You spun off from science, what was your business idea and how did it come about?
At the beginning it was purely a technology development. We made this invention as part of a research project and during the patenting process this idea proved to be very promising and powerful. However, we did not start out with the intention of founding a company; that developed over time.
How did you then develop a business model from the scientific results?
I had the idea early on that scientific findings could be exploited. The concrete business model for HyperChrom then developed over time. We noticed that our technology was interesting for other people and thought about how we could develop the invention so that it would work on the market. It was a tentative process that initially had a more technological focus. We had to take the perspective of the users and consider the requirements of the market: these are also very important lessons from the start-up. If you come from a scientific background, you are far removed from that. Of course, you don’t know the perspective of customers outside the university.
You have maintained your connection to the University of Bonn – does this also play a role in your business?
When you have such a technology-oriented business, the direct connection to science is very important. I don’t think any company outside of the university would have taken the risk of developing such a technology where you couldn’t predict whether it would be successful. You would probably have taken a much more structured approach: first analyze the market situation, then plan resources and put together a team. That wasn’t the case with us. We did it out of passion for technology development and progressed step by step.
At the beginning you also invested your private capital in the idea. Were there other investors, who were they?
Most of the capital actually came from me privately. I then had business partners who initially brought their business know-how, but now also capital. That’s probably the usual way: at some point you notice that the wheel you’re turning is getting bigger and bigger. That’s why we’re now looking for additional investors who ideally also have market knowledge. Because really penetrating your own market is a very arduous process.
How important are strong partners and networks at the start of a spin-off? And does this change over the years?
Networks are extremely important. They consist of stable relationships that you maintain with many players and in which you support each other. This is important both at the beginning and during the course of a start-up. A purely technology-based start-up is unthinkable without maintaining such stable professional relationships.
You have different industries as target groups for your product. Are there main areas of application?
At the moment, our focus is very much on environmental laboratories that measure pollutants in soil or air, for example. Our university relationships naturally also include academic customers, i.e. research laboratories and large research societies such as the Max Planck Society or the Fraunhofer Society. But we also have a very strong connection to the chemical industry, especially the petrochemical industry. One of the world’s largest oil companies even supports our work. Then there is the security sector: we also have good relationships there and have already supplied some equipment. This sector will remain important.
The chemical industry in Germany is currently under pressure, partly due to the high energy demand. Do you also feel these tensions at HyperChrom?
The energy question is a very important topic. Since our product is extremely energy-efficient, we are a green technology, so to speak. This is a nice additional selling point for us: only a fraction of the energy required to measure samples is needed. This is also economically interesting for our customers. In addition, every better technology for monitoring chemical processes helps to save energy, substances and materials. Efficiency optimization is an ongoing process and our technology can make an important contribution to this.
And which customer group did you start with?
The so-called early adopters are very important. You think your product is great, of course. But when you first come into contact with potential customers, you only get feedback on what is relevant for the target group. If these customers use the technology and give feedback, then the product develops: with the customer and for the customer. That is what we have experienced and it is one of the most important points. That only works with the stable relationships we have had to build. Of course, there are also many customers who want a finished device. At the start of a company, they cannot be addressed. They prefer to wait until you are successful, then it becomes interesting for them. That is why these early adopters are so important and valuable.
What are your plans for the future? What are your current challenges?
Our current challenge is scaling. We are getting more customer inquiries and now have to make the decision: How big can we turn the wheel? How much do we need to invest? But we also have to adapt our business model: For example, we have learned that we need to give customers more support. Simply selling measuring devices is not enough; we also provide a lot of advice. In companies, employees are used to being able to handle the devices very easily. The state of the art of established manufacturers is smart devices with, for example, AI functions. That is also one of the difficulties when you, as a newcomer, have to assert yourself against a very high standard. You have to offer very high advantages and great benefits on your side so that the customer may accept certain operating disadvantages, for example.
IYou received the “Innovation Award” from The Analytical Scientist in 2018 and were nominated twice (2017 and 2021) for the German President’s Future Prize for Technology and Innovation. What significance did these awards have for your career?
It means little in day-to-day business. I have come to this basic realization over time: scientific merit, i.e. being known and recognized in the scientific community, does not help you sell a device to a company. From my perspective, these are separate areas. But for you personally, such awards are of course very flattering. I don’t want to downplay that. It is recognition from a certain community and it also motivates. But it has little relevance for business.
When you think back to the initial phase of your company’s founding at the University of Bonn – what or who had a particular influence on the founding project?
The involvement in the scientific working group and the support from the university infrastructure have of course helped a lot, for example through access to excellent workshops. Without this support we would not exist, because the work was always linked to research projects.
Before HyperChrom, you won a business plan competition (NUK) with another project, AltraSens, in 2003. The project was not founded as a company. Why and what did you learn from it for HyperChrom?
Winning the business plan competition was not only a nice honor, it also showed that we can really express ourselves and move in the start-up scene. We learned a lot there, for example how to think in a structured way in economic categories. I then only pursued the AltraSens technology on the side because it was not viable enough to establish a sustainable company. Very different to what we are currently doing with HyperChrom: We have significantly improved an existing, established technology. That is why we no longer have to fight about whether the product is even needed as such. We just have to gain the trust of the market that we can replace conventional technology with ours and work more efficiently with it. That is a little easier than establishing a completely new technology on the market.
What advice would you give to today’s founding teams?
Of course you should have passion for the cause. To put it bluntly: getting rich should not be the only motivation for starting a business. It is a rocky road. You learn a lot, but you also have a lot of worries. And you are suddenly responsible for everything. You can only bear that if you are really interested in the cause. On the other hand, you should be very realistic and not naive. So you should try not to get carried away and overestimate your own invention, but rather stay a little grounded. Starting a business itself is then very satisfying and drives you forward. But you do need a certain amount of tenacity. As stupid as it sounds: I, for example, did not see problems as such, but only as challenges. That is probably a very important spirit for founders: that you do not give up, but immediately get your head working and think “How can I solve this?”.
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