Yannick Sonnenberg

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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MAKE IT IN SAXONY ❗ ❗ ❗ 35% more start-ups in Saxony compared to the previous year 🚀 According to a report by the data service Startupdetector and Hightech Gründerfonds, the number of startups founded in Germany rose by 17% in the first quarter of 2024, indicating a recovery in the sector. Saxony recorded particularly strong growth with an increase of 35%, highlighted by innovative start-ups in cities such as Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz. As LaunchHub42, we are happy to be part of this innovative start-up ecosystem and to help innovative teams in the field of cutting edge communication technologies and robotics to achieve greater visibility and feasibility of their solutions. This is never possible alone, but only with committed partners such as e.g. the Smart Systems Hub, HighTech Startbahn GmbH or Robot Valley Saxony. Let's continue on this path together. Find out more about launchhub42 at https://launchhub42.com/ The report is available at https://lnkd.in/evKg25JE

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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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🌍 Join Us for the Climate Tech MeetUp Vienna | Summer Edition! 🌞 🗓️ When: Tuesday, June 25th | 18:30 - 22:00 📍 Where: Wien, Wien (Address will be shared upon approval) 🎟️ Registration: Approval Required We are excited to invite climate tech innovators to the upcoming Climate Tech MeetUp Vienna | Summer Edition powered by Triple Impact Ventures! This is the perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs, innovators, investors and enthusiasts in the climate tech space to (re)-connect, share ideas, and foster new collaborations in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Event Highlights: Network with fellow funders and founders in the Viennese Climate-Tech scene. Enjoy the first round of drinks on us, courtesy of Triple Impact Ventures! Engage in meaningful conversations and potential partnerships. 🔓 Location Details: Exact address will be provided upon registration approval. How to Join: Register below by clicking the link. Wait for your registration to be approved by the host. Receive the event location details and get ready to join us! 🔗 Request to Join We look forward to seeing you there and making impactful connections together! #ClimateTech #Entrepreneurship #Networking #ViennaEvents #Sustainability #Innovation

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🚨 𝟮 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗥: 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀! 🚨 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘆𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘👉 https://lnkd.in/e44FstAS 📅 Join us on 𝟭𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆, 𝟯𝗽𝗺 𝗕𝗦𝗧/ 𝟰𝗽𝗺 𝗖𝗘𝗧 for an insightful webinar featuring: 🎙️ Christian Paul (CEO & Co-Founder, nnamu GmbH) 🎙️ Myself, Lance Younger (CEO & Founder, ProcureTech) 🎙️ Special Guest Speaker: Cyril Pourrat (Founder & CEO, BT Sourced) Don't miss out on the discussion between industry leaders on how game theory and AI are transforming sourcing and autonomous negotiations! #ProcureTech #nnamu #BTSourced #Procurement #DigitalProcurement #GameTheory #AI #Sourcing

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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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"There is nothing permanent except change" Thank you FINANCE Magazin & Olivia Harder for covering our Leverest growth story since inception in less than 3 years: ✅ Billions € of debt successfully managed ✅ > 100 deals, and ✅ > 1,000 customers since 💡 As it is human nature change may not always be comfortable - yet it is required for progress: Our offerings are not yet well understood by everyone in the market and I am happy to cordially invite you to a product demo to understand in greater depth the benefits our platform may bring to your debt processes🚀 Please get in touch. #superiorleverage #digitization #software

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Venture Capital - “Respect for those who persevere” Austria is a prime location for research, but a weaker innovation location. There is high-tech potential. Austria is the hidden champion of the European start-up scene. Over 90 percent of the gross domestic product comes from small and medium-sized enterprises. Some of them are even world market leaders in their segments, or at least European market leaders.   We are excellent in some high-tech sectors. What we lack are the later stages of financing. As a result, we often sell companies far too early - they are acquired directly or go abroad due to the investor situation. We lose them too quickly. These and more insights were discussed in an interview with our CEO, Berthold Baurek-Karlic, in assets Magazin. Berthold discussed how recent times have seen a sharp decline in valuations, making the market more attractive with reasonable valuations. However, this phase calls for brave investors who can recognize the opportunity amidst the crisis. He also highlighted the remarkable ability of Austrian companies to withstand crises. The pre-crisis capital shortage led businesses to focus on economic sustainability early, resulting in fewer dramatic rises but also less severe falls during downturns.      For a deeper dive into his perspectives check out the full article in German: https://lnkd.in/d2mPhWrD     Harald Mahrer Kambis Kohansal Vajargah Bernhard Sagmeister Dusan Todorovic Moritz Weinhofer Jakob Seybold Patrik Cesky Julia Gülden-Zeisberger Lisa Wimmer Iman Saïd Philipp Sakuler Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws) Wirtschaftskammer Österreich #InvestmentInsights #AustrianEconomy #VenionaireCapital #Entrepreneurship #MarketValuations #ResearchAndDevelopment #EconomicResilience #CrisisManagement #InvestmentStrategy 

