What drives the talents of the “Value Creation with Insects” startup project?
Robin | “Insects are a simple answer to so many problems of our consumer society.”
Robin is the youngest in the team at 22 years of age and at the same time he already has experience in insect breeding through a first test run at NXG Protein. The Stuttgart native brings with him a BSc degree in Economics & Business Administration as well as work experience as a “Problem Solver” and Junior Consultant with stations in Frankfurt, Dubai and Stuttgart. Robin is convinced of the idea “Business model with insects” and is well prepared for the business design sprint and a job as founder due to his consulting experience.
Why did you apply for the Tech Startup School project “Value Creation with Insects”?
I had already dealt with the topic at the idea generator NXG and was so fascinated by the possibilities that I applied for the TSUS project.
What do you find most fascinating in the business environment of insects?
Insects are a simple answer to so many problems of our consumer society. The potential on the market is huge and there are still many opportunities to position yourself as a business.
Have you been thinking about starting a business for a while? What attracts you to the foundation of a startup?
I’ve wanted to start a business since the beginning of my business studies and in my previous job I also worked in the start-up environment. What is important to me is to create real value through products and services and thus solve customers’ problems.
What is the biggest challenge for you in this project?
In my opinion, the biggest challenge is the start: Which product or service do we want to start with? What is our goal with this? Where do we position ourselves on the market? At the same time there are still many uncertainties in the insect market, which is simply because this topic is still so new.
What was your best moment in your project work so far?
It wasn’t a special moment, but little by little I realized how comfortable I felt in the team here. We work well and can therefore solve the most diverse problems together.
What is your life motto and what personal goals do you want to achieve?
At the top of my list is of course my current project: insects. Of course I want to push this startup as far as possible.
Lilo | “Doing is like wanting, only more blatant!”
Lilo is 27, food chemist and comes from Tübingen. After her MSc degree she had planned to travel the world, but the Corona pandemic came in the way and opened the way for the TSUS start-up project. Lilo is convinced that insects are the food of the future. She is also interested in research projects on sustainable building materials with chitin and chitosan and is keen to be involved in the development of a business idea from the very beginning.
Why did you apply for the Tech Startup School project “Value creation with insects”?
I finished my studies and was looking for new challenges.
What do you find most fascinating in the business environment of insects?
Most people think of insects as either pests or hip burger patties. You only realize how much there really is in these little crawlies at second or even third glance. There is definitely still a lot of unused potential!
Have you been thinking about founding a company for a while now? What do you find attractive about founding a startup?
To be honest, not at all, it was a very spontaneous decision … Besides the insect topic itself, I am attracted by the work in our colorful and highly motivated team and the opportunity to design my own tasks.
What is the biggest challenge for you in this project?
The whole business area is completely new for me. Of course it’s a new challenge every day, but at the same time it’s super exciting.
What was your best moment in your project work so far?
My best moments are always when I realize that we can really achieve something together and that we all contribute with our strengths.
What is your life motto and what personal goals do you want to achieve?
Doing is like wanting to do, only more blatant! I’m a fan of action instead of big words and try to take as much as possible with me in life and learn as much as possible. My goal is therefore to keep my curiosity and motivation and to experience something – at home, at work and when travelling.
Dominik | “Professionally, I want to change something that will benefit people and the environment in the long term.”
The topic of sustainability is very close to Dominik’s heart, which is why he moved to the University of Hohenheim after completing his BSc degree in Material Design/Bionics & Photonics for his Master’s degree in Renewable Resources & Bioenergy. For this project, the 26-year-old from the Palatinate region of Germany brings expertise in circular bioeconomy and chitin. Dominik would like to use the Business Design Sprint to build a sustainable company in the team.
Why did you apply for the Tech Startup School project “Value Creation with Insects”?
When it comes to using insects as food or feed, or even as raw materials, the topic of sustainability is always on the agenda. In my private life I am very much involved with sustainable consumption and my personal goal is to make my contribution to a more sustainable future. So it was only natural to apply for such a topic.
What do you find most fascinating in the business environment of insects?
The diverse potential of insects appeals to me. When we started the project, nobody knew where the journey would take us. This was also reflected in the multitude of business ideas we came up with. In many other areas it is relatively easy to guess in advance in which direction things will go, as the possibilities are limited. Of course they are with insects, but the scope of what is possible is large.
Have you been thinking about founding a company for some time now? What attracts you to founding a startup?
I have thought about it and considered it for the future. However, I have never said or thought that sooner or later it will inevitably come to this for me. Now the opportunity has arisen for me and I did not want to miss it. For me personally, the special attraction of founding a company is not being my own boss, not having to subordinate myself in strong hierarchies, as it can be the case in large companies, or the like. I am much more interested in having built up something in the end that is based on my ideas, among other things. In addition, a successful start-up in the long run is accompanied by a high degree of responsibility, which challenges you, but also encourages you personally.
