Munich Startup: What motivated you to start your own business?
Nelly Mathias: The impetus for founding the company certainly came from the increasing amount of packaging waste in our society, for example, in bakeries. At home, I was always very aware of this, as my parents always saved a lot of stale bread for our family dog, Sunny. Of course, it was all individually wrapped in disposable bags.
Then I started researching: What does the market look like? How much do these bags actually cost? Who bears the costs? And what will happen in terms of regulations in the coming years? And then it was clear: we're doing this!
Munich Startup: What would you have liked to know before starting your first business?
Nelly Mathias: Founding a company is learning in turbo mode – like ten semesters crammed into one year, only without the breaks. Focus trumps even the most brilliant parallel ideas, and Excel is ruthlessly honest compared to any pitch session. Founding a company emotionally opens your eyes: strengths, weaknesses, blind spots, triggers – it's all there, all visible. Learn to love it!
Funding opportunities & support from business angels
Munich Startup: How is your company currently financed?
Nelly Mathias: Of course, we invested some of our own money at the beginning. But then we also chose the path of getting to market quickly. First through pilot projects with bakeries, but then quickly with paying customers. That helped.
In addition, there are several smaller funding programs and, since the beginning of 2025, a circle of business angels who support us.
Munich Startup: When and where do you get your best ideas?
Nelly Mathias: Definitely not at my desk. Walks with my little dachshund are always a source of inspiration, especially when it comes to creative thoughts. Our office is just a stone's throw from the Isar River, which is fantastic.
Munich Startup: What are your 3 favorite work tools?
Nelly Mathias: Without our CRM (HubSpot), absolutely nothing would work. I definitely spend most of my time on it.
We recently installed a large whiteboard in our office. Nothing special, really. But I had previously underestimated how much analog tools can support structured work.
And of course, coffee.
When pitching: Keep your target audience in mind
Munich Startup: Your top tip on pitching?
Nelly Mathias: I always try to prepare very thoroughly for my audience. Who is my target group? What triggers them? What could be a call to action? Based on this, each pitch can be completely different. And yet, the core message is, of course, the same.
Munich Startup: Does this seem like a good time to start a business? Why?
Nelly Mathias: A good time to start a business is always when you have a good idea. It's certainly true that the perception of such things has been better in the past than it is now. But I can only recommend not letting that influence you too much, but rather focusing on yourself and your idea.
Munich Startup: Which technology or industry would you focus on for your next startup?
Nelly Mathias: Food would really appeal to me. We're on the same page there. We Carry Yes, it's relatively close, yet somehow not. The question of how we want to and can feed ourselves in the future is something I also think about a lot in my personal life.
Playful networking events are still rare in Munich.
Munich Startup: From your perspective, what could be improved about Munich as a startup location?
Nelly Mathias: There are already plenty of networking options available. However, in my experience, there's a lack of "gamified" options. I've already attended two padel networking events in Berlin. I'd also love to see a "Founder with Dog" community. I've been meaning to start something like that for a while now.
Munich Startup: Which founder would you like to meet in person? And what would you ask them?
Nelly Mathias: I would absolutely love to meet the three Airbnb founders because they managed to build a platform from a few air mattresses that completely redefines travel: away from anonymous hotels and towards authentic experiences in real neighborhoods all over the world. I would love to ask them how they managed to turn such a small, almost crazy idea into a global product and which bold decision along the way turned out to be the most important in retrospect.
