Munich Startup: Who are you and what do you do? Please introduce yourselves!
Clonck: Here at Clonck, we have a relatively large founding team of six people:
Pascal Walter (33) came up with the idea, studied electrical engineering and information technology at the HM Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences and worked as an independent electrical engineer before his time at Clonck.
Christian Reimann (27) studied computer science at the Kempten University of Applied Sciences.
Joshua Worger (37) studied, among other things, international relations at the University of Chicago.
Fabian Thomas (27) studied computer science at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.
René Lalla (28) studied computer science at the Technical University of Munich.
Fabian Buch (24) studied computer science at the Kempten University of Applied Sciences.
Pascal and Joshua talked about the idea behind Clonck for the first time in 2017 during a Flixbus bus trip from Memmingen to Munich. During the 90 minute trip, Pascal was so excited about his idea to develop an app optimized to support users with repairing their cars that the two of them started working on the project just a few weeks later. It was through Pascal’s girlfriend that they met Christian, who took over the technical management of the project. After the team was complemented by three additional computer scientists, namely Fabian Thomas, René Lalla and Fabian Buch, we were finally able to really get started.
“Ordering the right replacement car parts online is still unnecessarily complicated and prone to error”
Munich Startup: What problem does your startup solve?
Clonck: With Clonck, we solve the two biggest problems most commonly faced by automotive mechatronic engineers, auto repair shops and hobby mechanics when repairing cars: First, you have the problem that ordering the right replacement car parts online is still unnecessarily complicated and prone to error. As a result, the ordered parts are often not the right ones for the car and end up having to be exchanged. That’s not only frustrating for the person buying the parts, but also for the online vendors because it leads to a relatively large number of returns. We at Clonck have solved this problem by decoding the VIN (vehicle identification number) so the app only shows users replacement parts that actually match their vehicle and its specific features.
The second problem that we address at Clonck is access to reliable repair information. When it comes to repair tips online, the internet is awash with dangerous superficial knowledge and incomplete information. We solve this problem at Clonck by giving users simple and direct access to the original repair instructions from the car manufacturers. This lets us make an important contribution to ensuring that repairs, especially those done by hobby mechanics, are performed properly, which in turn minimizes the risk of damage caused by incorrect repair work.
Munich Startup: But that’s nothing out of the box!
Clonck: It is. An app like Clonck really doesn’t exist yet. While there are competitors who also market an app for selling replacement parts to end customers, none of our rivals have even come close to solving the problem of ordering the wrong parts as well as Clonck. As for the issue of inadequate repair information, our competition has either offered insufficient solutions or nothing at all at this point, which means users are forced to find the necessary repair information elsewhere.
“Want to be far enough along in one year so our company can completely support itself”
Munich Startup: What have been your three biggest challenges so far?
Clonck: The biggest challenge so far was putting our team together. Because we were completely bootstrapped in the beginning, it was important for us to get like-minded people on board who really believed in the company and brought along the necessary staying power to work on Clonck over the long term and for long stretches without being paid. Thankfully, we were very successful in doing just that and now have a team in which every single person is 100 percent behind the project.
The next challenge was acquiring initial funds for the project. We first applied for the EXIST startup grant, but were unfortunately turned down. Fortunately, our startup advisor, Saskia Schmidl at the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship of the Hochschule München, had the idea for us to apply for the FLÜGGE program. No sooner said than done – and this time we were accepted. Since early 2020, we’ve been financed by FLÜGGE, which has allowed us to release the first version of our app, gain traction and generate our first bit of turnover.
Our biggest challenge at the moment is significantly boosting the profile of our app and increasing turnover.
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, and where in five years?
Clonck: From a business perspective, we want to be far enough along in one year so our company can completely support itself. In five years and with the right investors, we would like to expand throughout Europe and to the US market.
In terms of product in one year, we would like to have all relevant brands largely covered in our app and to release our premium version. In five years, we plan to offer hardware products that complement our app.
Munich Startup: What do you think about Munich as a startup location?
Clonck: We have a very positive view of Munich as a city for startups. In Munich, there’s a multitude of invaluable support and consulting offers for startups and you have the opportunity to build an outstanding network, both with business partners and other founders.
Munich Startup: Country road or highway?
Clonck: Neither. For us and our business model, it’s best to have as many cars as possible in private or professional workshops for inspection or repair.