Start-up Mechanolution wants to revolutionize the chemical industry
In an interview, the founding team reveals what makes their collaboration successful
At first glance, you might think that Desislava Dobreva and Sebastian Grothaus' start-up project is primarily characterized by differences. While Bulgarian-born scientist Desislava Dobreva has a passion for chemistry, her co-founder Sebastian Grothaus has been an entrepreneur for many years. They have been working together for a year on their start-up project Mechanolution. With the help of mechanochemistry, they are revolutionizing chemical synthesis and producing substances in a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way. In this interview, they explain why it makes no sense to think in terms of strict opposites and what makes their collaboration successful.
The founding team of Sebastian Grothaus and Desislava Dobreva is one of the Ruhr University's top start-ups.
© Michael Schwettmann
Ms. Dobreva, you moved from Bulgaria to Bochum in 2017 for your Master's degree. You are both currently setting up your start-up at the Ruhr University. How do you experience working in an international team?
Desislava Dobreva: One special feature is the language. We agreed right from the start that we would speak German with each other whenever possible. However, when things sometimes need to move a little faster or need to be discussed in more detail, we switch to English. This is actually an advantage for both of us, as it has already allowed Sebastian to improve his English and me to improve my German.
Sebastian Grothaus: Language is of course an important aspect, but it's not the only one that shapes collaboration in an international team. There are also differences, for example, in how things are tackled and processed. As far as Desi and I are concerned, I think we have a lot in common. We are both very motivated and want to achieve something with our start-up. We both have a good work ethic and can rely on each other. That makes working together really easy.
It sounds like you have a lot in common. Mr. Grothaus, you are a business expert and run several companies. Ms. Dobreva, the idea for the start-up is based on your research work. So would you say you complement each other in your team?
Sebastian Grothaus: I have been an entrepreneur for ten years and therefore also deal with topics such as sales and finance at Mechanolution. Before I met Desi, I had no idea about chemistry. But now I'm working intensively on it. So it's about throwing our skills into a pot in which everything blends together in a meaningful way. The entrepreneurial mindset is something we have in common. We both really enjoy building something.
Desislava Dobreva: People often say "either or". People think you are either a scientist or an entrepreneur. Of course, in a team, one focuses more on the other, but that doesn't mean that everyone just goes their own way and they never overlap. So I would say that we complement each other and at the same time have a lot in common.
Does that mean that a shared "entrepreneurial mindset" is crucial for successful collaboration?
Sebastian Grothaus: The word "mindset" is sometimes overemphasized and overused. I am convinced that you can learn anything with enough dedication, perseverance and the right attitude. Of course, you also need to gain experience. With this combination, anyone can become an entrepreneur. But you also have to move forward, try new things and be courageous. Then it doesn't matter what word is on your CV.
Mr. Grothaus, you met Ms. Dobreva at the end of 2023. Back then, you were giving sales coaching to the founders of the FACE incubator. What convinced you of Ms. Dobreva's start-up idea?
Sebastian Grothaus: When I met Desi, I was in a phase where I was looking around to see where I could get involved. I have been committed to sustainable and social entrepreneurship for years. My philosophy is that companies are not just there to make a lot of money, but should also have a positive impact on the environment and society. The potential of the mechanochemistry we use is huge. At the same time, I was inspired by Desi's motivation. A great impact, a great product and a great co-founder - I was tempted to say I'd get on board.
What exactly is mechanochemistry and what potential does this process hold for society and the environment?
Desislava Dobreva: Chemical synthesis usually involves combining several substances, adding solvents and obtaining a new end product. Mechanochemical synthesis enables a different approach by using mechanical energy. This energy is generated, for example, in ball mills by the collision of the balls inside the reaction vessels or, as in our case, by a twin-screw extruder. Here, energy is generated by two screws rotating in the same direction, similar to the production of pasta.
The advantage of mechanochemical synthesis is that much less energy is consumed and the reaction times are shorter. If you look at the absolute figures, this results in huge amounts of energy savings, CO2 savings and solvent savings. With our process, we achieve energy savings of up to 90 percent and can save thousands of liters of solvent per cycle. It also allows us to establish local production and tackle the problem of long, opaque supply chains.
Who will mainly use your innovation?
Desislava Dobreva: Cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies that produce locally. The products that we synthesize using mechanochemistry are used in precisely these industries. These are creams or oral hygiene products, for example.
Sebastian Grothaus: Our business model initially envisages that we ourselves manufacture the products that are useful for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The mechanochemistry itself is not new, but the process for producing important ingredients is the innovation that Desi has been working on.
You have been working together on your start-up project for almost a year. Looking back, is there anything you are particularly proud of?
Desislava Dobreva: It was really difficult for me to find a suitable co-founder. So I would say that I am glad and happy that Sebastian and I met and became a team so quickly. That is very valuable.
Sebastian Grothaus: That really is a great success. We are a team that works well together and pursues the same goals. Many teams struggle with this because they have different plans, come up against obstacles or go their separate ways. There are so many components you have to work on to really make a company work. Yesterday we gave a pitch to get funding and we were asked how our start-up has developed over the last six months. We were able to report so many improvements. We understand our team, the market and our pricing better. This continuous progress is our biggest success.
What does it mean to you to have been recognized as one of the best start-ups at Ruhr University at WORLDFACTORY Demo Day 2024?
Desislava Dobreva: We were the eighth team on stage and had already heard a few pitches by then. I thought we had a good chance of making it into the top 5 with Mechanolution. When we didn't make it to fifth place and also didn't make it to fourth place, I got nervous. I would never have thought that we would finish second. The strongest impression was made by one of the jury members who already has experience in the field of chemistry. He was the one who handed us a huge check for 1,000 euros and said that what we were doing was really brave and disruptive and should be rewarded.
Sebastian Grothaus: "For me, it was confirmation that we work well together as a team, even when pitching in front of a large audience. The second place and the feedback from the jury confirmed the great potential of Mechanochemie.
Successful collaboration needs ...
Desislava Dobreva: ... Communication.
Sebastian Grothaus: And trust. You have to be able to rely on each other. Promises, which are part of a start-up project in order to make progress, must also be kept. This combination of promise and delivery is the key to building a start-up.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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