“Starting a business requires courage, inventiveness and a great deal of perseverance.” (Insa Schoppe, gründer.de)
It could hardly be described better. Veneera™ also had to face these challenges. It fills us with pride to have received the wachstumsstark . Award 2023!
About gründer.de
Gründer.de is a comprehensive platform that offers founders, self-employed people and start-ups a wealth of resources and information to help them realize their entrepreneurial dreams. With webinars, books and e-books, gründer.de offers valuable insights and practical tips for entrepreneurs in all phases of their start-up. As an organizer of conferences and trade fairs, the company provides expert knowledge in various industries, especially in the field of artificial intelligence.
The wachstumsstark award
The wachstumsstark award from gründer.de recognizes young companies for their innovative ideas and growth. From the numerous applicants, the companies that stand out in particular are given the chance to expand their reach with the support of gründer.de.
After Veneera™ won the wachstumsstark award in 2023, our founder Sven Winkel gave an exclusive interview. In conversation with Luisa Kleinen, he not only talks about the founding story of our company, but also talks about the challenges of the past and the plans for the future.
Why did Veneera™ win?
This is what Insa Schoppe writes about the companies that won the wachstumsstark award:
“These young companies have managed to develop groundbreaking solutions to existing challenges through their own innovative approaches. Not only have they been able to assert themselves on the market, but they have also become role models that provide inspiration far beyond their own industry.” (Insa Schoppe, gründer.de)
Veneera™ invented the first cosmetic alternative to medical dentures with the dental veneer. In just a few years, Veneera™ has developed from an idea into a renowned start-up with over 35,000 satisfied customers and has expanded into several other markets.
The interview summarized
At the beginning of the interview, Sven Winkel explains the product he designed: The dental veneer 2.0 offers a simple and inexpensive way to aesthetically improve the smile without having to prepare or grind down the teeth. The innovative clip-on dental veneer is available for under €200 and does not require a visit to the dentist.
As a young and growing company from Cologne, Veneera™ has specialized in offering high-quality dental products online to make them accessible to a wide audience. With a team that has almost doubled in size within a year and sales of over €2 million, Veneera™ is positioning itself as a pioneer in the field of cosmetic dental products in German-speaking countries. The quality and functional design of the dental veneer 2.0 have even been certified by TÜV Rheinland and particularly recognized in the Medical & Healthcare sector.
About the creation of the dental veneer
The idea behind the Veneera™ dental veneer arose from the growing demand for white, straight teeth and the trend for Hollywood smiles, especially on social media. Since not everyone has access to dental enhancement or dentures, Sven Winkel saw the need for a change and founded Veneera™.
His founding partner had previously sold a simple, universal dental veneer on eBay, which, despite some shortcomings, was well received and demonstrated the high demand. But Winkel realized that the new product had to be tailored to each customer.
The new product had to be thin, comfortable, precisely fitting and affordable. Within nine months and in collaboration with a dental technology expert from Cologne, a sample version of the dental veneer was developed.
Development challenges
The biggest challenge in developing the dental veneer was the functionality of the product, with precision being crucial, especially due to the small size and the transition to the gums. The goal was a thin, precisely fitting and removable veneer that would hold itself in place without having to be glued to the teeth. The first version of the dental veneer came onto the market in 2021 and has been continuously developed since then.
The unique selling point of Veneera™ GmbH
The innovative product from Veneera™ is unique and high-quality. The key to success lies in its perception of being easy to handle despite its complexity. The precision and fit of the veneer are crucial for a natural transition from tooth to gum and for wearing comfort.
To enable the highly precise dental impression without a dentist, Veneera™ has developed a special procedure. Customers can create an impression of their teeth at home using a video guide, which is used with over 98% accuracy for crafting the custom veneer. This innovative method is the primary unique selling proposition of Veneera™.
Growth Strategies of Veneera™ GmbH
Winkel admits that, up until the time of the interview, there were no proper growth strategies, the focus was on performance marketing. With the tooth veneer as a product, Veneera™ got lucky as it quickly intrigued people through cool advertisements on social media. A higher budget and new videos would have sufficed for the beginning.
However, he refers to this "strategy" as a mistake because they neglected sustainable marketing and organic growth. The product's development also left little room for marketing. Then, in 2021, the Apple IOS update made tracking a large part of user data difficult, and regret set in for not focusing on organic growth.
Importance of the wachstumsstark Award
The wachstumsstark Award from gründer.de is "once again a great confirmation that we seem to be doing a lot right with Veneera™," says Sven Winkel. As a startup, it's always about the next step, the next hurdle that needs to be overcome. The wachstumsstark Award is a positive reality check for what the company has achieved since its inception.
Future Plans for Veneera™
The long-term goal, described by the Veneera CEO, is to become the leading global brand for dental products without a dentist visit within the next 5 years. Expanding is crucial for this. European countries and the USA are high on the expansion list.
Tips from the Veneera™ Founder
According to Winkel, new founders should use all marketing channels as early as possible to spread information about the product. It should be made clear which problems can be solved with this product.
As a second tip, the Veneera™ founder recommends looking for additional markets to expand into from the beginning. The logistical advantages of Europe should definitely be utilized. There are also many opportunities to overcome the language barrier.
Furthermore, one should not get too caught up in perfection. "Perfection is nice, but action really moves you forward."
Acknowledgment
The Growth Strong Award is once again a reminder that Veneera™ is on the right track and can be proud of its achievements so far. We thank gründer.de, our dedicated team, and of course, our customers who smile with us.
Watch the complete interview on gründer.de.
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