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Students walk across the campus north. A large red sculpture in the shape of large gears can be seen. © Roland Baege​/​TU Dortmund

Scaling a startup to a global enterprise: Lessons from the Co-Founder of Emma

Guest lecturer Manuel Müller in front of students © TIE Institute
In our recent "Introduction to Entrepreneurship" lecture at TU Dortmund, we had the privilege of welcoming an outstanding guest speaker to share his unique story: Manuel Müller, Co-Founder of Emma – The Sleep Company.

Manuel took us behind the scenes of his career, offering incredibly candid insights into his personal entrepreneurial journey. He didn't just share the highlights; he spoke very transparently about his two previous founding experiences and openly discussed the things that did not go well, proving that setbacks and failures are often essential lessons for future triumphs.

Building on those early experiences, he then walked us through the incredible story of Emma. He shared the strategic moves, challenges, and milestones that defined his massive success in scaling Emma's business around the globe, turning it into a leading sleep brand worldwide.

The session sparked a dynamic discussion about the realities of building an international business, the importance of resilience, and how to productively learn from failure. Our students were deeply inspired by his authenticity, taking home valuable lessons on what it really takes to navigate the ups and downs of startup life.

Thank you, Manuel, for sharing your experiences so openly and motivating the next generation of entrepreneurs at TU Dortmund. We wish you and the entire Emma team continued success on your global journey!

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