#3 Naivety, chaos theory, and a near-fatal contract mistake — the Terraplasma founders hold nothing back.

🎙️ Episode SummaryEpisode Title: From Cold Plasma to Company: Julia Zimmermann & Gregor Morfill on Science, Chaos, and the Leap into EntrepreneurshipShort DescriptionWhat 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 NotesGuests: 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 minutesWhat you'll learn in this episode:How fundamental cold plasma research — including experiments on the ISS — became the scientific foundation for a real-world companyWhether naivety is a bug or a feature when founding a DeepTech startupHow Julia balances the demands of science, business, and family — and what happens when the wheels come offWhy Gregor's "chaos theory" of business turns out to be surprisingly accurateThe near-fatal mistake of taking on military contracts — and what it costWhy market access is a skill set scientists rarely have and always needPractical, unfiltered advice for researchers considering the step into entrepreneurshipTimestamps:00:00 – Welcome & Introduction: From Science to Startup01:35 – Cold Plasma Physics and the ISS: The Scientific Foundation05:10 – Founding Terraplasma: Was Naivety a Success Factor?08:23 – Chaos Theory in Business: Unexpected Paths and Hard Lessons11:13 – From Paper to Product: What Keeps You Going?14:10 – Building the Right Team: Bridging Physics and Medicine17:08 – Are Scientists Good Entrepreneurs?21:28 – The Role of the Max Planck Ecosystem in Supporting Founders23:35 – How Julia Navigated a Personal and Professional Crisis25:38 – Advice for Founders: On Naivety, Security, and Taking the First Step29:20 – From Argon Prototype to Consumer Product36:00 – The Almost Fatal Mistake: Military Contracts and What They Cost40:30 – Why Market Access Requires Outside Expertise42:38 – Closing Reflections and a Look AheadLinks & Resources:TerraplasmaMPF Start-up InitiativeWatch on YouTube