On Tuesday, October 17, VCM welcomed Jonas Heeke, Co-Founder of liba, Zwanzig20, and Homebeis, to a Let’s Talk in the Mensa at Aasee.
THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT JONAS AND LIBA
Jonas has been a founder since 2005! While studying business administration at the University of Münster, his first project was FC Münster 05 e.V., a football club he founded, which currently fields two teams.
In 2008 he founded liquidspot, a mobile cocktail bar, so his path into the beverage world took shape even before liba was created. He continued to run liquidspot after earning his diploma in 2010, all the way up to the founding of liba in 2014.
Then the focus shifted entirely to liba and implementing the regional business strategy. To prove that you can run a bar without the big international soda brands, the liba founders, including Jonas, decided in 2016 to open their own bar – Zwanzig20. Buoyed by Zwanzig20’s success, Homebeis was founded in 2020 to bring the slogan #supportyourlocalbrands to life in a storefront right on Aegidiimarkt.
WHY REGIONALITY WORKS
In a conversation with moderator Sebastian Wiesmann, a living VCM legend, the discussion naturally centered on regionality and why Jonas’s team deliberately chose this core aspect for their business plan.
While other founders might have drawn a line after a year, the liba founding team remained firmly convinced of its idea and brought it to market with clever marketing tactics – for example, visiting late‑night convenience stores, selling liba to the owner, and after strong demand, selling double the number of cases next time.
The founding and successful operation of Zwanzig20 was the final proof that gastronomy works with liba sodas alone. This dispelled any doubt among other eateries, and today liba can be found everywhere in Münster.
What’s special about the liba founding team is that family and friends came together to realize their own idea. Jonas emphasizes that he would choose this setup again anytime, because founding becomes even more fun when it’s that easy. Since the founding team is one of the most important components for success, being on the same wavelength matters. That’s why founding with friends and family feels natural.
THE VCM INTRODUCES ITSELF
The second part of the evening was kicked off with an introduction to Venture Club Münster. Over 100 participants got an insight into the association’s structure, what makes it stand out, and how VCM complements the startup community in Münster. Afterwards, attendees enjoyed great catering from Hier&Jetzt and – of course – plenty of liba. With lively conversations about VCM, founding, and studies, the evening came to a convivial close.
The VCM application period ends on October 19 at 2 p.m. For anyone who hasn’t submitted their application yet, you’ll find here the link to the application form.
