporting goods product lines that could potentially be custom-manufactured.<\/p>\n

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Disrupt is expanding into the skiing and snowboarding equipment market, ahead of a move into yoga equipment. It is also fundraising ahead of opening its UK office on July 2, while also looking at additional manufacturing facilities.<\/p>\n

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According to figures revealed by muru-D cofounder Annie Parker during the event, the10 startups from the first muru-D cohort have raised $3.7 million in funding and have generated $1.7 million in turnover to date. They have also created 21 full-time and 20 part-time jobs, with seven expanding internationally.<\/p>\n

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Alongside Disrupt, the other nine startups presenting on the night were:<\/p>\n

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