Interview "From Studies to Career Entry"

For many students and graduates, start-ups offer a good opportunity to gain work experience in a small and dynamic environment. With their focus on innovation and an often environmentally friendly and socially responsible orientation, start-ups are very popular with many as employers.

The two graduates Angelina W. and Julia M. also decided to work in a start-up. In both companies, great attention is paid to ecological sustainability, not only in the products, but also in the working environment. The vision of both start-ups is to create sustainable, future-oriented mobility. In order to get a better impression of the way of working in a sustainably oriented start-up, as well as to better understand their mission and orientation, the graduates were interviewed.

Angelina: Hello, thank you very much for the invitation. I'm Angelina and I recently finished my Bachelor's degree in International Management in Augsburg. Since the end of last year, I have been working at the start-up Hopper Mobility, which has developed a hybrid bicycle and car to counteract the current traffic and climate problems. I also wrote my bachelor's thesis on brand management for start-ups there.

Julia: Hello, thank you very much for the invitation. My name is Julia and I have been working at CHARGE-V GmbH for a few months. During my studies, I was already able to gain some work experience at this start-up as a student trainee and was able to start as a permanent employee directly after finishing my business studies.

Where and how did you first come into contact with the topic of sustainability?

Angelina: The topic of sustainability really came to me during a trip to Asia four years ago, when I saw how much rubbish, especially plastic, is floating around in the sea there and how serious the effects of our throwaway society are on people and the environment. That's why I try to do without plastic as much as possible, reuse things as often as possible and generally pay attention to my consumer behaviour. With the start-up Hopper Mobility, I noticed that the will is there to bring about a positive change in one of the most crucial areas for an ecologically sustainable future: namely mobility.

Julia: Since the environment and creating a better future were very important to me at a young age, I already changed my eating and consumer behaviour some time ago. I have also worked on various sustainability projects throughout my school career to help reduce my ecological footprint. During my studies, I focused mostly on my career prospects. When I learned about the start-up CHARGE-V, I was pleasantly surprised to find that, in addition to economic goals, ecological goals are also firmly anchored in the company's mission statement. For me, this was an opportunity to contribute to a better future not only in my private life, but also professionally.

What does the start-up you work for do?

Angelina: Hopper Mobility is a start-up from Augsburg that focuses on the field of urban mobility and develops an environmentally friendly, practical means of transport, the Hopper. The Hopper is a three-wheeled covered pedelec (e-bike), with a back seat, boot and weather protection, which allows the use of cycle paths, while being manoeuvrable and comfortable. The Hopper is therefore a bicycle with high flexibility and agility combined with the comfort of a car. Our vision is to contribute to sustainable future mobility in urban areas by providing a vehicle that can replace the everyday car in the city.

Julia: CHARGE-V GmbH is a Munich-based start-up founded in 2019 and is part of the VISPIRON GmbH group of companies. CHARGE-V is a manufacturer of fast charging columns and offers charging systems suitable for indoor and outdoor use that enable sustainable business models by linking electromobility and the energy industry. These systems usually consist of a power unit and up to 3 additional terminals, each equipped with a DC fast charging point (up to 160 kW) and an AC charging point (up to 22 kW). With their future-oriented technology, the products are a sustainable solution in the field of mobility for solar park operators, companies with e-car fleets, filling stations, municipal utilities, shops and many more.

What are the USP's of the company? What makes the start-up unique?

Angelina: What makes the Hopper unique is that the exterior aspects of the Hopper are really very reminiscent of those of a car: a body almost completely surrounds the vehicle, thereby protecting the occupants from external influences. Inside, too, the seating position, steering wheel and seat are strongly oriented towards the comfortable driving experience of a car. 220l of space for cargo, or the possibility of transporting two children or one adult person, allow a high degree of adaptation to everyday life and to the needs of the users. In contrast to a car, our Hopper can not only be driven on roads, but also on bicycle paths, because it is throttled to 25 km/h and is no bigger than a cargo bike. Finding a parking space is also much easier with the Hopper: four Hoppers fit into one car parking space. A great effect of this is the reduced land consumption, which means that more space can be created in the city for green areas and recreation as well as for socialising. For me personally, Hopper Mobility is also exceptional because of the great team behind it. Together, through motivation and cohesion, such a product was developed, literally out of a small garage.

