This is how we did it – Episode 2 with Christina Walch from Soluterials

The decision to found a start-up is always challenging. In our “This is how we did it” series, we talk to founders from our portfolio who have had their first experiences as entrepreneurs in challenging times. Valuable tips and first-hand experience. In episode two, we talk to Christina Walch, Managing Director of Soluterials, about her start-up experience. Soluterials specializes in the production of an innovative pure high-performance aluminum material SoluteriAL, which is sustainable and outperforms all previous aluminum alloys thanks to its unique property profile.

What opportunities has the crisis opened up for you as a young company?
Launched in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, our original plans to promote our SoluteriAL material through events and direct customer contact were thwarted. Among other things, this made it more difficult to find investors and required adjustments. We used this time to bring forward planned technical developments, which proved to be a smart move. We accelerated our technical scaling and modified our original business model.

What was your biggest learning from this time?
Things often turn out differently than you think, you should remain flexible, true to the motto “innovations through out of the box thinking” – which can also be wonderfully applied to our material. This flexibility and quick action in unpredictable situations have shaped our path and helped us to recognize and exploit new opportunities.

What advice do you have for founders who decide to set up a start-up now?
Before you start doubting, try it out. Form a team and get active! Start doing it, realizing your idea – that’s the only way to find out if entrepreneurship is right for you.

Were there any surprises?
We experience surprises every day, and we are particularly pleased with the enthusiastic reactions from experts to our SoluteriAL material and its potential. We also receive inquiries from experts who want to join our team, which we consider a great compliment

Is there anything else you would like to share?
Build a great team. Recognize and use their skills and place trust in your team members. Always be open to (constructive) discussions and other opinions/viewpoints. The ability to really listen to the people around you and to listen to them can make a big difference. But always remain true to yourself.