Munich Startup: What motivated you to start your own company?
Christina Mauer: For me, it was always clear that I wanted to start my own business. But I didn’t want to start a company just for the sake of it. I wanted to solve a real problem.
During my PhD, I researched the theoretical inefficiencies in real estate valuation. After that, I worked for several years as a portfolio manager and experienced the problems firsthand: valuation processes that take weeks, manual work on all sides, lack of transparency, no digital continuity. It was frustrating.
The decisive factor was market timing. The real estate industry is one of the most conservative industries. But with the pandemic, there was suddenly much greater openness to digital solutions. New systems came onto the market, seamless transfers without media breaks became possible. At that moment, I knew: now is the right time. I know the problem from practice, the industry is finally ready for change, and the technical infrastructure exists to really make a difference.
Founding: A roller coaster ride
Munich Startup: What would you have liked to know before your first founding?
Christina Mauer: That founding really is a roller coaster ride. And I mean that literally. You read it everywhere, you hear it from other founders, but you really only understand it when you experience it yourself.
What I would have liked to know beforehand: after every valley comes another climb. It sounds trivial, but when you’re stuck in the valley, it sometimes doesn’t feel that way. Perseverance is the most important thing.
I would have liked to have that mental strength and that confidence from the beginning. But perhaps it’s something you can only learn through experience.
Munich Startup: How has your company been financed so far?
Christina Mauer: We started with the EXIST founder grant, which I can really recommend to everyone. It not only gave us financial freedom but also provided access to an important network and valuable coaching.
After that, we received some funding and also won awards, which was an important confirmation for us as a young company. In the meantime, we’ve already had two funding rounds, a pre-seed and a seed round, with a strong mix of VCs and business angels who bring us not only capital but also valuable expertise and networks.
Strategic sessions in the team as a catalyst
Munich Startup: When and where do you get your best ideas?
Christina Mauer: Actually, mostly when I’m dealing with completely different things. On vacation, for example, when my head is free and I have distance from day-to-day business. In those moments, the best and clearest thoughts often come.
But what is also a real catalyst are our strategic sessions in the team. When different perspectives and viewpoints come together and we discuss things jointly, the most exciting ideas often emerge. This mix of different expertise and ways of thinking really moves us forward.
Munich Startup: What are your 3 favorite work tools?
Christina Mauer: Notion, Claude, dictation function
Munich Startup: Your top tip on “pitching”?
Christina Mauer: Clearly: an emotional story and really bring that emotion across. Bring energy!
Because of my own practical experience, for example, I could convey the pain point about the incredibly manual valuation processes very emotionally, how frustrating it is in everyday life. And I think that resonated with everyone.
We humans always work through emotions, that’s just how we tick. Numbers and facts are important, but what really convinces people and takes them along is the emotional connection to the story. If you yourself are passionate about what you do and bring that across authentically, your audience will feel it too.
Munich Startup: Does it seem to you like a good time to start a company right now? Why?
Christina Mauer: There is no perfect time. If you’re solving a real, current problem, the market is big enough, and the barriers to entry are low, then you should always start a company.
Of course, you can think about the current economic situation, a difficult funding environment, or uncertainties. But at the end of the day, what matters is: Is there a real problem that needs to be solved? Are there customers who would pay for it? If the answer is yes, then now is the right time.
Anyone who waits for perfect conditions will wait forever. The best companies are often created in challenging times because that’s when the pressure exists to work really efficiently and smartly.
Munich Startup: What technology or industry would you bet on with your next founding?
Christina Mauer: Definitely in the area of a future technology like humanoid robots or AI. These technologies have the potential to transform entire industries and fundamentally change the way we work and live.
The specific industry would actually be irrelevant to me. What’s much more important is that the technology solves a real problem and has a measurable impact. Just like with Einwert, it’s less about the industry itself for me, but more about solving real problems with innovative technology and creating added value.
“Munich could use more visibility compared to Berlin.”
Munich Startup: What could be improved at the Munich founding location from your perspective?
Christina Mauer: The availability of talent and the price level are definitely challenges. Munich is expensive, both in terms of office space and cost of living. This makes it harder to attract top talent, especially compared to other locations.
Besides, Munich could use more visibility compared to Berlin. Berlin is often automatically perceived as Germany’s startup hub, yet Munich has an incredibly strong technology and innovation landscape, excellent universities, and a great ecosystem. These strengths could be better communicated externally to position Munich more strongly as a founding location.
Munich Startup: Which founder would you like to meet in person? And what would you ask them?
Christina Mauer: I would like to meet Whitney Wolfe Herd or Melanie Perkins. Both have built their companies from founding to multi-billion-dollar valuations and have grown as founders with their companies.
My question to them would be: How did you manage to grow with the company? How did you evolve through the different phases of the company? From the founder who does everything themselves to the CEO who leads a large team and makes strategic decisions. This is one of the biggest challenges for founders, and I would like to understand how they navigated this path.
