Mitteldeutsche Zeitung, April 19, 2001 (translated from German)
The end of the moorhen hunters
It works without subsidies: Nutzwerk GmbH
Halle/MZ. To take away the fear of modern means of communication – that's one of the main concerns of Nutzwerk GmbH, based in Halle and Leipzig. The company, which was founded in 1997 and today is one of the 100 most successful start-ups in Germany, specializes in simple and safe solutions for the internet. Patents have been applied for 4 inventions. The most outstanding example is the internet operating system OrangeGate. It allows existing networks to be connected fast and easily to the internet. Besides, it is possible to define set rules for every individual computer. Ramona Wonneberger, managing director, sees it this way: "There are no more online games like moorhen hunting in our office". Today, Nutzwerk is in a good position. When the two managing directors – Ramona Wonneberger und René Holzer – joined forces in 1997, they needed a lot of staying power. Certainly, they both had been self-employed before and knew what was in store for them. "However, it was still a hard way", says the young woman. She tells us about many sleepless nights when they had run out of money again. The entrepreneurs applied in vain for subsidies from the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. But they were able to get a private investor interested in their business idea. He placed DM 100,000 (about 50,000 euros) as start-up capital at their disposal. "During the first year we were only developing," says the 38-year-old. The managing directors only allowed themselves a salary of DM 1,000 (about 500 euros). Their only employee got a little bit more. It took a while until they were able to win over the banks. They finally made the breakthrough in the spring of 1999 – at the trade fair for telecommunications and computers in Leipzig. By now, Nutzwerk also feels at home at the CeBIT in Hanover. They found new sponsors and consultants. In order to speed up the growth of the company, Nutzwerk sold twelve percent of its shares at the end of last year. A short while ago a company branch was opened in Leipzig, which offers an "adequate environment" to its 13 permanent employees and 6 freelancers, many of whom are newcomers from other branches. By the way - Ramona Wonneberger doesn't take offense at the fact that Nutzwerk didn't receive any subsidies at the time. No doubt, "a bit more courage would be desirable up there", she thinks. But founders of a new business should never rely on help from the state. In the end every entrepreneur is responsible for themselves.
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