Simon Elsen

𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗖 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁-𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲! (at least, that's the hope according to the latest surveys by the German Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVK) and KfW Bank). 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹? 🤓 The BVK's German Venture Capital Barometer surveys around 200 members quarterly, covering key metrics that describe the business climate in the German VC landscape, including fundraising, exit options, and more. Start-ups are at the end of the VC funding chain. If VC funds face a capital crunch, Start-ups feel the squeeze too. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 📊 I've graphically analyzed the data since 2019 (see image below) and found: 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗸: The pandemic was a shock but also spurred new business models and opportunities. VC sentiment on fundraising and exits was high between 2020 and 2021. However, Start-up entry valuations dropped, possibly due to market pessimism. The deal pipeline remained strong, with robust deal flow quality and quantity. Many Start-ups seized the moment to access VC investments at lower valuations, driven by the pandemic's uncertainty. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮: Many factors contributed to this downturn. Notably, the ECB's incremental interest rate hikes aimed at curbing inflation in Europe (see purple line). Increased energy costs, the war in Ukraine (loss of sales markets), supply chain disruptions, and poor market sentiment likely played roles. These challenges made it tough to raise fresh VC capital and secure attractive exits. A backlog of exits still exists. 𝗔 𝗥𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗤𝟮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰: The sentiment indicator improved by 10.6 points to -8.9 balance points. A positive trend is also emerging in fundraising and exit options. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮? 🤔 I hope the situation improves in the coming months and years. Young, dynamic, and innovative Start-ups are crucial for long-term economic growth, as seen in the USA. Have you noticed the negative sentiment as a Start-up? Or the exit congestion as a VC manager? When do you think the situation will turn around? You can find full access to the reports at: https://lnkd.in/eJUt7AeK

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Wow - thanks Simon Walter, Magdalena Maier and Charlotte Niklahs for the program you've put together for the #management hive of #pakcon24! 🔥 How to set up a 10x innovation culture by Nina Michahelles, Sarina Hergarten, Alexander Böhm, Nils Wagner How to build and scale high-performing companies by Friederike Reuter, Stefan Roebel, Martin Sondenheimer, Magdalena Maier Strategy is broken by Sebastian Herzog, Isabelle Schnellbuegel, Paul Becker, Simon Walter AI: The Biggest Opportunity for the German Mittelstand? by Dr. Alexander Mrozek, Dr. Sebastian Walter, Anna Franziska Michel, Dr. Alexandra Deichsel Why Digital Transformations often fail - particularly in Germany by Miriam van Straelen, Marc Schiekofer, Cecilie Hohlbein Hegelund, Moritz Trutschel Venture Clienting - Success Factors of Startup - Corporate Collaborations by Arno Baltruschat, Dr. Sophie Chung, Stefan Schmautz, Anne Decker Last ticket drop: https://lnkd.in/duPQg3Wc

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Meet our colleague Rainer, who has been part of Roland Berger since 2022 and still remembers the recruitment process very clearly. 💭 "I tried to do cases with case partners, so I signed up on online platforms where there are fellow applicants who want to train for consulting interviews." Curious about how the application process works at Roland Berger and what else Rainer did to prepare? Join us on our YouTube channel for the full video featuring Rainer and his colleagues Stefanie, Magdalena, Marco, and Robert. They will share their experiences and insights into life at Roland Berger and the Financial Services industry! 📽️ Click the link below to watch now: https://lnkd.in/dG77sAPH #JoinRolandBerger #ConsultingCareer #FinancialServices #RecruitmentProcess

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Great thoughts on how to balance multiple target dimensions when realigning operations and (re)-building production sites. Nowadays investments and operating costs run beside resilience, ESG, digitization requirements. Finding the synergies to make conflicting targets into self-reinforcing ones needs a holistic approach!

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Germany’s "𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚 2035," crafted by McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and Roland Berger, emphasizes the urgent need for innovation and transformation across industries—from strengthening traditional sectors to leading in AI and sustainability 🌍🤖. For us in Executive Search, this highlights new requirements for top management, including: 🌟𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: Executives must possess a clear vision to navigate complex changes and foster growth in uncertain times. 💻𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡-𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: Understanding digital transformation and embracing new technologies is essential to drive efficiency and innovation. ♻️𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬: Leaders need to integrate sustainable practices into their business models to meet evolving regulatory and societal expectations. 🤝𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Building partnerships and engaging in constructive dialogue across industries is crucial for addressing multifaceted challenges. The hunt for visionary, tech-savvy executives is more critical than ever! 🚀 Curious to hear your thoughts, Michael Brigl — how do you see leadership evolving in this context? 🤔 #Leadership #ExecutiveSearch #TopManagement #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation

