Verso: Sustainability software for companies

Munich Startup: Who are you and what does Verso do? Please introduce yourselves briefly! 

Andreas MasloWe, Andreas Maslo (33) and Florian Holl (39), are the founders of Verso. The question of the impact our favorite products have on the environment, people, and society has been on our minds for years. In 2010, we met through our tennis team and, even back then, we were already examining everyday products for their origins and the circumstances under which they were produced. And we found: nothing.

After further research, it became clear that most companies themselves are unaware of the impact their actions have on people, the environment, and society. They lacked the know-how and an appropriate management approach. To make sustainability in companies as easy to manage as possible, we founded Verso.

Today, our company is a complete CSR management cockpit for sustainability officers. With our software and consulting solutions, we support companies in the sustainable transformation of the economy. Whether startups or large corporations, Verso enables companies to manage sustainability information and quickly communicate it to selected stakeholders.

Verso isn't my first company. At 18, I took over a listed building and converted it into a four-star guesthouse. When I participated in the German Entrepreneurs' Award in 2006 and won third place in Bavaria, I began to delve deeply into entrepreneurship. My business studies at Kempten University of Applied Sciences and Harvard University laid a solid foundation for Verso. My co-founder, Florian Holl, also has a business administration background and regularly gives lectures as a CSR expert, including at the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Munich.

Big goals: Verso wants to transform the world sustainably

Munich Startup: What problem does your startup solve?

Andreas Maslo: Fundamentally, we are concerned that we urgently need to transform our world sustainably. The way we live, we will soon reach a point of no return when it comes to climate and the environment. But that's not all. In other areas of sustainability—economic, social, and societal aspects—much is out of balance and, in its current form, is unsustainable.

The way we do business plays a significant role in these problems. Companies want and must assume their responsibility today in order to survive in the future. Therefore, the topic of sustainability management, or CSR, is one of the most important and urgent in the corporate context today.

At Verso, we want to remove these hurdles with our software and consulting services, making it as easy and convenient as possible for companies to transform sustainably. In addition to our software and consulting package for beginners, many CSR professionals also use our software. They use the cockpit to holistically manage their goals, measures, and key performance indicators, as well as their communications. And then there's the CSR reporting requirement. We've partially automated the process within the software and integrated guidelines. This saves users immense time and money and eliminates the need for external agencies. 

Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!

Andreas Maslo: We would be delighted if this had already been the case! Because then the economy would already be significantly further along in its sustainable transformation. We need many more companies dedicated to the sustainable transformation of our world. Because now is the time!

Bureaucracy as a challenge

Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?

Andreas Maslo: Our greatest challenge is certainly the constant confrontation with the 'old world' of business. Pure profit maximization as the basis for every decision – and also budgets. In the past, it was often difficult to find fertile ground for the complex topic of sustainability. Simply because decision-makers didn't understand the importance and potential of CSR. It's similar to digitalization – there are still many business leaders out there who only muster the courage to change when there is absolutely no other option.

'Fridays for Future' and the global climate movement were certainly a starting point for sustainable transformation. Since then, our heartfelt issue, sustainability, is rarely dismissed as do-gooderism. Even the most numbers-oriented CFO can no longer deny that corporate responsibility is required. By employees, customers, shareholders, and society. Sustainability is becoming a "license to operate" for every company out there, whether startup or corporation. 

The second major challenge is always bureaucracy. We have to meet the same bureaucratic requirements as large, established companies. This often makes no sense and costs us time and money that we would much rather invest in our business development. We would very much like to see things like the classification of social security status (employee or entrepreneur) or employee share ownership programs significantly simplified. An ombudsman's office for startups would also be a good idea, allowing them to report excessive bureaucracy or questionable individual decisions by administrative officials and receive advice.

Utilizing economies of scale in sustainable business

Munich Startup: How are things going?

Andreas Maslo: Our business depends on the attention the topic of sustainability receives. We are delighted that this interest is greater than ever. We are receiving an incredible response to our events and are currently finding many open doors and ears. We have been able to increase our customer base by 561,000 within the last year. 

Of course, we're also currently receiving cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic, as budgets aren't being released. However, others are now focusing on sustainability precisely because of the pandemic and global interdependencies and are determined to approach it strategically. We will soon launch the first online shop for CSR software to make it even easier for customers to use Verso for their CSR management. 

Looking ahead to the next one to three years, we can certainly imagine merging with competitors to offer an even broader range of services to our customers. Through economies of scale and synergies, it would be possible to accelerate the sustainable transformation of companies. It's high time for this!

Munich: A privilege with a downside

Munich Startup: How do you rate Munich as a startup location?

Andreas Maslo: Munich is, of course, both our home and a high-tech location. It is a privilege to have our office in this unique city. What's more, we are located in Münchner Technologiezentrum (MTZ), which offers a very good growth environment. 

But this attractive city also has its downsides: rents in Munich are not exactly compatible with startup salaries. 

We would also like to see more platforms for specific exchanges, particularly on the topics of sustainability, CSR, and SaaS (software as a service). There is so much untapped potential! We have already made significant progress on sustainability with our Impact Circle itself is already a platform for exchange in which we interview CSR leaders and bring together CSR managers and interested parties.

In general, however, I believe that physical location is becoming less and less important. While we do think it's extremely important for teams to see each other regularly, many have become accustomed to working entirely remotely, especially since the lockdown at the beginning of the year. Startups could therefore also employ team members who live in the middle of the Alps or elsewhere – as long as they have adequate internet access. A central meeting point like Munich is still a good base, though. Here, we have many customers right on our doorstep. 

Munich Startup: Hidden champion or shooting star?

Andreas Maslo: We want to make sustainability a rising star in companies and our customers. At Verso, we also enjoy being the hidden champion.