PITCH & PEOPLE Folge 10: Johannes Kohl
Founding is exciting, but also complex. Between product development, investor search, and market entry, many young companies have little time for topics like social security or employee leadership. This is exactly where Johannes Kohl from Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) comes in. In the Pitch & People video podcast, he talks about the support TK provides to founders and scaleups – from free consulting via the Socialpizza platform to innovative leadership programs.
Wingman in every founding phase
Whether in the idea phase, during founding, or in the setup and growth phase, Techniker Krankenkasse supports startups at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey, explains Johannes Kohl, startup specialist at TK, at Pitch & People.
“In every phase, there are touchpoints with the social security system. This is exactly where we step in with practical advice to avoid costly mistakes and uncertainty.”
The Socialpizza platform is the central point of contact: At socialpizza.tk.de, founders can get personalized and legally sound advice, free of charge and independent of their health insurance provider.
“This way, everyone gets the relevant information they need and avoids very uncomfortable situations.”
More than consulting: exchange, events, and 1:1 sessions
In addition to online consulting, the Socialpizza team regularly offers information events, workshops, and 1:1 meetings, both virtual and on-site. It covers everything that matters to founders in practice. From the question of whether a full-time or part-time founding makes sense, to social security obligations for the first employees, to topics like workation and international team members.
The TK Welcome Service also helps startups bring specialists from abroad to Germany faster and integrate them into the team. This saves young companies time and costs and allows them to focus fully on their mission.
Complex topics explained simply
TK sees itself as a partner that relieves startups of bureaucratic burdens.
“Founders should be able to focus on their mission, and we want to create real added value. We take care of the topics that many founders find rather unglamorous,”
adds Johannes Kohl in the interview.
This includes typical questions like: Which legal structure fits me? When do I start paying contributions? Or: How do I insure my team abroad?
From founder to leader: programs for healthy growth
But TK doesn’t just support at the start – it also accompanies healthy growth. With programs like “From Founder to Leader,” it supports early-stage startups in building leadership skills. For growing companies with around 100 employees or more, TK offers the “Level Up for Scale-ups” program – a leadership training aimed at building high-performance teams.
The program is conducted jointly with external experts. It’s based on the concept of purpose-driven leadership and is designed to help leaders sustainably improve communication, feedback culture, and team structures.
Healthy teams, healthy companies
Beyond leadership, health plays a central role. A fact many aren’t aware of, according to Kohl:
“Health insurance companies have a legal mandate to promote health preservation in companies. Founders in particular are often exposed to chronic stress, sleep deprivation, or unhealthy eating. Here TK can provide targeted support with offerings in exercise, nutrition, relaxation, and addiction prevention.”
Kohl draws a comparison to the Tour de France:
“A founder is like a cyclist. He needs a strong team of mental coaches, nutrition experts, and technical professionals to be successful. We want to anchor this mindset more firmly in the startup ecosystem.”
A partner with energy and purpose
For Johannes Kohl, working with startups is much more than just sales activity.
“The energy in startups is incredibly positive.”
Whether healthtech, AI, or sustainability, TK supports founders regardless of sector. His aspiration:
“We want to stand by their side as a wingman so they can focus on what really matters – their vision.”
