Contemplating burnout, cost of train tickets, and self-financing in various branches of the system
Branchly, a Munich-based AI startup, is making waves in the industry with its unique selling point: a dynamic solution that semantically unlocks content and works in multiple languages, surpassing the capabilities of traditional chatbots.
The brainchild of Sebastian Flick, Branchly was founded in 2022, recognizing the limitations of classic chatbots. Flick, who began his career in retail and worked at prestigious stores like Hirmer, Ralph Lauren, Prada, and Hackett, became Munich's youngest store manager. His retail experience, however, led him to a breakdown and a diagnosis of burnout, which propelled him into the world of technology.
Flick's first full-time role in tech was at the Munich AI startup E-Bot7 in 2017, where he played a central role in sales and customer support. Under his leadership, E-Bot7 grew to several hundred customers and 150 employees before being acquired by the US company LivePerson in 2021 for around 70 million dollars.
Branchly, initially launched in stealth mode, officially entered the market at the end of 2023. The startup relies on proprietary search and chat solutions that make company content accessible in up to 101 languages. This feature is particularly important for customers, providing them with better accessibility and data-driven optimization opportunities.
The goal of Branchly is to provide content barrier-free and simultaneously provide valuable insights to companies about the search behavior of their users. Today, Branchly boasts around 30 customers, primarily in Germany and Austria. Particularly important are long-term contracts averaging 24 months, which ensure cash flow security for Branchly.
Financing for Branchly was achieved through founder grants, first paying customers, and personal reserves. Flick's key lesson from his time at E-Bot7: venture capital also means pressure. Therefore, Branchly has been bootstrapped from the start.
Despite the success, Flick acknowledges the challenges faced by startups in Munich, criticizing tax burdens such as the value-added tax requirement or the trade tax, which can be a growth barrier for profitably operating, but still small startups.
In an interview on "Pitch & People", Flick emphasized the human touch, customer loyalty, and trust as crucial, even in the software world. He also shared his extreme stress during his E-Bot7 days, mentioning he spent 200 days on the train and incurred 4,000 euros in second-class train costs.
As Branchly continues to grow and expand, it's clear that Flick's vision for a chatbot that goes beyond language barriers is resonating with businesses seeking a more dynamic and accessible solution.
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