Malte Link

Size isn't everything

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🔥 Get exclusive access to the Product Discovery Cheat Sheet 🔥 with 26 Product Discovery Methods that will enable you to "build the RIGHT THING" and not just "build the THING RIGHT" for your users. At konversionsKRAFT AG, we collected the most relevant methods that we have used in order to help our clients build and grow their digital products - you can use this board to evaluate your status quo and select the matching methods based on where you stand. To get access, follow these simple steps: 1️⃣ Connect with me and Anastasia Shvedova 2️⃣ Like this post ❤️  3️⃣ Comment on this post ("Brilliant, I want access!") 🚨 Disclaimer: this is the first version of the Product Discovery Cheat Sheet and we are looking forward to your questions and feedback while you are using it. Please feel free to approach us any time with your thoughts! #productdiscovery #discoverycheatsheet #productexperimentation #cromethods #testing #experimentation #growthmarketingsummit #growthmindedsuperheros #productmanagement

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🙋🏻‍♀️ 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 … 𝙍𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙨, 𝙁𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙨 & 𝙑𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 ! 𝙒𝙝𝙮? 💡Even though women make 50% of our population, only 2 out of 10 women found a company in Germany. 💰Only 2% of Venture Capital goes into female founded companies. 👩🏻‍💻Only 15% of senior partners in VC firms are women. 📑 In the Innovation Agenda of the Startup-Verband we set the objective that every third startup in Germany should have a female co-founder by 2030. For this we need: 👉🏽 Visibility of female founders and investors through media, publications and networks such 2hearts, the Evangelistas, STRIVE Magazine, FRAUEN100 and many more. 👉🏽 Role Models and mentors who are willing to support and empower women who want to found or are already running their own company. 👉🏽 Funding into female founded companies supported by an increased number of senior female partners in VC firms and investment roles at large. 🙏🏽 Thank you Welt, Katja Deutsch, Alia Fahda (Contentway GmbH) for the important conversation on how to support and empower women in the German economy with focus on tech and startups! 🗞️ Link to the entire publication in the comments. #Gründergeist #Innovation #FemaleFounders #VentureCapital #Diversity

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Innovation can be so many things. Impact can be created in so many ways.

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🚀 Calling All #Innovators! 🚀 At VREEDA GmbH, we're building more than just smart #lighting – we're pioneering new digital services that bring daily value to life, like burglary protection and our fan-favorite football light service 🏠⚽💡. Football was just the beginning ! Now, we're opening our API and inviting YOU to be part of our next innovation journey.  Join our Hackathon and bring your ideas to life in the exciting world of connected lighting! Here’s why you should participate: ✨ Tap into Crowd #Innovation: We believe the best ideas come from collaboration. Let's build something game-changing together! 🤝 #Ecosystem-Driven Impact: The future of digital services is in connected ecosystems – faster, smarter, and more impactful. 💡 Unleash Your Creativity: From sports lighting to home security, the potential of smart lighting is limitless. Help us discover the next must-have service. 👉 Stay tuned or apply now #VreedaHackathon #SmartLighting #Innovation #API #ConnectedEcosystems

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One of my many passions is staying abreast on state-of-the-art thinking for organizational development. Often times, the best examples are not simply "on trend" but rather are embedded with what has proven to last / make an impact while adds a fresh element adapted to today's challenges. David Fiorucci's approach under the name of Octocracy is one such example. Where do you seek inspiration or sources for solid but fresh approaches to organizational development or leadership?

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"Most founders start planning their next funding round too late." The best time to start working on your next funding round is right after closing the previous one, by drafting the new fundraising deck immediately. This inspiring topic we discussed during my latest workshop with our portfolio company Valuecase with Dr. Jan Niklas Wick & Lennart Prange and Mika Weissenberger from XAnge. I've noticed a pattern among our most successful founders they're already visualizing and planning their next milestones while the ink is still drying on their current term sheet. The strategy is simple: Work backwards from the next funding round! Here’s a quick example: One of our portfolio founders wrapped up their Seed and immediately mapped out their Series A milestones in a draft deck (such as Paul Hock & Nina Germanus @ Green Fusion GmbH). Six months later, not only were those goals achieved, but the original deck turned into the blueprint for their next pitch. They saved valuable time and secured a successful future by having a clear plan from the start. Here’s why this "VC manifesting" approach works: 📍 Crystallizes the goals for your next milestone. 📊 Creates clear accountability to achieve them. 🎨 Shapes the narrative evolution of your company. 🧭 Provides a north star for team alignment. The (next round’s) deck becomes more than just a fundraising tool, it’s your company’s strategic compass. And here’s the magic: when you actually hit those milestones, the deck becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. You’re not scrambling to piece together a narrative at the last minute; you’ve documented the journey from the beginning. Pro tip: - Include specific numbers. - Make it a living document. - Review it quarterly. - Let it evolve with your learnings and market dynamics. This approach ensures the final version is stronger, clearer, and ready when you need it. Remember, the best founders don’t just build to raise, they raise to build. Having a clear picture of your next chapter? That’s just smart business. What’s your process for preparing your next funding round? Would you try working backwards like this? #VentureCapital #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Fundraising

