Munich Startup: What motivated you to start a company?
Jade Robinson: Born and raised in South Africa, I witnessed my father building and scaling his own business from an early age – that sparked my interest in entrepreneurship. My professional experience at Amazon further solidified that desire. Seeing how Jeff Bezos built a company of generational significance from an idea showed me what’s possible with the right mix of vision, execution, and perseverance. But generally, I simply love determining my own fate, decisions, and actions. I appreciate the flexibility that entrepreneurship brings, as well as the opportunity to positively influence others.
Munich Startup: What would you have liked to know before your first venture?
Jade Robinson: That you shouldn’t take the opinions and advice of others, particularly VCs, too seriously, but rather weigh them and ultimately trust your own judgment to make the final decision.
Munich Startup: How has your company been financed so far?
Jade Robinson: We’ve self-funded most of it so far and won some smaller prizes worth a few thousand euros, but we’ll soon receive funding through the Exist-FT scholarship. This support will carry us for the next two years, hopefully starting September 1st.
Munich Startup: When and where do you get your best ideas?
Jade Robinson: My best ideas actually come to me in dreams – although they’re mostly about science fiction novels rather than business ideas. Business ideas tend to emerge when I see a real problem, especially one that frustrates me or moves me emotionally.
Munich Startup: What are your 3 favorite work tools?
Jade Robinson:
- Tea with milk and sugar
- Notion
- ChatGPT
Munich Startup: Your top tip on “pitching“?
Jade Robinson: Practice, practice, practice. I always memorize my pitch so that on the day itself, no matter what happens, I know for sure I can deliver it.
Munich Startup: Does it seem like a good time to start a company right now? Why?
Jade Robinson: Yes, I think it’s a great time to start a company because we’re currently on the recovery side of the startup funding downturn following Covid. Plus, there’s a lot of attention around new technologies like AI and quantum computing. Additionally, there are many programs that support founders with networking, business development, and fundraising.
Munich Startup: Which technology or industry would you focus on with your next venture?
Jade Robinson: I would very much like to start a company in femtech or women empowerment. What would excite me most is launching a non-profit organization that helps women in need.
Munich Startup: In your view, what could be improved at the Munich startup location?
Jade Robinson:
- Expansion of early-stage financing – through both public and private programs – to support funding rounds under 10 million euros.
- Strengthening of digital administrative services tailored specifically to founders and reduction of bureaucratic hurdles in starting and operating a business.
- Promoting diversity through active support of founders with migration backgrounds – for example through networks and equity financing.
Munich Startup: Which founder would you like to meet in person? And what would you ask them?
Jade Robinson: There are too many! But probably Jeff Bezos, since his formula for innovation and building a strong company culture is, in my opinion, unmatched.
