Start-ups The Chemistry is Right
The start-up Mechanolution wants to revolutionize the chemical industry. The founding team reveals what ingredients make their collaboration so successful.
At first glance, you might think that the start-up project of Desislava Dobreva and Sebastian Grothaus is all about differences. While the Bulgarian-born researcher Desislava Dobreva is passionate about chemistry, her co-founder Sebastian Grothaus is a seasoned entrepreneur. The two of them have been working together on the Mechanolution start-up project for a year. Using mechanochemistry, they are revolutionizing chemical synthesis and producing substances in a cost-effective 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.
Mrs. Dobreva, you moved from Bulgaria to Bochum in 2017 for your Master’s degree. You are both currently setting up your start-up at Ruhr University. What is your experience of working in an international team?
Desislava Dobreva: One major issue is the language. We agreed right from the start that we’d speak German with each other whenever possible. However, when things need to move faster or be discussed in more detail, we switch to English. We do both benefit from this, as Sebastian has improved his English and I’ve improved my German as a result.
Sebastian Grothaus: Language is important, of course, but it’s not the only aspect relevant to working together in an international team. There are also other differences, such as the way 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 make a difference with our start-up. We both have a strong work ethic and can rely on each other. That makes it really easy to work together.
It sounds like you have a lot in common. Mr. Grothaus, you are a business expert and run several companies. Mrs. Dobreva, the idea for the start-up is based on your research. So, would you say that you complement each other in your team?
Sebastian Grothaus: I’ve been an entrepreneur for ten years and am therefore in charge of sales and finance at Mechanolution. Before I met Desi, I knew nothing about chemistry. But now I’m getting to grips with it. It’s all about combining our skills in a meaningful way. The entrepreneurial mindset is something we have in common. We both really enjoy building something.
I’d say we complement each other, but we also have a lot in common.
Desislava Dobreva: People often think that it has to be an ”either or”: You’re either a scientist or an entrepreneur. In a team, each person has a different focus, of course, but that doesn’t mean that everyone goes off in a different direction and they never overlap. I’d say we complement each other, but we also have a lot in common.
Does this mean that sharing an “entrepreneurial mindset” is crucial for a successful collaboration?
Sebastian Grothaus: The word “mindset” is sometimes overemphasized and overused. I’m convinced that you can learn anything with enough dedication, perseverance and the right attitude. You also need to gain experience, of course. With this combination, anyone can become an entrepreneur. But you also have to move forward, try new things and take risks. Then, it won’t matter which title you put on your CV.
Mr. Grothaus, you met Mrs. Dobreva at the end of 2023. At the time, you were giving a 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 in which I was looking for new opportunities. I’ve been involved in 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 mechanochemistry is enormous. At the same time, I was inspired by Desi’s motivation: a great impact, a great product and a great co-founder – all of this made me want to get involved.
What exactly is mechanochemistry and what potential does this process have for society and the environment?
Desislava Dobreva: In chemical synthesis, you combine several substances, add solvents and get a new end product. Mechanochemical synthesis enables a different approach by utilizing mechanical energy. This energy is generated, for example, by balls moving inside the reaction vessels of ball mills or, as in our case, by a twin-screw extruder. The mechanical force is created by two co-rotating screws, similar to those used for making pasta.
Our process results in energy savings of up to 90 percent.
The advantage of mechanochemical synthesis is that it uses much less energy and the reaction times are shorter. If you look at absolute figures, it leads to huge energy savings, CO2 savings and solvent savings. Our process results in 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 be the main users of your innovation?
Desislava Dobreva: Cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies that produce locally. The products that we synthesize using mechanochemistry are used in precisely these sectors. They include creams and oral hygiene products, for example.
Sebastian Grothaus: Our business model is to manufacture products in-house that are useful for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Mechanochemistry is nothing new. But the process for producing key ingredients – that’s the innovation Desi has been working on.
You’ve 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’m delighted that Sebastian and I met and became a team so quickly.
The continuous progress is our greatest success.
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, hit obstacles or go their separate ways. There are so many components you have to work on to start a business. Yesterday we pitched for funding, and we were asked how our start-up has evolved over the last six months. That gave us the opportunity to talk about many improvements: We understand our team, the market and our pricing better. The continuous progress is our greatest success.
What does it mean to you to be awarded as one of the best start-ups of Ruhr University Bochum at the 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 to the top 5. When we didn’t hear our name for the fifth and fourth place, I got nervous. I’d never have thought we’d come in second. One of the judges, who has a background in chemistry, made the biggest impression on me. He was the one who presented us with a huge check for 1,000 euros and said that what we were doing was extremely 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 mechanochemistry.
The combination of promise and delivery is the key to building a start-up.
Successful collaboration requires ...
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 be kept. This combination of promise and delivery is the key to building a start-up.
The Founding Team