Munich Startup: What motivated you to start the company?
Friderike Bruchmann: The impetus for founding the company was a personal experience with side effects after taking a medication. After extensive internet research, I discovered that the available information often caused more confusion than help. This motivated me to create a platform that offers patients access to reliable information, facilitates confidential exchange with other patients, and provides an opportunity to provide feedback.
Essential: Resilience and a clear focus on the “business model market fit”
Munich Startup: What would you have liked to have known before starting your first business?
Friderike Bruchmann: I would have liked to know how crucial market readiness is for a successful financing round with VCs. It's a long road from an idea to a market-ready and scalable product that convinces customers and investors. Resilience and a clear focus on business model-market fit are essential here.
Munich Startup: How has your company been financed so far?
Friderike Bruchmann: We are funded by various business angels, family offices, and VCs. 80 percent of them are from the healthcare sector, the rest from the software sector. Among them: Grazia Equity, Bavaria Capital and Isartal Ventures.
Munich Startup: When and where do you get the best ideas?
Friderike Bruchmann: This sounds very cliché, but I actually get my best ideas in the shower. I also get them on business trips, like on airplanes. They offer a change from the daily grind of desk work and allow my thoughts to wander. The distance helps me see the bigger picture.
Munich Startup: What are your 3 favorite work tools?
Friderike Bruchmann: The "Reminders" app on my phone is definitely high on my list. There are so many little and big things that you'd otherwise lose track of. I also use the "Notes" app for the obvious – I write down all my thoughts here. This way, I don't forget anything and at the same time, I keep a clear head. Tool number three would be the same thing in analog form: pen and paper. Because every now and then, taking notes by hand is actually quite good and liberating.
“The golden times between 2018 and 2021 are over”
Munich Startup: Your top tip on pitching?
Friderike Bruchmann: I always memorized the first four sentences, because if you master that opening, things usually flow more smoothly. Memorizing everything is obviously counterproductive, as it simply isn't authentic. For the rest of the pitch, practice a lot. That builds routine and confidence.
Munich Startup: Does this seem like a good time to start a business? Why?
Friderike Bruchmann: Honestly, not so much. The golden times between 2018 and 2021 are over. We live in difficult economic and geopolitical times, there is less access to capital, and trust in startups has declined for various reasons. Added to that are the well-known reasons such as the election of Trump and the end of the traffic light system in Germany, and on the other hand, the failure of major startups such as Babylon, Gorillas, and Lilium.
That doesn't mean I'd advise against starting a business. If someone has a great idea and wants to implement it, or if they really want to start a business in general, they should of course do it anyway. However, everyone has to make a conscious decision for themselves about how much they can sacrifice, both financially and personally, and how challenging and strenuous the path will be.
Positive impact in the health or education sector very high
Munich Startup: Which technology or industry would you focus on for your next startup?
Friderike Bruchmann: I would always go back to the healthcare or education sectors because the positive impact there is very high. I would also focus on the use and application of AI and the metaverse. The latter has lost some of its "hype," but I'm convinced there will be a resurgence here.
Munich Startup: In your opinion, what could be improved at the Munich startup location?
Friderike Bruchmann: The offerings in Munich are already very good. The Technical University of Munich (TUM), in particular, is making a significant contribution to making Munich a strong startup location—it's not without reason that it's the number one startup university in Germany. But many parties have contributed to a fantastic startup ecosystem here in recent years.
Munich Startup: Which founder would you like to meet in person? And what would you ask them?
Friderike Bruchmann: I would love to meet Mark Zuckerberg. He's one of the most important tech founders ever. I would ask him about his vision for meta and the metaverse.
