Company: BeConnect

Founder: Manasse Heidl

Date of foundation: July 30, 2024

Industry and company: Technology | Social Media

What drives you? What is your motto?

What drives me is my enthusiasm for innovation and the vision to shape change.

My motto: "We have to question the status quo, have the courage to break new ground and push boundaries."

The reason for founding BeConnect:

"fundamentally, it's always connections with people that give life its value."

What is your start-up about and what is special about it?

The BeConnect app is about making a positive change to networking and communication in local environments. Our approach combines the advantages of the virtual world with the reality of the immediate environment. While social media often facilitates communication over long distances in a purely virtual way, BeConnect focuses on optimizing interaction in close proximity.

What makes BeConnect special is that we harness the strengths of social media - such as security, simplicity, anonymity and speed - and transfer them to local networks. Above all, BeConnect makes it possible to make invisible contact potential visible in the direct environment and thus create a new form of communication and contact. In contrast to traditional social media platforms that neglect direct contact, we offer a platform that integrates both virtual information and real interactions.

This enables users to connect quickly and easily with people in their immediate environment. BeConnect makes it possible to find and make contacts through simple interactions - without the barriers of traditional face-to-face contact. Our mission is to make real-world connecting as easy as possible and to utilize the full potential of local networks.

BeConnect will initially be implemented exclusively in closed ecosystems such as trade fairs, events, universities and coworking spaces. This enables targeted and effective networking within specific groups and locations. In the long term, BeConnect can be used almost anywhere.

In the future, the use of artificial intelligence will further optimize the user experience in order to promote direct connections in an even more targeted and efficient way.

Why should we dive deeper and deeper into a purely virtual world when we can bring the virtual information to us? Unlike the metaverse, where the user is immersed in a purely virtual world, at BeConnect we take the approach of merging locally dynamic interactive data with the local environment. We call it "the localverse". This opens up a whole new world with completely new possibilities.

What are your first successes?

BeConnect's first successes include the award for our business plan, which was named one of the top 10 start-ups in the "Startup Innovativ" program by the Ministry of Economics and RKW.

A successful study with the Rhein-Main University of Applied Sciences revealed that 73.3% of respondents see BeConnect as a sustainable solution and would like to use it.

The app is currently being used and tested exclusively as a beta version in various ecosystems such as universities, business networking events and festivals, with the high demand currently exceeding our capacities.

What is your professional background?

I come from a down-to-earth background and found my passion for performance-oriented activities early on through competitive sport. While I was still at school, I worked in retail, catering and landscaping. After dropping out of the 10th grade, I completed a commercial apprenticeship and then worked in the fashion industry, first as a salesperson and later as a department manager.

At the same time, I founded a sports community with my brother. Our sporting challenges led us to the TV show "Ninja Warrior Germany", among others. Due to the growing interest, we founded a public sports ground in cooperation with the city, a club and we supported the reformation of the Wiesbaden slaughterhouse.

Together with the city, we promoted youth sports and opened another sports ground.

Along the way, I obtained my Bachelor Professional of Trade and Commerce.

In 2019, I switched to the digital sector and deepened my interest in start-ups. In the last 5 years, I have been increasingly involved in tech/start-up ecosystems and was able to successfully help build up a Wiesbaden-based technology company "schubwerk" as a founding employee. At the same time, I founded "BeConnect" as a sidepreneur.

What was the trigger for you to found your own company?

The trigger for founding my own company was the vision of BeConnect. When I had the idea for the app, I knew that I wanted to realize it myself, use it and make it accessible to society. This desire and the conviction to solve an existing problem ultimately led to the founding of my company.

The official foundation was the next logical step to further develop the project. It is an opportunity to grow, learn new things and raise funds from investors.

Who advised you, who are your helpers and mentors?

First and foremost the team! Over 17 collaborators have been involved since the start of the project, both operationally and in an advisory capacity. My partner of many years, my family and friends also play a central role. They not only give me emotional support, but also valuable advice. This is complemented by experienced partners, supporters and advisors who use their expertise to strategically advance the project.

How did you experience the first few days as a founder?

"Founding is like a rollercoaster ride: there are rapid ascents, exciting descents and unexpected twists and turns, but in the end, the view of the goal achieved is worth all the effort."

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

Especially with innovative tech start-ups (products and business models), founders have to make a huge upfront investment to prove the hypothesis and prove that the product and business model actually work. This phase requires considerable investment of time and resources as well as a high degree of patience, adaptability and determination.

How do you draw attention to your company? What is your best marketing idea?

I attach great importance to sustainable partnerships and close cooperation, especially with the city of Wiesbaden. As our product will initially be used exclusively in selected companies and ecosystems and we are receiving more inquiries than we can currently handle, we are deliberately keeping our marketing on the back burner at the moment.

How did you finance your start-up?

The company is currently self-financed. However, we are currently in talks with investors in order to secure additional funding and drive growth forward.

What dream would you still like to realize?

I would like to become more socially involved, especially in developing countries (e.g. in India, my mother's country of origin).

I would also like to set up more sustainable projects & possibly companies.

Please complete the following sentence: If I had more time, I would...

...do more sport, travel, read, listen to audio books and spend time with my loved ones.

What is your special tip: What would you recommend to founders?

My tip: Don't underestimate the importance of networks. The right contacts and supporters can make all the difference. Also: Start small and develop your product step by step rather than wanting to have everything perfect. Talk to as many people as possible and create the product based on feedback.

Regarding the start-up: Just do it! You rarely learn as much about yourself and other people as when you start up!