Presada
Business idea: Intelligent feedback system for presentations
Industry: Communication training / artificial intelligence
Year of foundation: 2023
The start-up Presada develops AI communication coaches that provide 360° feedback on speech, body language and slides without having to consolidate an expensive human trainer.
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Presada: AI-based presentation coaching
The start-up Presada has developed a feedback system for presentations. It evaluates slides, language and body language. This online coach is an alternative to traditional presentation training, as practitioners can train completely independently of time and place, as it best suits their schedule, until they feel confident enough for a public rehearsal or presentation. Startup Port @TUHH – or Startup Port – supports the company founded by Dr Julia Imlauer and Leon Reumschüssel.
The basic idea for the start-up came about when one of Julia’s colleagues needed feedback on a presentation. Julia realised that ‘sometimes feedback from different people turns out differently’ and asked herself ‘how we could do this better’. She began to develop a technical solution to provide reproducible and useful feedback.
Leon and Julia had already worked together at a previous company, and when Julia heard that Leon had changed jobs, she asked him if he could think of a new project. The ‘funny coincidence’ was that Julia contacted Leon at the exact moment he had decided to quit his last job.
Background and qualifications
Julia has a PhD in the field of multimodal data fusion and is interested in sensor data. She wondered whether ‘sensor data, i.e. camera, audio, slides’ could be used to make statements about presentations. Leon comes from a communications background and studied public relations and corporate communications. He explains that the idea of a tool that offers comparable feedback really appealed to him, as he himself had ‘huge problems when presenting’.
AI component
To evaluate the presentation, Presada uses AI to analyse the sensor data, including speech-to-text and computer vision. Julia emphasises that they do not use external APIs, but host everything themselves in order to retain sovereignty over the data and develop their own models.
Support and founding experience
The startup is supported in its business development by the Startup Port @TUHH with advice, premises and coaching. ‘We got to know our mentor Henrik Hopp-Piepho at the Startup Port start-up camp,’ says Leon. The Startup Port Coach also supports them via the AI Startup Hub and during the EXIST funding programme.
Initial challenges and support
Leon reports that the first few months mainly consisted of business development, and Julia adds that quitting her 40-hour job was a major challenge. They also had a bridging phase until the first funding, the AI Startup Hub programme, began. This programme enabled them to concentrate fully on their project and prepare their application for the EXIST start-up grant – Startup Port provided advice and coaching support.
Market and competition
There are competitors, especially from the USA, says Julia. The competition often focuses on traditional speeches and calls. Her company wants to focus on presentations in a business context, but also develop modules for interview training, conflict dialogue training, performance reviews and personal interviews. The aim is to offer a scalable software-as-a-service solution that can also be made accessible to younger employees.
Product development and pilot customers
The startup has developed a working proof of concept and is currently looking for pilot customers. They have already launched several pilot projects and are planning to develop the product further in order to cater specifically to this clientele. A search for investors is currently scheduled for the end of Q1 2025.
Advice for founders
Leon recommends the principle of ‘fail fast and fail good’, i.e. approaching potential customers early on and validating the product. He emphasises that you should not respond to every idea that is suggested to you, but should carefully select what is feasible.
Fascination for start-ups
Julia and Leon appreciate the freedom and the opportunity to take on responsibility that comes with starting a business. They want to create a workplace where they and their future employees enjoy working.
