During the coronavirus pandemic, Michelle converted her van, "Rudi." The conversion cost around €8,000. As a business graduate, she's well aware that with every euro we spend, we invest in good or bad business practices. Initially, she tried to shop at hardware stores and retail outlets, but frustration quickly set in: Whether online or offline, the product packaging always stated "Made in..." Not Europe. If it's the same relabeled and repriced cheap imports anyway, you might as well order from the online giant. That's where the €8,000 ended up.

There has to be a better way, Michelle thought: We have created a functioning infrastructure with the EU to ensure production conditions, human rights and product safety - but we are importing completely bypassing this.

To change this, we need a plan...

As a consumer, you only make better purchasing decisions when you have a choice. You only have a choice when you have visible alternatives.

Local products must therefore be visible! These companies don't stand a chance on their own – high production costs and low advertising budgets are pitted against the market power of online giants. But if we bundle all products manufactured in Europe on one platform and bring the brands together, we can save local production. Together we can restore value to production!

The plan for Youro was born: a marketplace for products made in Europe. And that's just the beginning of a vision...

Our vision is clear: we want to collect all products manufactured in the EU in one place and make them accessible to consumers.

'Local consumption' as an alternative to the throwaway society. Consumption with a focus on quality, durability, and appreciation. We achieve this through our brand profiles: We not only show you where the products were manufactured, but also who is behind the company. Through this emotional connection, we also achieve more conscious consumption and lower return rates.

The marketplace for 'Made in EU' products is just the beginning: In the long term, an advertising, shipping, or purchasing cooperative is conceivable. This could compensate for the lack of economies of scale and strengthen the competitiveness of local businesses.

Supporting local production has many benefits:

• It promotes the independence of our economy - let us remember the supply bottlenecks in the Suez Canal or the protective mask affair.
• Jobs and expertise will be retained. If production moves entirely, this will have a critical long-term impact on our future.
• Local businesses pay more taxes locally and often use local service providers and suppliers. The value chain continues.
• Local producers are willing to accept additional costs in favor of product quality and production conditions. Given the increasing number of scandals involving cheap imports, product safety is also becoming increasingly important.
• With the European Union, we have created the infrastructure to ensure a sustainable economy: no chemicals in rivers, no child labor, no human rights violations. If we fail to ensure this here locally with our instruments, it will become more difficult with increasing distance and a lack of regulators.

In the capitalist model of supply and demand, consumers actively shape their world. We enable this by creating a genuine alternative. Only then does the principle work.

In May 2024, Michelle founded Youro GmbH. In October 2024, Hendrik joined as co-founder.

Michelle Kujawa (31) quit her well-paid job in management consulting to fully commit to the project. She lived full-time in a van in Cologne for two years to realize her vision. Van life as a financing component: By saving on rent and fixed costs, Michelle was able to invest the money as equity in the startup. Between co-working space and living in 6 square meters – living for the startup. (WDR report below)

Hendrik Iserlohe (34) left his sales job to become self-employed: As long as the startup is equity-financed, he finances himself by waiting tables with weekend and night shifts.

These two give their all to their mission to counter the flood of cheap imports. Two true rags-to-riches stories in the making.

But for this to work, for us to save the local economy and avoid having to finance ourselves forever through cost-saving lifestyles and waiting tables, we need one thing: PR!