xdeck Founder Stories:
Insights in Building Leading Tech Companies
1. Jonas, before founding Packmatic, you were a core member of the founding team at Audibene, a startup unicorn, for many years. What motivated you to start another venture, and which learnings - both positive and negative - did you take into consideration when building Packmatic?
I was driven to start Packmatic to replicate the transformative success of Audibene and shake up another industry ripe for innovation. I envision Packmatic as the category leader in the packaging sector, making a significant impact with sustainable and digital solutions. From my experience at Audibene, I learned that a strong company culture is crucial—it’s about assembling a team of talented individuals who share a passion for our mission. At Packmatic, we prioritize building a robust and innovative business model that attracts top talent committed to reshaping the future of packaging.
2. How did the Packmatic founding team come together, and how did you identify the topic of "packaging" as your focus?
Matthias Geiss and I have known each other for 15 years. We went to University together and reconnected at the right time to start Packmatic. We knew that we also needed someone with a strong tech background to lead the product development and soon met Paul Schraven through mutual friends. We all share the same values, drive and curiosity – and were highly motivated to build something new. The packaging industry presented a great opportunity for us: a huge market, lack of digitization and high pressure to change.
3. The packaging industry is huge, but also quite analogous, fragmented, and not very transparent. How did you immerse yourselves in this market as a Berlin-based tech startup and gain trust from all market participants – given that many players are “hidden champions” outside of the bigger cities? Which aspects did you underestimate?
We built up industry knowledge and credibility through various expert interviews, forming a carefully selected advisory board, and building a high-calibre in-house packaging team. Our first and most important hire was Tobias Linnardi, who brought over 20 years of packaging experience at companies like Amcor, Intersnack and Wrigley. Finding Tobias was crucial to Packmatic’s success, he complements our core team with invaluable industry knowledge. Overall, we always stayed curious and eager to learn more - after three years of working in the sector, I still pick up one or two learnings whenever I visit a customers’ site. One challenge we faced in the beginning was that the packaging industry is highly relationship-driven, and it always takes time to build up personal connections and trust within the industry. By now, we are well-connected in the sector and have proven our new approach hundreds of times.
4. Currently, you primarily operate a B2B marketplace. What are the key reasons for packaging manufacturers and buyers to use Packmatic instead of doing own research and reach-outs?
First of all, the packaging market lacks transparency. There are thousands of different suppliers, which makes it nearly impossible to identify the ones that can meet the exact requirements for each company. We have not only built up the largest European network of packaging suppliers, but we also use smart matching and a fast, standardized tender process in our software to achieve the best results for both customers and suppliers. Second, there's a significant shortage of packaging expertise — Germany alone has about 500 open positions for packaging engineers, and it is difficult for most companies outside of the bigger cities to attract the scarce talent. Third, qualifying new packaging materials is tedious and error prone. We came up with a standardized process that we have implemented over a hundred times at our customers to make sure that the switch to a new supplier goes smoothly and successfully.
5. You recently completed a very successful Series A funding round. Congratulations and we look forward to continuing to accompany your growth journey with xdeck. Which goals will you pursue with this financing round?
Thank you! With our Series A funding, we're focused on two key goals: accelerating our market reach and advancing our technology. We've bolstered our sales and key accounts team to expand our customer base, both in Germany and internationally. On the tech front, we're enhancing our digital platform with new features for packaging data management and ESG, addressing the top priorities of our customers right now. This financing round positions us perfectly to support their needs and drive the future of sustainable packaging.
6. In a recent interview, you emphasized that you want to further explore the sustainability angle of Packmatic with a dedicated software solution. Could you provide some specific examples of how your platform helps customers find more sustainable packaging solutions? Is this primarily about a more sustainable image, or can customers also achieve a return-on-investment while becoming more sustainable?
Sustainability is non-negotiable for any company dealing with packaging. The transition towards more sustainable packaging has long started, not only to satisfy consumer’s expectations but also to comply with increasing European and national regulations. The Packmatic platform facilitates the systematic transition to more sustainable packaging solutions in several ways. Our customers gain transparency on their portfolio, often comprising of 200-500 packaging articles. Through our systematic analysis and in-house packaging expertise, we help them to identify potential sustainability improvements such as alternative materials or more sustainable suppliers. In the end, we also conduct the change of suppliers with them – from price negotiations to qualifications and logistics – and thereby enable the transition to more sustainable packaging.
7. EQT Ventures has described your platform as a unique solution for transitioning to low-carbon packaging. What is Packmatic's long-term vision regarding sustainability?
Packaging plays a crucial role in achieving sustainability targets by 2030, and initiatives like the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) are setting ambitious standards. While the specifics are still being finalized, we know that all packaging in the EU must be recyclable by 2030, with clear targets for reuse and recycling. Packmatic's long-term vision is to simplify this journey for companies by providing expert guidance and innovative digital solutions. Particularly small and medium-sized enterprises will struggle to navigate the complex packaging market and to comply with the many coming regulations. Our goal is to level the playing field, enabling these companies to meet and exceed sustainability standards with the same professionalism as industry leaders.
8. At the end, a more personal question: You became a father during the founding process. How do you balance this with a leadership role in a high-growth startup? How do you manage to juggle family and work responsibilities?
Yes – by now, I am the father of two little daughters, and balancing my roles as father and as founder and CEO remains incredibly challenging. For me, a clear separation helps: weekends are always dedicated to my family, while weekdays are often intense. Despite the challenges, becoming a father was the best decision I could have ever made.
9. Thank you for your insights, we wish you all the best in the future.
Thank you! I'm excited about the journey ahead and appreciate the support.
