From Sustainable Technology to a Commercial Business Model – the Path of a Successful Start-Up

Benedikt Heuer and Dr. Montgomery Jaritz had their entire academic careers at RWTH, and they founded the RWTH spinoff company IonKraft in 2021. IonKraft offers an innovative plasma-based coating technology for packaging, making it fully recyclable. In this interview with "keep in touch", they talk about their time at the University, the highs and lows during the founding period, and their life as managing directors.

Benedikt Heuer studied mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen University from 2008 to 2016, and he completed an M.B.A. in France in 2016. Dr. Montgomery Jaritz studied industrial engineering from 2007 to 2014, and he began his doctorate in plasma and surface technology at the Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University in 2015.

Mr. Heuer, Mr. Jaritz, you both completed your academic careers at RWTH Aachen University. What exactly did you both study at RWTH and how did you get to know each other?

Montgomery Jaritz: We both share a great passion for technology. I've always been a bit of a tinkerer and technology fan, and the same can definitely be said for Benedikt. That's why we were both drawn to study at RWTH Aachen University. I started my degree in industrial engineering in 2007, and Benedikt started a year later in mechanical engineering. We met each other through mutual friends when we were studying for the same exam in the RWTH library.

In 2010, I started working as a student assistant at IKV, the Institute for Plastics Processing. During my master's degree, I specialized in the research area of plasma and surface technology, and I focused on packaging coatings, particularly in the food sector. After completing my master's degree in 2014, I continued my work at IKV with a doctorate. In the process, I came across a further development in coating technology that can be used to make packaging more chemically resistant. During this phase, Benedikt and I crossed paths again: I had the idea of using this technology industrially and called him to discuss what possibilities this could open up for us.

Benedikt Heuer: During my studies, my focus was more on design and product development. I worked as a student assistant at various institutes, particularly when I was completing my bachelor's thesis. I was finally drawn to Bentley in England for my master's thesis. After graduating, I applied for the postgraduate M.B.A. program of the Collège des Ingénieurs, a management training program for engineers after they have graduated or completed their doctorate.

After completing my M.B.A., I received a very attractive offer from industry, which I couldn't refuse at first, at a former Siemens division called WS Audiology. There, I worked in strategic innovation management, cooperated with start-ups and managed projects – always with the aim of industrializing new technologies in a corporate environment or in cooperation with external partners and successfully bringing them to market. It was during this time that I finally received Montgomery's call.

Together, you founded the company IonKraft. How did the idea come about?

Montgomery Jaritz: During my doctorate, I came across a new coating technology for packaging and recognized that it had a great deal of potential to be used in new ways. It realized that it could be used to replace multi-material packaging and to make it recyclable. Specifically, this means that a special coating is used to make packaging chemically resistant. This can replace the barrier plastics that have been previously used to do this.

I didn't want to accept the idea that this technology might remain unused. So I decided to industrialize them myself. I contacted Benedikt and I told him this: "I’ve come up with an idea that has the potential to create more sustainable packaging." At the beginning of 2020, we met for a weekend to discuss possible next steps and business models.

At the same time, I held initial talks with companies to find out how they viewed this technology’s potential. The feedback I received was consistently positive. Based on this, I prepared a research proposal for the EXIST research transfer program from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. This program supports projects with high spin-off potential whilst they are in an early stage of development. Within one and a half years, the program can develop the technology to such an extent that a company can be founded.

Benedikt Heuer: I helped Montgomery to prepare the research proposal – initially in my spare time alongside my job. After we were approved for the grant, I decided to quit my secure corporate job. This marked the start of the actual project work in which we aimed to bring the technology to market.

As part of the EXIST research transfer process, we initially carried out extensive validation work. We built prototypes, coated the first packaging, tested them and also passed them on to customers for testing. Finally, we were able to provide a proof of principle and develop a concept to implement the process industrially.

We then applied for the EU's EIC Accelerator Program, a highly sought-after grant with a complex application process that provides two and a half million euros. This funding was what ultimately enabled us to bring the technology to market maturity. We now work in a team of 25 people and we have installed the first two production systems at packaging manufacturers. The first packaging with our technology will be launched on the market in the coming weeks.

Where does your interest in entrepreneurship come from?

Benedikt Heuer: For me, the M.B.A. program was what triggered my entrepreneurial spirit. It enabled me to build up a valuable network, and it laid the foundation for my first entrepreneurial experiences. My job reinforced my idea of founding my own company, as I was in regular contact with start-ups and other entrepreneurs. I found the combination with Montgomery's idea particularly appealing: There is a specific problem in the industry that hinders recycling and that makes it difficult to reuse plastics.

We have both innovative technology and economic potential. The combination of both aspects opens up the possibility of strengthening the circular economy and building a successful business.

The step of going back into the academic world, jumping in at the deep end and learning many new things was not an easy one to take. It was also a risk for Montgomery – after all, he could easily have stayed at the university and pursued a habilitation. However, our willingness to accept this uncertainty at the beginning was one of our strengths. We recognized that you can't predict everything and that's exactly what motivated us to take action. So far, it is obvious that we are on the right track.

Montgomery Jaritz: We divide up the areas of responsibility in a logical manner. Since I developed the technology, my main focus is on bringing it to market maturity. At the same time, I look after sales, as it is crucial here to be able to explain the benefits of the technology in depth. In the meantime, however, we have built up a strong team that takes on these tasks just as well as I can.

