Munich Startup: When we last spoke, you said that SUMM AI also wanted to offer plain language in foreign languages and for the medical and legal sectors. Have you been able to achieve this goal?
Flora Geske, co-founder of Summ AI: Absolutely, we have made great progress here! For example, we have started a large-scale cooperation with Apotheken Umschau, Germany’s highest-circulation health magazine, which is available in 80 percent of the country’s 17,600 pharmacies. We have expanded our AI tool for the use case of complex health information. Together, we have developed an editorial process for the publication of comprehensible medical texts at Apotheken Umschau, in which our tool is now in productive use. Julian Hörner, Project Manager there, describes the impact very aptly. I quote: “It’s an incredible time saver, as it used to take us days to complete a translation process. With external partners [Summ AI], we can now do it in a matter of hours thanks to great support, and that enables us to provide significantly more high-quality health information.”
We have also been able to initiate exciting collaborations in the translation of various languages: For some time now, our tool has been able to translate into plain French and plain English as well as German and has already been used here for the French government.
Obstacles and a steep growth journey
Munich Startup: What obstacles have you encountered along the way?
Flora Geske: It is particularly challenging to build a growing team in which our impact-driven culture remains intact and everyone is able to follow our steep growth journey. As we founded the company straight after graduating, we are also managers for the first time – you have to find your feet. But as is so often the case with startups, you do a lot of things for the first time every day and grow enormously as a result. Regardless of whether it works on the first or second attempt.
Munich Startup: How has your solution evolved?
Flora Geske: Our AI tool for plain language is constantly evolving – especially in terms of making the creation process for plain language texts as simple as possible and automated end-to-end. We have been working intensively on one particularly effective adjustment screw: Smooth integration into the content management systems that local authorities and companies use to maintain their websites and publish content. We were able to develop various plug-ins, including for WordPress and Typo3, so that there is no need for tedious “copy-paste” when working with our tool.
Very successful, 7-digit financing round
Munich Startup: And how are things looking financially for you?
Flora Geske: Super! At the end of last year, we raised a very successful 7-figure financing round, which has made our current rapid growth possible. Among others, the Munich-based VC Venture Stars as well as several family offices and business angels are on board. We are also acquiring new license customers every day. This generates recurring revenue. Customers have now translated more than 80,000 texts into plain language using our tool, including Deutsche Bahn, Telekom and Sparkassen.
Munich Startup: What lessons have you learned as a founding team so far?
Flora Geske: Being a founder really is lifelong learning. No two days are the same and you always encounter a new topic. It gives you an enormous amount of freedom to make decisions and shape things. But it’s also a lot of work! However, the joy of being our own bosses and being able to take things into our own hands almost always outweighs this.
Munich Startup: What role has the Munich ecosystem played on your journey so far?
Flora Geske: A big role! After a great start in the UnternehmerTUM programs (for example with Xpreneurs), we were actively supported in the ecosystem by a wide range of financial and non-material support. We would like to highlight the Media Lab Bayern and Werk1, where we currently have our offices. Both institutions have created a very special community of which we are very happy to be an active part and in which we network and support other start-ups.
Summ Ai: Future milestones
Munich Startup: What milestones are you working towards next?
Flora Geske: We are currently working on two central goals: To ensure that information in plain language is available across the board in all municipalities in Germany and to support companies in implementing the new, more stringent regulations on accessibility in the future. In 2025, the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) will come into force, meaning that products and services must also be made accessible to end customers – including with regard to contracts, product information, FAQs, etc. We are currently establishing ourselves as the provider for the B2B segment!
