Interview with Heiko Butz
A: Your bachelor studies were in natural science. Did you already think towards entrepreneurship back then?
H: Yes. I always wanted to combine economics with ecology. For a research project, I worked in a research station in the jungles of Ecuador and studied symbiotic mycorrhizal mushrooms. I was wondering if you could use the symbiotic mushrooms to produce tomatoes with less resources. I have tried it in the Netherlands with two companies, but it didn’t work out. I was also building an Eco-Hotel in Panama, but after a storm destroyed the bridge to our hotel, we stopped. After my studies, I worked in a consulting company. After two years I wanted to do something new
A: How did you then get to koawach?
H: I was always taking additional courses and field trips at university, even when I wasn’t enrolled. I met my co-founder Daniel in one of these courses. We wanted to do something with fair trade products. A food product which is organic and has a functionality like keeping you awake. It fit very well to our lifestyle at that time. We were developing the first products in our shared apartments kitchen and when my IMES program started. I used the studies to push koawach forward. I actively asked for support from professors and received it. For example, in fellow students supported us on a trade fair, Prof. Blind showing us how to register a brand and our Venture Campus mentor was the first to invest in us.
A: Comparing the start of Koakult to today: How did your tasks change?
H: In the beginning, I did acquisitions myself. We didn’t have a comparable product to learn from, didn’t know the market and therefore always tried something new and went on with the results. Today, we have employees and we are listed in about 6.000 point of sale. Nowadays, I am more of a manager today. It’s more structured now. We have processes.
A: Do you have suggestions for upcoming and current students?
H: I had no business background when I started the IMES program. Therefore, I can suggest Strategic Management by Prof. Dodo zu Knyphausen-Aufseß since it helped me as my first point of contact with business. It also allowed me to talk to a former manager of Rocket Internet after a lecture. Also, the theoretical foundations of entrepreneurship I learned in Venture Campus helped me a lot. Intellectual Property Rights is a very helpful course, too, since knowing how to protect your brand is important.
A: What tips can you give prospective and current IMES students?
H: I had no business background when I started the IMES program. Therefore, H: The IMES is a platform. You can choose to use the contacts you make. Take advantage of the university’s programs and events to create new ideas. Talk to many people. Dare to fail. And don’t overestimate the importance of good grades and a quick finish of your studies on your CV. It’s better to take your time, take different courses, go abroad and really learn what matters to you