Interview with "AgraCheck" from the current batch of the start-up certificate

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Florian Stark, Sebastian Lieder and Matthias Hamborg are part of Batch #6 of the Start-up Certificate since 2021 with their start-up AgraCheck, a smart comparison platform for agricultural technologies. The Strascheg Award winning team of 2021 (3rd place in category "Best Business Idea from Science and Practice") came into contact with the SCE early on as a student of the first year of the study program "Entrepreneurship & Digital Transformation" with Florian Stark. This contact was then deepened through participation in the Start-up Certificate. If you also have a great idea and are still looking for a start-up home , then let Florian, Sebastian and Matthias convince you in the following interview to come to HM SCE and apply with your idea for the Start-up Certificate.

1. how did the idea for the start-up come about?

Florian and Sebastian each independently submitted a very similar idea to the innovation competition "Deutschland 4.0 Challenge" in February 2021. They then decided to enter the competition together and eventually won a prize. After that, the desire to found the company arose and Matthias joined the project.

What challenges did you face at the beginning of the Start-up Certificate?

We were not yet sure what kind of monetization we should use for the platform. We also needed help in preparing the application for the EXIST grant. In the meantime, we have worked out a solid financial plan and the EXIST application has been sent off.

3. What were your top 3 highlights from the Start-up Certificate and how did they advance your start-up?

  • By winning third place at the Strascheg Award in the category "Best Business Idea from Science and Practice", we were able to prove that our idea is well received by a panel of experts.
  • We used some practices from the "Teambuilding" workshop to work in a more structured way. In the meantime, we work in sprints and do a retrospective every two weeks.
  • At the interim presentation in December, we were allowed to pitch to experts from outside the industry who didn't yet know our business model. The feedback was so valuable that we adjusted our strategy as a result.

What is your vision?

Sustainable and connected agriculture through digital technologies.

5. What are your do's and don'ts when starting up?

Do's: If you care about the problem: Reasons! We are on fire for a sustainable future and have identified agriculture as a huge lever. That's what motivates us every day.

Don't: Don't give up so quickly. Starting up is a roller coaster ride of emotions and those who persevere will be rewarded.

Why should you apply for the Start-up Certificate and what advice would you give to interested founders?

The advice and feedback you get are super valuable. Especially if you don't have any start-up experience, the workshops are a real eye-opener. If the venture fails, you've still learned a lot. You can't go wrong with an application!

7 And finally - your call to action: How can we do you good?

We are looking for farmers to test our beta version! If you know any, please forward our website to them: www.agracheck.com.

We wish the whole team "AgraCheck" continued success!

You have an innovative project yourself? Then apply now for our 24-week accelerator program, the Start-up Certificate, and become part of the Start-up League yourself!