F  L  A  U  N  T

 Italy is well known as the shoe capital of the world. From genuine, handmade leather shoes to everyday sneakers, the Italian manufacturers know how to make unparalleled footwear. With all the big names coming from that direction, you’d think young startup entrepreneurs would fail. However, one startup has defied the odds. With a strong team and AI-backed software, the young startup, Dropout, is revolutionizing the sneaker industry. Dropout is the brainchild of Kola Tytler, a 27-year-old versatile entrepreneur. In addition to acting as the CEO of his company, Kola is also a practicing medical doctor in the NHS and a student at the University of Birmingham where he is currently completing his MBA. Impressive as that is, Kola’s greatest achievement right now may be his go at acquiring a huge share of the shoe industry, and pioneering a trend many market leaders are sure to follow. Kola’s entrepreneurial pursuits in the shoe industry began almost a decade ago. A sneaker lover from childhood, he never thought much of the industry in general until he fell in love with his first pair of limited-edition Air Jordans. Kola’s interest in the market exposed the gaps within this vast underground industry. He took it upon himself to learn more and learned how to code, soon after creating his first sneaker bot. Meanwhile, Kola had also discovered online platforms specifically dedicated to the sneaker resale industry. That’s where he met Stefano Zeppieri, his first business partner. Andrea Canziani and Federico Pasquetti later joined the duo as business partners to co-found Dropout. Stefano, a software engineer, acts as the CTO of the company. Dropout started outpacing its competitors from the first day it opened its doors in 2018. However, it is thanks to HypeAnalyzer, a revolutionary software on its own, that Dropout has been able to outpace competition. Aptly named for its work, HypeAnalyzer is an AI powered software that collects market intelligence for the team. The team then uses HypeAnalyzer’s algorithms to make most of its business decisions. The sneaker resale industry depends on trends. Via HypeAnalyzer, Kola and his team choose which sneakers to stock and which to avoid. Everything from stock levels, prices, and discounts is determined and automated through HypeAnalyzer’s algorithms. The software also has a communication window that allows the team to keep track of orders and pending consignments. According to Stefano, who is in charge of HypeAnalyzer, the team has also added other features to the software in recent months. Individuals and brands with products that HypeAnalyzer predicts will rapidly increase in the coming months can now sell directly to Dropout. The buying and selling is conducted in real-time via an online portal. The team is still exploring HypeAnalyzer in hope that they will use it to further grow sneaker resale and other industries as well. Part of the funds the team raised through its recent crowdfunding campaign will be dedicated to expanding HypeAnalyzer.