Guest post by Jil Westphal:

As part of the Startup Safari organized by Deutsche Bahn AG, I had the opportunity to work in a startup for four days, alongside input on methodological tools. The guys from blink.it welcomed me in Darmstadt "with open arms" and immediately gave me insight into their product as well as their origin story. What fascinated me was that their original idea of "producing small learning videos" is not their current product (a platform for blended learning); rather, the idea has evolved over time. These adjustments were based on small experiences that were seen as helpful and beneficial, and some of which can still be laughed about. The culture of giving up ideas, learning quickly from experiences, and not always taking oneself too seriously struck me as very valuable and an important success factor.

Blink.it quickly managed to excite trainers and then companies about their product. Unlike what you hear from other startups, the guys did not need an investor but are consistently financing themselves. However, this also means managing the existing resources well and continuously questioning when the invested money will come back in the form of contracts completed with trainers.

Surprisingly different are the associations with "freedoms" in companies. While Deutsche Bahn offers flexible working hours, bonuses, home office, or a sabbatical, a startup does not necessarily enjoy these benefits. Here, the own design of the product, structures, and processes is viewed as freedom.

My conclusion is very positive, and I would gladly intern at a startup again—preferably with the guys from blink.it. Perhaps, however, only in a few years when the startup has become a large company. Whether the differences are really that significant, you can best find out during your Startup Safari:).