Leonard Clemens

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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To assess a software company's performance compared to competitors, investors need to understand its gross margin profile. However, many companies in the sector fail to measure margins accurately, because of the unclear guidance from U.S. GAAP. Our Software & Technology team’s latest article discusses the best ways to classify the cost of goods sold (COGS) for software companies. Check it out below! #Software #Technology #PrivateEquity

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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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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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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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For a long time, #privatemarket transactions were an investment #opportunity only accessible to the super-rich, as high ticket sizes and legal costs created significant barriers to entry. Making Private Markets more accessible - that’s the self-chosen assignment of  Alexander Grimm, Co-Founder and Managing Director of FinTech AQUATY,  a digital platform that makes venture capital and private market investments more efficient, easy and liquid by reducing constraints around regulatory framework, process and automation associated with such investments. For those who don’t know Alexander yet, it might be worth mentioning that he has served eight years as Chief Operating Officer at the well-known InsurTech Getsafe and even has been a board member, before taking a break for the family and exploring other opportunities before finding his FinTech Aquaty with Robert Jeggle (geb. Menzel) & Sebastian Otutuama. Listen to Alexander on the latest episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast ⁠to learn more about: 📍 His background and what it was like being Chief Operating Officer at Getsafe and some work milestones 📍 Counterintuitive advice as an entrepreneur in FinTech 📍 How private markets work and how AQUATY offers a solution to its clients’ needs 📍 How do the constraints of investing in private markets look like and who mostly invests in this asset group 📍 Why it is relevant and interesting for private investors to partner up with AQUATY 📍 An exemplary customer story to showcase the use of the platform and the USP to its clients 📍 Go-to-market strategy and business model of AQUATY 📍 Why it is relevant and interesting for investors and what expenses are cut 📍 Current state of the Fintech and outlook for the future 🎧 https://lnkd.in/eiMDrZBc 🎥 https://lnkd.in/emZ2Cm5Q #FinTech #Finance #growth #investing #investment #VC #PE

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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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The digital #education #industry is going through a lot of changes, many due to the incredible technological advancements of #genAI. 🤖 It was fun to catch up with Tim Burnett ✨, who is a leading voice in the industry and has started the Test Community Network to provide a place where the ecosystem can share and exchange insights and talk about emerging trends. 🎉 It was a blast talking to Tim this morning together with my good friend and business partner Bernhard Waglechner. We briefly touched on the #digital #assessment #industry, new #trends in both #technology & #regulation, how Europe differs from other markets, such as the US, and how our solution - bizExaminer - fits into all of it. 🤓 Thanks Tim for having us, and for all you do for the ecosystem. 🙏

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Join me on June 5! Angel Investing - Lessons from the Experts: Harvard Business School Alumni Angels announce their Angel Investing Bootcamp https://lnkd.in/eFU7uD7i

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Dirk Hoerig shares how he’s overcome near-death business moments to lead commercetools to Centaur status, all while balancing family life. “This is it, we’re not going to make it next month,” – Dirk Hörig and his team had this same thought over and over again between 2010 and 2014. So, how did they go from this to becoming one of Germany’s only Centaurs? Today, Dirk gives us a peek behind the scenes of his journey building the game-changing e-commerce platform. When asked about his top achievements, Dirk says “Number one, would be not messing up the big opportunity we had—seizing it and not screwing it up. Number two is raising three great kids while building a company. And number three is disrupting a whole category that didn’t even exist before.” From sharing stories from the early days, when they had to fight so hard to survive, to today where the company has undergone impressive growth and success – Dirk has learned to embrace the ups and downs with a cool head. Dirk also talks about what’s kept him grounded - from squeezing in surf workations with friends to traveling with his family and playing sports with his kids. Read on to find out how Dirk finds that sweet spot between work and life; finding a way to lead a fast-growing business without losing sight of what really matters.

