Munich Startup: Everyone in the startup cosmos should know the term unicorn, but zebra is still fairly new. Can you briefly explain what it’s about?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski, Zebra Embassy: Zebras represent startups in the business world that strive for sustainable profitability while simultaneously aiming to become profitable quickly. The focus on sustainability, social responsibility, and the creation of long-term value sets them distinctly apart from unicorns, which concentrate on rapid growth and billion-dollar valuations. Particularly in countries like Germany, which are characterized by medium-sized enterprises, it becomes clear that not every company needs to aim to become a unicorn. The zebra business model therefore concentrates on sustainable growth and the creation of positive social and environmental impacts, instead of focusing exclusively on rapid scaling and disruption.
“Zebras need an environment that supports sustainable and stable growth”
Munich Startup: Does that mean a zebra needs different conditions for its growth?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: While unicorns often grow in an ecosystem that promotes rapid scaling and market dominance as quickly as possible, zebras need an environment that supports sustainable and stable growth. They seek financing opportunities that support their vision without forcing them to compromise on their values or social mission. Instead of rapid expansion at any cost, zebras value cooperation, community, and the creation of genuine, long-term value. In this sense, a zebra’s growth is often more organic, more deeply rooted, and in harmony with the needs of its stakeholders.
Munich Startup: And that’s where Zebra Embassy comes in? What exactly do you do?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: That’s exactly where we come in with Zebra Embassy. Our mission is to support companies on their journey and integrate the mindset and values of zebra companies into their business models and strategies. This isn’t just about startups or smaller companies. Even companies that aspire to or have already achieved unicorn status can benefit from zebra philosophy. In times of crisis, efficiency pressure, and budget constraints, the sustainable, community and cooperation-oriented approach of zebras can offer decisive advantages.
Zebra Embassy supports the application for government funding
Currently, we focus primarily on supporting startups and scale-ups in strategically applying for and utilizing government funding. For us, it’s not just about financing, but above all about creating a balanced financing mix. In particular, the research allowance, which can be applied for retroactively up to four years and enables up to one million euros per year in funding, has established itself as a crucial financing source for many young tech companies in Europe. So far, our team has generated over 50 million euros in research allowance funding for our partner companies.
Our vision is to establish Zebra Embassy over the coming years as the ‘McKinsey of the zebra movement’ and thereby lay the foundation for sustainable growth of startups and scale-ups in Germany.
Munich Startup: Can you give examples of this?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: So far, we have advised over 150 startups from a wide variety of industries, including Munich-based companies such as Kinexon, Everdrop, Freeletics, and Edurino. Each of these startups had individual requirements and challenges in the area of government funding. With our expertise, we were able to effectively guide them through the often complex application process and help them obtain the financial support they needed to advance their sustainable and innovative projects.
Munich Startup: And how does that pay off for you?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: Our business model is based on a commission-based structure. This means we only get paid when the startups we advise actually receive government funding. This model not only preserves the liquidity of companies, especially in the critical early phases, but also ensures that our interests are closely aligned with the success of our clients. Should an application be unsuccessful, companies don’t have the additional financial risk of a consulting fee. This model also encourages us to do our best work and provide our clients with the best possible support.
“Solutions for sustainable financing in the startup industry”
Munich Startup: What motivated you to found Zebra Embassy?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: After working in various roles in the startup world over the last ten years at companies like Freeletics, Unu, and XO Life and experiencing financing challenges firsthand, we saw the need to support startups. The diverse perspectives and challenges in startup financing motivated us to develop solutions for sustainable financing in the startup industry.
The shift from unicorn hype toward a more sustainable ecosystem in the startup industry was an important driver for us. Our interdisciplinary team combines expertise from technical, legal, and financial areas to ensure comprehensive consulting. Thanks to our deep knowledge of both the application process and the startup and tech industry, we bridge the gap between these two worlds.
Munich Startup: What makes a successful startup in the first place?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: A successful startup is defined not only by rapid growth and high profits, but also by the ability to create long-term value for both its stakeholders and society as a whole.
Zebra Embassy: Sustainability and sound business practices are gaining importance again
Munich Startup: How do you assess the current market situation for startups, whether zebras or not?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: Currently, we are in a particularly exciting economic phase. Especially over the last ten years, facilitated by the zero-interest environment, some absurd business models were financed that were purely designed for “growth at any cost.” It seemed as if the mere idea would be enough to secure considerable sums of investment. This trend has recently slowed down, partly due to a generally more demanding investment climate, but also due to increased sensitivity to sustainable and robust business models. Despite these challenges, we firmly believe that if a company establishes itself in a solid, transparent, and sustainable manner, it will fare relatively well in any economic phase. It’s encouraging to see that sustainability and sound business practices are gaining importance again in the current economic situation.
We recommend startups to build a community in the spirit of the zebra movement and join networks that share their values. Together, you can often achieve more than alone – this is especially true for niches that don’t make headlines in the newspaper every day.
Munich Startup: Is the Munich startup scene the right environment for a zebra?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: Munich offers a dynamic and growing ecosystem for startups. With a mix of technology centers, investors, and a strong network of entrepreneurs, it is fertile ground for zebras seeking sustainable growth and cooperation. As graduates of LMU and CDTM, we benefit from a large network in the Munich startup scene. Philipp also completed his doctorate at CDTM and was part of the management team. During his teaching activities, successful startups like Personio were founded.
“We focus on collaboration and co-creation”
Munich Startup: Do you actively pursue business development or should founders contact you themselves?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: So far, we have not been actively involved in sales. Our customers come to us mainly through referrals and our network. However, we always welcome founders who proactively seek support. Currently, we are increasingly focusing on public relations to promote the zebra mindset and sustainable growth in the startup scene. Our vision is to anchor this philosophy within the founder community by highlighting opportunities for positive change. We rely on collaboration and co-creation instead of elbowing our way through to shape a better future for startups.
Munich Startup: And if a startup wants to reach out to you, who should it contact?
Pierre Dominique Ostrowski: Interested startups can contact us directly through our website. All relevant contact information can be found at www.zebra-embassy.com.
