The Munich startup Babbler is developing a communications platform designed to ensure privacy for individuals and confidentiality for businesses. The former GMX founders founded the new company back in 2015. The company, based in Munich-Neuaubing, now employs 71 people from 23 nations. In July 2017, the startup received a substantial financial injection—the Stiefel family (co-founders of Media Markt) invested €15 million in the young company. We spoke with Eric Dolatre, one of the founders.
What can we imagine by Brabbler – briefly described in three sentences?
Brabbler was founded by us, GMX founders Karsten Schramm, Peter Köhnkow and me, Eric Dolatre, as well as financial expert Jörg Sellmann, to ensure confidentiality and privacy in the digital communications world.
With 'ginlo @work,' we offer companies efficient team communication with complete data security. For private users, there will be an app that enables unlimited communication – a real alternative to the free and ad-supported communication services that repeatedly turn out to be veritable data octopuses.
An alternative to the data octopuses
What can Brabbler do better than WhatsApp and Co.?
Unlike free messaging services like WhatsApp and others, ginlo is based on full encryption. Our service goes far beyond end-to-end encryption and is not financed by advertising. Companies and users thus have full control over their data and can protect it as best as possible. As a service 'made and hosted in Germany,' we are also subject to German data protection laws and regulations, which are among the strictest in the world.
That's an important point. But secure data exchange methods like De-Mail have struggled to establish themselves in Germany so far. How are you managing to establish yourself in the market?
People are waiting for alternatives. When Facebook announced it would be sharing data with WhatsApp, there was a veritable rush for services offering an alternative approach. The overwhelming response to our recently completed beta phase demonstrates that the need for a reputable, independent provider among private users is greater than ever.
The right time for babblers
In addition, we are about to see the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) come into force and companies are looking for solutions that will keep them legally safe without having to forego the benefits of immediate digital communication.
It's simply the right time for what we're planning. Furthermore, we believe that previous projects were often too complicated for users. Ease of use for users without technical expertise is our top priority.
And of course, it also helps that we have already managed to establish a service here in Germany with GMX – even against big players from overseas.
How did it come about that you, as former GMX founders, came together again to found the company?
The idea for 'ginlo' arose from our own experiences as users. All the free, mostly US-based communication services are only supposedly free. In reality, you pay quite dearly for them – namely, with the loss of your privacy, as they collect comprehensive profile and usage data. In some cases, you even waive copyrights to the files you exchange. This has nothing to do with privacy anymore.
At the same time, companies in the business world are willingly handing over their trade secrets to US-based cloud services such as Sales Force. We believe the reason for this is the lack of alternatives, which is why we have reunited and founded Brabbler AG. We were able to convince financial expert Jörg Sellmann to join us as co-founder.
The search for investors was easier
What advantages do you have as former GMX founders? And are there any disadvantages that come with such a large legacy?
As experienced founders, we naturally brought some experience from our GMX days. We've also been supporting entrepreneurs as Munich Angels for many years. This taught us how important it is to bring a financial expert onto the founding team, which we found in Jörg Sellmann. And the search for investors was considerably easier at Brabbler than at GMX.
However, if you've already been successful in the market, the expectations placed on you are naturally very high. Therefore, the pressure is considerably greater than it was back then.
“Startup hype in Munich remains unbroken”
If you had to describe the biggest challenge since founding the company, what would it be?
One of the biggest challenges is recruiting suitable team members. Recruiting employees is often difficult, particularly due to the housing shortage in Munich. For this reason, we have already opened a second location in Dortmund.
And how do you perceive the entrepreneurial spirit in Germany and Munich?
The startup hype in Munich continues unabated, whether in blockchain, health, food, or cleantech. New, interesting business ideas emerge every day. There are many platforms for founders in my hometown to connect with potential investors. For example, I personally meet dedicated founders once a month at the Munich Angels Dinner.
What do you think is the key factor for successful business development?
An idea that is intrinsically motivated, a dedicated team that shares the founders' vision with passion, and of course the need in the market to distribute the product.
“A mix of experienced professionals and hungry beginners”
Do you have an insider tip for other founders?
Founders should establish agile processes and truly embrace them. This includes, for example, taking a quick daily overview of all areas. It's also important to have the right mix of experienced professionals and hungry newcomers who can learn from each other and collaborate in a friendly manner.
The obligatory foosball table in the Neuaubing office and the palpable startup atmosphere in the pretty red brick building certainly help with the latter. Or perhaps the cozy collaboration in one of the container offices on the doorstep—with Brabbler growing so rapidly, we quickly needed alternative space. In any case, we thank you for the fascinating insights and are excited to see what the future holds for the young company.