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Meet the top German VCs for pre-seed and seed deals in the past year 🇩🇪 In the first half of 2024, Germany's VC activity has slowed down, with 375 deals made compared to 712 in H1 2023. Pre-seed and seed deals have notably decreased, with only half as many as last year. 🤕 However, there are still active players. According to the Sifted report (based on Dealroom.co data), below are the most active VCs in pre-seed and seed deals over the past 12 months. Here are the top VCs 🔥 : HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) 🌍 HQ: Bonn 🎯 Focus: Software, medtech, climate tech 📊 Deals: 35 🌟 Notable: INERATEC , StoryBox GmbH Speedinvest 🌍 HQ: Vienna (offices in Berlin, Munich, London, Paris) 🎯 Focus: Climate tech, deeptech, fintech, healthtech, marketplaces, SaaS 📊 Deals: 32 🌟 Notable: cylib, forward earth Earlybird Venture Capital 🌍 HQ: Berlin 🎯 Focus: Enterprise software, fintech, sustainability, deeptech 📊 Deals: 22 🌟 Notable: Isar Aerospace, Greenlyte Carbon Technologies IBB Ventures 🌍 HQ: Berlin 🎯 Focus: Healthcare, industrial tech, consumer, digital, software 📊 Deals: 17 🌟 Notable: Quantistry, Qdrant bmh 🌍 HQ: Hessen 🎯 Focus: Various sectors in Hessen 📊 Deals: 12 🌟 Notable: Implify, MAGNOTHERM Bayern Kapital 🌍 HQ: Landshut 🎯 Focus: Biotech, life sciences, medtech, software, climate tech in Bavaria 📊 Deals: 12 🌟 Notable: Proxima Fusion, Zentur.io GmbH Atlantic Labs 🌍 HQ: Berlin 🎯 Focus: Climate tech, mobility, digital health in the DACH region 📊 Deals: 11 🌟 Notable: Heyflow, Embea Redstone 🌍 HQ: Berlin 🎯 Focus: Sustainability, fintech, quantum, impact 📊 Deals: 10 🌟 Notable: Crafthunt, Unchained Robotics HV Capital 🌍 HQ: Munich 🎯 Focus: Digital companies in Europe 📊 Deals: 9 🌟 Notable: simpleclub, ecoplanet Green Generation Fund 🌍 HQ: Berlin 🎯 Focus: Sustainability (food, farming) 📊 Deals: 9 🌟 Notable: Reverion, Jua.ai Thoughts on the developments within the ecosystem? Let us know in the comments! #venturecapital #preseed #seed #startups

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Another Week, Another Vlog. 🎮 This time I talk about visiting big sexy pictures / bsp media for the day in Hamburg, and why I think every founder should plan a field day at least once. Was super fun editing this right before visiting JUSTADDSUGAR for my second "Schnuppertag", as it let me reflect on the visit and prepare to make the most out of my second one. TLDR: There are certain things, that you just CANT extract from user interviews, no matter how hard you try. But if you breathe behind somebody's shoulder for a whole day and they start to forget you're even there, that's when the real user stories start to come out. 👻 Checkout the vlogs for the whole context! #startup #buildinginpublic

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When it comes to making mistakes, the question is whether you’ll go for excuses or responsibility... At Stucki Leadership & Team Development, we firmly believe that mistakes are not the end, but the beginning of any learning process. 🔦 It's about taking responsibility for your own actions. Because excuses as to why something didn't work or went wrong are a dime a dozen and are the exact opposite of responsibility. ⚖ "Excuses" and "responsibility" work like scales: the more you practise one, the less you practise the other. Excuses come automatically, and you've probably heard them many times: "We've always done it this way...", "We're still learning..." or "We don't have time..." are just a few of them. 🗺 Here are three ways in which we use mistakes in our team positively to take responsibility: ♦ Accepting and embracing: We recognise mistakes and see them as valuable learning moments. ♦Analyse and understand: Every mistake is analysed to understand the underlying causes. ♦Improve and move forward: From the knowledge gained, we develop strategies for improvement and apply them consistently. Let's work together to create a working environment in which mistakes are seen for what they really are: Helpers on the road to success. Translated with DeepL (https://lnkd.in/dZf4pXPb)

