Climbing without a human partner? This is made possible by the high-tech climbing safety system developed by Auroco GmbH in Munich. We asked co-founder Jan what the smart climbing partner can do and how the business is doing.
1. Who are you and what do you do? Please briefly introduce yourself and your product!
We are Florian (33, mechatronics studies) and Jan (37 years old, business administration) from Auroco.
Our startup produces the world's first fully automatic climbing safety device. Florian developed the concept for our product – the EPIC (Electronic Partner for Individual Climbing) – in his thesis. We met through an acquaintance.
Florian was looking for someone to handle the numbers and ensure a successful market entry. I was enthusiastic about the idea, and together we founded Auroco GmbH in Munich.
2. But that's been around for a long time!
There are many climbing safety devices available – and there's also much debate about which system is truly safe. The EPIC is a belay system for climbers that mechatronically controls lead climbing, seconding, and rappelling via a control box and remote control. It's the first device in the world to enable risk-free climbing without a belay partner.
The climber carries the remote control and an acceleration sensor. If the sensor detects a fall, a braking signal is transmitted to the base station within 30 milliseconds, and the rope brake engages after a maximum of one meter. This system is unique in the world.
If you can’t quite imagine how Auroco’s system works, the video shows it again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkQmuKcUaY0&feature=youtu.be
3. What has been your biggest challenge so far?
The toughest year was 2014 because of the DEKRA certification. A safety-relevant device naturally needs to be thoroughly tested, including its mechanics, electronics, and software. For a true innovation like our EPIC, there's also the added challenge of not having a category with a corresponding standard yet. So, we had to adapt to a cocktail of different standards for which there was no prior experience. Hence the gray hair on Flo and me!
4. Let’s get down to business: How is business going?
Last year, we generated over €270,000 in sales. EPIC has already established itself in the industry, where we sold 100 units to Skylotec. Now the next big step is upon us: we want to establish EPIC in the climbing world.
5. What does Munich mean to you?
On the one hand, Munich has a strong startup scene with excellent development opportunities for founders. Many of our premium suppliers are located in Munich and the surrounding area, and we hope to recruit top engineers for Auroco here as well.
Secondly, many Munich residents are enthusiastic climbers – not least because of the proximity to the mountains. For us personally, the Bavarian city simply offers a pleasant life!
6. How will your startup become the next unicorn? Or will we see you soon at Epic Fail Night?
Things are just getting started! We plan to use the money from the crowdfunding campaign to continually expand and optimize the EPIC. We will develop voice control and a smartphone app that evaluates kilometers climbed, speed, elevation gain, energy consumption, fall height, number of falls, and stress levels. This data can then be shared via social media. There will also be additional intelligent climbing hardware, such as sensor-monitored carabiners.
7. Hiking or beer garden?
Hiking on Saturdays, beer garden on Sundays! We don't like to rule one thing out, because for Munich residents, both are simply a must. We enjoy the proximity to the mountains on weekends, but a beer garden is also a must. People from all walks of life sit in the shade and drink Munich beer; you can always find a spot. A brilliant concept!
