Every year, young people give away IT support worth 50 000 NOK. The founders of our new member Kakadu, gave up their jobs to do something about that.

“It might be considered crazy to give up your job in the middle of a pandemic. But its time that someone took the digital needs of the older generation seriously, says founders of Kakadu,” Hege Fiskå and Ingvild Erøy.

Both had well paid jobs in marketing when 2020 began. Then, despite the pandemic creating a wave of uncertainty across the entire job market, Fiskå and Erøy decided to give up their day jobs. So big is their belief in the new product that has been given the name “Kakadu”.

The family’s IT-support

It is said that digital learning should not take place between close relatives. Despite this, young people give away free IT-support to the value of 50 000 Norwegian kroner each year. The Christmas holiday is an especially popular time for spending valuable family time solving dads and grandma’s mobile phone, tablet and/or computer issues.

The two entrepreneurs are familiar with such roles. This led them to research whether there exists a simple and user-friendly portal for online learning. There was none. Therefore they have decided to make it themselves.

Two resignations and months of intense work, and the result is ready: An online learning portal with short video lectures in layman terms – stripped of the usual technological buzz words and blusters. The platform addresses online scams, video calling, photography, password management and other basic elements aimed the older generation tend to struggle with when dealing with technology and gadgets.

“It’s interesting to see that everyone can relate to Kakadu. It takes very little time to explain the concept, and it is provoking a lot of engagement and discussion” says Erøy, who believes that everyone knows someone who would benefit from Kakadu’s product.

Years of neglect

The two are neither IT experts nor educators. They do not need to be, as their goal is to introduce and explain how to handle the digital world in a familiar tone.

“In 2020 it is crucial to have an understanding of how to identify online scams, password management, backing up of photos and videos. For many in the older generation this is not as second nature as for those who grow up in a digital world. Therefore they need an easy access introduction to it. This responsibility should not lie with family members,” says Fiska.

The Christmas gift for 2020

The two entrepreneurs are now putting the finishing touches on this year’s Christmas present. The hope is that Kakadu will be found under the tree of many parents and grandparents. Particularly those who have “all they need” – except for digital fluency, hence avoiding family time being spent on IT-support.

 

We welcome Kakadu to the cluster and look forward to taking part in your journey.