🎙️ Episode Summary

Episode Title: From Cold Plasma to Company: Julia Zimmermann & Gregor Morfill on Science, Chaos, and the Leap into Entrepreneurship

Short Description

What does it actually take to turn cutting-edge physics research into a company — and keep your life together in the process? In this episode, Andreas Reiser sits down with Julia Zimmermann, founder of Terraplasma, and Prof. Gregor Morfill, one of the world's leading scientists in cold plasma research and former Director at the Max Planck Institute, for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about the journey from lab to market.

Gregor shares how decades of fundamental research — including work connected to the International Space Station — ultimately laid the scientific groundwork for Terraplasma. Julia opens up about navigating the realities of being a scientist, entrepreneur, and parent simultaneously, including the crises, the near-fatal mistakes, and the moments that made it all worthwhile. Together, they reflect on whether scientists make good founders, why a little naivety can be a genuine advantage, and what practical advice they'd give anyone standing at the threshold of their first startup.

Extended Show Notes

Guests: Julia Zimmermann, Founder of Terraplasma; Prof. Gregor Morfill, Cold Plasma Scientist & former Director, Max Planck Institute Host: Andreas Reiser, Start-up Mentor, MPF Start-up Initiative Duration: ~60 minutes

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How fundamental cold plasma research — including experiments on the ISS — became the scientific foundation for a real-world company
• Whether naivety is a bug or a feature when founding a DeepTech startup
• How Julia balances the demands of science, business, and family — and what happens when the wheels come off
• Why Gregor's "chaos theory" of business turns out to be surprisingly accurate
• The near-fatal mistake of taking on military contracts — and what it cost
• Why market access is a skill set scientists rarely have and always need
• Practical, unfiltered advice for researchers considering the step into entrepreneurship

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Welcome & Introduction: From Science to Startup
• 01:35 – Cold Plasma Physics and the ISS: The Scientific Foundation
• 05:10 – Founding Terraplasma: Was Naivety a Success Factor?
• 08:23 – Chaos Theory in Business: Unexpected Paths and Hard Lessons
• 11:13 – From Paper to Product: What Keeps You Going?
• 14:10 – Building the Right Team: Bridging Physics and Medicine
• 17:08 – Are Scientists Good Entrepreneurs?
• 21:28 – The Role of the Max Planck Ecosystem in Supporting Founders
• 23:35 – How Julia Navigated a Personal and Professional Crisis
• 25:38 – Advice for Founders: On Naivety, Security, and Taking the First Step
• 29:20 – From Argon Prototype to Consumer Product
• 36:00 – The Almost Fatal Mistake: Military Contracts and What They Cost
• 40:30 – Why Market Access Requires Outside Expertise
• 42:38 – Closing Reflections and a Look Ahead

Links & Resources:

• Terraplasma
• MPF Start-up Initiative
• Watch on YouTube