What do founders need to consider when setting up their start-up? The list of relevant topics is long and many questions often arise during the start-up process. This is where Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) comes in to offer support. With "SocialPizza", TK has created an innovative and comprehensive service that supports founders at various stages during the company's development. We take a closer look at the concept and talk to the startup "Boomerang" from Hamburg. The founding team has already benefited from SocialPizza and shares their experiences with us.
Social insurance can be this delicious
A successful start-up requires not only vision, passion and determination, but also many organizational aspects. These can initially raise many question marks and slow down the start-up process. Important topics such as social insurance - i.e. health, accident, long-term care, unemployment and pension insurance - are often neglected, even though they play a crucial role. With "SocialPizza", TK has developed a solution to relieve founders in this respect.
The symbolic pizza makes dry, labor law topics palatable. Each slice of pizza represents a specific stage: from planning and founding to the development and growth of the start-up and the health of the founders and potential employees. The TK answers many questions that are typical for the respective phases. Here are a few examples:
- Pizza slice planning: What legal form should the company take? Where will the company be based? Which pricing policy will prevail? And what does this mean for your insurance as a founder?
- Pizza slice - foundation: What do you need to know as an employer? How does social security work? How do you register your employees with health insurance companies?
- Pizza slice - Structure: What do you need to consider when your team grows? What are the differences between fixed-term and permanent employment contracts? What data must be passed on to the health insurance company? Which programs can be used for this?
- Pizza slice - growth: What additional aspects need to be considered as the team grows? How can you attract qualified employees? How can you promote health in your team?
- Pizza slice - Health in the startup: What does a healthy lunch break look like? What posture is important at the desk? How should the lighting be set?
The answers can be found in informative blog articles and can be accessed at any time. If founders require further information, they can book a free consultation with a TK expert at any time and as often as they wish.
Turning question marks into exclamation marks: it's that easy!
The start-up Boomerang has existed since May 2022. Katharina Kreutzer is one of the three founders. Together, they have found a way to replace traditional disposable packaging in e-commerce with environmentally friendly reusable alternatives and thus develop an innovative digital deposit system. The sustainable packaging can be reused up to 50 times and saves up to 80% in CO2 emissions and waste. Like many other start-ups, Katharina & Co. faced a number of challenges at the beginning and sought support from SocialPizza.
The founding team of Boomerang. In the middle is Katharina Kreutzer.
"At Boomerang, I'm responsible for all HR issues, which means I'm in charge of recruiting, hiring and contracts, among other things," says Katharina. "There are often many different opinions on certain questions, but no one can really help you. I've often heard about SocialPizza at start-up events and networking events. At some point, I made more detailed inquiries, sent an inquiry and received a call from an expert from Techniker Krankenkasse within a very short time."
Anyone who wants to take advantage of the TK start-up offer is not tied to fixed dates, but can make use of the help individually and according to their needs. Katharina explains: "I'm an employer for the first time. At the beginning, there are a lot of organizational questions and you often need up-to-date information on legal changes such as working time records. For me, it's a great advantage that I can spontaneously ask about various issues and receive detailed advice promptly. Today, just under a year after setting up, I am in contact with TK about once a month on average."
Health-promoting benefits: what founders should consider when building a team
The team at Boomerang has been growing since summer 2022. The online retailer now employs 15 people. "It's a huge range of topics that we had to deal with all at once. For example, we wanted to give our employees the opportunity to receive tax-free benefits. During this dispute, many other unresolved issues regarding social security came up," reports Katharina.
Attractive employee benefits are also essential for start-ups to build a successful team. If you want to attract young, highly qualified talent, you should already present yourself as an attractive employer in the early start-up phase. It is important to respond to the needs of jobseekers and stand out from the competition. The benefits offered do not necessarily have to be expensive. In addition to the usual offers such as free fruit and vegetables, other health measures are particularly popular. At Boomerang, it looks like this: "Among other things, employees can use a walking pad in our office at any time. We also often meet up after work to do sport together. As the founding team, we try to set an example by proactively integrating new team events that go beyond eating together and encourage exercise after a long working day."
From one startup to the next
As a founder, Katharina advises: "Accept offers and look for suitable partners, such as TK with SocialPizza. There are so many opportunities to get free advice, help and coaching, you just have to accept it, be open and actively request the exchange. With Boomerang, we are not yet where we see ourselves as an employer, but we are convinced that we are on the right track and have a good companion at our side in SocialPizza."
With SocialPizza, TK has created an innovative offer and great added value to support start-ups. SocialPizza also shows how diverse the services offered by a health insurance company can be. If you as a founder also have a long list of questions, you can book a free 15-minute consultation here - as often as you need it and of course in English.
