Angela: Taking you back 5 years, would you have thought that Zippsafe would be where it is now?

Carlo: I had hoped so. I am even more pleased now that we have developed so greatly. Based on different statistics, as a start-up company, you have to be aware that only 50% survive the 5th year. It is also a fact that just 4% of all start-ups reach one million in sales. We managed to do both, which I recognize as a privilege and appreciate very much. 

Angela: Let's look back on the last 5 years ... What are the most important key learnings in the development of Zippsafe?

Carlo: Building a business is not a sprint, but a high alpine marathon. It is exhausting and requires a well-thought-out plan. There were always big challenges, but we were able to overcome them thanks to our strong team culture as well as extraordinary ambitions. One challenge was finding the strategically important product-market fit. To do this, we had to identify customer needs, as well as which market segment to prioritize. In the beginning, we approached potential customers and industries randomly. However, we quickly learned how fundamentally important a targeted and strategically well-considered market entry is. The magic word is “focus”. It is better to occupy a niche properly than to tackle a broad market half-heartedly.

Angela: What were the biggest milestones for you in the history of Zippsafe so far?

Carlo: The first major milestones were building the first prototype and patenting the technology. Another important achievement was the first sale of a system. This was followed by the first round of financing and moving into our first official office. Later came milestones in the area of product development, such as online connectivity or the launch of the ZippManager software. However, the expansion abroad and the achievement of a product-market fit throughout the DACH region are also significant.

Angela: What factors make Zippsafe successful?

Carlo: I believe it is the combination of a good idea with clear added value and the right people. Fortunately, we have the ability to always bring on board people with a lot of talent, tireless energy, and joy for adventure. It never ceases to amaze me what we achieve as a company and what exciting initiatives Zippsafe employees come up with - now even without my knowledge. For example, last week I came into the office in the morning and suddenly there was a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. These things make me extremely happy.

Angela: If we look into the future, what are the biggest goals for the next 5 years?

Carlo: On the one hand, we want to expand further. In addition to the DACH region, we also want to establish ourselves in the BENELUX countries. After that, NORDICS, the UK, and especially the USA will follow. On the other hand, I am looking forward to a number of product innovations, which are already deposited in the pipeline and are just waiting to be implemented as soon as sufficient resources are available. So you can be curious, we have some innovations and developments planned. I can also reveal that although we are experts in the field of soft lockers, we are not only developing storage solutions for employees... 

Looking back at the last 5 years of Zippsafe, we can see an exciting success story. Starting with a rudimentary prototype, we now enable the digital management of locker systems in several countries. Few start-ups achieve such success - at Zippsafe, it's probably the mix of a product that solves pressing customer problems and the people behind it who tirelessly drive further growth. We are curious to see where the journey will take us in the next 5 years.