Innsbruck/Brixen/Lienz – March 1, 1990. Christopher Inwinkl was born in East Tyrol. He spent his childhood and youth there before deciding to go to Innsbruck to study economics. At the same time, he completed several fitness trainer training courses.
March 20, 1994. Laura Gruber was born in Brixen. From an early age, sport played a major role in her life. She competed in ski races, but was also musical. After graduating from the social sciences high school with a focus on music, she began to study business law in Innsbruck. She also continued her education in the areas of training and nutrition.
“We have the same understanding of health and well-being.”
The East Tyrolean and South Tyrolean’s paths crossed for the first time in the North Tyrolean capital. They soon realized that they shared a common passion. “We have the same understanding of health and well-being,” says Gruber. The two became a couple, initially privately. While Gruber worked in a law firm, Inwinkl began to build up a one-man business as a coach and personal trainer. Gruber supported him, including with marketing. When the corona pandemic hit the world, the couple asked themselves the question: Can what Inwinkl has done so far be done together on a bigger and more holistic basis? The two believe: yes. In addition to the private connection, there is also the professional one. It is the end of 2020: the birth of bhealth.
On average twelve percent more productivity
With their start-up, Gruber and Inwinkl want to bring the topics of health and well-being into companies by developing tailor-made health concepts for their employees. “Companies are a huge lever for improving our health system,” emphasize the founders. “Unfortunately, this system has so far been curative rather than preventative. That means the focus is on healing rather than prevention. We want to help change that.” The start-up therefore wants to strengthen health literacy in companies by providing the right tools to integrate the topic into everyday work.
A question that often comes up in management circles: Doesn’t the responsibility for one’s own health lie with the individual? Yes, but in an age of work intensification, the merging of professional and private life, increasing complexity and multitasking, pressure and stress are increasing in equal measure, the founding couple know. People are keen to take some of the time they have to spend on their own health first. The consequences are well known. Illnesses are increasing, both physical and, above all, mental.
“It is said that for every euro invested in employee health, three euros come back.”
Preventing both within a company is called company health management. “It’s a word monster that doesn’t sell so well,” says Gruber. “The decision-makers we deal with are ZDF people: numbers, data, facts. Our first task is therefore to convince them of the usefulness of our offer.” Those who implement this topic in their own company achieve less sick leave, more productivity – according to studies, by an average of twelve percent – and become more attractive as an employer. “It is said that for every euro invested in employee health, three euros come back,” says Inwinkl. “Especially at the beginning, we always notice a great focus on the key figures. When we have been supporting a company for a longer period and can provide serious figures, the managers often wave us off. Among other things, they see how much the company culture has improved.”
“We want to bring in some pep”
Anyone who decides to invest today cannot expect immediate results. “Sometimes, however, expectations are unrealistic: a company wants to hold a health day and thereby reduce sick leave. Employee health is a process, which is why we always try to work together in the long term,” explains Gruber. Around 60 customers have so far seen the start-up’s work for themselves.
The start-up’s portfolio also includes a digital on-demand healthcare platform.
At the beginning of every order there is a needs analysis: What does the company actually need? You can then choose from a range of measures. This includes ergonomic workplace analysis, which is intended to optimize the employees’ know-how. The workplace is adapted and strategies for your own behavior are provided. Health days are also part of the portfolio (core topics: exercise, nutrition and stress management), as well as specialist lectures (from resilience to training to restful sleep), exercise courses (in person and online), workshops and a digital on-demand health platform. The start-up wants to use this to support employees in the long term.
“We really want to spice things up,” emphasize Gruber and Inwinkl. “It doesn’t help anyone if people leave a course and think: ‘What a waste of time.'” They therefore see themselves as the “implementers”, who are close to people in practice. “We all know it: a lot to do, little time. We show how health and well-being can be combined with a daily routine of work and private life,” says Gruber. In the workshops, people sometimes go shopping together. What should you look out for? What hidden tricks do the manufacturers use? Where is sugar in it? Which apps can help? All of this is best learned directly in the supermarket. Cooking together is also on the agenda in some workshops. “We make everything as low-threshold as possible. After all, people are naturally little sloths who love simplicity,” explains Gruber.
Annual budget of 10,000 to 30,000 euros
Because every company is different, tailor-made solutions are important to the start-up. With an annual budget of 10,000 to 30,000 euros, a sensible program can be developed, say Inwinkl and Gruber. “As soon as the basic structures are in place, expenses level off at a lower level.” Investments in the health of employees should be viewed like any other investment made by the company, such as marketing. True to the motto: healthy employees cost money, sick ones cost a fortune. “The impact on productivity is also underestimated. It is important to employees that their company looks after them and values them. If this feeling is conveyed, for example by paying attention to their health, it can have a very motivating effect,” says Gruber.
“We make everything as easy to use as possible. Humans are naturally lazy people who love simplicity.”
bhealth’s main target group are medium-sized companies with 100 to 500 employees, although two large companies with a workforce of between 1,500 and 2,000 employees are also bhealth’s customers. At this size, it is still possible to address the entire team. However, it is utopian to get everyone on board equally. “A rate of 30 percent is already very good. And everyone we reach is a gain. That is often forgotten,” says Gruber. “We can make health appealing, but some people simply aren’t interested,” adds Inwinkl.
The start-up benefits from the fact that employer branding is currently on everyone’s lips. Various experts point to the importance of company health management in this context. bhealth, on the other hand, would like to see more support for the topic from politicians. “Sustainability is always and everywhere talked about, and rightly so. Our health plays an important role in this and should therefore be promoted accordingly,” emphasises Inwinkl.
The founding team of bhealth with the managing director of the Tyrolean Industrial Association, Michael Mairhofer, at the Tyrolean Economic Forum 2023
“Never say never”
Until then, the founders are trying to convince the companies themselves. After North Tyrol, they now want to gain a foothold in South Tyrol, and in the medium term in the entire Euregio. So far, Gruber and Inwinkl have shared the administrative tasks between themselves. She is responsible for marketing, legal and product development, he for distribution, sales and finance. In order to offer customers “the best possible service”, the start-up works with coaches and experts from various fields. Six coaches are part of their core team and 20 other network partners are deployed depending on customer needs. “But we can definitely imagine building a team with permanent employees,” says Gruber. “However, it is important to us to grow sustainably. That’s why we are taking our time with it.”
Would they sell their start-up one day if the offer was right? “If we continue to be so passionate about the topic, I can’t imagine that. Then we would have to look for a new way to fulfill ourselves,” laughs Gruber. “Unless the impact would be much greater. As always in the start-up world, the answer must be: never say never.”
THE SERIES In the current series “Start-up South Tyrol”, SWZ is presenting young companies and their founders, as it has done in previous years. All articles can be read here and in the SWZ app.