Given Benedikt’s background, it is logical that he takes care of developing the future design of our product solutions. He is responsible for the entrepreneurial framework – from financing to organizational structure. On top of that, he manages operations, develops processes, monitors how they are put into practice, and he actively shapes our corporate culture.

Our common goal is not only to build an impact-oriented start-up, but also to create a company in which employees enjoy working, take responsibility, and in which they make a committed contribution to our success.

What does your work look like on a day-to-day basis?

Benedikt Heuer: One big advantage is that we have known each other for a very long time, and we know that we can work together on a personal level. There are not many people with whom I would have wanted to take on such a project.

We also regularly spend time together outside of work, whether at weekends or on vacation. This close connection means that we are always well coordinated, and we have never had any serious conflicts. Of course, we do have differences of opinion from time to time, but we usually find a common solution pretty quickly. This is precisely one of our strengths as a team: We share the same vision and we have a similar vision of how the company should develop. This means that we speak the same language – both externally and to our team.

Separating work and free time is not always easy, but at the same time it is a great advantage to be able to work with a close friend. I see one of my best friends in the office each and every day – I see that as a real benefit. We can also celebrate joint successes or special moments in a very unique way.

What have been your personal highlights so far?

Montgomery Jaritz: There have been quite a few! This project is like a rollercoaster ride, and it is difficult to reduce the most important moments to just a few events. Winning the EIC Accelerator funding program was certainly a major highlight.

Around a year and a half later, another important milestone followed: we concluded our very first customer contract with the packaging manufacturer Greif. The company believed in us very early on – for us, this confirmed that there are customers who not only find our technology exciting, but who actually want to use it and who believe in its potential.

Another recent highlight was when we completed delivery of our first system and the customer successfully put it into operation. That was a special moment, because it proved that our idea works on an industrial scale.

What was your time as a student at RWTH like – what made a particular impression on you?

Benedikt Heuer: RWTH offers its students an incredible number of opportunities to develop their skills in different areas and to gain practical experience. Even during your studies, you can work closely on industrial projects as a student assistant or as part of your final thesis. This makes it clear early on just how strongly theory and application are connected – this is something I really appreciated about my degree at RWTH.

We also had the opportunity to get to know different disciplines and challenges, not only in theory but also in application-oriented projects. I particularly remember the topic of cooperative product development. In an international team, we implemented a product development project for Audi together with students from Korea within a few weeks and we presented a complete design concept at the end. Experiences such as this one are formative because they demonstrate how theoretical knowledge is applied in practice.

There are always situations where everything is on the brink and you don't know if things are going to continue. Having had such experiences during your studies prepares you well for dealing with these challenges too.

What support did you receive from RWTH? 

Montgomery Jaritz: First of all, I must mention that we received excellent support from the Institute for Plastics Processing. Both Professor Hopmann and Professor Dahlmann have intensively supported and promoted our project from the very beginning. They gave us all the freedom we needed to implement our project and they also opened doors to important network partners and companies.

In addition, we were able to take advantage of the ideal funding environment for an RWTH spin-off. Starting with the application for the EXIST research transfer, we received support from the RWTH's Ideation Program. We then took part in the Incubation Program and we were represented at numerous RWTH events – including ATEC (now chiotec), which we still attend regularly today. A particular highlight was in 2023, when we represented RWTH at Stage Two and where we won the prize for the University.

With its institutions such as RWTH Innovation GmbH, the Collective Incubator, Professor Brettel's Entrepreneurship Chair and numerous other events, RWTH has created an outstanding environment. We still make intensive use of this network – it has significantly helped our company to develop, and it considerably accelerated our growth.

Benedikt Heuer: The RWTH, in particular the Institute for Plastics Processing, continues to be a close partner. We continue to work together on projects, conduct research, and we are in regular strategic contact with the University.

Many of our employees come from RWTH themselves and we regularly supervise theses that are written in cooperation with various RWTH institutes. We are also currently part of a Gateway Factory program, which further strengthens our close ties. When I have questions, I often talk to Professor Brettel directly – this personal dialogue is very valuable for us.

In general, RWTH has developed enormously in recent years when it comes to supporting start-ups. I hope that this path will be continued and that their support will be even stronger in the future so that the numerous innovations that come from research actually find their way into practice through spin-offs.

Is there anything you would like to do again at RWTH in the future - teach, do a doctorate, maybe start a new project?

Benedikt Heuer: That's an exciting question! In the coming years, our focus will clearly be on IonKraft and on exploiting the full potential of our technology. There are still many possible uses for it that we would like to develop further.

That being so, I’m not currently thinking about new roles or projects. However, it is important for us to continue our close cooperation with RWTH and to give something back to the University. We would like to support teaching in the future, set an example, and inspire potential company founders. Our message is: If you work on exciting technology whilst you’re at university, you too can build a successful company if you have the right support.

You just mentioned the Gateway Factory program. What exactly does this involve?

Benedikt Heuer: This is another example of the excellent networking opportunities at RWTH. We have currently built two machines – one of them is already in use at a company, and the second is currently being put into operation. In the coming year, we want to scale up production and manufacture a larger number of these machines.

However, this scaling brings new challenges with it. That’s why we are receiving help from the Gateway Factory. We are taking the next major development step together with the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) at RWTH Aachen University. Practical application is being carried out in cooperation with the WZL's Global Production Management Center.

Thank you very much for this interesting and informative interview, Mr. Heuer and Mr. Jaritz!

– Author: Theresa Laubach. This interview was conducted in July 2025.