Tech Startups Germany - Startups and Venture Capital

Lower your Costs of ISO 27.001 and SOC 2 Compliance by up to 85% [with our Parnter Vanta] Achieving ISO 27001 or SOC 2 compliance can unlock major growth for your company and build customer trust, but this process can be time-intensive and costly. Vanta automates compliance, getting you audit-ready quickly and saving you up to 85% of associated costs. And Vanta scales with your business, helping you enter new markets. Join 7,000 global companies like Atlassian, Flo Health, and Quora that trust Vanta. Claim 20% off Vanta at https://www.vanta.com/startupradio 🚀 Discover the Future of Infrastructure Inspection with Twinsity's AI-Driven Technology! 🛠️ Welcome to Startuprad.io! In this episode, we're diving deep into the world of cutting-edge innovation with Twinsity, a startup revolutionizing infrastructure inspection using AI and drones. 🌐 Join us as we chat with Fabien Chalas, co-founder of Twinsity, who unveils their groundbreaking drone technology for inspecting aging infrastructure. 🏗️ Their software creates high-resolution 3D models and utilizes AI to detect defects like cracks and rust, ensuring safety and efficiency. Interested in Working with us? Have a look here: https://www.passionfroot.me/startupradio 🌟 What You'll Learn: Sponsored by Hessen Trade Invest and the European Enterprise Network, this episode explores the transformative impact of Twinsity's work on infrastructure maintenance. Whether you're an investor, tech enthusiast, or curious about the future, this episode is a must-listen! Subscribe Here We are always sharing new resources with you. Find all of our options below. We want to make sure that we provide what's best for your growing team, so please take a look at these additional ways in which can help! https://linktr.ee/startupradio 🔍 Key Questions Discussed: 🌐 About the Founder: Fabien Chalas, co-founder of Twinsity, brings a wealth of experience from his background in software engineering and renewable energy infrastructure. His vision drives Twinsity's mission to revolutionize infrastructure inspection. 🚀 About Twinsity: Twinsity, founded by Fabien Chalas, leads the way in infrastructure inspection with its advanced drone technology and AI-driven defect detection. Their innovative approach ensures safety and reliability for critical assets worldwide. Don't miss out on the future of infrastructure management! Tune in now to learn how Twinsity is transforming the industry. 💡 Find all blog posts with all the links on our blog https://medium.com/startuprad-io/twinsitys-ai-driven-approach-to-safeguarding-structural-integrity-startuprad-io-e-423-4d0af81e5ca7 Startuprad.io™ - All Rights Reserved Mentioned in this episode: Startupraven.com The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here:...

Welcome to our March 2024 wrap-up with vital news from the startup and tech entrepreneurship scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂. Our startup news is recorded with Chris in New York City and Joe in Frankfurt. Recording date is March 25th 2024 and all news not included will be in our next news to be released on April 25th 2024. Happy Easter! Today we publish on Holy Thursday (Gründonnerstag) in Germany. Note that the Friday before and Monday after Easter are public holidays. Many people will take off around the holidays. So don’t expect your calls to be returned promptly during this time. A Seismic Shift in the Regional Startup Scene You are witnessing a seismic shift in the GSA startup scene with us here and today. The headlines of our startup news used to be dominated by fintech funding. Now we have more than 7 billion € investments in green startups (battery, renewable energy) vs. “only” around 150 million in fintech funding in different forms. This is surely a foretaste of what’s to come. Our Highlights: The European energy landscape is witnessing significant developments with key investments across sectors. Northvolt’s Gigafactory in Northern Germany, backed by €900 million in subsidies and a €4.5 billion investment, aims to produce 1 million car batteries annually, driving electric vehicle adoption and job creation. Enpal secured €1.1 billion in refinancing commitments, while Sunfire raised over €500 million, bolstering Europe’s green hydrogen economy. ENVIRIA secured $200 million in capital from BlackRock, signaling confidence in the solar sector. Solaris Bank secured €96 million in funding but faced a €6.5 million fine from BaFin, reflecting fintech regulatory challenges. Magic gained traction with open AI’s and Tesla’s former Andrej Karpathy as investor, and Bitpanda established a €50 million VC fund for blockchain startups. However, the startup community grapples with stress, with nearly half considering quitting, underscoring the toll of rapid innovation. Let’s talk startups: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-march-2024-a49996ca44f9 Find All Other Channels Here Find all options to subscribe here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Housekeeping & Time to Brag — Celebrating one Million Downloads in a Quarter! 1 Million confirmed downloads in Q4 2023: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7176895440510955520/ Feedback We would love to hear from YOU!!! https://forms.gle/mLV6mVKwGwKuut8BA The Hosts The news are co-hosted by Jörn “Joe” Menninger, startup scout, founder, and host of Startuprad.io. And Christian “Chris' ' Fahrenbach, co-founder Startuprad.io, freelance reporter, lecturer, author and blogger . Reach out to them: Joe on LinkedIn Joe on Twitter Chris on LinkedIn Chris on Twitter This podcast uses the following...

