The Runtastic founder sold his app for 220 million to Adidas - that makes him successful.

He is a sign for his fitness app. With the sporty body, Florian Gschwandtner teaches that Runtastic holds what it promises: to motivate itself to ever higher performances by recording the training.

Gschwandtner not only made his app fit but also successful. He founded Runtastic 2009 with three colleagues from his old employer. Only six years later, she sold the founding team to Adidas for 220 million euros.


The 34-year-old had succeeded, with the million-strong exit, of many founders dreaming of becoming rich with a company. But Gschwandtner's dream is not to go into retirement, he said to business insiders. He is still Managing Director at Runtastic.

His secret of success is that he enjoys the work. He points out to young founders: " If you want to build a successful company, you will have to do without much leisure. The good thing is, however, that your startup does not seem like work. Then you go after your dream and that can and will be even more exciting than leisure time. "
Intuitively the right attitude

With this attitude, the Austrian is the type founder, looking for investors in Silicon Valley. The investors ask before financing would at what price to sell the founder - and reject if a number is called. Because start-ups are really successful, if the goal is not money, but the world to improve. With this attitude, Gschwandtner also works on Runtastic.

" My vision is that everyone with Runtastic can develop a more active lifestyle and so happily enjoy a longer life. "The app is designed to enrich the lives of others through sports.
Disadvantages turn out to be advantages

What distinguishes the Austrian from the Silicon Valley founders: He did not have a risk capital in the millions in the background. Runtastic was initially financed by revenue from other apps for businesses. Even today, after the acquisition of Adidas, Runtastic pays the employees from his own merits, as Gschwandtner told an Austrian news page. But what could be seen as a disadvantage makes Gschwandtner hungry for success . He does not rest on a million funding.

Another supposed disadvantage: Runtastic sits in a 6,000-soul community near Linz. Pasching does not provide professional contacts from other startup hubs. But Gschwandtner has his family close by, where he switches off.

Every two weeks he goes to his parents' house, a farm in Lower Austria. "My parents are a great example. They are still top-notch with more than 60 and have really fun. "For Gschwandtner, success is not just the job, but also a fulfilled private life.



Sport, family, a vision in the job, " and sometimes a horny party " - the combination of work and compensation not only fulfills the founder, but also makes him successful in his job. And also some courage. He advises young people: "Dare! You do not have to be perfect, but you should give the throttle. "Do not hesitate, but make. Gschwandtner and his co-founders already became a millionaire six years after the launch of the app.

Source: Business Insider