Anyone who shops online will be familiar with the problem: A small item or a small purchase arrives in a box that's far too large and half full of stuffing. The Munich-based startup has now declared war on this problem. The founders explain in an interview how their solution benefits both the environment and retailers.
Munich Startup: Who are you and what do you do? Please introduce yourselves briefly!
Manyfolds: Hi, we're Guz and Frank, the founders of Manyfolds. We've developed a system with which size-optimized and environmentally friendly shipping packaging can be created on-demandGuz (Sebastian Gutmann) has a background as an industrial designer with extensive international experience, while Frank is a dot-com entrepreneur who has worked for many years as a consultant and innovation project manager.
We met through an acquaintance in 2018 and launched the Manyfolds project in its current form. As CTO, Guz is responsible for all technology, including hardware development, prototyping, and software development coordination. He also serves our pilot customers and produces packaging with our large cutting plotter. Frank, as CEO, handles finance, funding management, presentations, competitions, PR, and what feels like a thousand other tasks.. For software development, we also have two highly experienced software architects on our team. As CIO, Christian is responsible for the overall design of the front and back ends and everything related to design pattern design. Markus is a specialist in object and image recognition and CAD design automation.
“On average, 50 percent of the packaging contains air.”
Munich Startup: What problem does your startup solve?
Manyfolds: For medium-sized e-commerce, retail, and industrial SMEs, shipping packaging represents considerable costs and stress: Because in the vast majority of cases, the goods ordered by customers don't fit into the available boxes, and maintaining various types of cardboard is costly, overly bulky shipping containers are chosen. On average, 50 percent of the packaging is air. This results in higher costs for filling materials and shipping. Not to mention the resulting unnecessary CO2 emissions and the congestion caused by logistics vehicles.
Manyfolds drastically simplifies the topic of shipping packaging. Our basic approach: With Manyfolds, the customer focuses solely on their shipping goods and not on how they should be packaged. The system in our app automatically calculates the size-optimized packaging, including protective positioning inserts—this eliminates the need for additional filling material. Even the measuring of the shipping goods is taken care of for the customer: If the goods' dimensions are not in stock, two photos with the Manyfolds app are sufficient, and the image recognition algorithms perform the measurements automatically.
Manyfolds is also pursuing innovative approaches in the area of production: In the future, customers will be able to choose whether to produce on-demand in-house using compact rental machines or have Manyfolds outsource the packaging and ship it to them. This significantly lowers the barrier to entry. Incidentally, we have already begun external production for our pilot customers; the rental machines will arrive next year.
New packaging made from only one material
Furthermore, the completely digital creation of packaging patterns enables entirely new shipping packaging architectures using only one material type and quality. This means that, with appropriate folding techniques, a 3-millimeter-thick, 100 percent recycled corrugated board is completely sufficient to securely package even fragile or heavy objects.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Manyfolds: Of course, there are already various packaging systems on the market. On the one hand, there are the classic "we have every box" online providers. However, they focus only on selling standard sizes in the largest possible quantities and don't care about ensuring the best possible packaging for the goods. On the other hand, there are providers of mostly huge, automated systems. Their solutions are generally more expensive, require more organization, and do not offer nearly the application versatility of manyfolds.
None of our competitors has the goods-to-pattern technology, including image recognition via app, plus the positioning insert technology that enables filler-free shipping packaging even with multiple items in one package. So the bottom line: No. There's no such thing as manyfolds on the market yet.
Munich Startup: What have been your three biggest challenges so far?
Manyfolds: As a software and hardware startup that operates heavily in the physical world, new challenges arise almost daily. In addition to the constant challenge of always being sufficiently financed (an extra level, especially during the coronavirus pandemic), we simply couldn't find a sufficiently large and affordable production facility in Munich or the surrounding area for several months. We have a 1.8-ton cutting plotter, which, due to its dimensions, doesn't fit through normal office doors; instead, it requires a special warehouse door. Fortunately, we finally found a good location in Pasing, where we now feel truly at home. And of course, there are always stumbling blocks in development and in the interaction between hardware and software. But ultimately, everything works out; sometimes you just need a little more patience—the biggest psychological challenge for entrepreneurs.
Manyfolds begins pilot production
Munich Startup: How are things going?
Manyfolds: We started pilot production at the end of March, so we are now producing the size-optimized packaging for selected customers on our own cutting plotter. We are also continuing to develop our own small production machine and software. We are now receiving inquiries from various companies, virtually without sales. Business is therefore picking up.
Munich Startup: How do you rate Munich as a startup location?
Manyfolds: Munich is absolutely amazing in terms of startup density, which is why there's a really well-functioning startup ecosystem here. We were able to participate in the UnternehmerTUM Xpreneurs incubator program last year and build valuable contacts throughout the startup industry. This helps us move forward every day. Incidentally, since this month we've also been participating in the LMU Entrepreneurship Center program, which will also immerse us in the international scene. Therefore: Munich is an important location for us to advance our startup. There is one small 'but', however: In these difficult times of the coronavirus pandemic, easier access to loans and capital would be beneficial, especially for the many innovative startups that don't yet have significant revenue. But this is where politics needs to be addressed.
Munich Startup: Cook yourself or have it delivered?
Manyfolds: Cooking for yourself! Guz has always been an enthusiastic amateur cook and has even ventured into molecular gastronomy. Frank regularly cooks classic Italian and German dishes for his family of five.
