Julius Krätschmer

It is only the first edition, but HLTH Europe has already established itself as the leading #HealthTech conference in Europe. Besides my 4 highlights, I also had the chance to moderate a panel on the topic "Last mile: Localising access for underserved areas" with 3 fantastic panelists: · Prathibha (President, Mayo Clinic Health System) · Minal (National Director of Primary Care and Community Transformation, NHS England) · Harmony (SVP, Chief Medical Officer & Head of Global Medical at ViiV Healthcare) PS: Amira (SVP Innovation at Siemens Healthineers): we missed you! Here are the key insights of the panel: Bringing healthcare #access to all, especially to underserved areas, has been a challenge since the inception of healthcare. With all the technology of our modern world, is #Healthcare access on the verge of being solved? The short answer is no. But there is hope. In the UK: ➝ There is a 15-year life expectancy gap between deprived areas, and wealthier neighbourhoods nearby. ➝ Funding struggles to keep up: In the next 15 years, a 37% increase in "ill-health costs" is expected, while the working population will increase by 4% over the same period. ➝ Increasing productivity is essential to solve the problem: A 1% decrease in productivity costs 1.5 billion pounds. In the US: ➝ The zip code is (still) a better determinant of health than the genetic code. ➝ Enabling access to underserved areas can also be seen as an opportunity rather than a problem. Tech adoption will be faster due to higher unmet needs, accelerating innovation that can later benefit well-served areas. Debunking one myth: ➝ For HiV, there is now a better access and coverage in Africa than in certain parts of developed countries (US and Europe). Pockets of innovation: ➝ To unlock HCP capacity, the NHS has a national program to move towards a modern General Practice, moving away from "first come first serve" to a new model based on population health and segmentation: the right care for the right person in the right way. First results show that 30% of GP appointments could be done via "messaging only" (instead of F2F visits), bringing massive efficiency gains. ➝ Mayo Clinic already has 75 specialties that are technology enabled, bringing the “Mayo medical care" in the rural areas via virtual and hybrid models, and also embedding the 50+ AI algorithms already active at Mayo. ➝ But increasing access is not only about Tech. Sometimes, it is about boldness: Viiv Healthcare, a pharma company specialised in HiV, gave the patent of its drugs away in 90+ underserved markets, enabling cheap and at-scale production. What does the future hold? Will someone living in an underserved area be able to visit the "Mayo Clinic in the metaverse with his / her digital twin?" Special thanks to Katy, Lina and Henry for this fantastic conference!

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It can be challenging to manage the balance between mental health / family breaks and the demands of startup life, especially during the holidays. Here’s how we are handling the holidays at our startup VC firm Baukunst: 1. Everyone gets a baseline of two weeks off for a team reset. With exceptions! 2. Not everyone will actually be “off” for that whole time. It’s simply not possible with end of the year audit etc. Our CFO & the GPs who run finance will be running hard through new years, and there is no way around that. 3. All can be off unless they are called in. If a hot deal comes in, we will drop everything and be ON. Last year, for example, we negotiated a deal between Xmas and new years with a founder who previously exited their company for $1b. Glad we did that! 4. In order for any of the above to work, we instituted a comms policy: you are not expected to check email. If you are need for something important, you will get a text message to be called in. Our hope is that this creates a default of mental space, while allowing for the mission critical flag to be waved when needed. No matter what your policy, communicate it clearly with your team so no one is left guessing. For a decent stretch of the holiday I look forward to behaving much like this fabulous feline 👇

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M&A Strategy: Key Elements for Success By Thomas Kessler   Managing Partner at Integration Success GmbH and Atlantic M&A Partners | Pioneer in AI and M&A Integrations   #MergersAndAcquisitions #StrategicAlignment #ExecutiveEngagement In the fascinating world of M&A, success hinges on a well-crafted strategy that covers every aspect from target selection to post-integration. Here’s a concise guide on essential elements to focus on: 1. Target Capabilities and Profile: Identifying the right target involves assessing capabilities and ensuring alignment with strategic goals. This means evaluating potential targets’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats within their environment. 2. Purpose and Value Proposition: Clarifying the strategic purpose behind the acquisition and the value it brings is crucial. This involves aligning the acquisition’s objectives with the overall strategy and tracking performance post-acquisition. 3. Best Owner of the Asset: Determining the optimal owner involves understanding which entity can extract the most value from the asset. Identifying synergies and integration points is essential to maximize value. 4. Business Case Development: Building a robust business case ensures that the acquisition is financially sound and strategically justified. This includes forecasting potential outcomes and assessing risks to ensure a solid foundation for the acquisition. 5. Integration Approach: The integration strategy should focus on achieving operational and cultural synergy. Effective change management and meticulous planning facilitate smooth integration and track progress. 🔍 What strategies have you found most effective in your M&A projects? Share your insights below! #SynergySessions #CorporateStrategy #IntegrationPlanning #PostMergerIntegration #MandAInsights #IntegrationSuccess #MandAStrategy #LeadershipInMandA

