Veronika Riederle (third from the left) with her team at Demodesk.
© Demodesk

Interview with Demodesk Founder Veronika Riederle

It was in late October that Demodesk proudly announced a successful seed round of financing amounting to 2.3 million US dollars. The Munich startup, which has developed a screen sharing platform for virtual customer interaction, was founded in 2017 by Veronika Riederle and Alex Popp. We wanted Veronika to tell us how she ended up founding a company, if she has role models and if she thinks more women should start companies in Germany.

Munich Startup: What motivated you to found a company?

Veronika-Riederle
Our interview partner Veronika Riederle.

Veronika Riederle: As far back as I can remember, I have always loved building things and solving problems. Before Demodesk, I had already worked on several other startup ideas. Then my co-founder Alex came along and I knew immediately that we made a great team.

Munich Startup: Did you have role models when starting the company?

Veronika Riederle: Definitely Elon Musk, he is an absolute visionary.

Munich Startup: When and where do you have the best ideas?

Veronika Riederle: While talking with my team. Discussions and comparing arguments usually leads me to ideas and conclusions that I wouldn’t have come up with on my own. The more diverse the team and more varied the perspectives the better.

Munich Startup: What’s your biggest talent?

Veronika Riederle: That depends on the context. From a professional point of view, I would say I’m very good at adapting to situations and getting along well with all kinds of people.

A good time to start a company

Munich Startup: What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?

Veronika Riederle: Wow, there are a lot. Probably thinking I could control everything. I had to learn that a bit of luck also plays a role.

Munich Startup: What’s your secret networking weapon?

Veronika Riederle: Being authentic, open and candid when interacting with other people.

Munich Startup: Do you think now is a good time to start a company?

Veronika Riederle: Definitely! Most people in Germany live in a gilded cage when compared with other parts of the world. We have so many opportunities here.

Founding is easy — NOT!

Munich Startup: What are the three most offensive prejudices you’ve encountered in everyday startup life?

Veronika Riederle: 1. Founding is easy 2. The success of the company depends on how good you are 3. The idea is the decisive factor for success.

Munich Startup: What’s on top of your desk at the moment?

Veronika Riederle: Recruiting a product manager!

Munich Startup: Do you think it’s important for more women to found companies in Germany?

Veronika Riederle: I think in general that more people in Germany should pluck up the courage to found a company — both women and men. Compared to most other countries in the world, we benefit from a social market economy that offers basic security and a social network that can catch you if you “fall.”

Munich Startup: Was being a female founder an advantage or disadvantage for you?

Veronika Riederle: Honestly, I don’t think much about whether I’m a woman or man. There are certain situations in the B2B tech realm, however, where it can definitely be an advantage to not be a total stereotype.

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