It all started on a shuttle bus.
Last year, I was on my way to Web Summit, one of the biggest tech events in the world. Like every founder, I was buzzing with excitement, new people to meet, ideas to share, and maybe, just maybe, that one connection that could change everything.
I found a seat next to a woman from Ukraine. We started talking about startups, technology, and the thrill of being surrounded by so many creative minds. She was full of energy, the kind of person who could light up a room just by talking about what she loved.
As we talked, she reached into her bag, pulled out a small box of business cards, and handed me one.
I asked her, half teasing, half genuinely curious.
“Why are you carrying visiting cards in 2024?”
She laughed and opened her bag again — and to my surprise, it was full of more boxes. “I have ten of these,” she said proudly. “I never want to run out.” I was shocked. Thinking, ten boxes of cards in a world where everything is digital?
I smiled and asked, “You’re meeting hundreds of people here. Do you really think they’ll keep your card? There’s a good chance most of them will lose it or forget about it by the time they fly home.”
She shrugged. “Maybe,” she said, “but this is the way we do it.”
We kept talking until the bus reached the venue. We said goodbye, wished each other luck, and went our separate ways.
A few days later, I went to look for her card and I couldn’t find it. It was gone. Lost somewhere between my notebook, my bag, and the chaos of the conference.
And that’s when it hit me: she was right, this is the way we do it. But it doesn’t work anymore.
Here we were, at one of the most innovative tech events in the world, surrounded by brilliant people building the future and we were still exchanging little pieces of paper to connect.
It felt wrong. It felt outdated.
And it got me thinking — what if there was a better way?
The Idea That Wouldn’t Let Me Sleep.
The idea started forming, what if sharing your professional identity could be digital, instant, and never lost?
What if your business card could update automatically, so when your number or title changes, everyone you’ve ever met still has the latest version?
And what if it could be eco-friendly, saving trees and cutting down waste, while still keeping the personal touch of a real connection?
That’s when UINQO was born, not as a product idea, but as a solution to a problem I had just lived through.
From a Thought to a Startup
After the summit, i started sketching designs and ideas for what a digital business card should look like. Definitely something simple, smart and human.
After a couple of months, I made a pitch at Startup Barreiro. Not to raise funds, but to get some honest validation. I wanted to know if this idea was actually good or just another passing thought. To my surprise, the feedback was incredible. People instantly connected with the problem and that moment gave me the confidence to turn UINQO into something real.
We built UINQO to make networking effortless. A place where you can create your digital business card, share it instantly with a tap or scan, and keep all your connections organized in one place.
No printing. No paper. No lost contacts.
Looking Back
Sometimes, I think back to that woman on the bus, the one who unknowingly sparked it all. I still regret losing her card, because I never got the chance to thank her. But maybe that’s how it was meant to be.
Losing her card showed me exactly why the world needed UINQO — a smarter, cleaner, more reliable way to stay connected.
So if you ever find yourself reaching for another stack of paper cards, remember this story. Because one day soon, we’ll all look back and wonder why we ever used them in the first place.