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Guide to Marketing for VC Funds📝 If you are an emerging GP and wondering how to market your new Fund, then this is for you. 👇 My colleagues at AlphaQ Venture Capital have created a marketing guide in collaboration with expert lawyers HEUKING. To find new LPs you can create a profile on invite-only AlphaQ Venture Capital's Discovery platform, which will increase your visibility and facilitate your fundraising. DM me for a warm introduction.🤝 ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #VCfund and increase the international pool of your LPs?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments (Series A/Series B)?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VentureCapital #VentureFunding #VentureDebt #Fundraising #Innovation #Technology #Entrepreneurship #Investing #Network #Investors #LPs #GPs #EmergingManagers #FamilyOffice #Markets #Economy #Business #Founders #Startups #StartupFunding #ai #artificialintelligence #unicorn #secondaries #secondarydeals

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💻 Breaking News! Exciting things are unfolding in Germany's Financial sector, and Hessen Startups are leading the revolution! 🚀 Don't miss the exceptional, ground-breaking startups laser-focused on transforming the financial service industry. Get the full scoop: https://lnkd.in/eFdyABW8 Featuring: Qontigo founded by @Iulian C. - Pioneers of financial intelligence innovation. Traxpay spearheaded by Markus Rupprecht - Revolutionizing sustainable working capital. tokentus investment AG under the leadership of Oliver Michel - Venture capital investment for blockchain business models. axytos GmbH - Modular API-based financial management platform. Resonanz Capital - Tailormade investment solutions. RUUT - Simplifying money transfer from Germany to Turkey. Eagle Eye Investments - Strategists for impact investing. Dark Analytics - Experts on information security in finance. TraFinScout GmbH, Eckhard Creutzburg, Fincite Ventures, Joachim Reinhardt - The digital export financiers. OWO Technology GmbH (MilePay) steered by Derek Yun, Spark Yu- FinTech revolutionaries. Exaloan AG, Andreas Höfner, Gregory Wheeler, Luca Andre Frignani - The global B2B marketplace connector. Maxi Digital GmbH, Salih Zeki Çimen - The digital bank wiping borders for immigrants. FINVIA Family Office, Christian Neuhaus, Hanna Cimen, Marc Sonnleitner - Navigating assets sensibly. Geld und Wissen GmbH - The software tool augmenting equity funds. Venture Advisory Partners, Daniel Putsche, Peter Nadolinski - Entrepreneurial advisory approach to venture finance. These are the game-changers you should watch out for! #startups #innovation #Finance #Fintech #FinancialServices #HessenStartups #GermanyStartups #Entrepreneurship #EUSTartupNews

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𝗜𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗖? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂. Michael Treskow from Eight Roads Ventures said recently on #startupland powered by deutsche-startups.de that we're already playing in the big leagues. But are we? Let's dive into some numbers. Germany's venture capital scene is booming, but how do we compare globally? 1. In 2022, Germany attracted €11.3 billion in VC investments. Impressive, right? 2. Yet, the US still leads with €150 billion. The gap is significant. 3. But here's a twist: Germany is closing the distance fast. Growth rates are higher than many expect. So, what's behind this momentum? → A strong startup ecosystem that fosters innovation. → Government initiatives supporting tech ventures. → A cultural shift towards embracing entrepreneurship. But challenges remain. The focus is now on creating an inclusive environment where diverse voices, especially from the HR sector, can thrive. To truly lead, we must leverage untapped potential, like the 50+ generation and women in STEM. Germany's VC landscape is evolving, and the future looks promising. Yet, we must continue pushing boundaries to maintain our upward trajectory. What are your thoughts on Germany's VC potential? Are we ready to lead globally?

