Süddeutsche Zeitung

We are incredibly excited that the Süddeutsche Zeitung has reported on our project. It is a great honor and a very special moment for our team. The article, titled „Weil niemand mit seinen Problemen allein sein soll“ tells the story of AidMax, our vision and our vision and our goal of providing young people in crisis situations with fast and safe support.

The article describes AidMax as a chatbot that listens to young people between the ages of 13 and 23, responds with empathy and offers appropriate support in times of crisis. The focus is not on the technology itself, but on what truly matters: compassion, trust and hope.

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A Special Moment of Openness and Empathy

For us, the interview in the café of the Süddeutsche Zeitung building was an experience we will never forget. The in-depth conversations, genuine interest and thoughtful questions created an atmosphere that truly moved us. The photo shoot afterwards was the perfect ending to the day and showed us just how much openness and curiosity there is within the editorial team when it comes to topics surrounding mental health.

As we also shared on LinkedIn :

“We are incredibly excited that the Süddeutsche Zeitung has reported on our project and deeply grateful for the opportunity to introduce AidMax and our vision of supporting young people in mental health crises to such a wide audience.

“A huge thank you to Nicole Graner and the editorial team at Süddeutsche Zeitung for your trust, your interest and for giving projects like AidMax the space to be seen.”

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About the Article: A Chatbot with Heart

The Süddeutsche Zeitung article describes AidMax as a digital companion that listens to young people when they feel lonely, overwhelmed or hopeless. It quotes Katja Artmann, communication designer and co-developer, who says: “White spherical head, round little belly, black button eyes, not a snowman, just a cute robot.” That is exactly what reflects the soul of AidMax: friendly, human and approachable.

Katja designed AidMax to encourage young people. In the interview, she explains: “We wanted AidMax to convey a sense of comfort and safety so that young people feel secure when they write. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.”

Also featured in the article is Korbinian Zacherl, a business informatics specialist and PhD candidate at Munich University of Applied Sciences. He originally developed AidMax as part of his master's thesis. His motivation grew out of a deeply personal experience. After a period of loneliness and the tragic loss of a close friend’s daughter, he felt an increasing desire to create something that could genuinely help.

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Support from IHelp-Project e.V.

The project is supported by the nonprofit organization IHelp-Project eV, gegründet 2017 von Karl Fürsich, founded in 2017 by Karl Fürsich. He lost his daughter Melissa to suicide and has since dedicated himself wholeheartedly to prevention and awareness. His words in the article are deeply moving: “You cannot see into the illness of depression, but young people need someone they can turn to when they are struggling. And they need that support at any time.” This is exactly what AidMax aims to provide: it is always there and helps people take that first step before it is too late.

AidMax’s strength becomes especially clear in the chat excerpts quoted in the article. When someone writes, “Everything is getting too much for me.”, AidMax responds calmly and empathetically: That sounds overwhelming. I’m sorry you’re feeling this way. What is weighing on you the most right now?” It manages to communicate on equal terms while still providing guidance and orientation.

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From Munich to the World: AidMax as a Beacon of Hope

Süddeutsche Zeitung emphasizes that AidMax is not intended to replace therapy, but to serve as a companion that provides support and offers reassurance in acute situations. When necessary, AidMax refers users directly to counseling services and qualified professionals. In this way, the system combines technological innovation with psychological responsibility.

We are especially proud of the recognition of our success at the Social Impact Award 2025AidMax made it to the final and achieved an impressive second place in the Community Voting, finishing just eight votes behind first place. This recognition shows how much trust people place in our work and how important it is to offer young people easily accessible support.

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Looking Ahead

The feedback on the article was overwhelming. Many readers of Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote to us to say that they were deeply moved and that the project gives them hope. That is exactly what we want AidMax to do: bring people together, give them courage and show that no one should have to face their problems alone.

We would like to thank Süddeutsche Zeitung and especially Nicole Graner for their trust and the wonderful collaboration. For us, this publication is not only an honor, but also a motivation to continue developing AidMax. Together, we want to help create a society in which mental health is discussed openly and taken seriously.

(Photo: AidMax Team, Süddeutsche Zeitung)