Founding After a PhD & B2B SaaS in the Automotive Industry – with Michael Baumann from twaice

About this episode

Scientific insights from universities are far too rarely spun out into successful companies – even though PhD graduates statistically have significantly higher success rates than other founders. Michael Baumann from twaice is a prime example of how to do it right.

From Science to Deeptech Startup

With twaice, Michael Baumann pursues a clear goal: eliminating the uncertainties surrounding batteries throughout their entire lifecycle. The deeptech company specializes in the automotive industry, developing software solutions that make battery performance predictable.

What makes twaice special: As a deeptech company, the startup cannot grow organically but relies on external capital – both for product development and market penetration in the traditionally hard-to-access automotive industry.

The Challenges of Scientific Founders

A central question in scientific spin-offs is team composition: Do you absolutely need a business co-founder? Michael Baumann shares his experiences with task distribution and structure at twaice, which now employs over 100 people.

The transition from the university world to startup reality brings specific challenges. Scientific founders must not only translate their expertise into marketable products but also develop completely new competencies in areas like sales, corporate leadership, and scaling.

Enterprise Sales in the Automotive Industry

Particularly interesting are the insights into twaice's enterprise sales process. The automotive industry is known for its long decision cycles and high safety requirements. Michael Baumann explains how long a typical sales cycle takes at twaice and how the company built its sales organization.

The question of market creation is central here: To what extent has twaice created a completely new market, and how challenging are customers in the traditional automotive industry?

Scaling and Organizational Development

With growth to over 100 employees come new challenges. Michael Baumann provides insights into team distribution: What share does the sales organization take up, and how are the "remaining" employees at twaice organized?

The personal challenges as a scientific founder are not glossed over. The transition from individual research to leading a rapidly growing team requires completely new skills.

Contrarian Views and Practical Advice

Particularly valuable are Michael Baumann's contrarian views: On which widespread startup wisdoms does he disagree and why? This perspective from a successful deeptech founder offers important alternatives to common Silicon Valley mantras.

He also honestly shares which advice he frequently gives but finds hard to follow himself – an insight into the human side of being a founder.

Efficiency and Future Perspectives

The discussion about overall efficiency shows: Even successful startups still see room for improvement. Michael Baumann openly reflects on current weaknesses and future optimization possibilities at twaice.

Finally, he shares his view on the startup scene: What would he change if he could? This perspective from an experienced B2B SaaS founder in a traditional industrial environment offers important impulses for other scientific founders.

The story of twaice shows: Scientific spin-offs have enormous potential – when the right structures and mindset are in place.