🚀 Welcome to Startuprad.io – Your Ultimate Destination for Tech Entrepreneurship News! 🌟 Interested in Working with us? Have a look here: https://www.passionfroot.me/startupradio Subscribe Here https://linktr.ee/startupradio In this episode, we dive deep into the latest tech and startup highlights shaping the landscape of innovation. Join us as we explore groundbreaking developments and game-changing investments that are driving progress in the tech world. 🔍 Our Highlights: 1. Microsoft's bold move to invest 3.3 billion euros in expanding data centers in Germany is a testament to the importance of AI and cloud computing. Chancellor Olaf Scholz applauds this commitment to progress and global openness. 2. Vienna-based AI startup Magic secures a whopping $117 million in funding, setting ambitious goals to surpass ChatGPT-4 with its AGI ambitions. Meanwhile, Stuttgart's Instagrid raises an impressive $95 million to expand into North America with its innovative portable battery systems. 3. Amidst the success stories, we also shed light on the challenges faced by fintech and MedTech sectors. Elinvar grapples with insolvency despite a hefty €50 million investment, while Sanity Group, a cannabis company, makes tough decisions by cutting staff. 4. But there's no shortage of triumphs! BioNTech emerges victorious in a lawsuit, Flixbus makes strides by expanding to India, and Mondu secures a massive €30 million for its expansion plans. However, changes in German insolvency regulations pose new challenges for debt-funded startups like Instafreight. 5. And lastly, EV charging platform Monta electrifies the scene by raising an impressive €80 million for its European expansion, signaling a bright future for sustainable transportation. Stay ahead of the curve with Startuprad.io as we bring you the latest updates and insights from the dynamic world of tech entrepreneurship. Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell to never miss out on our exclusive content! #technews #startupradio #entrepreneurship #innovation #techinvestments #ai #cloudcomputing #AGI #fintech #medtech #biontech #evcharging #MontaExpansion Let's talk startups: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-february-2024-c5d6ea9a5b5c Startuprad.io™ - All Rights Reserved This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podder - https://www.podderapp.com/privacy-policy Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Executive Summary In this episode of Startuprad.io, host Jörn "Joe" Menninger interviews Martin Cudzilo, founder of ARCheck, discussing the challenges in the cleaning industry and the development of augmented reality technology. Cudzilo shares his entrepreneurial journey, the potential for AR and AI to revolutionize cleaning, and the impact of ARCheck on efficiency and cleaner support. They delve into the challenges of managing sick leave, the early development of ARCheck, and the upcoming launch of the minimum viable product. The episode provides insights into the transformation of the cleaning industry and the powerful potential of augmented reality technology. Interested in Working with us? Have a look here: https://www.passionfroot.me/startupradio Follow Us on Social Media! If you are listening to our content for the 2nd time please consider following us on social media. https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Enabler HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen This recording was made possible by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen. These organizations have made tremendous contributions to helping startup businesses succeed and thrive, providing a range of services from helping to find grants to ongoing partnerships. By taking advantage of these resources, startup companies can network and develop innovative strategies for success on the international stage. The dedicated support of HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen is paramount in providing startup businesses with the tools for lasting success. Learn more here: https://www.htai.de/ and https://www.een-hessen.de/ Find all blog posts with all the links on our blog https://medium.com/startuprad-io/from-cleaning-company-to-tech-startup-ar-transforming-the-industry-startuprad-io-e-412-afcada77e0fa Subscribe Here Please take a look at these additional ways in which can help! https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Sponsor Startupraven The best way to find investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up here: https://startupraven.com/ The Founder In this episode of Startuprad.io, Jörn "Joe" Menninger welcomes Martin Cudzilo as the esteemed guest. Martin, with over 25 years of experience in the cleaning industry, has a deep understanding of the challenges faced in this sector. His entrepreneurial journey began with the establishment of his own cleaning company, where he recognized the need for innovative solutions to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of cleaning operations. The Startup AR-Check, the innovative startup founded by Martin Cudzilo, has emerged as a game-changer in the cleaning industry. The company has completed two rounds of fundraising and is currently open to new investors for its third funding round. AR-Check's groundbreaking and disruptive project aims to revolutionize the market by integrating augmented reality (AR) technology with cleaning processes, providing real-time guidance and quality checks for cleaners. Venture Capital Funding AR-Check is currently in the process of raising its Series A funding. You can reach out to Martin via LinkedIn, or leave it to us to make

