Munich Startup: What motivated you to found Edurino?
Franziska Steiner: I've long dreamed of founding a business one day, as I'm fascinated by entrepreneurship. The topic of education has occupied me intensely since I worked as a mentor at the Business@school initiative. I realized that some schools are still at the same digital level as when I was in school, and that Germany is lagging significantly behind in digital education. When the global pandemic turned everything upside down, Irene and I decided to seize the opportunity and take action. That's how we came to Edurino.
Irene Klemm: Franziska has already grasped the core of our motivation – I think the path to self-employment was inevitable for both of us. Since I was in school, I've been tutoring and volunteering for initiatives (most recently with Joblinge). Combining this passion for education with entrepreneurial spirit at Edurino motivates me every day.
Practical tips for the initial phase
Munich Startup: Did you have any role models when you started your business?
Irene Klemm: Not exactly role models, but certainly some inspirations. One of them is Verena Pausder (founder of Fox & Sheep and HABA Digital Workshops) – for me, an extremely strong woman with clear statements and goals. Another is Melanie Perkins, the founder of the graphic software Canva.
Franziska Steiner: My two grandmothers are role models for me; they both had forward-thinking ideas for their time and took entrepreneurial risks. I'm also inspired by various female founders, such as Kati Ernst and Kristine Zeller, the founders of Ooia. They share their startup stories transparently and offer practical tips that are particularly valuable in the initial phase.
Munich Startup: When and where do you get the best ideas?
Franziska Steiner: The most creative ideas tend to arise in unusual situations, like in the middle of the night, while exercising, or while climbing a mountain. The ideas then mature in intensive discussions with Irene. We're both most productive when we brainstorm together and pass the ball back and forth.
Munich Startup: Your greatest talent?
Irene Klemm: One of my greatest talents is my enthusiasm. It gives me immense joy to infect others with my passion for things.
Franziska from Edurino: “There’s always a portion of risk involved”
Munich Startup: How do you deal with doubts?
Franziska Steiner: There will always be someone who doubts you or your idea. Personally, I carefully filter out which doubts I should allow and how I can eliminate or at least alleviate them. Ultimately, though, I rely on my gut feeling. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained. There's always a certain amount of risk involved.
Munich Startup: The three worst prejudices you encountered when starting a business?
Irene Klemm: Fortunately, we've encountered very few prejudices so far. However, we're aware that numerous prejudices exist. It would be fantastic for me if, as two female founders, we could naturally counteract prejudices related to our gender through the success of our startup.
Munich Startup: Does this seem like a good time to start a business? Why?
Franziska Steiner: Right now, this is a very good time for our business model. The topic of digital education is increasingly coming into focus due to the global pandemic, and we're realizing how vast the differences are in digital education compared to other countries. Personally, Irene and I are glad that we've already been able to gain professional experience. We feel prepared to embark on the entrepreneurial journey together.
Munich Startup: Do you think it is important that more women start businesses in Germany?
Irene Klemm: Absolutely, I have a very clear opinion on this. Our society is shaped by new, innovative companies, and this makes it all the more important that diverse teams (and women) help shape business models. After all, we have more women than men in Germany. It's therefore logical that women must also help shape our future. But we certainly need more role models than we currently have. This makes it all the more important that successful female entrepreneurs, politicians, and other inspiring women become more visible.
“We need more role models”
Munich Startup: How do you support other female founders?
Franziska Steiner: We try to support other female founders by providing information about our product on our social media channels, addressing startup topics, and offering practical tips we wish we had. However, the most important thing in the future will be to ensure that female founders have easier access to capital. This is the only way to truly change things.
Munich Startup: What’s on top of your desk right now?
Franziska Steiner: We're both currently deeply involved in the product development of our first educational game, which promotes language development—the precursor to reading and writing—in preschool. We've already developed the game's learning objectives in collaboration with educators and speech therapists. Now we're working intensively with our game designer on the implementation of the game, in which children experience exciting adventures alongside the main character.
Munich Startup: What makes you happy?
Irene Klemm: There are numerous happy moments in our company – the freedom and self-determination make me especially happy. Every morning I wake up knowing that I can pursue my passion.