What is the biggest challenge for you in this project?
Since I have no previous knowledge of business administration, it is difficult for me to understand here and there what exactly I am talking about. However, our team is very well positioned in this area, which makes it very easy for me to work up any lack of knowledge. The cooperation in the team works great and everybody helps the other one where he can. As a result, professional challenges are often quickly overcome.
What was your best moment in your project work so far?
I can’t name a single moment. But I like the phases in which we are really creative best. Definitely not the best part was the Corona quick test.
What is your life motto and what personal goals do you want to achieve?
I don’t think much of mottos and if I had to choose one, it would probably be a different one every two weeks. To me, mottos always sound very hackneyed and if I were to choose one, I probably couldn’t take myself seriously. Besides, I have experienced far too often how people act against their oh so holy motto of life. Which, however, I can say about myself without committing the same mistake: When I get involved in something, I stand behind it 100% and don’t do things by halves. I have many personal goals. Professionally, I would like to be able to claim that I have changed something that will benefit people and the environment in the long term.
Anja | “I particularly like how four unknowns can come together to form a real team.”
Anja holds an MSc in Innovation Management and completed her BSc in International Management with stations abroad. The 27-year-old comes from the district of Sigmaringen and has work experience as an innovation coach and agile transformation. She would like to use her knowledge of innovation methodologies, from which other teams have benefited in the past, to develop a concept together as a team and thus to found a company.
Why did you apply for the Tech Startup School project “Value Creation with Insects”?
The Tech Startup School always identifies very exciting topics and the topic insects has a great future.
What do you find most fascinating in the business environment of insects?
Insects offer an enormous market potential and can be a real alternative to current products in many areas.
Have you been thinking about founding a company for a while? What do you find attractive about founding a startup?
In a startup, you see the results of your own actions every day and recognize the progress made. In addition, the variety of tasks appeals to me.
What is the biggest challenge for you in this project?
Definitely the composition of the insects and the biochemical processes that have to be considered when processing insects.
What was your best moment in the project work so far?
There was not only one! I especially like how four unknowns can come together to form a real team even through purely digital collaboration.
What is your life motto and what personal goals do you want to achieve?
It is important to me to contribute to the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations.
Robin | “Insects are a simple answer to so many problems of our consumer society.”
Robin is the youngest in the team at 22 years of age and at the same time he already has experience in insect breeding through a first test run at NXG Protein. The Stuttgart native brings with him a BSc degree in Economics & Business Administration as well as work experience as a “Problem Solver” and Junior Consultant with stations in Frankfurt, Dubai and Stuttgart. Robin is convinced of the idea “Business model with insects” and is well prepared for the business design sprint and a job as founder due to his consulting experience.
Why did you apply for the Tech Startup School project “Value Creation with Insects”?
I had already dealt with the topic at the idea generator NXG and was so fascinated by the possibilities that I applied for the TSUS project.
What do you find most fascinating in the business environment of insects?
Insects are a simple answer to so many problems of our consumer society. The potential on the market is huge and there are still many opportunities to position yourself as a business.
Have you been thinking about starting a business for a while? What attracts you to the foundation of a startup?
I’ve wanted to start a business since the beginning of my business studies and in my previous job I also worked in the start-up environment. What is important to me is to create real value through products and services and thus solve customers’ problems.
What is the biggest challenge for you in this project?
In my opinion, the biggest challenge is the start: Which product or service do we want to start with? What is our goal with this? Where do we position ourselves on the market? At the same time there are still many uncertainties in the insect market, which is simply because this topic is still so new.
What was your best moment in your project work so far?
It wasn’t a special moment, but little by little I realized how comfortable I felt in the team here. We work well and can therefore solve the most diverse problems together.
What is your life motto and what personal goals do you want to achieve?
At the top of my list is of course my current project: insects. Of course I want to push this startup as far as possible.
Lilo | “Doing is like wanting, only more blatant!”
Lilo is 27, food chemist and comes from Tübingen. After her MSc degree she had planned to travel the world, but the Corona pandemic came in the way and opened the way for the TSUS start-up project. Lilo is convinced that insects are the food of the future. She is also interested in research projects on sustainable building materials with chitin and chitosan and is keen to be involved in the development of a business idea from the very beginning.
Why did you apply for the Tech Startup School project “Value creation with insects”?
I finished my studies and was looking for new challenges.
What do you find most fascinating in the business environment of insects?
Most people think of insects as either pests or hip burger patties. You only realize how much there really is in these little crawlies at second or even third glance. There is definitely still a lot of unused potential!
