Aimino in interview

17.02.2022 Daniela Musial-Lemberg News

The budding start-up Aimino has now been in the StartupSecure KASTEL support programme of the KIT Gründerschmiede for nine months. In this interview, the team talks about how the support affects the challenges in the start-up process and what the next steps are for the KIT spin-off.

You have been in the StartupSecure KASTEL funding programme for 9 months now. How has the support programme affected your development as a budding start-up?

The StartupSecure KASTEL support programme has had a very positive impact on the development of our start-up. Above all, the accelerator offered has had a lasting impact on our start-up. We took third place in the competition for this accelerator and were able to establish many valuable contacts with industry. We are particularly proud of one contact: since the Accelerator, we have been able to welcome Tolga Yilmaz as our advisory board, who has supported us in word and deed.

What was particularly helpful here?

As already mentioned, the Accelerator was particularly helpful. Not only did the large network help us in our development, but also the range of expertise. Running a start-up doesn’t just mean being the best in your field, but also covering other areas such as recruiting, marketing, law, etc. We learned this impressively through this accelerator. This was impressively conveyed to us through this accelerator.

Why did you choose this funding programme of all programmes?

We decided on this funding programme because we were very pleased with the support it offered. As our educational station, KIT also played a corresponding role in the selection of the funding programme and we would like to maintain contact and reference here.

You haven’t founded yet. What steps do you still have to take until then? What are your next big milestones?

We have already reached the big milestone of founding the company and can now proudly bear the name Aimino Tech GmbH.

What advice would you give to founders who are still in the discovery phase – what do you think is particularly important at the very beginning?

It’s important to have a vision at the beginning that you want to achieve. The vision and the story that goes with it is the core element of your pitches to win over potential customers and partners. The way there and the question of “how” is of course also important but does not necessarily have to be 100% defined and set in stone at the beginning. We have made the experience that unplanned changes of direction are also necessary to achieve the vision, which throw you off track at first, but are an important step in the development of a successful start-up. So our tip is: don’t fixate too much on the “how”, but always keep your vision in mind. Dare to move forward, even if you think that the “how” is not defined enough. The experiences you gain will help you to define your “how” better and better!

A look into the future: If we meet again in 3 years for an interview, what would be the headline for my news?

Aimino – from a small start-up to a successful company: The first steps with the StartUpSecure KASTEL programme.