The three students landed spots on the three-semester programme and met each other. In their free time they regularly went for after-work-beers in order to talk about their ideas and projects. The fact that they were always limited to a relatively small repertoire of tastes with regards to the beers available gave the three beer lovers the idea to brew their own. The enthusiasm for their own subject area, which Wolfgang Westermeier was able to see in many professors and tutors at university, was always very inspiring for him. “Naturally this was motivating to find something for yourself that is similarly exciting. For us it was the intention to revolutionize homebrewing.”

TURNING A HOBBY INTO A START-UP

This idea turned into a hobby, which transformed the flat-share kitchen into a brewing lab. Uncountable recipes and elaborate brewing methods were tested and eventually discarded. The young team’s goal was to not only playfully increase the diversity of beers but also to significantly simplify homebrewing itself. “We started to completely reinvent the homebrewing process”, Ping Lu recalls. It was meant to become simple, quick and uncomplicated.

After six months of puzzling, calculating and experimenting the young team was able to brew it’s first beer under the new concept – directly in the keg and within just one week. This way the complicated cleaning and bottling of conventional brewing kits could be avoided. In cooperation with two diploma  master brewers of TUM the taste was fine-tuned as a final step. A wide variety of yeasts, hops and malts were tested and numerous new formulas and beer types with natural flavours from American oak, grapefruit, mango and passion fruit to honey and lemon were customized.

TUM OFFERS A KEY TO SUCCESS

The three young entrepreneurs agree on the fact that the Manage & More programme significantly helped them in developing the idea and setting up the business. “The workshops and start-up support gave us the entrepreneurial tools of trade, and the events gave us the opportunity to present our prototypes”, Wolfgang Westermeier says in retrospect. “The programme also allowed us to build a large network and make contacts with business angels.” But also outside the Centre for Business Creation there are numerous experts at TUM who support young entrepreneurs. “We received technical advice from the Research Centre for Brewing and Food Quality”, says Ping Lu. “TUM’s entire infrastructure made starting a business for us noticeably easier – and might even have made it possible in the first place.”

In return for this support the three founders want to give back to their alma mater and at the same time inspire young students and entrepreneurs. They regularly participate in the TUM events and pass on their knowledge to the younger generations, speak about their business history, the support through the Centre for Business Creation and how to combine studying with starting a business. Today what the three young entrepreneurs tell the young students and entrepreneurs is what helped them make it themselves. They encourage them to be curious, brave and try different things and, most of all, to enjoy the ride. “And once you found something that you enjoy and that you are passionate about”, Dominik Guber says: “Give it your all!”