Munich Startup: What does your startup InGemeinschaft do? What problem are you solving?
InGemeinschaft: With InGemeinschaft, we create affordable housing by bringing people closer together.
The shortage of housing in German metropolises is greater than ever. At the same time, the per capita living space has been increasing for years. Affordable housing is becoming increasingly scarce. While elderly people often live on above-average space and have unused rooms in their apartments and houses.
We help seniors sublet individual rooms through a full-service package. The entry barrier is lower than ever. We take care of everything that comes up in subletting, from finding roommates to furnishing, contracts, insurance, and mediation. This not only creates more affordable housing, but existing space is also utilized better. In addition, living together promotes intergenerational exchange and reduces loneliness. Seniors have additional income and students have an affordable shared housing room.
Munich Startup: But this already exists, doesn’t it!
InGemeinschaft: Yes, and very successfully in other countries. In Germany, there is currently only a similar concept called “Housing for Help” where students live very cheaply or free of charge with seniors and in return take on household tasks such as shopping or laundry.
Both founders are familiar with multi-generational shared housing
Munich Startup: What’s your founding story?
InGemeinschaft: Darius (23) and Philipp (39) met by chance via LinkedIn. We both got together and realized that we had been working on the same idea for about the same time period. Since we complement each other very well with different professional backgrounds and at the same time share our values and goals, we decided to start InGemeinschaft together.
Darius previously built the startup Spreadly and worked in various startups and scaleups before that. Philipp works for an Uber startup and various scaleups in the mobility sector, among other things.
Both are very familiar with the multi-generational shared housing model. Darius has been living with an 82-year-old in a multi-generational shared housing for over three years, and Philipp’s parents have been renting out a room in their house to students for years.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
InGemeinschaft: The biggest challenge is reaching retirees and telling them about the project. Especially at the beginning, we experienced the biggest bottleneck here, which is gradually being resolved and more and more seniors are finding out about InGemeinschaft.
InGemeinschaft wants to make it “normal for people of different ages to live together”
Munich Startup: Where do you want to be in one year, where in five years?
InGemeinschaft: In one year, we want to have achieved great awareness for the housing model in society and gradually make it normal for people of different ages to live together. Over the next five years, we want to have created tens of thousands of multi-generational shared housing units and created that much additional living space.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced the startup location Munich so far?
InGemeinschaft: Munich is the best location in Germany to start a startup. We receive support from all sides, both in the startup ecosystem and in politics and society. Social startups like InGemeinschaft have an ideal starting base here.
Munich Startup: Quick exit or long-term commitment?
InGemeinschaft: (Very) long-term commitment… especially at the beginning, it will take some time to establish our concept in society. At the same time, we see high individual and social value and approach the matter patiently and with a long-term perspective accordingly.
