TELE.EXIS 2000, December 2000  (translated from German)

Nutzwerk GmbH was founded in 1997 with renowned partners like Bluechip GmbH, KomSa Kommunikationstechnik GmbH and DVZ Halle GmbH. With the incorporation of the new business partners and business angels, Mr Günter Etschel (IPO Consultant from Munich) and Mr Rainer Michl (10 years as Microsoft Manager and Sales Manager Eastern Europe) as new partners in November 1999, the conditions for expanding the competences and business structures had been created. At the moment Nutzwerk GmbH has 9 permanent employees and 6 freelancers working for them.

isw: In your opinion, what characteristics does the founder of a new business need in order to be successful?

Wonneberger: You have to have an idea in your head that's a guarantee for success and put it together with a strong will. You have to be able to adjust yourself flexibly to external conditions, to try out yourself and to draw up a concept occasionally. Another chance for successfully setting up a new business is the practically orientated training of future entrepreneurs. From my personal experience I would give priority to personality training of entrepreneurs, because I know that the best idea is no use if you can't sell it. Therefore a professional training with negotiation practise is essential to prepare potential founders for business reality.

isw: How are you currently putting your recipe for success into action?

Wonneberger: Product development and finding suitable partners are the most important tasks of Nutzwerk GmbH at the moment. But also talks with potential cooperation partners are necessary in order to find the right partners. For example, we have taken up contact with internationally acting strategic partners like Daimler Chrysler, debis, Alcatel, and Siemens.

Nutzwerk Informationsgesellschaft GmbH
Rene Holzer (born in 1966) is visionary, CEO and head of development of Nutzwerk GmbH. Thanks to him a new technology under the name of OrangeGate was developed. It excels by offering a worldwide standard and is compared in the trade press with products from companies like Lotus and IBM.

"As partner to success"

isw: How can setting up new businesses influence the economic development of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt?

Holzer: Inspirations from outside are essential for the development in Saxony-Anhalt, since it won't be possible for structurally weak federal states to develop themselves from inside. If future developments are to be successful, businesses will have to orientate themselves by international standards and therefore by an up to date know-how. Even on the worldwide market businesses are only attractive if they meet the current standards. I think that against this background the present situation is quite difficult but leaves room for hope at the same time.

isw: Which factors are crucial for a successful foundation of a new business?

Holzer: It doesn't necessarily require a new idea – further development of existing technologies and the creation of new flexible solutions also offer good prospects for establishing oneself on the market. Apart from personal strengths and a polished marketing I see chances for success on the market by forming an alliance. To join forces, thereby merging ideas, products, and financing with other components is very effective. The formation of partner pools where everyone has their own responsibilities is a very effective way of successfully setting up a business. For me the telemedial platform of the model project for founders of new business is the perfect base for incorporating outside knowledge into the current process.