Tune in to the latest episode of our podcast, where we discuss the top news and trends in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) startups. From European unicorns to emerging tech companies, we cover it all in this monthly show. Don't miss out on the latest tech news and startup updates! Our Highlights: Joe already did a 2023 review focused on valuations and investments. All publications more or less agreed that 2023 was hopefully rock bottom for startups, their valuation, funding and founding of new ones and it should get better. Thumbs pressed for that (as is German custom). Our former guest Finn raises 100 M€, unicorn 1Komma5 Grad is looking for 100 M€, Unzer loss amounts to 400 M€ and Everphone raises 270 M€. Despite the dire situation, almost 2,500 new startups were founded in Germany. Also one should take notice of Karlsruhe, a city with a world-class technical university, that is home to INTERATEC which raised 118 M€ for efuels. Please, take a moment and match again all the bad news we have gathered here and weigh it against entrepreneurs sticking their heads out and even raising hundreds of millions from investors. Congratulations to those brave ones! Let's talk startups: Interested in Working with us? Have a look here: https://www.passionfroot.me/startupradio Our Sponsor Startupraven The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ Find all options to follow us and subscribe here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Find all links and Show Notes Here: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-january-2024-startuprad-io-e-412-8aed840bed61 #startupradio #startupnews #startuppodcastgermany #technews #technologynews #techpodcast This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podder - https://www.podderapp.com/privacy-policy Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Join us for a deep dive into the startup world of Germany in 2023! We'll recap the latest trends in startup valuations and investments, featuring top Berlin, Hamburg, and other German startups. Learn about the innovative ideas and entrepreneurs driving the German startup scene forward. Don't miss out on this valuable information for investors and aspiring entrepreneurs alike! Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Startuprad.io F Subscribe Here We are always sharing new resources with you. Find all of our options below. We want to make sure that we provide what's best for your growing team, so please take a look at these additional ways in which can help! https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Sponsor Startupraven A startup's journey can be a tough one, but it doesn't have ́to feel like you're alone on your quest! Invest in others' success with us by joining our community of entrepreneurs who are building amazing things every day - no matter how big or small their ideas may seem at first glance. The best way to find investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up here: https://startupraven.com/ All Links and Show Notes Here is our blog post: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/deep-dive-a-recap-of-2023s-startup-valuations-and-investment-trends-d0d876b4cd1e We are talking about #Startupscene #germanstartuppodcast #germanstartups #startups #innovation #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #businessnews #insolvencies #earlystageinvestment #seed #seedfunding #preseedfunding #laterstagefunding #valuation #privateequity #venturecapital #fundraising #deeptech #biotechnology #AI #europeanstartupodcast #europeanstartup #startupeurope #ecosystem #ecosystems #scalablestartups #jobcreation #marketcapitalization #dealvolume #europeanperspective #cleantechnology #cleantech #fundingslump #biotechcompanies #entrepreneurinterviews #startupradio This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podder - https://www.podderapp.com/privacy-policy Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Welcome to our December 2023 wrap-up with vital news from the startup and tech entrepreneurship scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂. Our startup news is recorded with Chris in New York City and Joe in Frankfurt. The recording date is December 19th, 2023 and all news not included will be in our next news to be released on January 25th, 2024. Note: We will take a holiday break until