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The €30K blunder 90% of investors overlook. This Höhle der Löwen (German Shark Tank) disaster exposes it. Here's what happened: • Startup won €30K on national TV • Product: Pink disposable gloves to change tampons! • Weeks later: Company folded, money gone But here's the facts: 75% of venture-backed startups fail Why? A CB Insights study found: • 42% fail due to no market need • 29% run out of cash Even PE isn't immune: • 30-40% of PE deals fail to meet expectations • 56% cite poor product-market fit as a key factor I've helped turn these stats around: 👉🏽 Guided three VC-backed tech companies to 3x growth in 9 months 👉🏽 Helped a PE firm's portfolio company launch a multi product startegy in 4 months Want to know how? It comes down to addressing four critical areas: 1️⃣ Validate true market demand before scaling 2️⃣ Build scalable go-to-market strategies 3️⃣ Map the competitive landscape accurately 4️⃣ Uncover hidden customer insights 👉🏽 In short: Strategic product marketing. "We can't afford a full-time product marketing leader for every portfolio company!" Can you afford another Pinky Gloves in your portfolio? 🙋🏽‍♀️ That's where fractional leadership comes in. • Deep expertise without the full-time cost • Objective outside perspective • Scalable support as companies grow It's how smart money is maximizing ROI. How many of your portfolio companies could benefit from this approach right now? Video Credit: @r3versal PS: Thank you Vanessa Monsequeira for bringing this one to my attention.

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Last week, WEPA Ventures partnered with WEPA Stiftung and WHU Institut für Familienunternehmen und Mittelstand for a unique gathering. We invited a selected group of family entrepreneurs, family officers, founders, VCs, and business angels to our office in Düsseldorf to discuss startup investments by family businesses and family offices. With every participant bringing valuable practical experience, the atmosphere was highly engaging and trustful. Alongside keynotes and panel discussions, we had lively debates that covered a wide range of topics. Here are my three key takeaways: 💡 Multiple Approaches to Investing: Most participants shared more than one approach to startup investments that is currently actively pursued by their organization. While there is certainly a bias due to the preselection of attendees, this signals a growing maturity of VC investments by family businesses and family offices in Germany. Notably, around 50% of participants manage more than 10 investments in their current role, which underlines this perspective. 💡Direct Involvement of Entrepreneurial Families: The discussions reaffirmed the critical role of direct family involvement. Ideally, entrepreneurial families are crafting investment setups that are attractive to both founders and VC co-investors, while maintaining the trust of their family peers or core organizations. Combining execution speed with the value brought by industrial networks or core business capabilities is key to being a valued investor in the early-stage VC ecosystem. 💡Feedback on Keynote about my PhD Research: The initial findings from my PhD research received positive feedback from other practitioners. You might say, "Didn’t you interview them in the first place?" True, but stepping away from interviewer role allowed me to share what I had derived from the research, and it was rewarding to hear that the abstraction and models resonated well. To everyone who participated and supported—you know who you are—thank you so much for the insightful discussions and your valuable input! We’ll continue to foster these exchanges. I’m also more than eager to hear more perspectives on this topic. If you’re interested in a chat, please feel free to reach out!

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I'm thrilled to share that @Smart Reporting has successfully closed a financing round of 23 million euros, with TVM Capital Life Science leading this Series C funding. A warm welcome to our new investors, including Bayern Kapital, as we bolster our resources to expand further into #NorthAmerica and #Australia. This significant capital infusion will accelerate our #mission to revolutionize medical reporting with advanced, AI-supported products. As we step into the #future, our focus is clear: to enhance healthcare IT markets globally and introduce cutting-edge, AI-based solutions that transform radiological and pathological reporting. The power of #genAI and large language models (#LLMs) is redefining what's possible in the healthcare sector. At Smart Reporting, we're harnessing these advancements to provide crucial support to radiologists and pathologists, making their work not only faster but also more accurate. As we gear up for this growth phase, I'm also pleased to announce the expansion of our management team, welcoming Christian Matzen as our new CFO and COO, and recognizing Sigrid Auweter's expanded role as CPO. A big thank you to our existing #investors for continuing on this journey with us and to our new investors for believing in our #vision. The road ahead is exciting, and I look forward to what we will achieve together in making #healthcare more efficient and effective worldwide. #HealthTech #Investment #ArtificialIntelligence #MedicalReporting #Radiology #Pathology #GrowthStrategy #Innovation #AI

