Munich Startup: Who are you and what do you do at Modelwise? Please introduce yourselves briefly!
Modelwise: We are Arnold (25), Florian (35), and Iliya (31). Together we are the founders of Modelwise and pursue the goal Make safety analyses accessible to every engineer.
We met at the MQM research group at TUM, where Florian has been pursuing his doctorate since 2013. When Iliya proposed founding a startup based on the technology in January 2018, everyone was immediately on board. Since June 2019, we have been receiving funding from the Exist Research Transfer program for our idea of automating security analyses. You can think of the software like a spell checker for texts – only for engineering models.
Our team is broadly positioned. Florian brings engineering and management skills, Iliya is experienced in software development, and Arnold's strengths lie in commercial matters.
Munich Startup: What problem does your startup solve?
Modelwise: Proof of (functional) safety in mechatronic products. As a manufacturer of aircraft, for example, a manufacturer must provide certification institutions with evidence that the product functions safely – even in the event of a partial defect. The number of partial defects to be tested can be immense, and testing can take months.
“Most companies prefer to do security analyses on paper”
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Modelwise: But it's not integrated into the company's processes. There are only standalone, isolated solutions that generate high overhead. This is why software adoption is so low; most companies shy away from training and prefer to conduct security analyses on paper.
Munich Startup: What have been your three biggest challenges so far?
Modelwise: Our biggest challenge is always to explain the problem and the solution to listeners, because Functional safety is a very unknown and technical topicVisual language always works surprisingly well. But teamwork with such diverse backgrounds also continually challenges us. So it's important to reflect and find solutions together. And last but not least, of course, is the coronavirus pandemic and the associated lockdown.
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Modelwise: Next year, at least 50 engineers in Germany will be using our software, saving themselves time and stress. In five years, the software will be available worldwide, including for medical technology and the aerospace industry.
Munich Startup: How do you rate Munich as a startup location?
Modelwise: Very good, there are many teams out there. Networks enable exchange with other founders and investors. Universities also provide enough talent to bring ideas to life.
Munich Startup: Skype or in person?
Modelwise: Skype at the moment. Whatever else works, the main thing is that it's there.
