MWTEST

You will find a video portrait at the end

Alexander Weiß and Martin Waizmann are the founders of MWTEST. The GmbH was founded in February 2019. MWTEST is an engineering company that offers its services in the field of chassis function development. But what exactly does this mean? Alexander explains in an illustrative example what their software development is all about.

‘You know the ESP in a car, for example. If you drive round a bend too fast and the rear end breaks away, the ESP brakes one of the front wheels to catch the rear end again. To do this, the ESP uses various sensors that constantly monitor the steering wheel angle and the longitudinal and lateral acceleration. Now imagine if one of these sensors were to provide incorrect information, then it could happen that the ESP pulls the rear around while you are overtaking a lorry on the open road. To prevent such misbehaviour, there are safety mechanisms that monitor the sensors. This area is called functional safety, a speciality.’

Alexander comes from Siegen and studied mechanical engineering there. His co-founder Martin studied mechanical engineering at the Kempten University of Applied Sciences in Bavaria and is originally from Stuttgart. Today, the company's two locations are located at the founders' roots. The Siegen site is responsible for the development of various chassis software components. In Stuttgart, control units are tested and vehicle prototypes are put into operation. There are 5 employees at each of the two sites.

The characteristics of the founders interlock like two cogwheels. What one doesn't have, the other does and vice versa. ‘For example, I'm a perfectionist and Martin is a doer. Together we form the perfect team,’ explains Alexander. The founders work full-time in their company. They financed the start-up from their own (financial) resources. The topic of chassis development is becoming even more relevant when it comes to automated driving. The founders are trying to gain a foothold in this area in the future.

How did you come up with the idea of MWTEST and the associated idea of software development for chassis safety?

During my Master's degree, I increasingly focussed on the automotive industry. I worked as an intern at an automotive manufacturer and later wrote my thesis there too. During this time, I got to know Martin, who had already been working independently in this field for some time. At the time, I was always commuting back and forth between Siegen and Stuttgart and was always looking for an opportunity to work in Siegen again. Unfortunately, there were no jobs in Siegen that fitted in with this niche activity that I was pursuing at the car manufacturer. In this respect, our founding story is the result of our getting to know each other and our individual wishes to change the type of employment or the location.

What attracted you to setting up your own company?

Personally, self-employment didn't appeal to me at first. It was just a way for me to return to Siegen. Martin was different, he had been self-employed for years and was therefore able to return to this role very quickly. But what I like most now is that you can break away from the fixed structures and enjoy more freedom. What's more, everything I do helps me move forward. No matter what task I do, be it organisational or technical, I do it for myself and my company and not for others.

When did you decide to set up your own company?

When the former employer also showed interest and openness towards our idea, it was clear to us that it could work and that we would go ahead with the start-up.

What is/was innovative about your company?

There are several aspects that set us apart from other service providers in the industry. Firstly, our field of activity is relatively unique in Siegen, making us a very attractive employer. As the competition here in Siegen is not as fierce as in Stuttgart, we have very good and highly qualified employees. We are also a relatively small company and can therefore act in a very agile manner. We are very familiar with the OEM world, so we can work very independently and don't have to be trained first.

What was the biggest challenge you faced at MWTEST?

On the one hand, it is difficult to swim with the big fish. Until recently, we were therefore subcontracted by a larger service provider. In the meantime, however, we have also realised this goal of being able to work directly for a manufacturer.

Secondly, it is common in our industry that we are paid quarterly by our customers, but our employees receive a monthly salary. This balancing act is also very challenging.

For me personally, it was also difficult to learn to hand over tasks and delegate more. I always had/have a hand in all projects, but at some point it becomes too much.

To what extent did the university's start-up office support you?

We were given office space where we could conduct serious job interviews. The contacts and the network were also very important. We received advice and new impetus from people who already had experience with start-ups themselves and had a critical view of the whole thing from the outside.

What is your advice for young founders?

The most important thing is to seek outside advice when you have an idea. It is also helpful to set up as a team, but you should also be a good fit. You should then agree on important points such as the distribution of profits before the company is founded so that there is no potential for conflict.

Would you found a company again?

Now that I know how to do it, I would definitely start up again. I think we are now well advised in terms of organisation, but I would only found a company if I had a cool idea. And if I did, then only together with Martin again.

This portrait is based on an interview with Alexander Weiß in July 2020 and was written by Janice Gust.

Click here for the start-up's homepage.