Have you been thinking about founding a company for a while now? What do you find attractive about founding a startup?
To be honest, not at all, it was a very spontaneous decision … Besides the insect topic itself, I am attracted by the work in our colorful and highly motivated team and the opportunity to design my own tasks.
What is the biggest challenge for you in this project?
The whole business area is completely new for me. Of course it’s a new challenge every day, but at the same time it’s super exciting.
What was your best moment in your project work so far?
My best moments are always when I realize that we can really achieve something together and that we all contribute with our strengths.
What is your life motto and what personal goals do you want to achieve?
Doing is like wanting to do, only more blatant! I’m a fan of action instead of big words and try to take as much as possible with me in life and learn as much as possible. My goal is therefore to keep my curiosity and motivation and to experience something – at home, at work and when travelling.
Dominik | “Professionally, I want to change something that will benefit people and the environment in the long term.”
The topic of sustainability is very close to Dominik’s heart, which is why he moved to the University of Hohenheim after completing his BSc degree in Material Design/Bionics & Photonics for his Master’s degree in Renewable Resources & Bioenergy. For this project, the 26-year-old from the Palatinate region of Germany brings expertise in circular bioeconomy and chitin. Dominik would like to use the Business Design Sprint to build a sustainable company in the team.
Why did you apply for the Tech Startup School project “Value Creation with Insects”?
When it comes to using insects as food or feed, or even as raw materials, the topic of sustainability is always on the agenda. In my private life I am very much involved with sustainable consumption and my personal goal is to make my contribution to a more sustainable future. So it was only natural to apply for such a topic.
What do you find most fascinating in the business environment of insects?
The diverse potential of insects appeals to me. When we started the project, nobody knew where the journey would take us. This was also reflected in the multitude of business ideas we came up with. In many other areas it is relatively easy to guess in advance in which direction things will go, as the possibilities are limited. Of course they are with insects, but the scope of what is possible is large.
Have you been thinking about founding a company for some time now? What attracts you to founding a startup?
I have thought about it and considered it for the future. However, I have never said or thought that sooner or later it will inevitably come to this for me. Now the opportunity has arisen for me and I did not want to miss it. For me personally, the special attraction of founding a company is not being my own boss, not having to subordinate myself in strong hierarchies, as it can be the case in large companies, or the like. I am much more interested in having built up something in the end that is based on my ideas, among other things. In addition, a successful start-up in the long run is accompanied by a high degree of responsibility, which challenges you, but also encourages you personally.
What is the biggest challenge for you in this project?
Since I have no previous knowledge of business administration, it is difficult for me to understand here and there what exactly I am talking about. However, our team is very well positioned in this area, which makes it very easy for me to work up any lack of knowledge. The cooperation in the team works great and everybody helps the other one where he can. As a result, professional challenges are often quickly overcome.
What was your best moment in your project work so far?
I can’t name a single moment. But I like the phases in which we are really creative best. Definitely not the best part was the Corona quick test.
What is your life motto and what personal goals do you want to achieve?
I don’t think much of mottos and if I had to choose one, it would probably be a different one every two weeks. To me, mottos always sound very hackneyed and if I were to choose one, I probably couldn’t take myself seriously. Besides, I have experienced far too often how people act against their oh so holy motto of life. Which, however, I can say about myself without committing the same mistake: When I get involved in something, I stand behind it 100% and don’t do things by halves. I have many personal goals. Professionally, I would like to be able to claim that I have changed something that will benefit people and the environment in the long term.
Anja | “I particularly like how four unknowns can come together to form a real team.”
Anja holds an MSc in Innovation Management and completed her BSc in International Management with stations abroad. The 27-year-old comes from the district of Sigmaringen and has work experience as an innovation coach and agile transformation. She would like to use her knowledge of innovation methodologies, from which other teams have benefited in the past, to develop a concept together as a team and thus to found a company.
Why did you apply for the Tech Startup School project “Value Creation with Insects”?
The Tech Startup School always identifies very exciting topics and the topic insects has a great future.
What do you find most fascinating in the business environment of insects?
Insects offer an enormous market potential and can be a real alternative to current products in many areas.
Have you been thinking about founding a company for a while? What do you find attractive about founding a startup?
In a startup, you see the results of your own actions every day and recognize the progress made. In addition, the variety of tasks appeals to me.
What is the biggest challenge for you in this project?
Definitely the composition of the insects and the biochemical processes that have to be considered when processing insects.
What was your best moment in the project work so far?
There was not only one! I especially like how four unknowns can come together to form a real team even through purely digital collaboration.
What is your life motto and what personal goals do you want to achieve?
It is important to me to contribute to the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations.