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Great to see what Jan Thomas and his team at Startup Insider did with the new Investors Report 2024 for the DACH region! Anyone who wants to learn more about the German #venturecapital ecosystem and its investors, go get the report: https://lnkd.in/ehiVqmX6

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Three biggest learnings from a fundraising journey. Shared by Rainer Märkle, General Partner at HV Capital at EUVC 1/ Have a time box with a deadline attached. Have a defined horizon & create a clear plan. Have some urgency to get things done at some point. Execute very transparently and reliably. 2/ Stick to your narrative. But don't do it blindly. Tweak it when necessary. Adapt it. Don't let yourself be surprised by major changes. Keep focusing on delivering according to your strategy & plan. 3/ Fundraising is a marathon with many sprints. There are moments when you'll ask yourself - Why do I do this? Is it gonna work out? But don't get too negative during the down phases. Adapting and pivoting is part of our job. As it is for the founder of a company. How about you? What fundraising lessons have you learned? Join the conversation. 🔽 #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

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Berlin-based WealthTech startup NAO has successfully raised €3.4 million in a seed funding round, marking a significant step forward in its mission to democratize alternative investments. This funding round attracted participation from a range of private investors, family offices, and venture capital firms, including FinTech veteran Jakob Schreyer and Zeitgeist X Ventures, both of whom had supported the company in its earlier stages. With this fresh capital, NAO aims to further expand its innovative platform, enabling retail investors to access high-value investment opportunities traditionally reserved for institutional players and the financially elite. Founded in 2022 by #RobinBinder, #PhilippNowakowski, and #AmelHasanovic, NAO offers a unique, app-based platform designed to provide ordinary investors with the ability to invest in alternative asset classes like private equity, infrastructure, hedge funds, and more. These investment types, typically only accessible to wealthy individuals or institutional investors, can now be explored by retail investors starting at just €1,000. #berlin #welthtech #fintech #nao #startup #funding #investor #retail #hedgefunds https://lnkd.in/g7XzsbPW

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Excited to share what I learned from Sandro Stark, founding partner at Vanagon Ventures backing FrontierTech from Munich/DACH 🚀 to the World at the YUVC video podcast (links in comments) 💡 Above all, Sandro is a super nice person to get along with and has a great NPS from founders 👋 Here 3 Core Takeaways ✨ 1. Vanagon’s approach to startup evaluation 👀 - Distribution capability is now the key differentiator, not just technical innovation - Customer "stickiness" and deep industry understanding - The solution must demonstrate both climate impact and profit potential 2. Why is Munich's ecosystem strategic? 🇩🇪 - Part of DACH region - third-largest market globally after China and US - Rich concentration of technical talent and corporate headquarters - Untapped potential in Mittelstand venture engagement 3. What's the philosophy behind sustainable success? 😉 - Don't postpone happiness for future achievements - True leadership creates more leaders, not followers - Consistent effort matters more than breakthrough moments Now listen in for more insights! ❤ Kudos to his great co-founders/GPs @Vanagon: Susanne Fromm Axel Roitzsch Shoutout to their amazing portfolios: Senken Particula Renoster youba The Landbanking Group LoopID heartstocks Learn.xyz ExoMatter and more

