From zero to hero during the Corona pandemic. As odd as it might sound, this is the entrepreneurial story of Roman Stämpfli, who looked for a new business opportunity during the lockdown. After 15 successful years in the automotive industry, he left his corporate career in 2015 to start an event company. At that time, no one could have predicted that by 2020, the event and trade fair sector would no longer be profitable. Thus, a swift, innovative business idea was needed – and bluu AG was founded.
A sustainable laundry detergent in strip form, biodegradable, and completely plastic-free, making the heavy lifting of shopping obsolete. Such a product did not exist in Switzerland before bluu, and it seems the country was just waiting for this cleaner. Roman's company now employs 11 people, reached a turnover of more than 1 million swiftly – and notably achieved break-even just 2 months (!) after launch – and his product is now also sold in Germany, Austria, and France. Did he achieve all this alone? No, from the beginning, he had his co-founder and business partner Marko Vidmar by his side. And then there was the EO Accelerator, the program by EO Zürich.
For young companies in the growth phase – the place to be
"In the build-up phase of our company, I was looking for a supportive network and happened upon EO by chance. I decided to join the Accelerator program to learn how to optimally run and grow a business," Roman shares. While most startup support focuses on the early founding phases, the EO Accelerator aims to assist CEO newcomers in terms of company expansion and sales increase. And this is rather exceptional in the Swiss startup landscape with all its hubs, incubators, and think tanks, as Ramona Lieser knows too. Before joining EO as a program manager, she had worked in the startup scene for many years. She highly values the Accelerator's unique feature – introducing mostly inexperienced entrepreneurs to scaling-up. "Since our members have developed beyond the Early-Stage phase, we can offer intensive training at a more advanced level, always focusing on strategy, execution, cash, and people," reports Ramona. The so-called Learning Days are particularly beneficial for members throughout the program year.
Experience Share 2.0 – From the Accelerator to EO Zurich
When asked about his personal benefits, Roman especially mentions one aspect: "The exchange of experience with other companies in the Accelerator is invaluable. These are people dealing with the same issues and facing similar challenges. We reflect together on problems and their solutions. And all this happens in a completely confidential, closed circle."
After a year in the Accelerator, the bluu founder joins the "big" Entrepreneurs' Organization. Now that his turnover is high enough, he was admitted as a member according to the applicable admission criteria. He looks forward to the getting-to-know-you phase – and is eager for future exchanges in his forum group and the transfer of knowledge from new content.
