BOXLAB Services GmbH
Abstract
BOXLAB Services developed a fast and easy service solution for replacing damaged packaging and labels in the chemical industry. Their service improves supply chain processes by reducing waste, costs and complexity and securing sales volume. Together, they pursue the goal of becoming the leading service provider for individual process optimization of label and packaging processes with a clear focus on sustainability.
After working as a process manager in the Agricultural division of BASF SE, Mischa wanted to develop a really sustainable solution, scale it and deploy it across Europe with his own team. Hence, he joined Chemovator to develop this idea into a scalable venture. Lisa started out as HR responsible within Chemovator and joined BOXLAB Services in 2020 as a co-founder.
Company Name:
BOXLAB Services GmbH
Founders:
Mischa Feig & Lisa Raschke
Solution offered:
BOXLAB Services developed a fast and easy service solution for replacing damaged packaging and labels in the chemical industry to improve supply chain processes by reducing waste, costs and complexity and securing sales volume.
Exit type:
Spin-off
Product or service description
We optimize label and packaging processes in the areas of procurement, storage, handling and disposal.
Who are your customers?
Every company with distinctive logistics that is ready to make its processes around labels and packaging faster, more sustainable and easier. This means, for example, big chemical companies like BASF as well as typical logistic players like forwarding companies.
What is your vision?
Our goal is to be the leading service provider for individual process optimization of label and packaging processes with a clear focus on sustainability.
Areas of responsibility
Mischa takes the role of CEO & Lisa the role of COO
How did you come up with the idea?
When Mischa worked as process manager in the Agricultural division of BASF SE, he observed processes that needed to be improved. After working 17 years for BASF in different positions and divisions, he wanted to develop a really sustainable solution, scale it and deploy it across Europe with his own team. Together with his former team mate he was looking for an environment that offered them ideal conditions. At that time, Chemovator was just being set up and they started as a venture team within the new incubator of BASF
Milestones
What was your biggest challenge?
The balancing act between our own venture with a startup mentality on the one hand and BASF as a large corporation on the other. To solve this major challenge, we had to adapt well and be able to move in both worlds. Also building the right team for BOXLAB turned out to be crucial for our success on the Chemovator Journey.
What was your greatest learning?
There is so much that can be achieved when you keep your eyes open and be ready to break new ground. Within just 1.5 years after our first pitch at the Chemovator, we not only managed to provide the service we envisioned but we even have become an important supplier of labels for the BASF site in Ludwigshafen.
What was your greatest success?
After spin-off, it was particularly important to us that our existing customers and partners should not notice the transition on a day-to-day basis. We did a lot of work in the background and it worked out very well. There is a list of operational activities that we performed for the very first time as BOXLAB Services GmbH: creating payrolls for the employees, paying invoices, etc. Everything went smoothly.
What was your favorite moment in your Chemovator Journey?
When we realized that the value of people we have on board is priceless – even former team members, who left BOXLAB along the way for personal reasons stay in touch and we can reach out to them as sparring partners, experts or friends.
Your advice to aspiring founders?
There will always be stumbling blocks on the journey to founding your own company – these may be external like formal structures and dependence or internal like team constellation. Don´t let them scare you. See them as an opportunity to grow personally and as a (venture) team. Never lose sight of your personal and (team) goals and let experienced people help you. Find the right environment to try out your idea, develop it further and turn it into something special.