On April 25th, straiv celebrated its 10th anniversary. A decade marked by countless challenges, overwhelming successes, and above all, by the stories that have shaped us into who we are today. In this retrospective, I, Patrick Luik, founder and Chairman of straiv, would like to take you on a little journey through time and share some of these formative moments and anecdotes with you.
The Initial Vision: Revolution for Restaurants
Our initial vision was clear: we wanted to digitize and revolutionize the gastronomy industry by enabling guests to order and pay easily and conveniently via smartphone – without cumbersome app downloads or additional hardware like tablets. It seemed inefficient and unsustainable to us for restaurants to issue their own devices instead of utilizing the smartphones their guests already possessed.
The Humble Beginnings: Our First Office in the Basement
Our first starting point was a modest room in my grandparents’ basement in Esslingen-Zollberg. What is often the garage in the USA was for us this wood-paneled room with a corner bench. The latter soon had to give way to desks and office chairs, but the spirit of that beginning remained. We spent countless nights there, often until two in the morning, back then still focused on a solution for restaurants
At that time, I was juggling four demanding projects simultaneously – our young startup, while also working in consulting, being active in the federal executive board of a political youth organization, and studying part-time on weekends. Looking back, it’s simply astonishing what one can achieve when wholeheartedly dedicated to something. This belief in the boundless power of determination still shapes me today. But reality caught up with us. We had to make fundamental decisions, the full impact of which would only become apparent later.
A Decisive Step: The Move to CODE_n
A crucial turning point was the encounter with CODE_n. My co-founder Alex Haußmann brought this initiative to my attention, and I quickly recognized its immense potential: “real” office spaces, the exchange with other founders, experienced entrepreneurs, and visionary minds. It sounded incredibly inspiring and educational. My weekly inquiries to Alex about whether we wanted to join the initiative did not diminish, and his composure remained admirable. Finally, we received the invitation for a personal presentation, where we met Moritz Gräter and his team.
The modern ambiance, the convincing concept – it was clear: we had to be here! The acceptance followed, and we moved into our new office together with the startup “refine.” Soon, the rooms filled with other ambitious teams, and a very special entrepreneurial spirit arose, which I still fondly remember today. I am convinced that our time at CODE_n significantly contributed to our success story.
Full Commitment and Initial Setbacks
For me personally, the move to CODE_n marked the beginning of a new era. I quit my secure full-time job and decided not to run for re-election to the federal executive board. I somehow continued my weekend studies – but the focus was now clearly on our startup. Fabi invested his evenings and weekends and secured the rent for CODE_n with his income, while Alex and I were already laying the foundation without a salary. During this intense phase, each of us chose a personal motto. Mine was: “Better to risk something than to regret forever not having tried.” CODE_n itself never held shares in our company but supported entrepreneurship in a way that deserves the greatest respect! A heartfelt thank you to Moritz Gräter, CODE_n, and Ulrich Dietz, as well as to all the other great people whose names would unfortunately go beyond the scope here.
The First Setback and the Course Correction
But back to the beginnings and the challenges. I still vividly remember the presentation of our innovation in the first café in Esslingen. The prompt and unequivocal reaction: “No interest. Do you have interfaces? Doesn’t work!” That stung. If our supposedly perfect first customer rejects us so directly, it could become difficult. After a few more setbacks, Alex, Fabi, and I put our heads together and made a quick decision: Why not also target hotels? The majority of the software could be transferred; we only had to replace “table” with “room.” A pivot at lightning speed – almost. Because initially, we still kept the restaurant sector. Were we inconsistent or just extremely opportunistic?
The First Success: A Hotel as a Customer
But the change in strategy paid off, because shortly thereafter, we won our first paying hotel customer – a house from Esslingen that remains loyal to us to this day and has immense significance for me and straiv. Thank you to Daniel, his family, and the entire team of Hotel am Schillerpark!
We thought we were on the right track and presented ourselves with newfound confidence at our first major trade fair, INTERGASTRA 2016. But many more months would pass before our second paying customer joined. Our savings were dwindling rapidly, even with minimal living expenses. Sleepless nights and heated discussions followed – and finally the decision to completely abandon the restaurant sector and focus entirely on hotels. For straiv, this was a real turning point, and for me personally, one of the best entrepreneurial decisions we ever made.
