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Start-ups that negotiate with large companies always have to weigh up.

The other person is potentially both an investor and a competitor.

So how many details do you reveal, what do you keep to yourself?

Franziska Leonhardt, the founder of the cosmetics start-up Ave + Edam, found herself in precisely such a situation.

The company manufactures personalized skin care, one of the first in Europe.

The business model is already more widespread in the USA.

According to his own statement, Leonhardt was in close contact with the Hamburg cosmetics company Beiersdorf for several months.

The group also originally showed interest in working together, she says.

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In between there was even talk of a majority stake.

But the deal never came of anything - instead, the company brought out a competing product, as “Gründerszene” researched.

Beiersdorf also produces personalized skin care

Beiersdorf proudly announced a few weeks ago that OWN Skincare also wanted to produce personalized skin care products.

“I was stunned,” says Leonhardt about the moment when she discovered the press page.

Many of the things she talked about with the corporation she found implemented at OWN Skincare.

For example, UV protection or the refillable packaging that many of their customers wanted, but which the start-up would find difficult to implement.

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Another piquant detail: Of all people, the Beiersdorf manager, who, according to the founder, was her main contact during the negotiations, is now listed as the person responsible in the imprint of the new Beiersdorf brand.

The group does not want to make any specific comments on any of this to the “start-up scene”; they do not comment on business relationships, according to the company.

One statement simply states: "At Beiersdorf, we always maintain a fair, constructive approach and dialogue with all of our business partners and hold discussions based on clearly defined compliance rules and with a high degree of confidentiality."

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The group also writes that it has been dealing with the subject of personalization for several years.

Franziska Leonhardt thinks: "If that's the innovative strength of German corporations, then that's sad."

Here you can find the entire research of the Gründerszene (GS +).

Franziska Leonhardt is the founder of the cosmetics start-up Ave + Edam

Source: Ave + Edam