Seven questions, seven answers. Munich Startup in conversation with Bergen, Max, Alex and Peter from Soley.
1. Who are you? Please introduce yourselves briefly!
We – Bergen (35), Max (33), Alex (27) and Peter (26) – all studied at the Chair of Product Development at TU Munich Max and Bergen earned their doctorates there. Peter and Alex completed their master's theses at the Faculty of Computer Science.
Max has intensively explored issues in product development for highly variable products, such as cars. He has always lacked the appropriate software tools to model and analyze complex systems.
At the same time, Bergen, together with Alex and Peter, was developing a tool for modeling and analyzing such complex systems, but it lacked industrial-scale research. Together, we identified a niche market opportunity that represented enormous potential.
2. What product do you want to use to change the world?
Soley develops and markets analytics software that improves decision-making processes in engineering. With Soley, experts can better manage large volumes of data and dependencies in their processes and products. They can literally pack their analytical knowledge into a box and use it efficiently and sustainably for the company. With our tools, you can efficiently use corporate data and expert knowledge to answer complex questions, for example, to identify and leverage significant cost potential. Our technology enables completely new analytical approaches for networked data that typical Big Data and BI applications cannot provide.
In this way, Soley supports decision-making processes and saves costs in areas such as asset management, portfolio management and change management.
3. But that's been around for a long time!
Sure, and the solution is usually Excel. But that's no longer sufficient when it comes to large amounts of data with numerous dependencies, as is typical in engineering. The analyses take far too much time, are error-prone, are not repeatable, and the knowledge contained in them is not easily shared with colleagues within the company. With Soley, engineers can develop high-performance analyses in their context and make them available to their colleagues at the click of a button.
4. What are the three main ingredients for your recipe for success?
A great team where everyone looks out for each other.
A great idea that contains much more.
Caffeine.
5. Let’s get down to business: How is business going?
We've already acquired well-known companies as paying customers and written our first important success stories with them. We've also been able to attract a strong team of investors who provide significant support and practical commitment. With this constellation, we now have the opportunity to demonstrate that Soley has a scalable and highly promising business model.
6. What does Munich mean to you?
Munich is home, home, but also the ideal location in Germany to launch B2B software. There are universities that train many bright entrepreneurial minds and accelerators like the UnternehmerTUM, in particular TechFounders (Batch One Yeah!), who have given us tremendous support. And much of it is already on-site. We can reach some of our clients in just a few hours by car or just a few minutes by subway. We can walk to the advisory board meeting with our investors. Furthermore, Munich and the surrounding area offer everything you need to quickly unwind and enjoy life.
7. Isar or English Garden?
English Garden, because it's on the doorstep and the Isar is included.
