Clara and Caroline made a sustainable app of coffee at CSE

“Wow, we really drink a lot of bad coffee,” Caroline Langholz said to Clara Truelsen.

Two years ago, the two friends were sitting at a café discussing ideas for new apps as part of a CBS course on innovation and technology.

“We knew about Vivino, the app that helps wine lovers find great wines, but there was nothing similar for coffee. On top of that, the coffee market was extremely niche and opaque,” says Caroline Langholz.

This conversation marked the beginning of their journey from bachelor students to entrepreneurs – an experience that has been filled with learning, challenges and success.

Their startup, Brøg, is an app designed to help coffee enthusiasts find their perfect cup of coffee – essentially Vivino for coffee lovers. But Brøg is more than just a taste guide; it also enables users to choose coffee based on sustainability.

With backgrounds in IT and Business Administration from CBS and support from Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship (CSE), Clara Truelsen and Caroline Langholz have created a platform that combines technology with responsibility.

“CSE made us feel our project was taken seriously”
After completing their bachelor degrees, the project was put on hold. Clara and Caroline had planned to take a gap year.

However, the idea of Brøg kept resurfacing, and by the end of the summer, they decided to go all in on the project. The gap year was cancelled, and the two friends launched their first company while pursuing their master degrees, however, it quickly became clear that they needed help to realise their ambitions, and Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship proved to be the perfect foundation.

“CSE was a game changer. They provided us with a professional framework and made us feel like we were genuinely building a business,” says Clara Truelsen.

“Having physical facilities – an office space and a base – made it feel like real work. We also learned all about formalities: CVR numbers, contracts and compliance. It was quite intimidating at first, but we just threw ourselves into the project and learned along the way,” Caroline Langholz adds.

The office facilities clearly separated work and personal life, while sparring with other entrepreneurs helped them navigate both administrative and strategic challenges.

“We truly felt like entrepreneurs when we started working at CSE. They took us and our idea seriously, which gave us the confidence to do the same,” Clara Truelsen explains.

Through CSE, they also gained access to interns and external assistance via the network platform The Hub.

Entrepreneurship is still a male-dominated field

Clara and Caroline are fully aware that they operate in a male-dominated industry. The tech and coffee industries, as well as entrepreneurship in general, still see a low share of female participants, however, they see this as a challenge to overcome.

“We have met amazing women, but men still dominate the field. This needs to change,” says Clara Truelsen.

In Denmark, entrepreneurship is still significantly skewed by gender. While the number of female entrepreneurs has increased, women are still underrepresented compared to men. In 2022, there were 11,000 male entrepreneurs and 3,800 female entrepreneurs according to Økonomista.

Clara Truelsen and Caroline Langholz have also observed that women are often faced with more critical questions than their male colleagues, particularly concerning finances and risk.

“It can be frustrating, but it also motivates us to prove what we are capable of,” says Caroline Langholz.

Ashlea Wallington, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at CSE, explains how CBS and CSE work actively to promote diversity in entrepreneurship.

“We take our position in the entrepreneurial ecosystem very seriously, and we know that university is an ideal time for women to develop an interest in entrepreneurship and innovation, even if they have not previously considered a career in it.”

Advice for future female entrepreneurs

Clara Truelsen and Caroline Langholz are eager to inspire other women to take the leap into entrepreneurship.

“Just do it. There are so many resources available, and it is easier to experiment and take risks while you are still a student,” says Clara Truelsen.

They also emphasise the importance of finding a co-founder and building a network.

“Having someone to share the journey with makes everything much easier – both during tough times and when there is something to celebrate,” says Caroline Langholz.

Ashlea Wallington also comments on the importance of supporting women in entrepreneurship:

“More than 50% of founders in our startup internship and early-stage programmes are women, but this is not yet reflected in the later stages of incubation and acceleration.  We are continuously working to create an environment where all entrepreneurs regardless of gender feel included and have the best chances for success.”

For Clara Truelsen and Caroline Langholz, Brøg is more than just a company – it is proof that women can drive change and participate in entrepreneurship.

“We look forward to being the ones sitting on the other side of the table one day, supporting future entrepreneurs – regardless of gender,” Clara Truelsen concludes.