Gib mir deinen Saft: auf der Suche nach Spirituosen Start-Ups

Gute Ideen sind immer gefragt und heutzutage hat sich die Selbstständigkeit mittels Crowdfunding und Internet von der Geldbörse der eigenen Eltern emanzipiert. Vor allem, was den Bereich Food betrifft hat sich einiges getan und anscheinend hat auch das Silicon Valley Hunger bekommen. Dieses Blog widmet sich auch der Frage, warum und wie sich Leute in diesem Bereich verselbstständigen.
Neben dem eigenen Risiko suchen aber immer mehr Unternehmen Ideen zu fördern, um die eigene Marke anzureichern, mit frischem Blut zu versehen und für Bargespräche zu sorgen. Eine schöne Übersicht dazu hat Jan-Peter in einem Blogbeitrag zusammengestellt und auch gleichzeitig eine Initiative rund um den Spirituosenkonzern Diageo präsentiert, mit der auch ich in Kontakt gekommen bin: http://www.distillventures.com/.
Um die Hintergründe und Möglichkeiten dieses ‚Unternehmens-Beschleunigers‘ für deutsche Brenner, Ansetzer und Schnapsdrosseln besser zu verstehen, konnte ich einige Fragen an Irina Albita stellen. Die Aktion läuft noch und wer auch immer seine Schnapsidee pushen möchte, sei hiermit eingeladen.
What’s the story behind this initiative?
Distill Ventures started with Frank and Shilen’s previous work and personal experiences in the spirits industry. Seeing a friend’s struggles to launch a new gin brand on the British market made them turn for the first time the accelerator model that is used so widely in tech startups (Techstars, Y Combinator) to the use of spirits entrepreneurs. They went and approached Diageo with the idea of a partnership and the rest is history.
Distill Ventures is structured as a joint-venture with Diageo, who provide the cash investment for the startup businesses. It is owned and run by Independents United (Frank and Shilen’s business), a London-based innovation company who already have investments in around 15 startups.
At what point can I participate in the program?
The Seed Programme is aimed at companies who are still developing their product, companies that have just launched, companies which have been selling for a while but need help and investment to launch a full sales and marketing plan.
So we are targeting brands who have already launched and who are in development and about to launch, where they have an amazing idea and the right team to make it happen.
The Growth Programme is aimed at companies which are showing strong sales growth and which need capital and expertise to help them to go to the next level. To apply for the Growth Programme you need to be able to show at least six months sales data showcasing strong growth.
Are you interested in local specialities (like Obstler, etc.) or is there a need that the product is attractive for international use?
While we do encourage a strong local identity and story behind the product, we are looking for entrepreneurs that have a clear vision of how they can grow their brand globally. As the Seed Programme offers the option to the entrepreneur of an exit with Diageo in five years time, we want to help those entrepreneurs that aim big and want to scale globally.
Do you have some more details on your event in Berlin?
Distill Ventures is coming to Berlin on the 23rd and 24th of September at the Michelberger Hotel. On the 23rd there will be a full morning of scheduled appointments with interested entrepreneurs and from 5-7pm a drinks reception and short presentation. On the 24th, in the first part of the day, we welcome any other new entrepreneurs to come and meet us.
The purpose of the Berlin Roadshow is to highlight the launch of Distill Ventures to everyone in the industry across Germany, to ensure that the best companies and brands know about Distill Ventures and consider applying to the Seed Programme or the Growth Programme.
What’s the perfect start-up story you want to create?
We are aiming  that the five startup companies joining our Seed Programme are still developing their products, or have just launched in their home markets. We will be exposing them to an intensive six months in London of masterclasses and workshops and together with a mix of cash investment and access to expertise we want to help them launch and grow as the great spirits brands of the future. Once finishing the programme the companies will either join our Growth Programme or continue taking advantage of the newly made contacts and network to establish themselves internationally.
Kategorie : Inspiratio.n, Konzepte
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