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🎩✨ Discover the Magic Behind the Ehrlich Brothers & Learn How to Build a Hundred Million Business with Magic in this OMR Podcast Episode 🎙️🔮 If you're fascinated by magic and entrepreneurship, you won't want to miss this! The episode of the OMR podcast features an intriguing conversation with the world-renowned illusionists, the Ehrlich Brothers (Magier), where we also explore the secrets behind building a hundred million business with magic. 🌟✨ Andreas and Chris Ehrlich have captivated audiences globally with their incredible magic shows that seamlessly blend jaw-dropping illusions with humor and storytelling. 🌍🔥 Beyond their magical performances, they've successfully built a flourishing business empire through their craft. In this episode, join us as we uncover the fascinating journey of the Ehrlich Brothers into the world of magic and entrepreneurship, packed with insightful highlights: - From receiving a magic kit as a child to founding a multimillion-dollar business—explore how their childhood fascination with magic sparked their entrepreneurial journey. - Hear about their experiences performing magic during a student exchange program in France and how it fueled their passion for the art. - Discover behind-the-scenes stories of performing at major corporate events for companies like Daimler and Beiersdorf, showcasing the business side of magic. - Learn why the Ehrlich Brothers choose not to patent their illusions and the strategic reasoning behind this decision. - Gain insights into their groundbreaking arena show with the support of Dirk Roßmann (Dirk Rossmann GmbH) and how they navigate collaborations and the world of fashion. - Dive into the business side of magic, including the development of magic kits, advent calendars, and ticket sales, offering a glimpse into their successful business model. - Explore their international expansion plans and strategies for breaking into new markets. - Discuss the challenges and opportunities of building a successful career in magic without relying heavily on social media in today's digital age. Stay curious! 😉 🎧✨ And may the magic be with us! #EhrlichBrothers #Magic #Illusionists #Entrepreneurship #BusinessInsights #OMRPodcast #Magic #OMR #Podcast Share your thoughts and insights from the episode in the comments below! 🌟🔥 https://lnkd.in/duXCCXzU

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What are your thoughts for the German startup ecosystem in 2025? In my latest contribution to Business Punk, I shared some of my post November 6th thoughts on the topic [Link in Comments]. Here are my key takeaways: 🇺🇸 🛑 🇨🇳 The new #US administration will drive deregulation to strengthen its tech sector against #China's dominance. #Europe should closely monitor its global impact. 🇩🇪 📂 🤯 The German ecosystem faces structural challenges: #overregulation, a risk-averse culture, and a €30bn #fundinggap drive German success stories get capital outside the EU. 🚀 🧑‍💻 📈 Despite challenges, 2025 holds immense opportunities for German #entrepreneurs. The #earlystage ecosystem has shown resilience even during recessions, while emerging AI hubs like #Heilbronn, #Karlsruhe, and #Heidelberg are on a promising path forward. Personally, I think the transition towards #green economies and #cities has additional potential for the next generation of hidden champions made in Germany. #startup #politics #elections #innovation #tech

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🚨 Cybersecurity Affiliates, this is for you! 🚨 Looking to partner with a top player in cybersecurity? Want to monetize your traffic? Meet Surfshark. 🌍🔒 We spoke with Monika Sackute, Country Manager DACH at Surfshark. Here's why Surfshark should be on your radar: 1️⃣ Global Reach: Focus on North America, Europe, APAC, and Brazil. Target markets: Germany, UK, France, and Spain. 2️⃣ Innovative Products: Always evolving. Broad range of security solutions. 3️⃣ Perfect Audience Fit: Target: Tech-savvy men, 25-45 years. But everyone benefits from online security. 4️⃣ Winning Partnerships: Works with Content, Coupon, and Loyalty Publishers. Interested in Influencers and Review sites. 5️⃣ CJ Support: Tools like Partner-Recruiting and Insights Dashboards. Helps track and boost your performance. 6️⃣ Current Campaigns: Focus on travel season, sports events, and expats. Want to know more about why Surfshark is a must-have for your affiliate portfolio? Check out the full interview: https://bit.ly/4cbgnlu P.S. What's your top tip for promoting affiliate campaigns? Drop it below! 👇

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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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