Julia: CHARGE-V offers its customers a complete charging system that currently meets all requirements of current subsidies. In addition, the complete system increases the additional revenue from the GHG reduction quota. The possibility of exploiting both financing options and the systems suitable for this make the start-up unique. Another USP of the company is the possibility of modular adaptation. Due to the expansion to max. 24 x 20 kW, future charging requirements can be met and the customer can make a demand-based as well as individual adjustment of the charging power of their products. However, one of the most important USP's is the affiliation to the VISPIRON GmbH group of companies. Through an optimal exchange of knowledge between all the companies involved, the creation of project-specific procedures and solutions is made possible.

Was the start-up's focus on sustainability decisive for your decision to work there?

Angelina: For me, it was absolutely important that the company I work for corresponds to my values and acts in an environmentally friendly and socially responsible way. I see both aspects fulfilled at Hopper Mobility, as the Hopper offers a CO2-saving as well as affordable means of transport. The ecologically sustainable orientation, the innovative product paired with a visionary team convinced me of Hopper Mobility.

Julia: When I was looking for a student job during my studies, it was important to me that my future employer acts sustainably. However, the fact that CHARGE-V's products also promote sustainable mobility made me completely enthusiastic about the company. Up to that point, I could not imagine that achieving both goals (ecological and economic aspects) would be possible at all. In summary, I chose CHARGE-V as my employer becau

In your opinion, what makes the products of "CHARGE-V" or "Hopper Mobility" and the company itself sustainable?

Angelina: Compared to a car, the Hopper can save up to 100% CO2 as well as 92% of the resources that would be needed for a car, depending on the electricity mix. The goal is to create a product that is as robust and durable as possible, which can become part of a circular economy in the long term, also for example by using bio-based materials in the body. Due to the Hopper's low space consumption in contrast to a car, fewer surfaces need to be sealed or can be broken up again. In the long term, the Hopper thus contributes to greener and more liveable cities. Through our cooperation with other ecologically sustainable projects and companies, as well as through our communication channels, we promote the discussion around environmentally friendly mobility.

Julia: The charging stations from CHARGE-V are driving the switch to electromobility and thus a transport turnaround. This means that the focus is not only on climate-neutral mobility and energy, but also on actively reducing CO2. The start-up CHARGE-V and the VISPIRON GmbH group of companies have been completely climate-neutral since 2014, creating a total CO2 saving of approximately 20,000 tonnes per year. In addition to supporting environmental projects, e.g. supporting the World Future Council, the company is involved in social projects, e.g. supporting KIKUS, the Jane Goodall Institute and the cemetery service.

What are your future expectations for a job in sustainable companies?

Angelina: What I want from working in a sustainable company is that the topic is really lived and implemented across all areas of the company. A common vision of all employees is important for me, as well as social and open interaction with each other.

Julia: My hopes and expectations are that there will no longer be a distinction between sustainable and non-sustainable companies. Instead, it should be completely established in the business world in the future and be considered the standard to act sustainably. Furthermore, I would like to see that not only the company itself, but also the products have an economic and at the same time sustainable sense.

What advice do you have for other students who are about to choose a career and employer? (regarding a start-up and the sustainable sector)

Angelina: My tip would be to look for companies that share your attitudes and beliefs. I am convinced that we feel much better when we see a greater meaning in our work than the purely financial one. In addition, the environment of the employees is of course very important. In my opinion, smaller companies with flatter hierarchies and an innovative focus are a good way to work in an interdisciplinary way. You get a completely different overview through the close cooperation with other areas and learn an incredible amount in the process. That's why I can also highly recommend working in start-ups as a career entry.

Julia: Graduates tend to focus more on monetary requirements when looking for an employer. However, CHARGE-V and the VISPIRON Group prove that other goals besides the financial aspect can be achieved at the same time. In addition, I can only advise every student who is about to choose a career and employer to start at a start-up. As an employee in a small or newly founded company, there tends to be more of an opportunity to actively contribute to change and pioneering adjustments. One's own work has a direct impact, which is why one's own work can be seen as extremely relevant. Because of this responsibility and the opportunities, extensive professional experience can be gained.

Did the interview arouse your interest to get to know CHARGE-V or to start working in a start-up in general? We can only recommend this step because of the many advantages.

If you are interested in the working environment at CHARGE-V, we look forward to receiving your application!