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Getting ready for an upcoming workshop on angel investing led me to the Angel Next Door Podcast episode on 2024 trends (sharing the link in the first comment 👇). Here are a few key takeaways: 🔍 With AI technology evolving rapidly, it's essential to stick to the basics when conducting due diligence. Asking fundamental questions about the business model, target market, sales cycle, expenses, use of funds, deal terms, valuation, risk assessment, and exit strategy is crucial. Quality data will be a game-changer in evaluating AI companies effectively. 💡 The future is looking brighter for tech industry, and it’s a great time to be an angel investors. Angel investment was the most resilient asset class in 2022, as well as very consistent — capital invested was down but not dramatically different than VC, capital invested per deal and capital invested annually per angel group was similar to previous years. We stay the course in 2024. 🌍 Angel world is changing — Gen Z investors will seek a more tech-savvy approach to investing compared to traditional angel investors. Gone are the days of in-person dinner meetings; instead, transactions will be conducted swiftly and electronically through apps on mobile devices. If you want to be a part of this transformation, join us in ICLUB: https://lnkd.in/dWdsCxp9 #AngelInvesting

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The European VC fundraising scene is showing a clear trend: experience matters. Let's unpack some data on this from The State of European Fundraising Report. 1/ Why track record matters. In a cautious market, LPs (investors) are prioritizing established funds with a proven history of success. Experienced firms captured 54.5% of the capital raised in 2023. 2/ New opportunities for LPs. This market shift presents a golden opportunity for LPs to build relationships with top-tier VC firms. Firms they might not have accessed before. 3/ Focus on creating value. Investors are seeking firms that prioritize building real value, not just hype. This is a great long-term trend for the industry. If you are en emerging fund manager, the time to build a strong reputation and track record is now. Focus on building a compelling value proposition and demonstrating a clear path to success to attract investors. Learn how to navigate the effects of the #TechReset. Get insights from The State of European Fundraising Report. ➡️ buff.ly/4aYglgi Delivered to you by EUVC | Isomer Capital | Floww. #EUVC #fundraising #venturecapital #industryreport

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I am very thrilled to announce that we have recently participated in follow-on rounds of existing portfolio companies as well as backed two new exciting digital health companies: Doccla is the leading remote patient monitoring provider in Europe led by Dag Larsson and Martin Ratz. In their recent round led by Lakestar, and supported by Elaia and Optum Ventures we are excited to keep supporting their journey alongside General Catalyst, Giant Ventures, Speedinvest deepc, an orchestration platform for AI, starting with Radiology as the first vertical and led by Dr. Franz MJ Pfister, MD, MBA, where we followed-on alongside Sofinnova Partners with participation from new strategic investors KHP Ventures and SwissHealth Ventures who are supporting the market expansion Guardoc Health led by Hadassah Backman develops a compliance integrity platform to support understaffed and heavily overworked nursing staff with daily documentation, ensure compliance with regulations and improve the audit and billing process in care homes. We seeded the company together with our friends Pitango and the US investor Springbank among others Pi Health led by Geoffrey Kim and Bobby Reddy, MD has built an unique end-to-end software stack for clinical trials. Pi Health was recently spun out of BeiGene, and we invested in their series A together with AlleyCorp and Obvious Ventures    These investments take our Bertelsmann Investments Next growth program to yet another level.   We’re proud to backing the exceptional founders and their teams. We are fully convinced that these companies do make an important contribution to improving healthcare.   cc: Thorsten Wirkes Tim Schneider Agnes Eva Uhr, LL.M. Maximilian Boner #BertelsmannNext #VentureCapital #DigitalHealth #Growth #HealthcareInvestments https://lnkd.in/eDm4JXAh

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Europe unfortunately is a combination of many individual capital markets, some bigger and some smaller, which is keeping the industry's growth modest and never really challenging the US. #vc #funding #startups #privatefunding #privatecapital #investmentstrategies #growth #deeptech #seed #startupcapital

