In our recent nocodeklub event, we had the opportunity to sit down with Lukasz Pajak, co-founder of Cardino, a marketplace for electric vehicles (EVs).
He shared his journey of building Cardino using no-code tools and how these tools have empowered him to achieve rapid growth and operational efficiency.
We caught up with him again for a written interview and talked to him about how start-ups can build products with no-code.
Let's jump in.
Hey Lukasz, thank you for joining us. To start off, could you share a bit about your background and what Cardino does?
Lukasz: Sure, happy to. I'm originally from Poland and moved to Berlin three years ago. My background is in business; I studied at TU Munich and worked as a consultant at McKinsey before moving into the entrepreneurial space. Cardino is a marketplace for electric vehicles. We saw a gap in the market for second-hand EVs and decided to build a platform to connect sellers with buyers, primarily dealerships in Scandinavia.
That’s fascinating. Could you explain how you came up with the idea of creating a marketplace for EVs?
Lukasz: The idea started when I was working at Rocket Internet. We were exploring various business ideas, and I noticed that while there were numerous platforms for traditional used cars, there was a lack of digital solutions for EVs. I saw an opportunity to address this gap by creating a marketplace that simplifies the buying and selling process for electric vehicles.
Our journey began with a very hands-on approach. We piloted the idea with WhatsApp. The first car we sold was an €80,000 Tesla from Bavaria to a dealership in Finland. It was a completely non-digital process at first. We set up a simple landing page with a form for sellers to list their cars, and then manually handled communications through email and phone calls. When we found a buyer, we realized we had to deliver the car and manage the payment. The seller insisted on cash payment, which posed a significant challenge. Despite these hurdles, we successfully completed the transaction and proved that there was demand for a more streamlined solution. This initial success validated our concept and encouraged us to build a more robust platform using no-code tools.
Super cool. Speaking of no-code tools, could you share your experiences and challenges with building Cardino using these platforms?
Lukasz: One of our main tools is Airtable, which we use extensively for managing our operations. We also rely on Bubble for our user-facing applications. The biggest challenge was ensuring that our tech stack could handle the complexity of our business processes. For instance, our bidding mechanism for auctions was built entirely in Bubble, which required careful planning to ensure scalability and performance.
How do you handle the integration of no-code tools with your existing systems, especially considering the complexities of a marketplace?
Lukasz: Integration is key. We use APIs extensively to connect different services and automate workflows. For example, we use a third-party API for photo uploads and another for handling transactions. This approach allows us to focus on building the core functionality of our platform while leveraging existing solutions for ancillary services.
That’s impressive. Given your rapid growth, what are some of the critical services and features you’ve built using no-code tools?
Lukasz: Our core features include the seller app, dealer app, and internal operations platform. Each of these is built on Bubble, with Airtable handling most of our backend processes. For instance, our dealer app supports live auctions, allowing multiple users to place bids simultaneously. This feature is crucial for maintaining competitive auctions and ensuring a fair bidding process.
How do you foresee the evolution of your tech stack as you continue to grow?
Lukasz: As we scale, we’re planning to transition some of our backend processes to more robust solutions. While no-code tools have been instrumental in our initial growth, certain features, such as our bidding engine, will need to be rebuilt for better scalability and performance. We’re currently in the process of hiring a tech lead to help guide this transition.
What advice would you give to other startups considering no-code tools for their operations?
Lukasz: Start with identifying processes that can benefit from automation and evaluate different no-code tools to find the best fit. Involve your tech team early to ensure smooth integration and avoid potential roadblocks. Documentation and regular reviews are also crucial to maintaining effective workflows.
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Lukasz’s journey with Cardino demonstrates the immense potential of no-code tools in building and scaling a startup. By leveraging platforms like Airtable and Bubble, he has been able to rapidly develop and refine his marketplace, ensuring a seamless experience for users. As no-code tools continue to evolve, their application in various industries will only grow, providing more opportunities for innovation and efficiency.
If you’re inspired by Lukas’s story and want to explore how no-code tools can transform your business, feel free to reach out. We’re here to help you navigate the world of no-code and unlock new possibilities for your company.
PS: Join us in our next nocodeklub event - you can find more information here.
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