From FHV studies to startup

Bernd Rauch's path to entrepreneurship began with an academic education at the FHV. He completed a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and then a master's degree in Human Resources & Organization. "Studying at the FHV gave me a solid foundation in all areas of Business Administration," says the Feldkirch native, adding: "In particular, the strong practical relevance, the part-time studies and the close exchange with experienced lecturers were important building blocks for my current self-employment. I also developed determination and perseverance there. And that's hugely important when you're self-employed." The idea of founding a startup already accompanied him during his semester dates.

Modern recruiting

Bernd Rauch worked at 11er Nahrungsmittel alongside his part-time Master's degree, most recently as Head of Human Resources. In his role, he gained deep insights into the challenges of modern recruiting. "The highly dynamic nature of the job market clearly showed me how difficult it had become for companies to find qualified specialists quickly," emphasizes the 32-year-old. He therefore sought out strong sparring partners in his environment early on in order to realize the idea of his self-employment: his brother Roland and his colleague Raphael.

Platform for job seekers

A decisive moment came when Raphael presented the idea of a platform for job seekers. Together, they immediately recognized the potential. From the outset, they also brought in external expertise, in particular from Startup Vorarlberg, which also includes the FHV Startup Center. Workenda was accompanied by FHV Startup Coaches Thomas Metzler and Bettina Grabher: "We received valuable feedback from them, generated exciting new ideas and further sharpened the strategy. It was a real boost for us in the early phase," recalls the startup founder. The impetus in the areas of marketing, innovation, AI and financing was particularly helpful. "The honest assessment of the experts in the field of start-ups and the outside perspective helped us to move forward in a more focused way."

Workenda: free of charge for job seekers

As the concept became more and more focused, www.workenda.at was created - a recruiting platform that combines digital efficiency with personal supervisor. It offers job seekers fast and free registration, automatically generated CVs, anonymized profiles and a one-click application function. In addition, there is individual support from the recruiting team, which conducts interviews, checks profiles and finds suitable companies. "For job seekers, Workenda is completely free and extremely user-friendly," says Rauch, highlighting the benefits.

Companies benefit

Companies gain access to vetted, qualified candidates from all departments, can search the pool themselves or receive recommendations through direct contact. Company profiles and automated processes also ensure efficiency. "In short, Workenda combines personal advice with digital efficiency," summarizes the university management.

Challenging first few years

However, the path to self-employment also had its challenges. Choosing the right partners was particularly important for Bernd Rauch: "The first few years of any start-up are very challenging. You need people who are a good fit both professionally and personally and who will stick with you in the long term." He also sees financial preparation as key, both privately and entrepreneurially. Perseverance, patience and a clear goal in mind are decisive factors.

Professional experience is important

Bernd Rauch has a tip for those who are toying with the idea of setting up their own business: "Choose a business idea that really excites you and ideally is based on existing professional experience. Passion alone is often not enough if the foundation is missing. Many people underestimate how long it can take for a start-up to actually make money."

The story of Bernd Rauch and Workenda shows how training, experience, courage and a strong network can work together successfully. And how an idea can become a company if it is further developed, scrutinized and professionally supported. In his case, a company that wants to make the job market more efficient and more humane.

First port of call for start-ups

Would you also like to found a startup? Then contact Bettina Grabher or Thomas Metzler from Startup Vorarlberg @FHV directly.

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