The Pillar-X Journey  

Pillar-X is a successful real estate start-up, which however had humble origins. To celebrate the move to the new offices, we would like to take you on a little tour of Pillar-X’s previous premises. 

From the cellar to the HOI 

Practically every start-up needs a lot of capital to become a successful business. This is especially true in the real estate industry. If you’re not lucky enough to be backed by wealthy investors, then you often have to make compromises. For this reason, Pillar-X started on modest premises in 2019. 

At the beginning, every spare pound went into our projects, so there was not even the thought of a managing director’s salary, let alone extravagant office space. Like many other successful start-ups, Pillar-X, therefore, began in a basement that functioned as an office. The disadvantages of a basement as an office are obvious. There are no toilets, no windows for fresh air and certainly no air conditioning. But in order to build Pillar-X, it was necessary to make this compromise, so we worked on these premises for over a year. 

In 2020, costs continued to be an important factor, but we were very lucky to have the chance to move into a new office that we shared with another company. This way we were able to save costs and still improve our working conditions enormously. As a young start-up, you have to be innovative in many situations to get ahead. 

We worked in our first real office for over 2 years until we finally got an opportunity we could hardly have dreamed of at the beginning. 

Entrepreneur Club Winterthur 

In 2022, Thomas and Daniel joined the organising committee of the Entrepreneur Club Winterthur, which opened up a whole new set of opportunities. The Entrepreneur Club Winterthur organises the Start-Up Nights, which is the most important trade fair for start-ups in Switzerland. At this fair, founders, investors, interested parties and already established companies meet to exchange ideas, cooperate, and expand their network. As a start-up with big ambitions, this was the perfect place for Pillar-X to reach the next level. 

Through the Entrepreneur Club, we became aware of the HOI (Home of Innovation) in Winterthur, which had just opened its second location in the city. We were lucky enough to get one of the coveted places in the new HOI right next to Winterthur’s train station. Although the premises cost considerably more, we couldn’t pass up this unique opportunity. The HOI is not just a simple co-working space but offers much more. 

Besides the perfect location, the HOI in Winterthur offers very pleasant working conditions. There is a lot of natural light in the building due to the glass façade and many amenities, such as a snack and drinks bar, allow us to work comfortably. 

HOI remains true to its name and is the hub for innovative companies and start-ups in Winterthur. Regular events allow us to constantly expand our horizons and learn new things. There are also endless networking opportunities, so we meet new interesting people every day.  

Last but not least, we finally have an orange pillar in our office.