Start-up mindset meets STRABAG

From start-up to the corporate world

Before Nik joined STRABAG, he was active in the start-up scene for many years. Most recently, he founded his own company in the e-mobility sector. He successfully built up the business over a period of eight years before deciding to pursue a new career path.

“I wanted to understand how a large corporation works whilst continuing to work on new ideas and business models,” says Nik. At STRABAG, he found exactly that combination. The role in corporate development offered him the opportunity to contribute his experience in venture building whilst becoming part of a stable, international company. He was particularly drawn to the prospect of driving innovation where the impact is greatest – in an industry that is shaping our cities and infrastructure for the long term.

Identifying and developing potential

Nik works at STRABAG in the New Business Models team. His team supports various divisions in developing new business areas and business models.

The process usually begins with an idea or an initial hypothesis.  Together with the business units, we first examine the key business assumptions, validate the market, customers and competition, and use this to develop concrete business models. We then support these models right through to the first pilot projects and customers.

“We see ourselves as a strategic service provider for the business units. Together, we assess whether and how an idea can be turned into a viable business model.”

No two days are the same

There’s no such thing as a typical working day for Nik. His work is project-based, usually involving projects lasting around three months. This means that the topics, contacts and challenges are constantly changing.

His responsibilities include, amongst other things:

• Market and competition analyses
• Workshops and strategic planning
• Interviews with internal and external experts
• Development of business models
• Formulation of specific recommendations for action

Working together for climate-resilient cities

One of the projects on which Nik has played a key role is ‘Entsiegelung Plus’. This is a holistic offering for climate-resilient outdoor spaces.

The idea is that STRABAG combines various existing services into a comprehensive solution for cities, local authorities and businesses. From planning and the unsealing of sealed surfaces right through to water management and structured planting, customers receive everything from a single source.

In view of increasing heat stress and frequent heavy rainfall events, such solutions are becoming increasingly important.
“What makes us special isn’t any single service, but the fact that we bring all our expertise together and offer it as an integrated solution,” says Nik. “It becomes really exciting when this results in a product that is easy for the customer to understand and offers genuine added value.”

One of the biggest challenges was coordinating different areas of the business and aligning them towards a common goal. At the same time, a website was set up, reference projects were identified and a pilot project was prepared.

Sustainability as a personal motivation

Nik is particularly enthusiastic about working on sustainable business models. Even in his previous role in the mobility sector, he was deeply involved in issues relating to climate protection and decarbonisation.
He also sees great potential in the construction sector for driving positive change.

“There is enormous potential here. New business models can make a significant contribution to putting more sustainable solutions into practice.”

What start-ups and large corporations can learn from one another

Thanks to his experience in both worlds, Nik recognises many differences, but also a surprising number of similarities.

Whilst decisions are often made more quickly in start-ups, large companies benefit from their stability and resources. At the same time, he is also seeing an increasingly experimental approach at STRABAG: Ideas are tested, pilot projects are implemented and new offerings are developed step by step.

“You formulate hypotheses, test them on the market and learn from them. I’m familiar with this way of thinking from the start-up world and I see it today in many projects at STRABAG as well.”

Designing products with a future

Nik is currently working with his team on a new strategic focus area within the Group: ‘Own Products’.

In collaboration with the business divisions, they are working to make products more transparent and to embed a product-centric mindset more firmly within the Group.

The aim is to tap into new potential alongside the traditional project business and to offer repeatable solutions for customers.

Openness, courage and initiative

Anyone who wants to work in corporate development should, above all, have one thing: the courage to approach people.

As well as curiosity and strong communication skills, he believes that perseverance and patience are also crucial. After all, innovative ideas rarely come about overnight, but they can make a real difference in the long term.