thinc! goes Munich '23?? - Day 2

After an exciting first day, we started the second day early with a good breakfast at the MEININGER Hotels .??

For the first slot, one part of our group visited UnternehmerTUM in Garching. Here, Jennifer Kaiser-Steiner gave exciting insights into their entrepreneurship center, which has been providing more than 20 programs and support services to start-ups, entrepreneurs, and students for over two decades. They help to bring innovation forward, especially in the tech field. It was overwhelming to hear that more than 12500 individuals participate and are as invested in innovation as we are!?? We also had a tour of their makerspace, where special machines are available for members to use.??

Besides, Yagmur Ay introduced us START Munich , a student initiative that supports entrepreneurship just like we do. We discovered many similarities between START Munich and thinc! and it's always great to speak with like-minded people! So thank you Yagmur Ay for the nice talk and especially a huge thanks to Jennifer Kaiser-Steiner for inviting us!??

At the same time, the other part of our group visited GREENFORCE ??

The team welcomed us warmly with some of their sustainable, plant-based food products. While enjoying those, Hannes-Benjamin Schmitz , the CEO of GREENFORCE , and Achim Budemann , the CTO, introduced us to their start-up. Since 2013, they have been developing and providing not just meat substitutes but also yogurt, eggs, spices and more, aiming to reach more customer touchpoints.????

We were also invited to see their offices and production facility. It was super exciting to get some insights into the food sector. Thank you Sara Lax for the organization, it has truly been an enrichment! One of our favorite takeaways: “Team is key!” During all of our visits we notice again and again how important and valuable a good team is.??

After these exciting visits, one group headed to BMW i Ventures . Jia-Yi Melanie Tang introduced us to the BMW Startup Garage , which is an incubator and support program for start-ups, acting as a matchmaker between start-ups and the 宝马 .?? Christian Fisch , Thomas Molleker and Aneta Auberger then explained us that BMW i Ventures and the BMW Startup Garage are working closely together because after proving the concept of the start-up, I ventures invests in it. It was super exciting and we were absolutely thrilled to visit you! Especially, it's always amazing to talk with Universit?t Mannheim alumni and see what they have achieved, so thank you Thomas Molleker for being there!??

In the meantime, the other part of the group headed to Picus Capital , a VC that primarily focuses on investing in technology startups.?? Their approach to identifying promising startups at such an early stage was really inspiring: It all starts with the identification of key criteria, a critical step that forms the foundation of their investment strategy. These criteria are carefully prioritized, creating a ranking system that guides their decisions.

To get a hands-on experience, the team at Picus Capital challenged us to follow their methodology. We were presented with two pitch decks, one from avi and one from Hawk , in which Picus Capital invested itself, and then we had to evaluate them in groups with the help of our own selection of criteria. Our challenge was to determine whether these startups aligned with our chosen criteria, and based on this assessment, we had to decide whether we would invest or not. It was an interesting exercise that shed light on the decision-making process of venture capitalists. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious lunch together. ?? This was the perfect opportunity to engage in casual conversations with Giovanna Roma , Alex Rohregger and Pierre Bourdon . These interactions allowed us to gain deeper insights into their day-to-day work and offered a chance to ask burning questions - thank you for your time!

For the third slot, we were invited to mybacs . After a short office tour, Sophia Scheurer introduced us to their products. mybacs specializes in sustainable, scientifically-backed pro- and prebiotics, addressing various issues like bloating, constipation, skin problems, and weight management. Although two of the founders, Sebastian Wahl and Carl-Philipp von Polheim weren't able to be in Munich this day, we got the chance to meet them via a video call. It was interesting to listen to their founding story, so thank you two for your effort to still make it possible to get to know you!??

Dr. Adrian Weingart , the third founder of mybacs, told us a little more about the medical background and composition of their products, which was super interesting. Last but not least, we also got to know Alexander Grassmann , the COO of the start-up. It was nice to get to know so many of you, so thank you all for taking your time!

The highlight was receiving a goodie bag with some of their products in the end. Thank you so much, we're excited to try them!??

At the same time, some of us had the privilege of visiting Celonis , a German start-up with $13.2 billion post-money valuation. Celonis offers process mining that empowers organizations to analyze and optimize their business processes, resulting in more efficiency and substantial cost savings.??

Our visit kicked off with an engaging office tour, where we got an inside look into the work environment at Celonis . Following this, we were divided into groups and given the privilege to test Celonis ' amazing tool ourselves. Our task was to identify potential points of failure in the process of a pizza restaurant and comprehend how their tool could be instrumental in early detection and resolution of these issues. It was a hands-on exercise that vividly showcased the tool's effectiveness in optimizing processes.

Our gratitude goes to Igor Cvijanovi? for organizing this enriching visit, allowing us to gain valuable insights into the workings of a tech industry leader like Celonis .??

Our last host of the day, Tacto, invited the whole thinc! group into their office! Tacto revolutionizes procurement with its cloud-based software, building future-proof supply chains for SMEs. It was a pleasure to spend time with Nico Bentenrieder, Franz Schubart and Florian Findeis, engaging in discussions and gaining valuable insights on their work at Tacto. We are thankful for all the learnings we received! One important message was: “Stick with your decisions and take your time to build.” A reminder that believing in our path is essential.??

We were glad to witness the very essence of thinc! within the Tacto team. Seeing where our team members, Cara Marie Rodenbach, Liv Jette Stilkenb?hmer and Jonas Muth, spent their summer internships added a personal touch to this enriching experience.

Our visit ended with some refreshing drinks and great conversations, leaving us inspired by their commitment to innovation and their exciting journey ahead!??

After this incredible day, we all headed to a karaoke bar and enjoyed a lively night filled with good songs and laughter. It was the perfect way to end our day on a high note and create lasting memories together as a group!??