Frequently Asked Questions

BSH Startup Kitchen is the Venture Client unit of BSH. This means BSH becomes a startup’s client when it is still in the venture stage because the solution and company are not yet as mature and stable as incumbent partners. We buy a first unit of a startup’s product, service, or technology, we do not invest.

Working with BSH Startup Kitchen is a startup’s initial step to succeed in the global, billion-dollar home appliances industry. Our model includes a no-strings-attached partnership to integrate and validate a startup’s product, service, or technology, as well as a beneficial pairing of entrepreneurs with top engineers and managers.

BSH Startup Kitchen focuses on startups that help the BSH organization to solve critical challenges across all business areas and functions.

BSH Startup Kitchen is the Venture Client unit of BSH. This means BSH becomes a startup’s client when the solution is not yet mature. We buy a first unit of a startup’s product, service, or technology.

Through this relationship, startups get a supplier status, supplier number, purchase order, and revenue. As a Venture Client we do not invest, i.e. we do not ask for shares or equity.

Independent from the BSH Startup Kitchen, BSH invests in startups.

Startups that are evaluated for the BSH Startup Kitchen may also be assessed for an investment.

BSH becomes an early client in the home appliances market, not your shareholder. Once you joined, you get a supplier number and a purchase order.

You will receive payment for the pilot. How much we pay depends on how much you ask and be in line with the complexity of the pilot project.

All costs related to the integration and validation of your solution are paid. Including materials, travel, working hours etc. You can propose a budget based on our requirements.

Having gained BSH as a client should make it easier for you to raise venture capital and increase your valuation.

Independent from the BSH Startup Kitchen, BSH may offer to invest in your startup.

No, the BSH Startup Kitchen is the Venture Client unit of BSH.

As a Venture Client, we focus on validating startups’ solutions, helping them learn about the home appliances industry, and connecting them with decision makers for business development. Startups work directly with our engineers and managers on real business projects. They get a supplier number and purchase order, and they invoice us for their work and expenses.

In comparison, accelerators help entrepreneurs getting their businesses started, such as building first prototypes and business models, establishing a legal structure, identifying target clients, and raising seed funding.

We are always looking for great startups. We have no deadlines.

Please leave information about your startup here.

During the partnership you:

1. Sell
   Your main task is to adapt your solution to our use case for validation. For this, you receive specific requirements before the start of the project. You are paid for your efforts and expenses.
2. Learn
   Here you will learn how to succeed in the world of home appliances. We teach you the industry dynamics and how development, manufacturing, and purchasing works.
3. Scale
   Together we create a compelling roadmap and refine your business model with BSH to make sure your solution can be applied and scaled throughout BSH. You are linked to key people who help you to grow your business within BSH and the global home appliances industry.

After successful validation of your solution, BSH aims to become a long-term client of your startup.

Usually, your solution has to be further developed after the pilot project before it can be applied.

You will negotiate further development and supplier agreements directly with your client business unit and our purchasing department. These negotiations will ideally start during the pilot project.

If applicable, we will connect you with our established suppliers for industrialization.

About my startup
About My Startup: to start the process with BSH Startup Kitchen, which means becoming a supplier of BSH, just send us information about your company. We are looking for companies that can help us solve critical challenges at BSH in any of our business divisions. In other words, we are looking for innovative solutions for our home appliance products, services, factories, as well as IT, Financial, Administration, and HR systems.

Assessment
Once we receive your information, we evaluate your startup. We are looking for novel solutions that can make a significant contribution to innovation and problem solving in general at BSH. Your solution should be better than those we have in our current ecosystem. During this stage, we may invite you for a demo meeting to discuss your solution in depth.

Proposal
Next, we send you a request for proposal. Here we specify a pilot project in which we want to apply and validate your solution. A project could be to integrate a prototype of your technology into a new BSH product or service, or into our IT environment, or to run a pilot for a new manufacturing solution.

Agreement
During the last stage of the process, we ask you to review and fine-tune your proposal. At agreement, we can start the project. Prior to kick-off of the pilot project, you receive an official BSH supplier number and a purchase order. Congratulations – you just gained BSH as your client.

Timing
The whole process can be as short as four weeks.

Deadline
There is no deadline. We are always interested to learn about exciting solutions from startups.

Relevance
Your solution (product, service or technology) has a compelling use case to solve a critical challenge at any BSH business division: R&D, services, manufacturing, IT, sales & marketing, HR…

Product maturity
Your startup has a functional prototype or working product. Prototypes must be mature enough to be tested in a BSH division.

Funding status
Your startup has graduated from an equity accelerator or has funding from a professional venture capitalist.

Full-time team
Main positions (CEO, CTO, CMO, etc.) of your startup are held by full-time employees.

Legal entity
Your startup must be a legal entity.

We are in Munich because that’s the location of the BSH world headquarters. Here is where all critical decisions are taken, such as if to globally apply and roll out your solution.

You do not have to relocate your company to Munich.

Part of your team will have to travel to Munich for meetings, adaptation work, networking and to learn about the home appliances industry.