January 18th, 2023, when you can expect the first publication in the new year. Our Highlights: Aleph Alpha's AI models get bad press. Escooter Tier lays of one-fifth of the workforce. Solarisbank also fires employees, and so does the Austrian scale-up neoom. Sport Alliance gets 100 M US$ funding and Hugo Boss chips into a sustainable fashion fund. Trade Republic is now a fully licensed bank and Instafreight has to file for insolvency. In total, we have more than 30 M US$ new VC investments in Austria, more than 25 M US$ investments in Switzerland, and more than 400 M US$ investments in Germany, vs only three insolvencies. Yes at the core we are very positive :-). It feels better, at least a bit. Let's talk startups: Our Partners (AL) Are you a startup founder, looking for a bank account in the EU? We are banking with Qonto. Sign up, using this link: https://qonto.com/r/pb0kq1 🔥 Supercharge your sales game with Pipedrive! 🚀 Unlock the ultimate tool for lead management and conversion. 💼 Seize this exclusive offer: Get a jaw-dropping 30% OFF for an entire year! 🌐 Elevate your business 💥 #Lead https://www.joinsecret.com/?r=c94534197f2d 🎉 Elevate your customer support game with Zendesk! 🚀 Experience excellence for FREE - get 6 months on us! 🌐 Revolutionize your service and delight your customers. ⏳ Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity! 🚀 #CustomerSupport https://www.joinsecret.com/?r=c94534197f2d 🚀 Elevate your business with Freshworks! 🌐 Unlock a game-changing 90% OFF on their powerful customer engagement tools! 🌟 Seize the moment to supercharge your success. ⏰ Don't miss out - the future of seamless customer experiences awaits! 🚀 #deals https://www.joinsecret.com/?r=c94534197f2d All Links and Show Notes Here is our blog post: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-december-2023-startuprad-io-e-409-f30d787f0c1f Mentioned in this episode: Startupraven.com The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podder - https://www.podderapp.com/privacy-policy Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Startuprad.io Welcome Welcome to our November 2023 wrap-up with vital news from the startup scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂. Our Highlights AI startup Aleph Alpha raises half a billion dollars, CMBlu raises 100 mn € for energy storage, WeFox gets 55 M US$ from Deutsche and Unicredit, and Vanguard pulls the plug on their German robo advisor. It seems that Sono Motors has found an investor to keep going at least until the end of 2024 and the German subsidiary of WeWork also has to file for insolvency. Let's talk startups: Our Sponsor Startupraven The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ Find all options to follow us and subscribe https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Enablers This recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen. Look for our dedicated sub-podcast in partnership with them: Tech Startups Germany on our https://linktr.ee/startupradio Top News Aleph Alpha raises 500 mn US$ Heidelberg-based Aleph Alpha raises a total investment of more than half a billion US Dollars from a consortium of industry leaders and new investors for their AI for Enterprises and Governments. CMBlu Energy raises 100 mn € German Energy scale-up CMBlu offers „warehouses for energy", with batteries storing up to gigawatt hours. They now raised 100 million Euros, with Strabag being the sole investor, one of Europe's largest construction companies, based in Vienna. WeFox Raises 55m US$ Deutsche Bank and UniCredit back $4.5 billion insurance startup Wefox with $55 million in fresh funds. WeFox is an online insurance broker and it did not raise equity, so their valuation stayed the same. Sono Motors May Have Found An Investor Sono Motors was once hailed as a new hope for the German startup scene, listing early in the US in November 2021. The company wanted to increase the reach of electro-cars by adding solar cells but ran into many problems while developing electro-cars. In the end, they had to file for insolvency but are now restarting with tech that allows the retrofitting of solar panels for fossil fuel busses. Sono Motors filed a 6-K form with the SEC saying that the company secured its survival for 2024, apparently most of the 250 employees can find further employment. Read more in our blog post: Sono Motors Finds Investor https://buff.ly/3Rjuo9t Vanguard Pulls The Plug on Their Robo Advisor in Germany Vanguard's German robo advisor costs millions and scores only 4 mn assets under management (AuM) at the end of 2022. A disaster according to FinanceFWD. To put this in perspective: Scalable Capital had 11 months after launch more than 100 mn AuM WeWork Germany Files For Insolvency WeWork's German subsidiary filed for insolvency - the company had issues everywhere. Find the full news with all links and show notes here: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-november-2023-startuprad-io-e-405-99d9efb6f3ff Mentioned in this...

Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Startuprad.io Executive Summary In this episode of Startuprad.io, host Jörn "Joe" Menninger interviews Michael Duttlinger from Cashlink. They discuss the importance of transparency with shareholders and how communication is key during a pivot. Cashlink, a leading registrar for tokenized securities in Germany, aims to disrupt the securities market and provide a more cost-efficient and transparent alternative to traditional intermediaries. They recently raised €7 million in a fundraising round and are collaborating with major financial institutions in Germany. Cashlink is focused on growth, acquiring new issuers and clients, and building its regulated financial institution to support the growing market for tokenized securities in Germany. Subscribe Here https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Enabler Startupraven The best way to find investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up here: https://startupraven.com/ Our Enabler HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen This recording was made possible by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen. These organizations have made tremendous contributions to helping startup businesses succeed and thrive, providing a range of services from helping to find grants to ongoing partnerships. By taking advantage of these resources, startup companies can network and develop innovative strategies for success on the international stage. The dedicated support of HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen is paramount in providing startup businesses with the tools for lasting success. Learn more here: https://www.htai.de/ and https://www.een-hessen.de/ Questions Discussed in the Interview The Founder Michael Duttlinger, the founder of Cashlink, started his fintech journey with a typical garage story reminiscent of those heard in Silicon Valley. All Links and Show Notes https://blog.startuprad.io/revolutionizing-securities-exploring-tokenization-and-transparency-with-cashlink-e-403-f655217533fc Mentioned in this episode: Startupraven.com The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for...

Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Startuprad.io Welcome to our October 2023 wrap-up with vital news from the startup scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂. This time we wrap up October 2023 in our 400th episode! Our startup news are recorded with Chris today in Germany and Joe in Frankfurt. The recording date is October 25th and all news not included will be in our next news to be released on November 30th. This time we made more cuts to our news here. We hope you like the lighter version of it. If you think we cut too much, feel free to let us know. For everyone who celebrates it: Happy Halloween AAAAAAAAAAAAAAND Happy Thanksgiving! Our Highlights: BioNTech is a very special case in Germany, but now one of their former Senior Vice Presidents (Katalin Karikó, has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine 2023 for her research in mRNA). Two German companies IPOed (yes, no startups, but still a good sign). Solar startup Nexwafe starts 120 M € funding, Black Semiconductor from Aachen is looking to raise 500 M €, and there is bad news about the former unicorn Infarm. Let's talk startups: Subscribe Here Find all options to subscribe to our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel, or listen to our internet radio station here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Enablers This recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen This recording was made possible by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen. These organizations have made tremendous contributions to helping startup businesses succeed and thrive, providing a range of services from helping to find grants to ongoing partnerships. By taking advantage of these resources, startup companies can network and develop innovative strategies for success on the international stage. The dedicated support of HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen is paramount in providing startup businesses with the tools for lasting success. Look for our dedicated sub-podcast in partnership with them: Tech Startups Germany on our https://linktr.ee/startupradio Startupraven.com The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ Top News Former Employee of BioNTech Receives as 13th Women Nobel Prize in Medicine BioNTech is a very special case in the German startup world. During corona, they have been assumed to be responsible for 0.5% of GDP growth of all of Germany, one of the five largest economies in the world. Now they have another very unique distinction: A former Senior Vice President (2013–2022) of the company Katalin Karikó, has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine 2023 for her research in mRNA. Congratulations to her, being the 13th woman to have won a Nobel prize in medicine, she is sharing the prize with Drew Weissman. Solar Startup Hunting for 100+ M € in Funding at 500 M Valuation Freiburg, Germany-based solar startup Nexwafe starts new funding, aiming for 120 m € in Venture Capital at a valuation of up to 500 M € Black Semiconductor 500 M € in Funding Aachen, Germany-based chip startup Black Semiconductor about to close large funding of 500 M €, with up to 70% of government funding. The founders are looking to develop a new way to connect elements on semiconductors but may need up to 7 years for the...