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𝐖𝐎𝐖! 🤩 Excited that our study on 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 is ranked among the 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟓 most cited publications in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (VHB: A, AJG: 4). 🌟🎊 Utilizing extensive quantitative data from German firms, this study is the first in a Financial Times 𝟓𝟎 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 journal to explain the relationship between 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 and 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. We're thrilled to be ranked in the 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟓 among the 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 ETP articles over the 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬. A huge shoutout to my outstanding co-authors Ivan Miroshnychenko, Dr. Nadine Kammerlander, and Alfredo De Massis! 🙌 Our 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 include... 🔍 ⚙️ A positive relationship between 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 and 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐌𝐈, challenging the so far pessimistic views on discontinuous innovation in family-influenced firms. 💡 This relationship is mediated by 𝐝𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, especially in 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, and 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 🚀 Notably, the positive impact of family influence on dynamic capabilities is weakened rather than strengthened by 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐦. #digitalBMI #businessmodelinnovation #digitalinnovation #innovation #digitaltransformation #research #familybusiness #familyinfluence #dynamiccapabilities

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The Mannheim MBA offers the best Return On Investment (ROI) worldwide. This has again been confirmed by the QS Global MBA Rankings 2025. In this list of leading business schools, Mannheim is positioned among the Top 50 worldwide again. Find out more about the Mannheim Full-Time MBA here: https://lnkd.in/ea5Ej629 #MannheimBusinessSchool #MannheimerForLife #MannheimMBA #MBA #ROI

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"We [Germany] are on the way to becoming a developing country...we’ve become a junk shop". - Theodor Weimer, CEO of Deutsche Börse. 😬 Everything seems totally normal and fine in Europe's largest economy. 😳 🤣 "Our reputation in the world has never been as bad as it is now. Never before." Well...I mean...come on...we at least know that's not true. It is Germany you're talking about after all. https://lnkd.in/eAzRyuXP 🇩🇪 🍺 🥨 #stocks #finance #banks #banking #money #business #tech #technology #innovation #startups #entrepreneurs #entrepreneurship #vc #venturecapital

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The best part of work is always at the terminals. Yesterday at the HHLA Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG Container Terminal Tollerort. Supporting the incredible works of founders Marcel Wiegand and Nico Marks and their exciting venture passify that secures and automates gate processes. The roll-out was a blast. Speaking with hundreds of truck drivers all day long and showing them the easiness of the gate process via smartphone App. This is another great example why founders who have years of terminal work experiences make the difference when it comes to gate integration, process knowledge and smooth software roll-outs. And this is just the start. passify simplifies and streamlines the access management process for both truck drivers and facility operators, while providing real-time information on pick-up and delivery availability. Definitely a startup to watch on an exciting growth path. #smartport #terminalaccess #startup #truck #gateprocess

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Our latest thinking on SG&A costs optimization for EPC players.

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In addition to #EPC revenue streams and project backlog, the ability to manage sales and general costs is becoming even more crucial in this market scenario. Our Roland Berger STEP Change expertise unlocks consistent profitability and frees up resources for further growth. Please read Sven Siepen's post below. We are keen to discuss it further. Leonardo Bonetti, Peter Odenwälder, Stefan Krieger, Slava Chak, Tim Longstaff, Gareth Hayes

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🏁💥 How can we keep European companies competitive while watching countries like Germany fall behind in innovation rankings? A recent Handelsblatt article by Thomas Jahn and Nadine Schimroszik uncovers what’s behind the innovation ranking produced by the Federation of German Industries (BDI - Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V.) and Roland Berger, where Germany has moved down to 12th place out of a total of 35 selected countries. 🤝 Earlybird Co-Founder & Partner Dr. Hendrik Brandis comments “As a business location, we should aspire to commercialize deep tech technologies here in the long term. But if companies are faced with a choice of either not finding the necessary follow-up financing or accepting a relocation, the latter will be the preferred option.” This article includes special mentions of Earlybird portfolio companies Isar Aerospace, Marvel Fusion, and Lilium. 🚀 Experts, investors, and entrepreneurs see 4 main measures for Germany to secure a better future. Read here to discover the path to success: https://bit.ly/3Zvj7ax. Cc: Daniel Metzler, Josef Fleischmann, Moritz von der Linden, Pasha Shabalin, Heike Freund, Daniel Wiegand, Sebastian Born, Dr. Patrick Nathen, Matthias Meiner and many more! #Innovation #European #Germany #Startups #Growth #VentureCapital

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At Roland Berger's Capital Goods client team, we are intensively supporting #EPC companies - since more than 20 years already. In our projects we often see that #SG&A costs are overlooked. While the primary focus is on optimizing project-specific outcomes, the steady increase in (often non-reimbursable!) #SG&A costs suggests a significant opportunity to improve overall profitability. Our experience shows that addressing SG&A systematically can unlock significant profitability. Roland Berger’s proprietary STEP Change approach has consistently delivered measurable results, both within the EPC sector and beyond, by focusing on sustainable profitability gains.   Please find some more details attached and get in touch with the team when you are interested to discuss how STEP Change can enhance profitability at your company while achieving your strategic goals. Peter Odenwälder Stefan Krieger Leonardo Bonetti Francesco Campagna Slava Chak Tim Longstaff Houda O. Gareth Hayes Clement Audouin

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“A pivot for Germany – All for growth and growth for all”. In our new publication we show how Germany can again become more attractive to investors and increase its GPD by almost 50% by 2035. If all players in the economy and society contribute, Germany can potentially double the value of its economy from €12 to €24 billion – this represents roughly four times the current market capitalization of the 230 companies listed on the DAX, MDAX, TecDax, and SDAX. In this scenario, average household income would rise from the current €72,000 to around €100,000 annually by 2035. This pivot to growth requires additional investments of €330 billion per year until 2035 – 8% of GDP – and a dual strategy: a stronger focus on dynamic sectors (“shift”) and enhanced productivity across all sectors (“lift”). Interesting read - you find an English and German version under the link below.

