Dr. Ulrich Erxleben

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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On a recent Caffeine & Capital episode, Till Westermann and I had a chance to dive deep into the world of startup tech with Christoph Meise, CTO at Scripe. We unpacked his unique journey, covering the highs, lows, and unexpected twists that come with leading tech in a fast-growing company. Here are some key insights that Christoph shared, which are crucial for any tech leader in a startup setting: 1️⃣ The Shape-Shifting Role of a CTO In a startup, the role of a CTO isn’t fixed. What’s essential one day might look entirely different the next, and adapting quickly is part of the job. The role keeps evolving as the company scales. 2️⃣ Mastering the Art of Being a Generalist Being a startup CTO means being versatile. Christoph shared how his day-to-day goes from development to product strategy, all while keeping an eye on the big picture. Flexibility and constant learning are must-haves! 3️⃣ No Linear Path Christoph didn’t take a standard route to become a CTO—he started by honing a specific skill and later expanded into product-building and leadership. Every CTO’s journey is different, and sometimes, it’s just about jumping in and figuring it out as you go. Want to hear more from Christoph and his unique path? Tune in to the latest episode of Caffeine & Capital for a closer look into the startup CTO role and how it’s built along the way. (in German) https://lnkd.in/e3FCFaZS

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Ep.17 Drop #20Angel 🎙 The one & only Philipp Moehring, Co-Founder of Tiny Supercomputer Investment Company, joined me in the hot seat for a rare public appearance 🔥 👉 Introducing Tiny Supercomputer Investment Company FUND III ✍ 👉 Higher valuations = higher expectations 💣 👉 Giving Founders the freedom to be extreme 🤪 👉 Your access gives you your price 💰 Some Founder References on Philipp: dennis müller (Amie): "More than most, pmoe is a cheerleader. The journey is already hard enough, some VC's make it harder by sending unsolicited articles with "seen this?". He's the opposite. always fun to brainstorm ideas with him. Differentiated intros relative to others." David Budde (trawa): “He‘s been a great sparring partner and has a ton of experience. I remember, the night before our Pre-Seed closing, we found a minor but important error in our cap table. Unsure what to do, we called Phil late that evening for guidance. To me, it‘s super important to know that I can reach my investors, if it actually matters, and that they‘ll be able to help! + he’s just a really nice guy.” Milos Rusic (deepset): “Phil is amazing! He was actively involved in assembling each of our funding rounds - even in the first round where he committed before we had settled for a lead investor. He actively helped to construct our favourite setup of lead investors for that initial round. He knows everyone and his support is not limited to great intros - he really helps founders to assess and identify which investor could be a right fit for them. 100% reliable, massive value for every company. What they do is really unique.” This was a special one to do, hope you enjoy 🍿 https://lnkd.in/gTRT_SmJ 20VC, #AngelInvesting, #technology, #podcast, #entrepreneurship, #VC, #Founder, #Investing

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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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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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Germany's startup ecosystem is a powerhouse waiting to fully unleash its potential in driving digital and sustainable transformation. But how do we make sure this happens? The Startup-Verband, the voice of German startups, addresses this head-on with their bold new initiative, "Innovationsagenda 2030: Weltklasse Made in Germany" (link in comments). Here’s what resonates most with me: 🚀 A Regulatory Framework Built for the Future To foster real innovation, we need policies that allow startups to experiment, iterate, and scale swiftly. Flexible, forward-thinking regulations in areas like AI and Climate Tech could be the catalyst for Germany’s long-term global leadership. 🌟 Stronger Leadership & Collaboration The future of innovation depends on tighter collaboration between government, industry, and startups. Building partnerships that connect research with industry can ignite sustainable growth and cement Germany’s place as a global innovation hub. 💬 What do you think is the most crucial next step in shaping Germany's innovation landscape? Let’s discuss in the comments below! #Innovationsagenda2030 #Startups #DigitalTransformation #Germany2030

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🔸 🔶 🔸 AI is going vertical 🔸 🔶 🔸 In a new guest article for Gründerszene / Business Insider I talk about how vertical AI is revolutionizing the work environment: After genAI took the world by storm it has rapidly commoditized. To train an advanced LLM costs hundreds of millions of $$$. But the usage of LLMs has become commonplace. Now the AI world is turning vertical: How can genAI solutions successfully be deployed within industry verticals? Not on the surface but solving some of the tough industrial challenges in a substantially new way, driving an increase in productivity by a factor of 2-5? That has become a core area of interest for AI in 2024. Vertical AI is already making inroads into a number of core industries such as consulting, finance and healthcare but is also being used in less obvious sectors such as wind energy generation or sports. Over time it is likely to affect our work environment across all sectors. And - unlike earlier automatizations - it is going to affect mostly white collar rather than blue collar work. Welcome to a new and lasting technological disruption. Gründerszene, the leading online magazine for the startup scene in Germany (operated by Business Insider), got interested in the subject and has featured an article on the subject this week. Take a look at the online article following the link below (in German): https://lnkd.in/ecJcUwHK (the Gründerszene article as a pdf: https://lnkd.in/eimBKSQP)