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  💰 doinstruct raises €7.6M to address frontline-worker skills shortages. The funding round was led by Creandum, with participation from existing investors HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds and D11Z.Ventures GmbH & Co. KG as well as Bastian Karweg (Founder Dealfront) and Andreas Hettich (Hettich Group). 80% of the global workforce are frontline workers in industries such as food processing, logistics & warehousing, hospitality, retail and manufacturing. Current training options are time-consuming, inefficient and not designed with workers in mind. doinstruct’s simple, mobile-first approach is training as it should be - barrier-free, bite-sized and in the worker’s native language.   🗯 Charlotte Rothert, CEO and Co-founder at doinstruct: "Our customers are facing a rising number of challenges. They are affected by increasingly tough regulatory requirements and labor shortages. Shift workers are difficult to reach, language barriers make compliant training and information delivery nearly impossible, and inevitable employee turnover requires ongoing, time-consuming retraining. I know we can do better. And it's obvious that workers and industrial companies deserve better.”   🎉 Congratulations to Charlotte, her co-founders Daniel Marinkovic, Thorsten Gross, and Mona Feder, as well as the whole team at doinstruct! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ezrnWDC3 CC: Christian Arndt

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"Investing in top VC funds is like getting into Berghain." 🚀 Key Takeaways from the 2024 VC Report for DACH 👇 ✅Germany saw $6.9 billion VC funding in 2023, led by sectors like #robotics and #climate tech. ✅Despite a global downturn, the #DACH region VC market remained resilient. ✅#Cleantech and #AI received significant attention, notably through major funding rounds like Atlas Agro and Aleph Alpha. ✅IPOs may re-emerge in 2024, offering potential exits. The report provides detailed insights and trends for navigating Germany in 2024 successfully. 📈 🌐 For a deeper dive into these insights check out the full Report by Startup Insider: https://lnkd.in/gE-EgjFv #Tech #Investment #VC #Startup #VentureCapital #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Germany #Austria #Switzerland #StartupInsider sparksense

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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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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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Do you wonder what kind of founders and topics we are looking for at Climate Founders? This is our investment thesis Lin Gong-Deutschmann, Franziska Ponick and I with some sparring from Philipp Herkelmann put together: 👩‍🔬 💚 📈 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹. We are here to support the ones who deeply care about our planet and have found their angle to contribute significantly to a brighter future. As we observed how incredibly fast open-minded, resilient, highly productive and intrinsically motivated people can grow personally, we naturally strongly believe in first-time founders who show these characteristics. We don't have a specific CV in mind, when we look for perfect founders, we look for people who gathered special insights in an industry, market, problem or technology. When you surprise the experts in your field with your thoughts, then we should talk. 💡 🌍 𝗪𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. We look for teams who discovered an unsolved problem and aim to break through the status quo. Those potential breakthroughs can be rooted in science or technology of new or improved deployment of existing climate solutions. We value transformational changes over efficiency improvements. Our greenhouse gas savings threshold is the potential to save 10 million tons CO2e per year after 10 years from now, but we love to see cases with even much higher impact potential. We are technology and business case agnostic: industrial hardware, biotech, nature-based solutions, data-driven software or renewables deployment, we look at high impact breakthroughs in all categories. 🤝 🏆 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀' 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. We are not the ones you start your fundraise with, we are the ones you prepare your fundraise with. Unlike most others we don't wait for inflection points, we anticipate them and we don't wait for traction, but we push you for crystal clear validation. We want to be your most favorable investor and even more we want to be your strongest ally even before we have invested. Interesting for you or someone you know? Have a look at our remote program and apply until tomorrow: https://lnkd.in/diWDSpnw Even if this thesis is quite new, our portfolio already and especially the investments in the last two years reflect it well:

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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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#fundingalert 💼Company: SmartLoC - Smart Letter of Credit 💰Funding: €1.8 Million ⚡Round: New Round 👥Investors: HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Loggerhead Ventures, Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen mbH and several business angels. SmartLoC is a pioneering startup focused on developing a modern and fully digital B2B payment solution tailored for international trade. Leveraging advanced #technologies such as IoT, blockchain and AI, it aims to streamline and digitize the process of cross-border transactions, empowering businesses with a seamless, secure, and efficient payment platform. It’s innovative cloud platform aims to streamline and digitize the #cumbersome process of B2B payments in international trade, providing businesses with a seamless, secure, and efficient solution to manage cross-border transactions. Britta Balden, Martin Möllmann, Evangelos Kosmidis, Rajesh Kaul, Britta Balden, Alessandro Vaglini, Thomas Kuhlke, Stelios Ntouvos Read more - https://lnkd.in/gKZ4GXmC To share your startup story write us on - [email protected] #SmartLoC #blockchain #B2Bpayment #IoT #AI #fundingnews #news #startup #startupnews #startuprise

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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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