Munich Startup: As we last spoken You had a different company name and wanted to solve EMC problems with AI as early as the design phase. What has happened since then?
Reinhard Neureiter, CEO of Denpaflux: Startups thrive on experimentation and adaptability. While we initially focused on AI-powered EMC expertise, customer feedback provided a crucial insight: companies facing EMC challenges primarily need immediate, high-quality support. The technology isn't yet ready to deliver the level of AI-driven accuracy our customers require. We've learned to solve real customer problems today while simultaneously developing AI capabilities for tomorrow. This shift towards expert-led consulting allows us to deliver solutions within three business days – and, more importantly, to act as an EMC partner throughout the entire implementation process. This is precisely what the market needs.
Branding creates memory
Munich Startup: What challenges did you experience during the transition from Mitai to Denpaflux?
Reinhard Neureiter: Developing a brand while keeping an eye on global market opportunities is tough and arduous. We had to secure trademark protection across multiple markets; a process that requires significant time, resources, and legal investment. At the same time, we moved away from a brand that had already gained recognition at trade fairs, in order to... Denpaflux Starting from scratch. That meant updating everything: existing customer communications, outreach materials, legal templates – the entire foundation of the business.
And here's the paradox: While we prove our concept in focused markets, we have to think globally about brand protection from day one. Markets never sleep, and competitors don't wait. The key takeaway? Branding creates the awareness and recall that counts when customers face EMC challenges—they need to remember who can help them. We want to achieve a shift: away from reactive testing and toward proactive integration in early stages (left-shift). A strong, globally protected brand ensures we're present when it counts. Building this foundation correctly has required more effort than initially anticipated, but it's crucial for this industry transformation.
Munich Startup: How have your products, solutions, or services evolved?
Reinhard Neureiter: We've established a sales-led growth model where customer feedback directly drives product development. Our customer-facing teams are the guardians of the "voice of truth"—every piece of feedback is collected, analyzed, and integrated into our roadmap. This approach led us to develop expert-led EMC consulting services focused on speed and convenience. The result? We resolve our customers' EMC challenges within three business days and offer ongoing implementation support via chat, meetings, emails, and phone calls.
"We have learned what true flexibility means."
Munich Startup: How are you doing financially?
Reinhard Neureiter: As a corporate startup with TDK behind it We have the privilege of focusing on what matters most: building an outstanding product and driving growth. This partnership gives us the freedom to solve difficult technical problems without constantly having to worry about fundraising.
Munich Startup: What lessons have you learned so far as a founding team?
Reinhard Neureiter: Rapid experimentation and honest learning are essential. The founding team must continuously synthesize insights and adapt both the business model and the product based on what actually works in the market. We've learned what true flexibility means—not changing direction randomly, but systematically identifying where to allocate limited resources for maximum impact. The most difficult skill? Knowing what to stop doing.
The next milestone
Munich Startup: What role did the Munich ecosystem play in your journey?
Reinhard Neureiter: Honestly? We're in Munich because of its proximity to our shareholder, TDK. But we deliberately built a local team. People are social beings, and teams perform better when they work together in the same building. Munich offers incredible young talent and a vibrant startup scene, but we're only scratching the surface. Looking ahead, we want deeper connections with organizations like Bayern Innovative and more face-to-face customer interactions. The opportunity is there; we just need to seize it more strategically.
Munich Startup: What milestones do you want to achieve next?
Reinhard Neureiter: We currently support over 60 customers, and our next milestone is 100. This will confirm that we're on the right track: eliminating EMC challenges earlier in the development process and bringing electronic products to market faster. Every customer means hardware teams that avoid costly redesigns and project delays – and that's something we want to scale.
