Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Knape.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Aaron. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I had a good friend, Marshal Law, who was at an Astros World Series Game back in 2017. He had seats out in left field. He took his kids up to get some food, and while they were standing in line, Yuli Guriel hit a homerun right over their empty seats! He texted me from the parking lot that night and said, “Aaron, we have to fix this!” So we started looking into the industry to see why in-set ordering wasn’t more prevalent. We found a lot of companies that had tried it and failed, and started to build out a platform that would resolve a lot of their mistakes. We brought on our third co-founder, another longtime friend and Rice Business classmate of mine, Craig Ceccanti, to build the software. We started at Rice Football in the fall of 2018, added the Sugar Land Skeeters shortly thereafter, then managed to land a pilot with the Houston Texans and Aramark at NRG Stadium by November of that year.
From there, we’ve continued to build out the platform’s capabilities and expand our footprint. In addition to being able to order your food for delivery to your seat, we have an express pickup, touchless kiosks, and a waiter/server mode for stadium clubs. Our recent client list includes University of Houston Football and Basketball, the now-defunct XFL, Rice Baseball, and many other minor-league baseball and collegiate teams.
COVID-19 has presented a unique challenge that has actually turned into a huge opportunity for sEATz. The mobile ordering space has long been our focus, and the special social-distancing requirements are actually handled quite well by our platform. We’ve always hated lines, and now we have a focused effort in the industry to eradicate them. We also mitigate crowds, allowing fans to stay in their seats and enjoy the game or concert, or let them know when their order is ready for pickup.
Locally, we’re currently working on a plan with the Astros to help staff, fans and media return to the stadium. We’re also expanding our services in a big way at NRG with Aramark and the Texans. They’ve been a great partner through the years and have really helped us set the baseline for success. We’re also expanding nationally into MLB, NFL, NBA and MLS partners. One of our more exciting projects is integrating into Major League Baseball’s Ballpark app, giving all of their teams the option to utilize the sEATz platform.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s been anything but a smooth road! Our first challenge was convincing people that we had a unique idea. We generally got comments like “that sounds too easy” or “someone else must already be doing that.” Even Aramark, our largest client, was skeptical at first. We took the time, spent hundreds of hours (mostly nights and weekends) observing and working behind the scenes at events of all sizes to learn what the true pain points of our clients and the fans were. That allowed us to build something truly fit for the industries needs.
Being a non-oil and gas or healthcare startup in Houston also presents its own challenges. Investors in the city have historically focused on those industries. We tend to be an outlier. However, I’ll say that the investment community has become more open to different industries in the past two years.
COVID-19 has presented its own unique challenges. Candidly at first, we were in a bad place – events were being shut down, we had just started raising capital, and no one knew what the outcome was going to be. It was in those dark first days that we really pulled together as a team and realized that we had something special that actually help facilitate the return to sport. By allowing people to stay in their seats, spacing them out on trips to the stands, we ensure a safer experience. Our clients agree and we’ve been working non-stop for the past two and a half months on assisting with their plans.
We’d love to hear more about sEATz.
The sEATz platform provides fans a seamless connection to concessions and merchandise on game day. We give fans various ways to order that includes mobile ordering, self-serve kiosks and server/line buster options. Our multi-platform software helps reduce concession lines and increase throughput in a safer, more sanitary concession environment. As a partner, we ensure proper implementation and execution of the sEATz platform by providing onsite supervision and support personnel.
As a company, we’re most proud of the deep relationships we form with our clients. When you’re involved with the sports and entertainment world, the fan experience is everything. If you’re unable to provide a flawless experience, then word travels quickly. We dedicate a tremendous amount of time to ensure that we execute perfectly. Quality before quantity, always.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Sport and entertainment will certainly be different post-COVID. There was already a slight shift to a cashless environment, and I believe that has been accelerated by years. The same with mobile ordering. The industry is experiencing a forced paradigm shift, condensing years of education and adoption into the span of months. People simply won’t feel comfortable standing in crowded lines or concourses in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: seatzapp.com
- Phone: 713-364-2149
- Email: info@seatzapp.com
- Instagram: @myseatzapp
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myseatzapp/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/myseatzapp
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