Venture Hub as a Growth Lever: Establishing an Innovation Ecosystem for Hoyer Handel

Conceptualization, validation, and implementation of a launchpad for consumer electronics products.

Retail of Consumer Electronics

Venture Building, Opportunity Landscaping, Startup Scouting

Challenge

Hoyer Handel is an established manufacturer and importer of consumer goods across the kitchen, household, and consumer electronics categories, serving major retail clients such as Lidl. Despite notable product successes, including the “Monsieur Cuisine,” the company faced increasing market pressure driven by technological disruption, data-driven business models, and the rapid emergence of direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands.

The objective of the project was to conduct a comprehensive strategic positioning exercise within the framework of a “Global Opportunity Landscaping.” The aim was to systematically assess structural shifts in retail and e-commerce and to leverage Hoyer Handel’s core capabilities—such as its production infrastructure, software expertise, and data analytics competencies—to unlock new, scalable, and profitable business models beyond traditional product sales.

Solution

The engagement followed a structured three-phase research sprint model, designed to integrate an external market perspective with Hoyer Handel’s internal strengths:

Setup & Changing Market: Identification and analysis of key trends in customer behavior, emerging technologies, and competitive dynamics to define a clear strategic search field.
Ecosystem Mapping & Patterns: Systematic screening of relevant startup ecosystems and identification of scalable success patterns, including IoT applications, machine learning solutions, and platform-based business models.
Business Opportunities: Consolidation of insights into clearly defined growth opportunities across the strategic dimensions of Build, Partner, and Invest.

Quality assurance was ensured through an internal sounding board and a dedicated “challenger” from hy, who rigorously reviewed assumptions and stress-tested strategic conclusions.

Impact

The project resulted in the entrepreneurial establishment of a dedicated venture hub, covering the full value chain—from company formation and technical infrastructure setup to the recruitment of key strategic hires.

As part of the implementation, a formal launch event was executed and operational responsibility for managing the deal flow was assumed. Within the first months, more than 100 startup applications were screened, leading to the successful negotiation of two term sheets.

With the successful launch of “Goodstuff Ventures,” Hoyer Handel established a sustainable innovation platform designed to systematically identify, validate, and scale new growth opportunities.