23.7.2024 | University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, School of Business
«It’s fun»
In 2015, FHNW student Mirjam Affolter co-founded MyCamper, the sharing platform for motorhomes. A start-up based on the sharing economy? Doubts were immediately raised: it would never work.
When Mirjam Affolter (31) talks about her start-up as a guest at the FHNW School of Business today, she’s sure to capture the attention of the students. This entrepreneur is one of us, many of them think. Mirjam also studied business administration at the FHNW. Even before completing her bachelor’s degree, in 2015 at the age of 22 she co-founded MyCamper, now Switzerland’s largest motorhome sharing platform.
«Founding my own company? No, that wasn’t my dream.» She was simply open to new ideas and the opportunity arose, says Mirjam. She met Michele Matt by chance. It was he who came up with the idea of a sharing platform. Motorhomes are used on average two to three weeks a year and remain parked the rest of the time, still incurring costs. So why not rent out? «The sharing economy approach is sustainable. It made sense to me then and it still makes sense to this day.»
Sharing: does anyone need that?
But when the start-up MyCamper was born, there was more than just applause. Mirjam remembers well: «At the 2015 Swiss Caravan Salon in Bern, our first major appearance, we encountered a barrage of criticism. This idea would never work, they said. If you can afford a motorhome in Switzerland, you don’t need to share it.»
Nine years later, it looks like this: the platform has 2,500 vehicles available for hire in Switzerland. «That’s 2,500 people who really want to share. The sharing economy works perfectly with this volume. It doesn’t need all 120,000 motorhomes registered in Switzerland for it to function.» However, people’s thinking has changed, observes the native of Solothurn. The great trailblazer: Airbnb. «Property that you don’t use can be a burden.» Watertight insurance provides the necessary protection for the contracting parties.
«Do something that’s meaningful to you personally. That will carry you.»
However, it soon became clear that the Swiss market was too small to operate the platform profitably in the long term. Even the multiple bookings during the coronavirus pandemic were not enough. MyCamper therefore planned to expand abroad at an early stage. Potential for new motorhome-sharing markets was identified in some northern European countries. While the implementation of this strategy took longer than envisaged, it was successful.
MyCamper’s acquisition of Swedish platform Housecar in 2022 saw it become market leader in Sweden, Norway and Finland. The most recent country addition was Denmark in 2023. «It’s working well,» Mirjam laughs. «We’re now benefiting from our lessons learned. In Switzerland, it took three years to get the first 150 rental vehicles on the platform. In Denmark, we have over 100 after just one year.» More than 5,000 motorhomes can now be hired on MyCamper in Switzerland and Scandinavia.
Starting a company while still studying?
Mirjam recently became a mother. «I still love working every day, but I also want to have time for my family.» Planning is everything, which is why the company set its course at an early stage. Mirjam relinquished her role as head of day-to-day business and now works part-time (60 %) in the marketing department. «The job gives me the flexibility I need and I’m learning a lot of new things here too.»
Of the start-ups and spin-offs founded at Swiss universities and academic institutions, only 17% have women at the helm. What does Mirjam recommend to women? «My advice applies to both women and men. First: be open about your business ideas and make use of the feedback. Don’t be afraid of people stealing your ideas. Do something that’s meaningful to you personally. That will carry you.»
