Munich Startup: What does Guud do? What problem do you solve?
Susanna Mur, co-founder of Guudcard: With Guud-Benefits we inspire people to live a sustainable lifestyle and offer companies the opportunity to make conscious consumer decisions for their employees easier and more affordableThe two main products are the Guudcard, a sustainable benefit card, and the Guudschein, a universal voucher for sustainable online shops.
This allows us to solve challenges on two levels:
- It's difficult and often more expensive for consumers to live more sustainably, which is why there's often an intention-behavior gap. With our products, we support our users in living more consciously – funded by their employers.
- In the war for talent, companies must compete on many levels, increasingly including in the area of sustainability. Employees and talented individuals are placing increasing value on the sustainable commitment of their (potential) employers. With our products, companies can support their employees in adopting a sustainable lifestyle and thus visibly and tangibly embed their sustainable values in their everyday (work) lives. This promotes greater identification and employee retention, while simultaneously becoming more attractive to talented individuals.
Guud: Benefits with a focus on sustainability
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Susanna Mur: No, actually not, at least not in a sustainable way. Guudcard and Guudschein are the first products of their kind in the benefits sector that focus on the sustainability of the points of acceptance. You can't use the Guudcard to fill up your car or shop at a discount store. And that won't change in the future. This makes us the only company to combine employee retention and sustainability measures.
We audit all of our more than 10,000 acceptance points against 30 ESG criteria – so companies can be sure that the credit is truly flowing to sustainable places. And our users can easily discover verified sustainable places in their area. With our wide selection of options from all walks of life, there's truly something for everyone: from organic supermarkets and restaurants to sustainable mobility options and art and cultural institutions.
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Susanna Mur: A number of factors came together to found Guud. Alina was a volunteer at the Future Cooperative, which maps sustainable locations. After previously building up the human resources department at a startup and introducing a benefits card, Alina came up with the idea of combining the two: a prepaid card for employees that they could use to pay at the verified sustainable locations on the map.
I, too, have a startup and innovation background and wanted to finally become self-employed – with a company that has a positive impact on the environment and society. When I first met Alina, we discovered that we were on the same wavelength, not only professionally but also personally. We shared the vision of contributing to promoting a sustainable lifestyle. This inspired us to found Guud.
Financing a steward-owned company? Challenging!
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Susanna Mur: In particular, the Search for suitable financing was a challenge for us. We have built our company according to the principles of Responsible ownership This means that we don't want to sell it, the financial payouts to all shareholders are limited, and that co-determination is restricted to those who are actively involved in the company. This initially excludes many traditional investment opportunities. Through a business network, we then found our fantastic investors who share our values and financed us according to these principles.
Munich Startup: How are things going?
Susanna Mur: Since our founding in September 2021, we have already acquired over 170 customers. From bicycle repair shops to banks, all business sectors and sizes are represented here.
We're particularly pleased that we've already channeled over €1 million into sustainable retail. This year, we aim to quadruple that amount. Furthermore, our map now lists over 10,000 sustainable acceptance points across Germany where you can pay with the Guudcard, and new ones are being added daily.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Susanna Mur: We started in Munich and will remain rooted here in the future. The diverse network here has provided us with valuable contacts and support that has helped us advance our ideas and develop further. The exchange with other founders in our office in the co-working space of the Wayra Germany is very valuable to us.
Munich Startup: Hidden champion or shooting star?
Susanna Mur: At the moment, we're still a hidden champion. Sustainable benefits are still a relatively small niche in the market. But the trend is clearly moving toward greater sustainability – both on the corporate and consumer sides. Therefore: Soon to be a rising star!
