It all began 10 years ago at the P1 Club in Munich, a place known for its wild parties, exclusive guest lists, and… innovative ideas? Well, not typically, but that’s where our story starts. Picture this: Süleyman Kosem, a scientist with a passion for discovery, and Stefan Nottensteiner, an engineer who grew up on a farm and now juggles raising two kids, found themselves working side by side in one of Munich's most iconic nightclubs.

While others were focused on mixing drinks or mingling with celebrities, Süleyman and Stefan were mixing ideas. In between serving cocktails and breaking up the occasional dance floor debacle, they bonded over their shared desire to do something meaningful—something that would help protect the planet. Süleyman, a scientist by heart, was always brimming with curiosity and ideas, eager to take something out of the lab and into the world. Stefan, on the other hand, had a practical streak honed from growing up on a farm; he knew that real change would come not from putting a dent in the universe, but from fixing the dents we’ve made right here on Earth.

Many late nights and cups of coffee later, an idea started to form. What if they could use their combined passion for science and engineering to tackle one of the biggest problems facing the planet—carbon emissions? With Stefan’s hands-on, get-it-done attitude and Süleyman’s relentless scientific curiosity, they set out on a mission: to create a solution that could capture CO2 right where it’s emitted—from industrial flue gases.

Fast forward to the birth of Meloon GmbH. Their eureka moment came during a lively debate in Süleyman’s kitchen, when they realized that by harnessing the extraordinary properties of graphene, they could develop a super-thin, ultra-efficient membrane to separate CO2 from other gases. And so, the "magic filter" was born—a graphene-based membrane that’s thin enough to let CO2 through but strong enough to handle the toughest industrial conditions.

The idea wasn’t just to create a high-tech solution but to make it simple, scalable, and affordable. After all, why shoot for the stars when you can help clean the air right here on Earth? With their heads full of ideas and their hearts set on making a difference, Süleyman and Stefan quit their jobs, pooled their savings, and went all in on their startup.

Today, Meloon GmbH is making waves in the carbon capture world, proving that even the most unlikely of friendships—one forged in a nightclub, no less—can lead to something extraordinary. With their innovative membrane technology, they are separating CO2 from flue gases and bringing us closer to a cleaner, greener future. It turns out, when you mix a scientist, an engineer, and a bit of nightclub hustle, you can come up with something truly groundbreaking!