Yessica Klein
8 min read
09 November 2025
Kilian Kaminski moved to Vienna in 2017 with a clear goal: to start a company. Conversations with longtime friend and eventual cofounder Peter Windischhofer, who was exploring the gap in Europe’s circular economy, sparked the shared belief that it was time for a more trustworthy and accessible market for refurbished goods. In those first weeks, it wasn’t funding or traction that drove them—it was a sense of momentum. "We were moving fast because we trusted each other," Kilian reflects. That alignment, forged in the unglamorous hours before product-market fit, would become the backbone of refurbed’s resilience and rapid scale. Eight years later, refurbed has grown into one of Austria’s most successful scaleups, with over 250 employees, operations in 12 countries, and more than €2 billion in GMV since founding.
Why did you choose to stay in Vienna after founding refurbed?
Initially, it was a practical decision. Peter was already in Vienna, our future CTO Jürgen was there too, and it made more sense for me to move than for everyone else to relocate. But we quickly realized Vienna offered a lot: strong government grants, an international student population, and early traction in the local ecosystem. The startup scene was smaller at the time, which helped us stand out quickly. We won several pitch competitions, gained PR attention and built recognition in the Austrian market. That visibility gave us the foundation we needed to grow.
How did the idea for refurbed come about?
It started when Peter bought a second-hand phone from a private seller, and it broke after two weeks. There was no warranty, no support, and he lost his money. He remembered learning about professionally refurbished products while studying in San Francisco and realized there wasn’t a strong player offering this in Europe. He reached out to me because I had built Amazon’s refurbishment program. We met, discussed the idea, and within six weeks we had founded the company. Four weeks after that, we sold our first product.
What role did public funding play in your early growth?
We received a €22,000 grant from the Austrian government early on. That funding was essential; we used it for marketing while living on our savings. We wanted to prove the model worked before seeking investment. Our marketplace model requires external capital to scale, so seven months after launching we raised our first round. That gave us just enough to pay ourselves minimal salaries and keep building.
"Public transport here costs one euro a day. You don’t need a car. Infrastructure like that lowers stress and frees your focus."
How has the business evolved since then?
We started with refurbished smartphones and laptops, but now we’re a multicategory player. We sell everything from audio gear and smartwatches to coffee machines, ebikes and baby strollers. We even launched categories like garden equipment and sports gear. The vision has always been to offer sustainable alternatives across as many product categories as possible, not just electronics but all areas of daily life.
Have there been moments of doubt along the way?
Of course. Especially in the early years, we were always asking ourselves: will we make the next funding round? And if not, we’d have to tell the team it’s over. That kind of pressure at 26 is intense. We’ve done five funding rounds, and everyone came with the same uncertainty. But over time, you gain perspective. You trust yourself, your cofounders and the team. We turned profitable this year, and that’s a huge milestone.
What do you appreciate most about Vienna as a base for founders?
Vienna has excellent infrastructure: public transport is cheap and efficient, and the city is extremely safe and affordable. That takes a lot of pressure off when you’re trying to build something. It’s also a city where you can focus. Unlike in Berlin, where living costs are high and turnover is constant, here people stay and grow with you. The multicultural student population also means you can hire junior talent with diverse language skills early on, which is great when you're scaling across Europe.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of founding a company in Vienna?
Talk to people already in the ecosystem. AustrianStartups is a great entry point. Vienna is a fantastic place to start, thanks to its multicultural student body and relatively low competition for junior roles. You’ll have to look internationally for senior talent later, but the foundation is solid. The ecosystem is more connected now than in 2017, and local networks like scaleup dinners have become invaluable for exchanging advice and learning from peers.
"None of the three founders drink coffee, which I think is rare in this scene. It’s all tea and white wine spritz for us."