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📰 My Cofounder is featured in two leading newspapers this morning!👏👏 My cofounder at Footprint Technologies, Carolin Kleinert, gave two interviews for #Sueddeutsche and #Tagesspiegel about a recent study of Startup-Verband that investigated the socio demographic background of #startup founders. It clearly proofs founders typically are originating from families with academic backgrounds or from parents who are entrepreneurs themselves. The majority - but not all of them. Carolin is a great example of this minority who also made it without academic parents or without entrepreneurial role-models within their core families. I am sharing a similar family background, both of my parents do neither have an academic education, nor are they entrepreneurs themselves. It is possible, but it needs more visibility and sharing of such positive examples, so that more and more #Arbeiterkinder are considering becoming entrepreneurs as a career option. This would be a benefit for themselves as well as for our society and economy! For that reason I am celebrating the two articles about Carolin's personal story! 😍 👏 👉 Please check the articles and share them! 🙏

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🎙️I recently had the pleasure of joining Max Ostermeier on his podcast, the Startcast Podcast. Max invited me to share my journey as a founder – from the very beginning to where we are today with MVP Factory. In our conversation, we delved into the lessons I've learned along the way, my perspective on startups and the mindset shift of Zebras vs Unicorns, founding in times of crisis, and some of the incredible projects like Yarded we're working on at MVP Factory.
 Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just curious about our journey with MVP Factory, listen in and share your thoughts with me. We covered a lot of ground, from the early challenges to the innovative solutions we're bringing to life today:
 🔹 The pivotal moments in my entrepreneurial journey 🔹 Insights on building and scaling startups  🔹 Behind-the-scenes stories from MVP Factory projects  🔹 How joining Ness Digital Engineering enables us to drive more innovation A big thank you to Max for the invitation, the great conversation, and your patience (it took us a while to find an appointment). I'm looking forward to part two ;) I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed recording it! 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: ▶️Spotify | https://lnkd.in/ddhf9ywf ▶️Apple I https://lnkd.in/dFmBuVG5 #Startcast #Startups #MVPFactory #Innovation 

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"Women are better at collaborating than their male counterparts," Dr. Robert Habeck - Germany's Vice Chancellor - smilingly admitted yesterday evening at the #GermanStartupNight in Lisbon as part of the Web Summit. This year, he attended with an all-female delegation—a first of its kind—joining the German ecosystem in Lisbon to highlight something we strongly believe at MotionLab.Berlin: collaboration between SMEs/corporates and startups is key to driving innovation and adopting the climate-saving technologies we urgently need. So if I had to end this post off with a call to action, then do check out our #hardtech and #deeptech ecosystem to find out how you can be matched with technological developments that suit your company needs and portfolio. 

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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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"As a VC for 20 years, here's a confession: I should have trusted my gut more often." Something that Rainer Märkle, General Partner at HV Capital. Shared with us at EUVC We all know VCs are supposed to be data-driven guided. We're trained to believe perfect analysis leads to perfect investment decisions. But sometimes, your gut feeling is your best friend. As a highly analytical person, Rainer has learned this valuable lesson. Intuition matters. Yes, due diligence is essential. However, take a break and look from a different perspective. Experience tells you when to trust your instincts. How do you balance data-driven analysis with intuition? Share your experiences in the comments! #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

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Exciting news in the world of angel investing is rare these days, which makes me even more thrilled to share a "double dose" of good news 🎉 – Novaheal GmbH has successfully exited to AMBOSS, a company well on its way to becoming one of Germany’s next unicorns 🦄. This news is particularly exciting for me as I’m indirectly invested in Novaheal through my early investment in allygatr, an "operative HR Tech VC". This makes it a double win ✌️: not only does allygatr now have a stake in a potential unicorn, but it also highlights allygatr’s unique edge over other investors in the HR space. Allygatr's unfair advantage comes from their deep network of investors with extensive HR market expertise. This network enables them to accelerate HR startups’ growth through mentorship, faster product iteration, and securing MVP customers to test solutions in real-world environments 🚀. Additionally, allygatr’s connections help identify strategic exit opportunities, as seen in this success with Novaheal 🔑. But what’s the real secret behind allygatr’s success? Better access to deals 🔥. Founders in the HR Tech space know about allygatr’s network, and as a result, allygatr often funds pre-seed rounds that other investors never even see 👀. Basically allygatr is a "German Y Combinator for HR Tech". We hoped this would happen 3 years ago when we started allygatr (big shout to Mr. Allygatr Benjamin Visser) and it is amazing to see how it now bears first fruit! 🍇 Therefore: Congrats to Novaheal on this fantastic exit, and a huge shoutout to allygatr for their clear and clever investment strategy! 🎊👏 (and big thanks to my smart allygatr co-investors who helped Novaheal and many other startups: Jochen Eckhold, Michael Ensser, Pierre Dejonghe, Matthias Klaesener, Dirk Mundorf, Harald Poeschke, Christine Rittner, Cindy Rubbens, Carolin Schneider, Jens-Martin Schwärzler, Robindro Ullah, Tim Verhoeven, Marc Müller, Olav Sehlbach, Romy von Roeder .... and many more!)

