The Meisterwerk sales team is getting support this summer. SIGNAL IDUNA, founded more than 100 years ago as an insurance company for Tradesmen and tradesmen, is adding the Handwerker App to its sales portfolio. A promising partnership for the Meisterwerk App, which started in the back room of a Berlin café.
Thefirst concept for the Handwerker App was born in the back room of a small Berlin café. At the time, founders Nick Sonnenberg and Bertram Wildenauer conducted surveys and team interviews with craftspeople. With their findings, they papered the walls of the room after work and on weekends.
"When we realized that the results of our surveys were consistent across all companies (challenging organization and planning), we said it's worth building a solution for that."
Self-financing
But then it was time to get down to business. First Bertram, then Nick, quit his permanent position. On the side, they simply didn't have enough time to turn their vision into a product. They rented their first office at Alexanderplatz and convinced Jonathan Nickl, an old school friend, to help develop the craftsman app. The two entrepreneurs financed the first prototype of the Meisterwerk app with savings. When it came time to build their own development team and bring CTO Cliff Birtwell on board, the founders started looking for funding. They came across signals, a Signal Iduna initiative to support startups, and the signals Founder Fellowship program.
Support programs
Thesignals Founder Fellowship not only included funding, but also a three-month coaching program. "The coaches at signals have experience with starting a business themselves. They gave us extremely targeted and very individual advice. That took our business a big step forward, especially in sales," explains Bertram. After the support program, signals and other partners decided to invest in the start-up.
Saskia, Co-Lead at signals, is convinced by the team:
"Meisterwerk came to us with a great idea as well as a lot of industry experience and the necessary product expertise. We are happy about the great development from Founder Fellowship to successful pre-seed investment and now also about the good response from customers."
Distribution partnership
Thesignals Startup Client responsible for the support program then establishes contact between Meisterwerk and the so-called "Journey" unit. The latter looks for value-added solutions for its target group of construction and finishing. SIGNAL IDUNA has historically grown as an insurance company for Tradesmen, explains Project Lead and Journey Owner Stefan Schneider: "Tradesmen are among our oldest and largest customer groups. We want to offer them digital services that support their business beyond insurance." This makes Signal Iduna the ideal partner for the distribution of the Handwerker App. And so now the collaboration is reaching the next level. Starting this summer, the insurance company's sales team will include the Meisterwerk app in its product portfolio. This way, many more Tradesmen's businesses will have access to the Meisterwerk app.
Nick and Bertram agree, "We're really proud of this enriching partnership and very much look forward to working together."
The Meisterwerk sales team gets support this summer. SIGNAL IDUNA, founded 100 years ago as an insurance company for crafts- and tradesmen isincluding the Tradesmen App in its sales portfolio. A truly promisingpartnership for the Meisterwerk App which started in the back room of a Berlincafé.
The first concept for theTradesmen App was developed in the back room of a small café in Berlin. At thattime, founders Nick Sonnenberg and Bertram Wildenauer conducted surveys and interviews with Tradesmen and -women. With their findings they wallpaperedthe walls of the room after work and on weekends.
"When we noticed that the results of surveys were the same for all companies (challenging organization andplanning), we decided that it was worth building a solution for this."
Self-financing
But then it was time to get down to business. First Bertram, then Nick resigned his regularjob.There was simply not enough time on the side to turn their vision into aproduct. They rented their first office at Alexanderplatz and convinced old school friend Jonathan Nickl to help developthe Tradesmen App. The first prototype of the Meisterwerk App the twoentrepreneurs financed with savings. When it came to setting up their owndevelopment team and bringing CTO Cliff Birtwell on board, they started lookingfor funding. In the process, they came across signals, an initiative by SignalIduna to promote start-ups and the signals Founder Fellowship Program.
Funding Programs
ThesignalsFounder Fellowship includes not only funding but also a three-months coachingprogram. "The coaches at signals have their own experience with starting abusiness. Their advice to us wasextremely targeted and very individual. This has taken our business a big step forward, especially in sales, explains Bertram. After the funding program,signals and additional partners decided to invest in the startup.
Saskia, Co-Lead at signals, is convinced of the team.
"Meisterwerk came to us with a great idea and lots of industry experience plus the necessary product expertise. We are really happy about the successful development from Founder Fellowship to a successful pre-seed investment and now also about the good response from customers."
Salespartnership
TheStartupClient responsible for the Founder Fellowship program established contactbetween Meisterwerk and the socalled "Journey" unit. This unit is looking foradded value solutions for its target group: construction and expansion. SIGNALIDUNA has historically grown as an insurance company for Tradesmen,explains Project Lead and Journey owner Stefan Schneider. Handitrade businesses are among our oldest and largestgroups of customers. We would like to offer them digital services that supporttheir business beyond just insurance." That makes Signal Iduna the ideal partnerfor the distribution of the Tradesmen App. And so the COLLABORATION now reachesthe next level. Starting this summer the insurers sales team will include the MeisterwerkApp in its product portfolio. Thus enabling many more trade businesses to access the Meisterwerk App.
Nick and Bertram agree: "We are really proud of thisenriching partnership and totally look forward to working together."