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Shaping Europe’s #DeepTech future together! 🌍🤝 One of the highlights at this year’s #FallingWalls Science Summit was our #BCG x SPRIND - Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen Executive Table, bringing together leaders from diverse innovation agencies, corporates, and venture capitalists across Europe. Never before have we gathered such a diverse group to shape our deep tech future.  This fruitful discussion marked a powerful step toward a pan-European deep tech strategy, focusing on three crucial changes needed for us to lead in global innovation:  ➡ Change scientific dogma: Almost half of the world's PhDs are awarded in Europe, yet success for scientists is still measured mainly by publications. To empower real-world impact, founding a company should be a natural next step post-PhD. Shifting this mindset can inspire a new generation of science-driven entrepreneurs. ➡ Strengthen business transfer: With German universities investing only 0.1% of their budgets into business transfer, we see an urgent need to rethink these priorities. University transfer centers should move from profit centers to service providers, supporting deep tech startups through long-term investment, encouraging both risk-taking and sustainable growth. ➡ Build a shared ecosystem: While Europe has made strides in early-stage funding, there’s a gap in later-stage investments, especially compared to the US. Encouraging companies and governments to become startup clients and fostering venture clienting are essential steps to create a sustainable ecosystem that helps deep tech startups scale effectively. At BCG, we are proud to have collaborated with SPRIN-D to build these bridges and foster the essential discussions. Thank you to all participants for joining the table and exchanging your ideas.  #Innovation Markus Lorenz Rafael Laguna de la Vera Antonia Jenkinson, ACCA, FCSI Anna Bergstrand António Grilo

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This Handelsblatt article featuring a recent BDI - Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. & Roland Berger study highlights the widening gap between Germany and the USA when it comes to innovation. It emphasizes that Europe needs to foster a stronger entrepreneurial culture and innovation mindset. This is exactly what Leitmotif is all about: connecting the US and the European innovation ecosystem and leveraging the skill set and expertise of European industrials to accelerate deep tech startups.

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I took a 2 month #parentalleave as a Partner at Roland Berger to take care of my son and spend more time with my wife. Are are my 5 learnings and recommendations how to make it happen: 1. #Enjoy the moment: Just be there for your family, don't overload the time with special activities every day. Go out in the forest, swimming or go to the playground brings a lot of joy 2. Align timing with #business cycle: Put the leave ideally in the summer months of July and August or whatever time is best for your industry 3. #Delegate all tasks and enable the next leadership generation: Don't think that you are irreplaceable, instead try to hand over all responsibilities, potentially except for having a look at your direct reports from time to time 4. Spend time with your #partner: Do things you did not manage to do in the last months such as a romantic dinner or going to the cinema while your kid is in daycare or relatives have a look 5. Do a private #project: My wife and I build a gigantic mud kitchen for our son and I trief to swim every day for 1h while he was sleeping You could also reconsider if a formal parental leave, i.e. being 100% out is right or if you want to move to a 80 or 90% contract with 2 or 3 months vacation in a year but more flexibility. And finally: Just do it. The time with your kid never comes back. A big thank you from my side to my mentor Carsten Bock , our Industrials head Norbert Dressler and the Roland Berger Advanced Technology Center and Electronics practices for covering me, in particular: Falk Meissner Dr. Joerg Schrottke Alexander Fey Dr. Sebastian Schams Andrew Yi Carina Kiessling Maurus Wüthrich

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Start-ups in Europe: a light at the end of the tunnel - finally!    This article by Nadine Schimroszik in Handelsblatt gives reason for hope for the tech ecosystem, as it summarises a development that has been tentatively emerging for some time: The number of new #start-ups in Germany is growing again, by 17 per cent, as shown by a comparison of the first quarter of 2024 with the same quarter of the previous year.   💡It is particularly interesting to see that most investments are being made in AI. An unmistakable sign that they continue to be a driver of innovation for the German startup ecosystem.   We recently came to a similar conclusion with my team, as part of our analysis of the German startup landscape. Our conclusion: more and more funding are being mobilised for ♻️ #Greentech business ideas that are based on AI-based technologies and have a positive impact on our planet. More info on our research at IRIS can be found in Startup Insider`s Investors Report 2024: https://lnkd.in/dU-5AMPz More info on Nadine’s insightful article here: https://lnkd.in/depicwGA

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The German economy's need for transformation continues to ensure full order books 📖 🌐 Global players in consulting are growing in single digits - driven by less dynamic development in the USA and Asia. 📈 The Federal Association of German Management Consultancies (BDU) are still forecasting growth of 7.2%.

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