Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem do you solve?
Asli Solmaz-Kaiser, iComplai: iComplai integrates high-dimensional data streams to predict food safety risks in any supply chain. It is an early warning system. We help food manufacturers identify risks in their supply chain and respond early to avoid costly and dangerous recalls.
It's our product-market fit and our customer focus that have attracted major clients like Mars and innocent (a Coca-Cola company) to us. But it's not just the customers: Since food safety is a critical issue, iComplai is also attracting significant interest from the market.
We were recently selected for the German Entrepreneurship Master Accelerator program. iComplai is also one of the startups that funded under the WomenTechEU programme of the European Commission In this program, the European Commission provides financial support to high-profile deeptech (AI) companies led by women, among others.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Asli Solmaz-Kaiser: iComplai provides safety information at the touch of a button. It's very easy to use, and since it's a login-based platform, no installation is required. But iComplai isn't just a source of product safety data. Using AI technology, the platform is also capable of predicting future safety risks, giving food processors more time to take preventative action.
“We protect the health of consumers”
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Asli Solmaz-Kaiser: I always wanted to have my own company. I think it's in my DNA, as I come from a family of entrepreneurs. In our industry (quality management), I've always seen the potential of AI and digitalization. Turning this potential into reality is very exciting for me.
Perhaps even more importantly, I see that the work iComplai does has a great purpose. We protect the health of consumers and we protect the environment from negative impacts. Knowing that iComplai is contributing to this goal is a great motivation for me and the entire iComplai team.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Asli Solmaz-Kaiser: We founded our company in April 2020, right during the coronavirus pandemic. It was challenging to connect with potential customers because there were no trade fairs, conferences, or other events. This was important not only for acquiring new customers but also for testing our business idea.
Munich Startup: How are things going?
Asli Solmaz-Kaiser: Very good! We've acquired well-known customers in six different countries and plan to continue scaling with a strengthened sales team.
iComplai relies on artificial intelligence for data interpretation
I'm one of those people who, if someone gives me 1,000 data points, says, "But what does that mean? What do I need to do or change based on this data?" The data itself is important, but it's the insights from the data that customers need. They want to be helped to identify potential problems before they become big issues. The artificial intelligence models we already have and the new ones we'll launch later this year will support these insights and provide predictions.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Asli Solmaz-Kaiser: I can't imagine a better location to start a business! Firstly, important startup support programs like German Entrepreneurship are located in Munich. We are currently enrolled in the German Entrepreneurship Master Accelerator program. Among other things, we can benefit from the office space in Munich. This wouldn't be possible at any other location. Furthermore, there are regular startup meetups that help us gather new inspiration, network, and develop further.
Munich Startup: Quick exit or long breath?
Asli Solmaz-Kaiser: We have a mission: healthier food for consumersAnd we will not let go of them until this mission—or at least what we have in mind—is accomplished.