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"The last 18 months have been brutal. Many startups that received high valuations during the 2021 boom are now struggling to survive." says Gina Domanig, Managing Partner at Emerald Technology Ventures in this Forbes Austria article. Yes, 2024 has been a tough year for many fledgling companies. But I am encouraged by some of the startups scaling disruptive technology and business models in service of accelerating the energy transition in India and across the Asia Pacific and Middle East. They will survive and thrive - with the support of a growing investor community who have come to appreciate that the global south possess truly innovative solutions. One of the highlights for me this year was the first Asia Climate Tech Venture Fair, held in Singapore in October. The brainchild of Gina and her team, it brought together a critical set of VCs, CVCs and PE firms to share insights and leads on startups in the region. Looking forward to more conversations in 2025. Read now: https://lnkd.in/dhEtFTbV #Cleantech #Venturecapital #Innovation #Startups #energytransition #Corporates #Climatetech #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability #Futureoftech #Cleantechventures #Startupgrowth #Corporatecollaboration #Techinvestment

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The Importance of Strategic Alignment in M&A Transactions: A Case for Early Executive Engagement 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 mergers and acquisitions (M&A), the value of early and effective executive alignment is often underestimated. That is why I am proponent of proactively aligning the leadership teams down to departmental management of the acquiring company and the target before publicly announcing a takeover. This is crucial for establishing direction and laying the groundwork for later success. 💡 Well-planned alignment enables the development of shared visions and objectives that go beyond financial synergies and facilitate cultural integration. This is particularly important, to guarantee the success rate of M&A. Because clarity about strategic direction and what behaviour is expected are the foundation for M&A success. 🤝 Prior to the actual deal, both sides should consider not only the financial and strategic aspects of the transaction but also develop a robust plan for post-merger integration. Early alignment fosters an atmosphere of trust and openness, essential for overcoming integration obstacles. The challenge lies in getting both leadership teams to prioritize joint sessions and engage in open dialogues before the market learns of the acquisition. These sessions should aim to formulate a clear and actionable integration plan that supports both the short-term and long-term goals of the new corporate entity. The question I pose to my network: How do you view the role of executive alignment in ensuring the success of M&A activities? What strategies have proven effective in your experience to ensure seamless integration? #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #Innovation

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🚀 'Berlin-based Extantia Capital closes €204 million flagship fund' 🌟 Your next game-changer is here! 🌱 Calling all investors and founders: Dive into actionable insights, groundbreaking ideas, and strategies to take your journey to the next level. 👉 Read it now: https://lnkd.in/eAcfdDBg ✨ Extantia Capital, a venture capital firm dedicated to climate tech, has closed its flagship Article 9 fund at €204 million. The fund saw support from institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, insurance companies, and family offices. Founded in 2020, Extantia targets high-impact opportunities within the climate sector, investing in both software and hardware […] Don’t miss out on this must-read for leveling up in the world of startups and investment. Let’s innovate, grow, and succeed together! #Leadership #Innovation #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Founders #Investors #Growth #Strategy #Success

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Capmont Technology raises €100m fund to back early-stage B2B startups in Europe and the US Munich-based VC Capmont Technology has closed its first fund of €100m, to back B2B tech startups across Europe and the US. But the firm, previously known as DI Technology, isn’t a total newbie. Founded in 2016, the VC has already been making investments on a deal-by-deal basis into startups working in enterprise SaaS and industrial tech — in fields including robotics, industrial automation, manufacturing, IoT and supply chain and procurement. Its portfolio includes Konux, which optimises railway operations using AI, and ProGlove, an industrial IoT firm acquired by private equity investor Nordic Capital in 2022 for an undisclosed amount. The fresh €100m brings the total raised by the firm since its founding to €300m.  Fund strategy Capmont Technology invests in late seed stage to Series B startups that have proven traction and customer demand. With the new fund, it will write cheques of between €2-5m into 15-16 startups. It plans to reserve 40% of the €100m for follow-ons — however, it has “additional soft commitments from LPs” which allows the fund to make co-investments in addition to those from the fund, especially at the later stages, says Dr Torsten Kreindl, managing partner at Capmont Technology. The firm has already made seven investments from the new fund including Celus, a design platform offering solutions for electronic designers and component suppliers, and Arch Systems, an industry-4.0 machine data and AI platform for electronics and discrete manufacturers. Kreindl says that the firm is keen to back more companies using AI to improve industrial processes, saying that Europe is a good place to build these companies “due to its substantial industrial-related customer base”. LPs in the new fund include institutional investors, family offices and ultra high net worth individuals, such as entrepreneurs and C-level executives at enterprises in the DACH region, which Capmont declined to name. #economy #Bangladesh #World #economic #US #Bank #startup #UK #growing #investment #USA #investors #Europe #WorldBank #business #News #fund