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🚀 We from seed + speed Ventures have made a new investment! I am happy that seed + speed Ventures is now on board at Calvin Risk. The Swiss startup has received $4 Mio in #seedfunding to make #enterprise #AI more trustworthy! 🚀 seed + speed Ventures invested in this round together with JOIN CAPITAL in Calvin Risk to help companies deploy AI safely and manage risks through automated testing and quantitative risk assessment. As an ETH Zürich spin-off, they have developed a unique, quantitative approach to AI risk management that is rapidly gaining traction among global financial institutions and the C-suite across industries. With regulations like the #EUAIAct introducing strict requirements for AI systems, the need for reliable AI governance has never been greater. Calvin Risk’s combination of academic and industry expertise positions them at the forefront of AI risk management We look forward to be working with Julian Riebartsch and Syang Zhou and their whole Calvin Risk team! Congrats to seed+speed's Isabelle Thierfelder on closing the deal! Isabelle Thierfelder Carsten Maschmeyer Daniel Steffen Isabell Gollmer Andreas de Greiff Marco Döring Petra Kurschat Stefanie Mercedes Kindt Maria von der Lieck

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🤔 𝗜𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸? 🧬💊💉👩‍⚕️🧪🩻 This has been our topic at today‘s panel discussion at the invest.austria conference 2024. Together with my co-panelists Sophie Ehrlich (from EIT Health), Christian Bouda (from bloomblisser.com) and our moderator Markus Wanko (from xista) we‘ve been elaborating on: ✅ The various healthcare verticals and respective risk profiles ✅ Public vs. Private Funding and the need for a closer collaboration between these two ✅ Brining start-ups and SMEs closer to each other to accelerate innovation ✅ Current PE and VC environment ✅ Healthcare deal activity and outlook going forward Conclusion on the initial question: 𝗬𝗲𝘀, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝘀, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸! 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵?! 1️⃣ „𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛 𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛“ - it is our „duty“ to allocate capital and to invest into our own health through supporting innovation and the relevant infrastructure 2️⃣ Healthcare investing is „𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗 𝗦𝗖𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘“ driven investing -> less emotions, more facts 3️⃣ Healthcare is only at the very beginning of it‘s innovative disruption and the convergence between disciplines (e.g. life sciences and (deep) tech) will turbocharge this upcoming disruption -> 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 => 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗥𝗨𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 Besides that, there have been great discussions and stimulating thoughts, mainly around the political environment and the „𝗗𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗙𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗦“ concept = TOPIC OF THE DAY And we also saw insightful discussions on the foodtech, space investing markets, discussions on the democratization of the investment industry and - since we‘re in #vienna - the CEE investment environment. Thanks Daniela Haunstein, Nikolaus "Niki" Futter, Arnaud Béasse for organizing. Fantastic event 👏 Ps.: the #privateequity asset class still remains a little underrepresented in Austria. 🇦🇹 Room to improve ↗️ PPs.: It‘s been a pleasure meeting and catching up with fantastic people like Bernadette Ules, Csanad Daniel, Niklas Pichler, Patrik Cesky, Rudolf Kinsky, Heinz Brasic, Floyd Plettenberg, Stephan Freudl, Florentina Spindler, Karl Lankmayr, Tim Lammar, Zuzana Jahodníková, Michael Hähnle, Christian Bacher, Günter Leonhartsberger, Johannes Cech, Marko Mitrovic … #healthcaredeals #mergersandacquisitions cc: VINC - Healthcare Advisory, ISP HEALTHCARE GmbH

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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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Europe’s Innovation Paradox: Ideas That Don’t Take Off What separates world-changing ideas from global leadership? My colleague Peter Niederhauser, co-founder and General Partner at redalpine, captures the essence of this dilemma in his thought-provoking guest commentary for the NZZ the leading Swiss newspaper: Capital and a Strong Venture Culture. Europe has no shortage of talent, cutting-edge ideas, and innovation hubs. From AI and clean energy to biotech, the potential is immense. Yet, the harsh reality is that our startups often struggle to grow beyond regional success. Why? Because we lack the fuel that powers the engine of innovation: venture capital. Here are some key insights from Peter’s article: 1) World-Class Talent, Capital Gaps Institutions e.g. ETH Zürich, Technische Universität München, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Nordic universities are producing groundbreaking intellectual output. But ideas alone are not enough. Europe’s capital gap—especially for high-growth startups—is staggering, leaving incredible ideas stuck in the starting blocks. 2) Why the U.S. Wins the Innovation Race The U.S. has an unparalleled edge, thanks to institutional investors like pension funds and tech titans. Consider this: Amazon invests $70B in R&D annually, compared to just $1.5B by European giants like Nestlé. This massive capital imbalance explains why Silicon Valley has become the global epicenter of tech. 3) The Unicorn Exodus Since 2000, 40 European unicorns have relocated abroad—primarily to the U.S. What does this mean for Europe? Lost talent. Lost growth. Lost opportunity. As Peter points out, “Venture capital isn’t just private financing—it’s the engine that turns innovation into a thriving economy.” Without the right venture ecosystem, Europe risks being the land of brilliant ideas that never reach global impact.

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