Women remain underrepresented in the startup scene due to outdated gender roles and discrimination. In our special series of articles to mark International Women’s Day, we are introducing successful female founders at Leni & Hans.
Only 15.7% of German startups are led by women. Mothers still take on the responsibility of child-rearing much more frequently than fathers, putting their professional careers on hold. Female founders who dare to take the step into self-employment often experience disadvantages during the investment process.
Women are less likely to receive large growth funding. While 27.8% of male founders benefit from a million euros or more, the share for women is only 5.2%. Business angels and venture capital funds consider women and their teams significantly less often than men. Male investors prefer male-led startups.
Yet women more frequently link corporate goals and motivation with social concerns such as sustainability and social compatibility. Because of their disadvantage, society is not fully tapping into innovative potential. Female founders are also less present in the media than their male counterparts. Time to change that!
BAZAR ROSIE – Spice manufactory with passion
Carolin Valentin and Barbara Abootalebi love good food and share their passion for the Persian spice world. Among them, saffron is a real treasure. With BAZAR ROSIE, the friends from Grafing near Munich are bringing oriental flavor to Germany. Together, the two carefully select their spices, always ensuring the best quality.
Tante Fine – Only nature. Nothing else.
Every day, managing directors Tanja and Pilar Hammerl enjoy the fresh air while working in the herb garden. Close to nature and with peace of mind, their Tante Fine team manages a farm in Lower Franconia. Life in harmony with nature is grounding and helps to slow down. Tante Fine wants to share this sense of life with its products.
Dr. Jaglas – Herbal elixirs from the pharmacy
The Jagla pharmacist family has been dedicated to a medieval monastery recipe for decades. The great-grandfather already sold a herbal elixir as a house specialty in his colonial goods store. Today, Dr. Christina Jagla runs the Berlin-based company. The bitter elixirs of the pharmacy label Dr. Jaglas position themselves between pure bitters and classic herbal liqueurs.
Pure Pepper – Pepper manufactory from Berlin
Anja Matthes knows her way around the world of pepper. On her travels, she discovers unknown aromas and new varieties on-site. In her manufactory Pure Pepper, fair pay for farmers and impeccable quality are the top priorities. Matthes has been selling pepper varieties for ten years and spares no effort in the search for the perfect peppercorn.
Weichsberger Manufaktur – Specialties from the Allgäu
Stefanie Weichsberger picks fruits and berries for her precious delicacies with the morning sun. During harvest time, she and her team spend the entire morning out in nature. The Weichsberger Manufaktur processes the fruit the very same day into local delicacies. With heart and soul, they create true treasures from the wild variety of the Allgäu region.
Manufaktur von Blythen – Bewitching floral pleasure
Blossoms do not just give food a colorful appearance. They are a forgotten seasoning in our food culture. The name of the Manufaktur von Blythen is borrowed from Middle High German spelling and serves as a reminder of the old tradition. Martina Göldner-Kabitzsch from Schöneiche near Berlin captures the scent and taste of flower petals. With loving handcraft, she conjures up syrups and spreads with fascinating flavors, using only natural blossoms and ingredients in organic quality.
sell g‘machts – Bavarian herb world
Katja Will knows her way around the herb world of the Allgäu. Using regional ingredients, she and her team lovingly handcraft aromatic pestos and chutneys. Only the natural taste counts. sell g‘machts sources all ingredients from farms in the immediate vicinity. This keeps supply chains short and ensures the goods are processed while fresh.
BySusann – Indian chutneys with color
Freedom in the kitchen! For Susann Till, cooking is a field of unlimited possibilities. She combines color, shape, and taste in her chutneys to create ingenious delicacies. She has long loved the oriental spice of Indian sauces. In her own creations, vegetables, fruits, and spices merge into true culinary delights. Improvisation and the joy of experimentation drive the gourmet in the kitchen. The fun comes from discovering. At 70 years old, the woman from Stade on the Elbe founded her startup BySusann.
Tasty Accent – Onion jam from Berlin
Claudia Woelfle owns over 500 cookbooks. For years, she has been a passionate hobby cook. With TastyAccent, she took the leap into professional cooking in 2019. Her handmade onion jams are simply too good! On her trips to Asia, Woelfle collects inspiration for her recipes. The onion is the star of her kitchen. She combines its intense taste in spreads to create a delicate play of aromas. The Berliner has long had ideas about what else she can conjure up from her kitchen favorite.
