goHfG talk | „tak: From first semester project to Start-up“ with Laurin Hilbert und Kilian Hegele
In their first semester project at the HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd, Laurin Hilbert and Kilian Hegele developed a wallet from a used plastic tarp that is small, practical, lightweight, and opens particularly smoothly. To turn the idea into reality, Kilian Hegele and Laurin Hilbert founded the start-up "tak" at the end of 2018. Since then, they have built up sales via their own online store and a network of dealers, developed a new product, and continually optimized manufacturing. At the Start-up BW Elevator Pitch state finals, they reached 3rd place with their product idea. Even before their studies, Kilian and Laurin gained experience in crafts and retail. The two founders are currently about to start their bachelor's semester.
Upcycling for everyday use – with TAK
The term upcycling has experienced a real boom in recent years. The idea of not only putting waste materials to new use but also using creativity and ingenuity to create new practical and aesthetic values is catching on with more and more people. This was also the case for Laurin Hilbert and Kilian Hegele.
In 2018, they were just in the first semester of their studies at the Hochschule für Gestaltung (HfG) in Schwäbisch Gmünd and were working on a joint project for the semester exhibition. Their approach: to make a purse out of pieces of a used plastic tarp. The idea was convincing; even during the exhibition, interested people wanted to buy the first prototypes of the purse. So Laurin and Kilian used the semester break to develop their idea further. This became tak.