Was macht eigentlich das Travel Start-up nieds?

Könnt ihr euer Start-up in einem Satz beschreiben?

Nieds is a social-impact booking platform where curious travelers can book meaningful experiences directly with local residents in a transparent way.

In your opinion, what sets you apart and makes you stand out from the competition?

Our social impact clearly sets us apart, as it is deeply embedded in our business model. Our focus on meaningful tourism distinguishes us from our competitors—not only through our strong commitment to sustainability, fair profit-sharing, and comprehensive community support, but also through our fully transparent booking process and the deep connection we build with local culture and people during every experience. This is how we ensure that all our experiences create meaningful and unforgettable moments on every trip, making a positive difference for every destination and community.

Bei welcher Gelegenheit kam die Unternehmensidee?

Ever since I was a child, thanks to my parents, I’ve had the privilege of traveling the world and experiencing the wonderful tourism industry. This experience shaped me, and I later earned a degree in tourism and event management. However, throughout all my experiences, I have noticed that the tourism industry is missing something—on the one hand, moments that make experiences more unique and authentic, but on the other hand, a sustainable approach that makes a real difference for the destination.

I’ve always known that sustainability in travel shouldn’t be about offsetting carbon emissions, but rather a transparent initiative that travelers can feel, see, and experience firsthand. I have often asked myself: What are the moments that have stayed with me from my travels? In most cases, it is moments of deep connection that linger—meaningful connections to the local culture, to strangers, to family and friends, or even to oneself.

All of these considerations gave rise to an idea that led to the founding of my company. I wanted to create moments that are both unforgettable and sustainable—moments that benefit not only me as a traveler, but also the local people and the environment. I believe that experiences which combine all these elements are precisely the ones from which everyone involved in the value chain can benefit the most. It’s about creating connections that go deeper than superficial tourist attractions. It’s about creating moments that shape us as travelers and help us grow.

Was war der beste Ratschlag, den ihr fürs Gründen bekommen habt?

One of my favorite authors is Simon Sinek, who writes in his book *Together is Better*: “Working hard at something we’re not interested in is called stress. Working hard at something we love is called passion.” This advice has really motivated me to do what makes me happy and helps make the world a better place.

Was war bisher euer größtes Erfolgserlebnis und was die größte Herausforderung?

My greatest sense of accomplishment stems, on the one hand, from the fact that—despite lacking foundational technical expertise—I was able to bring a working product to market through hard work and determination. On the other hand, my vision of meaningful tourism has already earned me initial recognition within the industry. Nevertheless, the technical development required to realize my vision of nieds continues to pose a major challenge for me.

Was sind eure Pläne für die nächsten Monate?

One of my goals for the coming months is to build an initial community of experience providers in and around the Berlin area, with whom I can test our social revenue model. I also need initial investment to expand the team and position the brand.

Angenommen ihr bekommt eine Finanzierung in Höhe von 500.000 Euro. Was würdet ihr mit dem Geld machen?

With €500,000 in funding, I would finally have the opportunity to effectively position my brand and vision in the market and improve our technical infrastructure.

Thanks to this investment, I was able not only to expand the booking platform and optimize the customer experience, but also to build an initial team dedicated to promoting our vision, growing our community, and establishing partnerships with local NGOs.

I am convinced that our vision is unique and promising. I want to offer our customers not only a unique booking experience, but also to promote a sustainable and responsible way of traveling. We believe that travel offers a wonderful opportunity to connect people and cultures while protecting the environment.

With this initial investment, we could finally turn this vision into reality, establish our brand in the market, and help bring about the first positive changes in destinations.

Where do you see further potential for innovation in the tourism industry? 

I still see significant potential for innovation in the way we integrate the local community into our tourism products. Our concept of meaningful tourism can be applied not only to tours and activities, but can also make the hospitality industry, event planning, and the broader travel sector not only more sustainable but also more valuable for travelers and the destinations themselves. We now find ourselves in an experience economy where pure service products are no longer sufficient. Everything must be transformed into an experience for the end customer—an experience that is meaningful and memorable. Additionally, the shift toward increasingly sustainable purchasing decisions among millennials and subsequent generations must be taken into account. Both of these can be implemented in every sector of the tourism industry by working hand in hand with the local community, integrating them, and enabling a fair value chain.

Welche Tipps würdet ihr anderen Gründern mit auf den Weg geben?

My advice to founders is not to worry too much about the competition when building a product. There will always be competitors in every market. Either they already exist, or they’ll emerge as soon as you launch your own product. If you focus solely on the competition, you’ll end up in a price war in the long run—a situation where no one can win. It is far more valuable and successful in the long run to focus on the company’s deeper purpose and your own passion, because only then will you be able to build lasting customer loyalty.