Executive Summary In today's episode, we have a very special guest joining us, Christian Rebernik, CEO & Co-Founder of Tomorrow University. We'll dive into Christian's journey, from his early days as a CTO of companies like Scout24 Group, dating Website Parship, World Food Program, bwin, or N26 to his current role in shaping the next generation of banking and now building a next-generation university. We'll explore how he's bridging the gap between technology and education, revolutionizing the way we learn and empowering future change-makers. Stay tuned for an engaging and enlightening conversation on the innovation landscape, the role of online learning, and the power of meaningful connections in business and personal relationships. Let's get started! Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Startuprad.io Our Sponsors This recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen This recording was made possible by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen. These organizations have made tremendous contributions to helping startup businesses succeed and thrive, providing a range of services from helping to find grants to ongoing partnerships. By taking advantage of these resources, startup companies can network and develop innovative strategies for success on the international stage. The dedicated support of HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen is paramount in providing startup businesses with the tools for lasting success. Look for our dedicated sub-podcast in partnership with them: Tech Startups Germany on our https://linktr.ee/startupradio Startupraven Sign up here: https://startupraven.com/ The Founder Christian is the CEO and Co-Founder of Tomorrow University. He is a CTO with a strong technical background, but his key strength lies in his ability to understand and leverage technology for business growth. Christian believes that it is crucial for developers to have a clear understanding of the customer's needs and the reasons behind the work they do. In his past experiences, he noticed the negative impact of treating developers as mere "coding monkeys" without involving them in customer interactions. This motivated him to establish Tomorrow University, where developers are encouraged to engage with customers and align their work with business objectives. Christian's mission is to bridge the gap between business and technology, empowering developers to make a meaningful impact through their work. The Startup What sets Tomorrow University (https://www.tomorrow.university/) apart from its competition is its unique approach to learning. They have developed a cutting-edge learning model that emphasizes real-world challenges and hands-on experiences, taking students out of their comfort zones. All Links and Show Notes Here is our blog post: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/from-cto-of-n26-to-founding-a-non-profit-online-university-startuprad-io-0e68274207aa This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podder - https://www.podderapp.com/privacy-policy Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Startuprad.io Our Sponsor Startupraven The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ Find all options to follow us and subscribe here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Welcome to our summer 2023 wrap-up with vital news from the startup scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂. This time we wrap up September 2023. There have been a lot of news sad (insolvencies, final closures, …), but also good ones (expansions, fundings, …) that we just had to make a selection in order not to bore you to death. Our startup news is recorded with Chris live in New York City and Joe in Frankfurt. The recording date is September 26th and all news not included will be in our next news to be released on October 26th. Our Highlights: We track close to 500 mn Euros in newly announced investments in GSA. We have the first defense tech unicorn in Berlin and a lot of great news from Greentech