Company: BeConnect
Founder: Manasse Heidl
Date founded: 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 my vision of shaping change. My motto: "We must question the status quo, have the courage to break new ground, and push boundaries." 

The reason for founding BeConnect:
"Basically, it's always the connections with people that give life its value."

What is your start-up about and what makes it special?
The BeConnect app is about positively changing 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 the immediate vicinity.

What makes BeConnect special is that we leverage the strengths of social media—such as security, simplicity, anonymity, and speed—and transfer them to local networks. Above all, BeConnect makes invisible contact potential in the immediate environment visible, thus creating a new form of communication and contact. Unlike traditional social media platforms, which neglect direct contact, we offer a platform that integrates both virtual information and real-life interactions.

This allows users to connect easily and quickly with people in their immediate environment. BeConnect makes it possible to find and establish contacts through simple interactions – without the barriers of traditional direct contact. Our mission is to make real-world connections as easy as possible and to harness 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 to promote direct connections in an even more targeted and efficient manner.

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 users immerse themselves 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?
One of BeConnect's first successes was the recognition of our business plan, which was named one of the top 10 start-ups in the "Startup Innovativ" program by the Ministry of Economics and the RKW. 

A successful study with Rhein-Main University of Applied Sciences showed 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 in various ecosystems such as universities, business networking events, and festivals as a beta version, with demand currently exceeding our capacity.

What is your professional background?
I come from a down-to-earth background and discovered my passion for performance-oriented activities early on through competitive sports. Even during my school days, I worked in retail, catering, and landscaping. After dropping out of 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 other things. Due to growing interest, we founded a public sports facility and a club in cooperation with the city, and we supported the reform of the Wiesbaden slaughterhouse.

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

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

In 2019, I switched to the digital industry and deepened my interest in start-ups. Over the past five years, I have become increasingly involved in tech/start-up ecosystems and had the opportunity to successfully help build a Wiesbaden-based technology company called "schubwerk" as a founding employee. At the same time, I founded "BeConnect" as a sidepreneur. 

What prompted you to start your own business?
The trigger for starting my business 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 that I could solve an existing problem ultimately led to the founding of my company.

The official founding 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! More than 17 collaborators have been involved in both operational and advisory roles since the project began. In addition, my long-term partner, my family, and friends 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 your first days as a founder?
Founding a company is like a roller coaster ride: there are rapid ascents, exciting descents, and unexpected twists and turns, but in the end, the view of the goal you have achieved is worth all the effort.

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
Especially with innovative tech startups (products and business models), founders have to put in a lot of upfront work to prove their hypothesis and demonstrate that the product and business model actually work. This phase requires a 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. Since our product is initially being used exclusively in selected companies and ecosystems and we are receiving more inquiries than we can currently handle, we are deliberately holding back on our marketing at the moment.

How did you finance your start-up? The company
is currently self-financed. However, we are currently in talks with investors to secure additional funds and further drive growth.

What dream would you still like to realize?
I would like to become more socially involved, especially in developing countries (for example, in India, my mother's country of origin). I would also like to start more sustainable projects and, if possible, companies. 

Please complete the following sentence: If I had more time, I
would... do more sports, travel, read, listen to audiobooks, 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 networking. The right contacts and supporters can make all the difference. Also: It's better to start small and develop your product step by step instead of wanting everything to be perfect. Talk to as many people as possible and create the product based on feedback. Regarding founding a company: Just do it! You rarely learn as much about yourself and other people as you do when starting a business!