The innovation factory

Our Mission

At Squared we take the challenges of our changing world seriously! Sustainability is not just a thought for us, but the source of our inspiration and the needs of the user our engine. Together we rethink the DIY market and aim to create a world for builders and those dreaming to build.

Venture Spaces

Our Venture Spaces are the foundation of our activities. Based on current topics of the economy and society, we derive fields of action for our DIY industry and translate them into new business models.

#refurbishing #circular-sourcing #repair #recycling #sharing-economy #resource-efficiency

#energetic-renovation #sustainable-energy-supply #alternative-materials #circular-construction #smart-metering #condensed-spaces

#home-services #D2C #curated-consumption #social-commerce #insurance #digital-assistance #match-making

#gardening-robotics #regrowing #crop-production #prosumer #maker-spaces #smart-planters #vertical-farming

#micro-hubs #dynamic-routing #robotic-assisted #last-mile-solutions #stock-tracking #instore-experience

Circular Retail

Green Housing

Personalized Enabling Services

Urban Greens

Retail Automation

Venture Units

Our units work together cross-functionally in specialized areas. Doing so, we always look outward, but never lose sight on our core business.

Venture

Building

Fast validation of innovative business models that can flourish with OBIs existing assets to sustainable grow the core business by new revenue streams.

Venture

Client

Innovation that is externally driven by a startup and the adoption of the startup solutions does not require significant alterations to structures and processes.

Venture

Capital

Innovation that is not yet compatible with OBI’s current and new to OBI’s way of doing business (specialized in segment, technology, market), but generates vital insights into these markets

Projects

We apply proven methodologies from business and services design, which we continuously adapt and iterate on the basis of learnings during our projects.

Redrop

Development of a direct-to-consumer brand in the field of sustainable renovation to tap new customer segments for OBI.

Circular Retail

Venture Building

Kurts

Rent before you rant. kurts x OBI is a startup service for 24/7 DIY rental machines in urban areas.

Circular Retail

Venture Client

Plantstick (soon)

Your external green thumb! Development of a smart nutrient sensor based service to monitor home plants via app.

Personalized Enabling Services

Venture Building

Plants (soon)

Plant bundles at your doorstep. Development of an online premium brand for home plants.

Green Homes

Venture Building

Bringoo

Last mile delivery within one hour. Bringoo meets Obi customers at their doorstep.

Retail Automation

Venture Building

Our Setup

What unites us? A Doing-Attidude and the common belief that what we’re up to has an impact on the way we want to live tomorrow.
We are pioneers, founders, investors & DIY lovers.

Dennis Hornung

Head of Innovation Squared

Edda Becker

Senior Venture Associate

Nadja Riedel

Venture Growth Associate

Lennart Weichert

Venture Architect

Marek Willing

Venture Architect

Anika Rakowski

Expert Venture Operations