The birth of T’ees: a Journey of Friendship and Entrepreneurship

Like many great ventures, T’ees was born from a combination of coincidence, friendship, and an insatiable curiosity for entrepreneurship. It all started during the bachelor’s studies of Mika Welter, Yves Miltgen, Aleks Panzone, and William Gzella, where they met and discovered a shared passion for business and the dream of building something meaningful. A few years later, in March 2023, they created T’ees, the Luxembourgish iced tea that’s having a positive impact. During that time, three out of the four co-founders were doing their Master’s in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. We spoke to Mika to find out more about this fantastic Uni.lu startup. And if you want to try it, check their offer in Alumni Marketplace!

How did you come up with the idea for T’ees?

Our first entrepreneurial endeavour was YMA Media, a social media marketing agency. It was an exciting learning experience, giving us exposure to real-world business challenges. However, after struggling to build a substantial client base, we realised something crucial: we wanted to create something tangible, something real. We had grown weary of the digital space, where countless people were selling online courses and developing apps that often lacked real impact.

That’s when we took a step back and looked at the resources around us. With our strong connection to Autisme ASBL, we saw an opportunity to build something meaningful, something with purpose. And so, we launched T’ees, once again diving into an industry we knew little about but were eager to learn.

If there’s one lesson that defined our journey, it’s this: start first, figure it out along the way. Our experience with YMA Media equipped us with the fundamentals - accounting, marketing, and business strategy - but T’ees was where we truly found our mission. We didn’t just want to build a business, we wanted to create impact. And that mindset continues to drive us forward today.

Why did you choose the University of Luxembourg for your studies?

That was a strategic decision that aligned with both our academic ambitions and entrepreneurial goals. Staying in Luxembourg for Master’s was essential for us because it provided the ideal environment to continue developing our business. The country’s supportive ecosystem for startups and strong network of entrepreneurs made it the perfect place to build something meaningful while pursuing our education.

Beyond that, the University of Luxembourg stood out for its high-quality programmes, offering a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and practical applications. The opportunity to learn from both distinguished internal faculty and experienced external professionals added immense value to our academic experience. It wasn’t just about getting a degree—it was about gaining insights that we could immediately apply to our business.

Left to right:  William Gzella, Yves Miltgen, Mika Welter, Aleks Panzone

Was what you learned at Uni.lu useful when starting your own business?

Absolutely. While university doesn’t provide a step-by-step blueprint for building an eight-figure business, it does equip you with essential frameworks and foundational knowledge that are crucial when starting a company.

At Uni.lu, we gained a strong foundation in finance, economics, marketing, and business models, all fundamental pillars of entrepreneurship. More importantly, we learned how to think critically about value creation. Having an idea is one thing, but understanding what real customer problem you’re solving, how to solve it efficiently, and why no one else can do it better is what turns an idea into a viable business

One of the key lessons was learning to structure a business model that not only works but has the potential for scalability and exponential growth. Identifying the fundamental mechanisms that drive expansion, whether through network effects, strategic positioning, or operational efficiency, was a crucial takeaway from our studies.

In many ways, university shaped our entrepreneurial mindset, preparing us to make informed decisions, anticipate challenges, and think strategically. While nothing replaces hands-on experience, the knowledge we gained at Uni.lu provided a strong intellectual foundation that made our journey into entrepreneurship much more structured and effective.

How was it combining studies and business?

Surprisingly, it was less challenging than one might expect. This was largely due to the significant overlap between what we learned in our studies and what we applied in our business. Rather than feeling like two separate worlds competing for our time, they complemented each other in a way that made both more engaging.

One of the biggest factors that made the balance seamless was that business never felt like an obligation, it was something we genuinely loved doing. After class, working on our venture wasn’t a chore, it was our passion. It was what we naturally gravitated towards, not because we had to, but because we truly enjoyed it.

Similarly, our studies felt valuable because we could immediately see their real-world applications. Instead of just absorbing theory, we were constantly testing concepts in a live business environment, which made learning feel more practical and rewarding.

What are you most proud of?

One of our greatest achievements is that we built a company with a strong societal impact. Our product isn’t just another item on the shelf, it’s something we truly stand behind. Produced in Luxembourg, created in collaboration with people with disabilities, and designed to be both delicious and healthy, T’ees embodies everything we believe in: purpose, quality, and impact. On top of that, we achieved substantial six-figure revenues and secured shelf space in major retail stores across Luxembourg within a year, all while growing organically, with almost zero initial investment. We did it the hard way, relying on grit, creativity, and persistence.

What is next for you?

With T’ees, my vision goes beyond just iced tea. We want to build a brand that offers conscious food solutions, staying true to our four core pillars: local, social, environmentally friendly, and healthy. Following this philosophy, we recently launched Pomme d’Or, a premium apple juice made from Luxembourgish apples. The initial sales have been incredibly promising, and we hope to see these products expand across Luxembourg and, eventually, into international markets.

My broader mission is to create businesses that leave a lasting, positive impact. Whether it’s through T’ees or the next venture yet to come, the goal remains the same: to improve people’s lives in meaningful ways. My passion lies at the intersection of medicine, health, and innovation, and ideally, I want to push my ventures further into these fields. 

At the same time, we’re entering an era of unprecedented technological advancements, especially with AI reshaping industries at an incredible pace. The future holds countless opportunities, many of which we can’t yet predict, but I want to be at the forefront, driving change for the better. Because at the end of the day, the question is simple: if we don’t hold ourselves accountable for shaping the world, who will?