Munich Startup: What has your career path been like so far?
Vera Meinert: I originally studied industrial engineering and have worked as a consultant at various large companies on topics around artificial intelligence and data. Throughout my career, I’ve never lost sight of my commitment and passion for transformation and process improvement. As a team leader, I took on responsibility, but I noticed that the industry was missing something.
Motivation to found and the move to Diafania
Munich Startup: What motivated you to start your own company?
Vera Meinert: I wanted to found a company because I wanted to directly implement my passion for transformation and innovation. Long before artificial intelligence attracted general attention, I was working on AI topics at large enterprises and saw that the industry was missing something decisive: data availability and quality, especially from unstructured data sources, were far from solved.
With Diafania, I can combine my knowledge and enthusiasm for innovation, improve processes, create real social impact, and actively shape the real estate industry.
For me, founding is not just about challenges and bureaucracy – it’s above all the freedom to create something of my own that has an impact – for companies, people, and the industry.
Munich Startup: What would you have liked to know before your first founding?
Vera Meinert: Since I was pretty close to some founders, I thought I had a good sense of what was coming my way. However, I significantly underestimated two things: the uncertainty that never stops. And how alone you sometimes feel at the beginning, despite having a team.
In the first few weeks, I struggled with financial insecurity, then there was the question of whether I was talking to the right people, whether the idea was really that good, whether customers were giving honest feedback and so on… Eventually you get used to the fact that you never really know and can only make decisions to the best of your knowledge and belief. Whether they were the right ones, you often only find out afterwards.
Funding, security, and first paying customers
Munich Startup: How is your company financed so far?
Vera Meinert: At the moment, we’re financing ourselves mainly through the Exist founding grant, which I can only recommend to everyone, and our first paying customers. At the same time, we’re keeping all our options open, but most importantly we want to stay true to our product and our vision.
Munich Startup: When and where do you get your best ideas?
Vera Meinert: My best ideas come to me in the mountains: climbing over scree, pushing myself to my own limits, and enjoying the fresh air clears my head and inspires me every single time.
Munich Startup: What are your 3 favorite work tools?
Vera Meinert: My favorite tools include Miro for collaborative, diverse teamwork with customers as well. I also really enjoy working with PowerPoint – from pitch decks to strategies to first prototypes, I like to build everything in PowerPoint. Sure, there’s Figma, but I’ll probably need a while to reach that skill level.
Last but not least, I rely heavily on personal conversations: direct exchange with people has always been my way of conveying ideas, and it’s brought me to where I am today.
The right time to found
Munich Startup: Your top tip on the subject of pitching?
Vera Meinert: My most important tip for pitching: take a deep breath and stay authentic. If you stay true to yourself and know what you stand for, you don’t need to be afraid – not even in front of hundreds of strangers with critical eyes.
Munich Startup: Does it seem like the right time to found a company right now? Why?
Vera Meinert: In my opinion, right now is a very exciting time to start a company, especially in the proptech industry. The industry is facing major challenges: rising interest rates, an unstable geopolitical situation, and increasing requirements for sustainability and digitalization demand new solutions. This is exactly where founders can create real added value and make life easier for companies. Of course, it’s not always easy, but the chance to make real impact in the real estate industry with Diafania makes this time particularly inspiring.
Munich Startup: What technology or industry would you bet on for your next venture?
Vera Meinert: AI and data are definitely my specialty, but I always stay on the pulse of the times and am curious to see where technology – and especially this technology – will develop. Right now, I’m focusing first on making Diafania really successful before I think about the next idea.
Cheaper rents
Munich Startup: What could be improved at the Munich startup location in your view?
Vera Meinert: Munich has a gigantic network. Sometimes it’s almost the most difficult thing to keep track of what’s all possible and where you can get answers to which questions. Definitely a luxury problem. If we just had a bit cheaper rents, everything would probably be perfect!
Munich Startup: Which founder would you like to meet in person someday? And what would you ask them?
Vera Meinert: To be honest? I’m delighted to meet every female founder. Women are chronically underrepresented in this field, and specifically in the AI sector. This has systemic causes, and therefore it’s absolutely admirable when someone has had the courage to realize themselves in this way. I don’t have any specific questions, but I’d be super curious to hear how they perceive the whole startup world and what we can do together to get even more women into the field. For even better solutions!