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Next week, it’s time once again for our Investor Committee Meeting #14 🚀 ______ At COREangels Big Data & AI Europe, we actively scout the best European startups, providing our investors access to top-tier opportunities. Five to six times a year, we present three standout startups at our Investment Committee Meetings, where we recently discovered, for example, Horizon. Horizon is an innovative marketing-tech startup that empowers clients by predicting market success with painted door tests for innovation, product and consumer insight teams tackling the problem of not knowing enough about what customers want and if they really will purchase. Founded in 2021, they’re on a mission to become a leader in their field by providing accurate purchase-intent data from real consumers in a highly automated way. We’re proud to count ourselves among their investors now and can’t wait to explore more promising opportunities at next week’s meeting. ______ If you’re a qualified investor, some seats are left for joining our exclusive network and gaining access to Europe’s top AI and Big Data startups. For more details, reach out to me directly. The angel ticket for the portfolio starts at 75,000 CHF. Want to participate as a guest and potential investor next Wednesday, November 20, at 18:30 CET in Zurich or online? Please send me a PM by Monday evening, November 18. COREangels Big Data & AI Europe COREangels Daniel Putsche Pascal Stämpfli, CFA Samira Courti Sebastian Heinz Daniel Parisi Lutz Nagy Carsten Schäfer Jochen (Josh) Eckert Stephan Rathgeber Florian Haberler Sara Feiz Henry Piney Jakob Kaiser Jana Myers Sophia Burns Hanno Hartmann

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After closing a Series A funding round, companies enter a pivotal phase where the right approaches significantly influence their journey toward Series B. In brutkasten, Jan Lozek and I recently shed light on the critical strategies companies should adopt after securing Series A funding. 👉🏻 Here are the more top priorities companies should focus on post-fundraise: 📈 Optimize cash flow:  Investors are particularly interested in startups that efficiently manage their cash flow, maximizing growth and revenue while keeping expenses in check. 💰 Show them the money: Show investors how exactly you are making money: real customers, real sales, economies of scale. In other words, show you have a plan and that the plan is working. To outline flexible sales models, and exchange various key parameters, will also be a win. 🚀 Partner up, big time: Leverage your existing networks instead of spending more capital. Corporates can be great partners at this stage and could vouch for your startup. Be it for accessing a market or for increasing your sales, it always pays off to have the right partners. What additional tips would you add for companies navigating this crucial transition? 💡 #SeriesA #Funding #StartupGrowth

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4️⃣ SaaStock Fundraising Chatter: Finding the Right VC for You. A key takeaway from Tuesday’s post was how important it is to qualify your investors. With so many options, here's how to be strategic: 🔎 Qualify ruthlessly. Treat your investor funnel like a sales funnel. AlbionVC, for example, invests $1-10M in UK-based B2B software and deeptech. If you’re a Paris-based consumer marketplace raising $20M, it’s a non-starter. Founders waste precious time crafting outreach to funds outside their scope. 🥇 Prioritise Smartly. Rank your target funds by both appeal and likelihood of success. 💘 Find a Warm Intro. If you don’t know the fund directly, network like you would for sales. Get a concise, compelling intro via a mutual connection. Remember a “pass” could even lead to a referral to another, better-fit fund. 🎮 Sequence Pitches. Start with lower-priority VCs to refine your pitch with early feedback. Then, approach your top picks with a polished narrative. Generating interest early creates momentum in your process. ⚠️ Requalify Your VCs! It’s as important to assess us as it is for us to assess you. ➡️Ambition Alignment: Are their expectations aligned with yours? ➡️Personal Fit: Grab a coffee, breakfast, lunch, go on a walk: will you enjoy working with them for years? ➡️Support: What do you need? Do your diligence to ensure they deliver it. ➡️References: Talk to portfolio companies, successes and struggles. Were they fair? were they kind? ➡️Partner Stability: The partner who leads your investment will be emotionally and intellectually invested in you and your vision. They will be on call. They will fight for you when things get tough (bridge rounds, etc)…far more than someone who replaces them later. Also, high turnover at a fund could signal cultural issues. #SaaS #Fundraising #VC #AlbionVC

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🚀 Investment Criteria and Fundraising Success 🚀 🔍 Techstar’s Marting Schilling delved into the success of 58 companies in the Tech Start DeepTech Berlin portfolio (2022-2024), analyzing 17 investment criteria to identify the strongest signals for early-stage fundraising success. 💡 💰 Top Indicators of Success: Monetisation Potential (0.61) Domain Expertise (0.59) Speed of Execution (0.57) Market & Timing (0.55) ❌ Least Correlated with Success: Role Clarity (0.12) Team Co-Location (0.08) Number of Cofounders (0.02) 🌟 To attract investors, founders should emphasize the top 4 categories and spend less time optimizing for less impactful factors like role clarity or co-location. While these might have other benefits, they don’t significantly boost fundraising success. 📈 #Investment #Fundraising #Techstars #DeepTech #StartupSuccess #VC #EarlyStage #Monetisation #DomainExpertise #MarketTiming #ExecutionSpeed

