Anyone selling a premium mattress has to be convinced of its quality. Munich startup Xleep has now demonstrated this commitment in an unusual way: Founders Andreas Bross, Philipp Nußbaumer, and Jakob Endres spent a night together on one of their mattresses – right in the middle of Munich’s Odeonsplatz.
The challenge was clearly defined: Together, the three founders wanted to sleep for at least twelve hours. No easy task in one of the city’s busiest spots. Party groups, curious passersby who wanted to hop into bed with them on the spot, and finally the morning street sweepers made for anything but ideal sleeping conditions.
In the end, the data from their smartwatches still showed a surprising result: 14 hours and 23 minutes of sleep – significantly more than their self-set goal.
Right in the Hustle and Bustle Instead of the Bedroom
The experiment got underway as early as Friday afternoon at 2 pm. After the successful night, the founders rounded it off in a relaxed manner, complete with coffee in bed on Odeonsplatz.
The public sleep test was a deliberate choice. According to Xleep, people often sleep worse in unfamiliar places – a phenomenon known as the first-night effect. The brain remains in a kind of alert state. The founders wanted to test their mattress under these exact conditions while at the same time generating awareness for their young brand.
Family Business Turns Startup
Behind Xleep is a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern direct sales. Its roots date back to 1952: back then, the grandparents of co-founder Philipp Nußbaumer founded a mattress manufacturing company in Lower Bavaria. For decades, the family business manufactured high-quality mattresses for commercial clients, including cruise ships.
With Xleep, Nußbaumer, Andreas Bross, and Jakob Endres are now bringing this expertise directly to end consumers for the first time. The three met during their studies in Regensburg. Together, they developed the idea of offering high-quality, German-made mattresses online without middlemen.
Premium Instead of Price Wars
The startup consciously focuses on quality rather than big discount promotions. Xleep promises handmade premium mattresses and ergonomic pillows manufactured in Bavaria, combined with a fully digital shopping experience – from ordering online to delivery right to the bedroom.
The sleep experiment on Odeonsplatz was intended to make this very philosophy visible. Instead of using traditional advertising promises, the founders wanted to test their product themselves under conditions as far removed from reality as possible. The result: More than 14 hours of sleep – right in the heart of Munich.
