Imagine having to get a work permit or residence permit anywhere in Europe. The traditional way is full of red tape, endless forms, waiting in queues at offices and not knowing how long it will take for the process to be successfully completed. The Teplice startup Fresh Labs and its product MyPaperwork decided to change this path and make the whole process simple, visual and efficient.

MyPaperwork since June, it has been offering a beta version of a digital platform that aims to simplify and clarify the process of obtaining appropriate permits to stay and work in Europe. An international team of three founders – Maggie Childs (USA), Vít Lichtenstein (Czech Republic) and Benjamin Wolf (Austria) – created a solution that meets the needs of individuals who have decided to temporarily move to another country in their lives. It also includes a digital safe for safe storage of important documents, a clear board (the so-called dashboard) enabling monitoring of the status of applications in real time and, thanks to advanced AI algorithms, it will also offer personalized advice and recommendations in the user's native language in the future.

Innovative solutions for modern times
The basic idea behind the creation of the startup was the need to simplify access to the often fragmented, contradictory and unclear information available online. The founders repeatedly encountered these problems during their own moves to different countries around the world, which led them to create an efficient, transparent and government-independent solution for everyone.

Our goal is to simplify administrative processes so that individuals can easily and quickly obtain the necessary permits. We process complex data for our users and present it in an understandable way.

The basic language of the platform is English, however, messages and information about the necessary steps of the process will also be available in the user's preferred language in the live version of the application. With the help of artificial intelligence, the upcoming version of the web application will also enable the translation and pre-filling of forms into the user's native language and then systemically back-converting the form into the language of the applicant's country.
After entering information about the user's plans, uploading documents such as a passport or employment contract and selecting the destination country, the dashboard clearly shows at what stage the process is, what steps will follow, who needs to be contacted and how long it will take to obtain the required permits . In the future, the application should even notify the user in time that it is necessary to extend its permission.

ICUK as a connector and partner

As part of the collection of analytical data about the Ústí Region, Mypaperwork was approached by the Innovation Center of the Ústí Region, which provided them with its experts for analyzing data related to the labor market, helped them connect with representatives of various authorities of the Ústí Region and CzechInvest, and proposed a project for various subsidy calls for new startups .
Mypaperwork successfully defended the project in the Technological Incubation program CzechInvest and received support in the amount of 1.6 million CZK. He plans to use this for further development of the application, e.g. for expansion to another 10 languages, integration of a knowledge database (the so-called knowledge graph), which for a monthly fee will direct the user to suitable countries based on his requirements and situation and connections with local relocation and consulting companies . However, in addition to subsidy calls, the company has offers to obtain additional capital from strategic partners outside the EU.

Not just a tech startup

MyPaperwork is not just a technology startup. It is an innovative vision that brings fundamental changes to the world of administration and bureaucracy. At the Innovation Center of the Ústí Region, we are proud to have been able to support such a unique project, which, with firm determination, makes life easier for people looking for a new home and career in Europe.

Article published thanks to the Smart accelerator project for the Ústí Region III, registration number CZ.02.01.02/00/22_009/0004316.