Munich Startup: Please introduce yourselves briefly.
Belinda Büchner, start-up consultant at TUM: Embedded in the Department of Entrepreneurship at the Technical University of Munich, the TUM start-up consultancy advises those interested in founding a company from the initial idea to the spin-off. The focus is on advising the start-up teams with regard to market opportunities and customer needs, business model, preparation of the business plan, technical and economic feasibility and the establishment of an interdisciplinary start-up team.
The team of ten start-up consultants also provides support in obtaining public funding as well as project support and controlling during the funding phase of publicly funded startups. The start-up consultancy is the central and permanent point of contact for the teams. Depending on the needs and start-up phase, the advisors then arrange the appropriate offers in the TUM ecosystem, i.e. primarily in the UnternehmerTUM start-up center and in the TUM Venture Labs. The expanded team also offers TUM-wide networking events, facilities and awareness and internationalization programs.
Valuable connections for the future
Munich Startup: What do you focus on when working with startups?
Belinda Büchner: Our consulting approach is strongly needs-oriented and adapts flexibly to the individual challenges of the founding teams. In regular personal meetings, we work with the founders to define concrete next steps to ensure continuous progress. A “team-pull approach” gives startups the freedom to decide for themselves when they need a new consulting unit. This flexibility and close exchange creates a basis of trust and enables us to provide each startup with fast, targeted and individual support. We rely heavily on the integration of founders into our network. This facilitates access to experienced mentors, specialized experts and other founders. In addition, we promote exchange within the community so that founders can learn from each other and make valuable connections for the future.
Munich Startup: To be successful, a startup must…
Belinda Büchner: … be solving a real problem and be understanding the needs of your customer or user group, being able to classify feedback and react accordingly, having passion for the cause, team cohesion and stamina.
Thanks to start-up consulting: Effective “Entrepreneurial Journey”
Munich Startup: Why does a good startup need a good ecosystem behind it?
Belinda Büchner: A strong ecosystem not only provides access to knowledge and resources, but also creates valuable networking opportunities. Start-up teams can make faster progress and benefit from easier access to talent, capital and collaborations, including with research institutions. The network also facilitates connections to industry partners and experts. Together with UnternehmerTUM and the topic-specific TUM Venture Labs, we design an effective “Entrepreneurial Journey” that supports teams in all phases of their development. We ensure comprehensive support through access to modern infrastructure, regularly offered qualification formats and networking events.
Munich Startup: What is the biggest mistake a start-up can make?
Belinda Büchner: Especially in the highly technical environment in which we operate, it is a common mistake for start-up teams to start product development without having validated the market and properly understood customer needs. It is important to find pilot customers who are willing to work with a founding team at an early stage. These customers test the unfinished product on site. This way, start-ups don’t fall into the trap of building the perfect product that nobody wants.
“Sustainability and GreenTech will dominate in 2024!”
Munich Startup: The trend of the year is…?
Belinda Büchner: Sustainability and GreenTech will dominate in 2024! Whether renewable energies, circular economy or smart city solutions – the focus on environmental friendliness and sustainability in all possible domains is increasingly present and has the potential to permanently change many areas of the startup scene.
Munich Startup: What makes the Munich start-up scene so special?
Belinda Büchner: Munich is fertile ground for new companies. Comprehensive support and targeted funding enable many start-up teams to establish themselves and grow here. The Munich start-up scene offers a wide range of programs and support structures for founding teams in various stages of development, which interlock and thus drive the founding of new companies in a targeted manner.
The proximity to global corporations and SMEs, international investors, leading universities and the strong deep-tech orientation make Munich an ideal location for technology-driven companies. In addition, there is a dynamic climate of innovation here that promotes exchange and collaboration between different players. Experienced founders are actively involved in the ecosystem, sharing their knowledge and experience to pave the way for the next generation of founders.
Munich Startup: Last but not least: Who do startups approach when they want to talk to you?
Belinda Büchner: We have an initial consultation form on our website that people interested in founding a company can fill out. The prerequisite is that at least one team member has a TUM connection (at least one team member is a student, scientist, alumni or employee of TUM), the project is either technology-based or impact-oriented and has not yet been spun off.
