Munich Startup: Tobias, you have been CEO of Chargex for about six months and have received the baton from co-founder Tobias WagnerPreviously, you were CSO of the Austrian company Has-to-be, a provider of a charge point management system that was sold to the US company Chargepoint for €250 million in 2021. You then founded your own consulting firm, Forward Concept, focusing on startups in the e-mobility and energy sectors, and launched the industry conference "Charging Night." What plans did you have for Chargex?
Tobias Scharfen, CEO Chargex: First of all, I'd like to say that, alongside a few other plans, my fascination with Chargex when I started was primarily due to the fact that Chargex offers a straightforward and easily scalable product for real estate, specifically for the residential and commercial real estate sectors. I firmly believe that the breakthrough of the electric car depends heavily on whether consumers can combine idle time with charging time and thus charge where they live or work. Chargex has the solutions to overcome the hurdles that prevent the development of charging infrastructure in the real estate industry.
Coming back to the plans – these essentially revolve around how to bring this superior product into broad distribution channels that have direct access to potential customers and buildings. Multipliers are necessary to move forward quickly in this fragmented market. Because as a startup, growth is always the top priority.
Munich Startup: What have you been able to change and implement in this regard and in general?
Tobias Scharfen: After a very intensive onboarding period and extensive discussions with the two founders, the first organizational and structural adjustments were made. One example of this is the establishment of a management framework, which Michael Masnitza (co-founder and COO) and I implemented at short notice.
Changes especially in sales and marketing
The most significant changes are currently in the areas of sales and marketing. Previous communication was directed directly to end customers, primarily in the small-medium enterprise segment. We now address influencers from electrical contractors, facility management companies, and the real estate industry in general. This is a shift to indirect sales with the "CPO-as-a-Service" concept. We This enables our partner companies with direct market access to act as charging infrastructure operators (= Charge Point Operators = CPOs), even if they don't have a suitable solution for the complex challenges. However, together with the Chargex solution portfolio, they have all the tools at their disposal to meet any customer needs in the area of electric vehicle charging in the commercial and real estate sectors.
Munich Startup: What's the current status of Chargex? How are you doing financially?
Tobias Scharfen: Times of change always create excitement within the team. Accordingly, we are very pleased that the team's motivation and performance remain consistently high. Chargex is comprised of a team of unique experts who deliver top performance even during turbulent times.
The company is also financially stable; our investors believe in the new go2market and are giving us the necessary budgetary support to implement the transformation.
The electric car market from Chargex's perspective
Munich Startup: Electric car sales are currently declining again. What does this mean for Chargex?
Tobias Scharfen: There's no getting around the fact that the situation is a challenge for us and the entire industry. Sales of charging infrastructure are directly dependent on the proliferation of electric vehicles. We continue to be very successful in our core niche of SME commercial real estate in Germany, but growth must come from new sales approaches and, if necessary, from new markets. With internationally operating partners from the facility and real estate sectors, we have the opportunity to expand quickly internationally, which is also part of our new sales strategy.
Munich Startup: And how do you assess the long-term development of the market?
Tobias Scharfen: For me, it's undisputed that every form of mobility on the road will be electric in the future. Accordingly, we are on the cusp of a wave, and the transformation will pick up speed again in the near future.
Tips for a successful handover
Munich Startup: A change in leadership is a special experience for startups, especially when founders step down. What tips can you give startups with your current experience to help them make the transition work?
Tobias Scharfen: The decisive factor in the transition, which went very well for me, was the behavior of the founders. Tobias and Michael handled the transition in a very constructive and completely unbiased manner, engaged in critical discussions with me, and discussed the company's strengths and weaknesses honestly and openly.
Furthermore, in my opinion, it's advisable to respectfully and carefully review the current course with the team and work out the changes together. A company like Chargex can only be built on the foundation of a great product, a high-performing team, and many good decisions.
Not surprisingly, but often underestimated: communication is key. Only with transparency and an open feedback culture can a new course be set quickly and efficiently in such a phase of change.