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Turning a great idea into a market-ready product in healthcare is incredibly challenging.   This is why at VentureBlick we're all about giving healthcare startups the practical support they need to turn those ideas into solutions that really make a difference.   Through the Super Innovator Search competition, and with the incredible support of our partners, JLK Technology and Kalms Consulting, we're helping startups navigate the complex path to commercialisation, bringing them closer to their global goals.   Whether it’s strategic advice, validating tech or connecting innovators to the right people, we’re here to help innovators bring their visions to life.   Swipe left to check out how JLK Technology and Kalms Consulting are making this happen.   Just one week left to apply for the Super Innovator Search: 👉 https://lnkd.in/gEddQ6P7 #HealthcareInnovation #StartupSupport #SuperInnovatorSearch #Commercialisation #InnovationPartners

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𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩’𝐬 𝐑&𝐃 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐁𝐒𝐎 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞! If you’re a startup working on innovative projects, the 𝐖𝐁𝐒𝐎 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 offers extra funding by allowing higher tax deductions on R&D costs. This can be a game-changer, especially if your costs are significant. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤? Under the regular WBSO scheme, companies can deduct 32% of R&D costs 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 €𝟑𝟓𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎, and startups can take this even further! With the 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞, you can 𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝟒𝟎% of your R&D expenses—an 8% higher rate. For example, with €350,000 in R&D costs, a regular company would deduct €112,000, but as a startup, you can deduct €140,000. That’s an additional €28,000 in savings! 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐟: • Your business is in its first three years • You’ve claimed WBSO for no more than two calendar years 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐭? Try our WBSO Calculator to instantly estimate how much extra funding you can unlock for your R&D projects! https://lnkd.in/g-w6BVjt

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🚀 A Conversation on Enabling Healthcare Innovation with Venture Capital: I recently had the privilege to welcome Nicole Graner from the Süddeutsche Zeitung at our YZR Capital headquarters. Article in 1st comment. Tldr: 🔎 Critical need for venture capital in fostering healthcare innovation. 🔎 How our expertise-driven approach is making a difference. 🔎 My journey as a physician, entrepreneur and investor, always deeply intertwined with my passion for #healthtech. 💡 That's why: alongside Markus Feuerecker I co-founded YZR Capital with a clear vision: to propel European healthtech startups into global leadership positions. 💡 We strongly believe that our team’s expertise in health is key to supporting founders who are dedicated to change the European healthtech ecosystem. ✔ Apparently our name is difficult to pronounce – for everyone who is still wondering, it’s “wise” with an R at the end ;) -> Thanks again to Nicole - it was a pleasure! And thanks to the fantastic team at YZR Capital - Christina Schmidt, Paul Epple, Urs Keller, Holger Ebersberger, Elmar Willebrand, Michael Dr. Bitzer. #HealthTech #VentureCapital #Innovation

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Last week, I was in Berlin for the Deep Tech Momentum conference, where I got to catch up with portfolio founders and meet some new ones. In these conversations, I noticed a tale of three cities — three distinct players we encounter in the startup world: 1. Early-stage B2B startups laser-focused on sales and scaling 2. Deep tech innovators in fields like aerospace and biotech, exploring novel business models and financing strategies 3. Large VCs deploying massive capital into hyped AI startups, often driven more by a drive to return to the irrational exuberance of the ZIRP era At Angular, we’re most comfortable in the world of early-stage startups. But we also spend time with deep tech innovators — the founders asking the most interesting and potentially rewarding questions. And as VCs, we have to pay attention to financial hype cycles to help our portfolio companies thrive. So if you’re a founder who’s caught between these different sides of the startup ecosystem, maybe we can help you figure it out. Read more about how we’re making sense of this ecosystem in the latest edition of our weekly newsletter, The Angle, linked in the comment section below. And don’t forget to subscribe to get more insights like this in your inbox every week. (Special shoutout to Gero Keil, Thilo Huellmann, Christian Graf, Till Westermann, Victoria Hoffmann, Bettina Fischer, Marie Kober, Christian Buchenau, Federico Wengi, and so many others!)

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