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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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Is Germany missing out by not backing its tech champions? 🤔💭🚀 Germany is a global leader in innovation with over 1000 companies driving disruption worldwide. However, many promising startups struggle to scale internationally due to a lack of large local funding. When growth-stage companies have to look abroad for investment, it puts them at a competitive disadvantage versus overseas rivals. With limited local options, more may feel pushed to relocate rather than stay to build in Germany. While American tech companies have abundant access to both private and public investment, including VC funding and IPOs, financing for later-stage German startups tends to lag. On average, US tech companies raise significantly more money per funding round compared to their German counterparts.  📈 For example, in 2021 the average Series B round for a US startup was $35 million, whereas for a German startup, it was only $10 million. This financing gap has real consequences. With more funding, American tech scaleups can achieve stronger growth and international expansion faster—and they can also offer higher salaries to attract top talent 🔝 on a global stage. As a result, many promising German founders end up relocating to Silicon Valley to access resources and continue building at the scale required to succeed in a global market. 🌎 We believe in leading great entrepreneurial visions sustainably into the digital future—D11Z can provide a network to enable startups to have better later-stage options. So how can we inspire our own investors to back the country's burgeoning tech champions and help them scale at home? I'm interested in your thoughts on strategies to close the late-stage funding gap. #D11ZVentures #FutureOfTech #VCInsights

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European family offices should allocate more to private equity! By region, family offices in North America allocate 35% of the average portfolio to private equity and 8% for hedge funds; in Latin America, 18% and 2%; in Switzerland, 18% and 3%; in the rest of Europe, 22% and 4%; in the Middle East, 27% and 5%; in North Asia, 18% and 6%; and in Southeast Asia, 19% and 5%. #familyoffice #wealthtransfer #assetallocation #investmentstrategy #investmentmanagement #privateequity #returnoninvestment #portfoliomanagement #risk #return

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PXR advises Yttrium on Eye-Able's €20M Series A Round. We're pleased to announce that our team, led by Peter Möllmann, has advised Yttrium as lead investor in Eye-Able's €20 million Series A financing round. Existing investor 5I Ventures, led by former SoftwareONE CEO Dieter Schlosser, also participated in this milestone funding. Eye-Able® , founded in 2020 by Oliver and Tobias Greiner, Eric Braun, and Chris Schmidt, has established itself as Germany's leading digital accessibility software provider. Their solution helps organizations ensure BITV and WCAG compliance, serving over 2,000 customers managing 15,000 websites, including blue-chip companies like Deutsche Telekom, HypoVereinsbank, and Roche. The funding will accelerate Eye-Able's expansion into key European markets including France, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the United Kingdom, particularly timely with the European Accessibility Act's implementation deadline approaching in June 2025. "We're proud to have supported Yttrium in this strategic investment. Eye-Able exemplifies the kind of impactful technology company that can drive positive change while building a successful business. Their impressive growth and strong position in the German market, combined with the upcoming regulatory changes, make this a particularly exciting transaction," says Peter Möllmann, founder and CEO of PXR. #VentureCapital PXR

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Startup Insider has released the German "Investoren-Report 2024," featuring an interview with EQT Ventures. 🇩🇪 Link in comments. What's your top advice for startup founders currently fundraising or aspiring VC investors? Doreen Huber, Partner EQT Ventures: "Stay resilient, cultivate relationships, and prioritize delivering tangible value. Adopt a learning mindset, welcome feedback, and glean insights from setbacks. Furthermore, build a diverse team that both strengthens and challenges your abilities. Remember to prioritize your well-being and stay connected to your purpose, as it will guide you through challenging times."  💪

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