Existential Fears and the Search for Capital
The subsequent phase was intense, marked by highs and lows. I remember many restless nights, the constant checking of the account balance, which became a disturbing ritual. In addition to the lack of sleep due to the long working hours, existential fears arose – an experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone! At the same time, the demand for our product grew. Well-known hotel chains chose us – an incredibly motivating feeling, and I am still grateful to these decision-makers for their trust. We had invested every cent in the company and had not yet paid ourselves a salary. How were we supposed to continue? How were we going to live?
The Burst Deal and Our Own Initiative
The solution at the time seemed to be an investment. The media reported euphorically about financing rounds, so we pursued this path – successfully. We were at the notary, ready to receive a mid-six-figure sum. We were overjoyed and had already offered jobs to potential new colleagues. But then came the shock: weeks passed, and no money arrived. Fabi, Alex, and I pulled the emergency brake. We took a night to “sleep on it” – if that was even possible. The next day, we saw an unwavering will in each other’s eyes to keep fighting, despite all the financial worries. We were firmly convinced that our startup had potential.
I made a clear personal decision to show my co-founders, my family, and my friends that I was in it for the long haul: I sold my car, which gave us several more months to work on our dream. I never would have expected that I would then share a car with my grandmother for seven years (until the end of 2024), but material things no longer played a role at that point. Passion came first!
The First Salary and Growing Recognition
Finally, the situation improved. After a year and a half, we paid ourselves our first salary – €1,700 gross. It was an incredible feeling that finally allowed me to participate more in social life again. Eating out was still a luxury, but it was a first important step in the right direction. A low private cost structure was and is crucial! My respect for (solo) entrepreneurs grew immensely during this time, and my belief in our success solidified: if we work hard, listen to our customers and partners, and manage our finances wisely, we can make it.
Honesty as a Cornerstone and Team Spirit as an Engine
As a self-financed startup, we urgently needed revenue. But from day one, we focused on full transparency with potential customers. No false promises, no chasing deals we didn’t stand behind. This naturally meant that we also missed opportunities. But we were convinced that honesty and transparency would pay off in the long run – for our customers and for us. And we continued to grow. From one room to two, eight desks for ten people. We all shared ambition, trust, and a genuine team spirit, and that bonded us. We held regular team events, from alpaca hikes to brewery tours. A highlight was our annual “Family & Friends” event, where we showed our loved ones what we were working on and why we were often absent. Being self-financed meant compensating for limited capital with better decisions and relentless dedication. And that’s exactly what I saw in our team. It was a special time.
Innovation and Partnership as Keys to Success
At this time, we also made a very important key decision for straiv: the introduction of our second product – a smartphone self-check-in without any app. It was the logical next step in our mission to digitize the guest journey. This exciting phase of growth was also reflected in our team, which grew to around 20 talented employees. Another move became necessary to accommodate the new team members and the expanded areas of responsibility. At the same time, we began to forge strategic partnerships with other important players in the industry. Our philosophy here was clearly defined: for us, partnership always meant standing shoulder to shoulder, tackling things together, and developing solutions that were in the best interest of our customers – with no room for blame, but with a clear focus on collaboration and win-win situations.
The COVID Crisis: From Growth to Trial by Fire
Then the COVID pandemic hit us and the entire industry. From growth mode to crisis mode. Everything came to a standstill. Some switched to other industries. We decided to remain loyal to the hotel industry – even during several months of short-time work. We continued to build, continued to believe in ourselves and our products. Some tough decisions could not be avoided – the separation from newly hired colleagues during their probationary period. People we had grown to appreciate. This was incredibly difficult for Alex and me. But the understanding within the team was overwhelming. No accusations, only solidarity. This time shaped us. As a team. As a company. Looking back, it has advanced us more than anything else. With all due respect to all those who lost their jobs or their companies. A special thank you goes to Benjamin, our first full-time colleague, who embodied this spirit and went through everything with us.
Looking Back and Forward
In summary, as a founder and now recently as Chairman of the Board, I look back with pride on the last 10 years of straiv. What began in my grandparents’ basement has developed into a company with over 3,400 customers in 30 countries. We have built a strong technology and formed valuable partnerships. For me, it was an honor to significantly shape this journey as Managing Director. In my new role as Chairman, I now have a different perspective on our company and can focus more on the long-term strategy. My deepest thanks go to all companions, friends, my great colleagues – our “straivers” – our customers and partners who have walked this exciting path of the last ten years with us. Here’s to the next chapters!
Watch our video to get more interesting and exciting insights and stories about 10 years of straiv:
