Name:
Michael Beitl
Project:
Kern Tec GmbH
Founding date - How long have you been working on your idea?
Garage course summer term 2018
Founding trigger: How did you get the idea?
When I was looking for ideas for the Garage university course, an Austrian farmer gave me the idea of finding a solution for fruit stones, which are considered waste.
Founding moment: How did you know that you wanted to realize your idea?
After completing the garage course, I was able to develop an initial business concept and contacts along the value chain. As this sounded promising, I dedicated myself to this idea full-time after completing my bachelor's degree.
Elevator pitch of your project:
Kern Tec has developed an industrial process to produce high-quality products from thousands of tons of fruit kernels, which are a by-product of the juice industry. The new nuts obtained are an innovative raw material in the food industry, which offer a sustainable alternative thanks to their new taste. The fields of application are broad: Alternative dairy products, snacks, chocolates, vegetable protein sources or as food and cosmetic oils.
Elevator pitch about yourself:
I myself enjoyed a business education at WU and was able to gain a great deal of experience in a very short time by founding a company. I am highly motivated and enthusiastic about getting our partners involved in new raw materials and scaling the product worldwide.
How many of you are in the founding team and how did you come together?
We are 4 people in the founding team, which is made up of business and technology professionals. We came together through close acquaintances and our enthusiasm for the project has brought us together to this day.
University:
Vienna University of Economics and Business
How did your university support you when it came to founding and entrepreneurship?
Very strong, after all I chose the Entrepreneurship & Innovation specialization and laid the foundation for today's company. Without taking part in the "Garage" start-up course, the company would most likely not have been founded.
Do's: What would you recommend to any founder, or what would you do again?
I would recommend anyone who is thinking about starting a business to take the plunge and open up many opportunities. The learning is extremely high and even if you fail, you can usually look back on a positive development.
Don`ts: What would you do differently? What was your biggest learning?
There are countless don'ts and setbacks in entrepreneurship, which will probably never end. My biggest learning is to see the setbacks as positive.
How to start? - What would you recommend to anyone interested in starting a business?
Rapid development of an initial prototype. This does not have to be anywhere near market-ready just to have something in hand that you can present in concrete terms. The best way to do this is in one of the many accelerator programs offered in Austria. You benefit from initial financial support and, above all, from the extensive experience of the program mentors. It is also extremely helpful to build up a basic network in the industry.
