PIKAPAK: Sustainable transportation in the city with the world’s first parcel backpack
Innovation often arises where everyday life encounters obstacles. This is also the case with Désirée Schmitz: her idea for PIKAPAK, the world's first parcel backpack, was the answer to a personal challenge - and is now a practical solution for city dwellers who want to travel more sustainably without a car. "PIKAPAK is the transportation tool of the future," she says.
From an everyday problem to a business idea: the development journey of PIKAPAK
The inspiration for PIKAPAK came to Désirée in the middle of Frankfurt. “I realized how difficult it is to transport larger or heavier things without a car,” she says. When she couldn’t find a suitable solution online, she decided to make one herself. So she took a seat at her sewing machine herself and created her first prototype. Her “functional” sewing skills were enough to test the concept – and the reactions on the street left no doubt: PIKAPAK filled a real gap in the market.
However, the coronavirus pandemic presented the young company with major challenges: “Traditional market research was impossible. No events, no direct customer contact.” Nevertheless, Désirée took the plunge, registered the brand and patented PIKAPAK. She quickly received feedback on the first prototypes, which formed the basis for the further development of the product.
Challenges as drivers of growth
Of course, there were also moments of doubt. “Doubts are simply part of the process,” says Désirée. But she learned to accept these phases as part of the process. “Doubts are just the steep curve to the next success!”
And the success was not long in coming. Just four weeks after the launch, ProSieben’s Galileo reported on PIKAPAK – a moment that showed Désirée that her idea had been well received. “Suddenly orders were coming in from all over Germany. That moment showed me: What I’m doing here really has an impact. And in the end, that’s what this crazy start-up madness is all about – the feeling that you’re really making a difference with your idea. And yes, Galileo, you definitely have a place in my founder’s heart!”
From prototype to vision: PIKAPAK 2.0 and the future
The path from the first self-sewn prototype to the market-ready product was challenging but instructive. “All the experience from the first version has been incorporated into PIKAPAK 2.0,” says Désirée proudly. The next big milestone? Scaling and market entry in the EU.
Despite the logistical challenges, Désirée is already thinking about other projects: “I would found another B2C start-up, but probably with a digital product – more scalable and less complex in terms of logistics.”
Cohesion among female founders: “Every kick is a boost”
Networks have played a major role in Désirée’s journey, especially organizations such as the House of Logistics and Mobility (HOLM) and StartHub Hessen. She is also motivated by a motto that keeps her going: “Every kick is a boost! This sentence is written on a neon Post-it in my office. And I look at it often. Because failure is not the end – it’s a stepping stone. Every ‘no’ I’ve heard has brought me closer to the next big ‘yes’.”
She has a clear message for women who want to start a business: “Don’t wait for the perfect moment – there is no such thing. Your idea will grow when you take the first step.”
A strong network for the future
Désirée hopes that the Female Founders ecosystem in Germany will grow even closer together: “We need more mutual support among women. The success of individual women is success for us all.” Her personal mantra? A quote from Madeleine Albright: “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”
With this vision and energy, Désirée Schmitz not only shows how innovative products are created, but also how female founders can shape a sustainable future together. Let’s PIKAPAK!
LEARN MORE ABOUT PIKAPAK
Want to know more?
Discover more female founder stories, female founded startups, nationwide service points and events in our Female Founders Hub.