startups in Germany. Some proptechs are not doing well, but not all startups associated with construction are performing poorly, as shown by the fundraising from Schüttfix. Long-distance trucking gets more autonomous with FERNRIDE and some bank news: Deutsche Bank uses Swiss DLT startup Taurus' technology and we learn more about JP Morgan's retail offering in Germany. Unicorn Flix already hired banks for their IPO in H1 next year. We also keep you updated on the bank holidays in Germany in the next weeks. Let's talk startups: Find all links and show notes here: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-september-2023-startuprad-io-e-397-40c9c7b5fa2c This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podder - https://www.podderapp.com/privacy-policy Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Welcome to our summer 2023 wrap-up with vital news from the startup scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in around 30 minutes sometimes less 🙂. This time we wrap up July and August. We came up with the summer news because the September news has always been very long, overcrowded, and covered 3 months. That was a bit too much of a break and too much news in one piece. So we looked to wrap up summer and since the US is an important market and Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer it seems like a good fit. This summer has been a bit different and there has been a lot of news, so we focus more on the most recent ones and we have cut a lot of news here. For everybody in the US who celebrates it: Happy Labor Day! Find all links to the quoted news on our Medium blog: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-summer-2023-july-august-episode-fdb709d89fbd Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://startupradio.captivate.fm/support Our Sponsor Startupraven The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ Our Highlights: Binance has not - yet - gotten permission to operate in Germany from BaFin, Nextwind raises 750 m US$, Bitpanda surpasses 1 M customers in Germany and Germany sets a new record in new founders. We also shared that SAP wants to invest in Aleph Alpha, they confirmed this and two more. Germany's law for legalizing cannabis falls short of the expectations of cannabis entrepreneurs. Europe dominates climate fintech funding and the overall fintech funding shows a sign of life. Bafin also stopped mini VC investments - trashing the business model of some fintechs - AND we found newly closed VC funds in excess of 2.8 bn US$ that are open to European founders. Our Enablers This recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen Look for our dedicated sub-podcast in partnership with them: Tech Startups Germany on our https://linktr.ee/startupradio Startupraven.com The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ Top News Du kommst hier ned rein 🙂 Is the usual saying in Frankfurt if a Bouncer won't let you in a Club Fintech blog Finance Forward reports German finance oversight BaFin signals no license for Binance for Germany. So they can neither advertise nor expand in Germany. To be clear, this is not a final NO, but rather a "Binance keeps trying, but BaFin signaled a No" 750 M US$ for Wind Energy Wind Energy in Germany: StartUp Nextwind raises 750 M US$ Venture Capital investors include Sandbrook Capital, Canadian funds Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), and Imco Bitpanda - The Austrian Unicorn Surpasses 1 million customers in Germany alone https://buff.ly/44mMyKP it is not sure how many of them are really active, but that is always a tough question, even for the startups. But the question is important since one only makes money with active users. Germany Sets a New Record in Founders Despite the current economic situation, Germany has the highest share of founders in 24 years!!! According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Germany had a larger than 9% founder quota, meaning people from 18–64 who (co) founded a new business within the last 3,5 years (Young...

Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://startupradio.captivate.fm/support Find all blog posts with all the links on our blog https://medium.com/startuprad-io/navigating-the-insurtech-landscape-thinksurances-rise-in-the-digital-insurance-era-startuprad-io-1555e1d35e0a Subscribe Here https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Sponsor Startupraven Sign up here: https://startupraven.com/ Executive Summary In this episode of Startuprad.io, our guest is Florian Brokamp, CEO and Co-Founder of Thinksurance. Brokamp discusses the positive economic state of the company, the importance of smart investors analyzing macroeconomic trends, and the growing industries of AI and insurtech. He emphasizes the stability of the insurance industry and the need for digitalization. He shares insights on their fundraising journey and the different parts of their company's offerings. Florian also highlights the importance of proper risk valuation, data transparency, and providing value to distributors, customers, and insurers. Overall, Thinksurance's vision is to connect insurance carriers, distributors, and customers through its technology platform. Questions Discussed in this Interview: How did Thinksurance navigate the fundraising process and secure funding for their business? What were some of the challenges Thinksurance faced during the fundraising process, and how did they overcome them? How does Thinksurance differentiate itself in the B2B commercial insurance space in Germany? How does Thinksurance use data to address the lack of transparency in the insurance industry? What is the importance of properly pricing risks in the insurance industry, according to Thinksurance? How does Thinksurance define their target user and how do they cater to the needs of different types of users? How has Thinksurance's market coverage and relevance increased through onboarding large associations and brokers? How does Thinksurance aim to streamline the consultation process and provide value to distributors, customers, and insurers? What is Thinksurance's approach to hiring and maintaining a strong company culture? How does Thinksurance plan to further penetrate sales channels and collaborate with partners to address their digitalization needs? The Founder In this episode, our guest is Florian, the CEO and Co-Founder of Thinksurance, an insurtech startup from Frankfurt, focused on revolutionizing the commercial insurance industry through their technology platform. Throughout the episode, Florian shares insights into the economic landscape, the challenges of fundraising, and the growth potential of industries like AI and insurtech. He highlights the importance of finding investors who believe in the long-term vision and emphasizes the need to update legacy systems in the insurance industry. The Startup Thinksurance is a German insurtech company that provides digital insurance solutions for businesses and brokers. As mentioned by Florian Brokamp, the CEO and Co-Founder of Thinksurance, the company focuses on updating the legacy systems of the insurance industry, enabling a seamless and efficient consultation process between customers, insurers, and brokers. They offer a comprehensive suite of services including core consultation, Consult Direct service, and a data suite that collects and analyzes market...

Welcome to our June 2023 wrap-up with vital news from the startup scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂. We follow our top-down structure in the news. Welcome to our startup news wrap-up for June 2023 by Startuprad.io with Chris from New York and Joe from Frankfurt. We recorded this news episode on June 27th, 2023. All news not yet included here will be published in our next news episode. Find all links to the quoted news on our Medium blog link below. Note: We will now go into the summertime: In July and August we will only publish content every other week AND the next startups news will be our summer wrap-up, to be published on September 4th, in the US celebrated as Labor Day. Our Highlights: 1 Komma 5, a Greentech startup, becomes a unicorn after only 23 months. We are wondering if this is the rise of climate tech startups already? Switzerland has a record funding with Teylor of 275 m €. GetYourGuide shows travel tech is back in favor of VCs with 194 m US$ funding. Germany and Intel agree on subsidies and investments for a new mega chip factory worth more than 30 bn Euros. Fernride, a pioneer of autonomous electric trucks, gets a 30 M US$+ Series A funding. Let’s talk startups: Top News The Rise of Climate Tech Startups Has Begun, So It Seems Hamburg’s 1KOMMA5° has raised €430 million — and just become a unicorn at just 23 months old Related: 1KOMMA5 buys danish solar company Viasol Related: 430 mn debt funding A Record Funding for Switzerland Swiss-based SME lending fintech Teylor raises 275 m Euro, gaining Barclays as a new investor. Other investors include M&G Investments … Traveltech Startups Seem to Be Back GetYourGuide raises $194 million to fuel curated travel experiences and global expansion 30 bn For a New Chip Factory Intel, Germany strike record €30B deal for chip mega-factory Do You Know Fernride? FERNRIDE a German pioneer of autonomous, electric trucks, raises 31 M USD in Series A funding Find all Links and Show Notes here https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-june-2023-episode-388-960515c65b87 Startups, Venture Capital, Unicorn, New Unicorn, Europe, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scaleups, Tech News, Venture Capital News, Startup News, Mentioned in this episode: Startupraven.com The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podder - https://www.podderapp.com/privacy-policy Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Welcome to our May 2023 wrap-up with important news from the startup scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂. We follow our top-down structure in the news: First, the top news, then we look with a bird's eye view at the startup ecosystem in the German language countries, dig deeper by looking at exciting startup cities and end with general news. And for those serious about startups, there is even a collection called: "Stay Ahead of the Curve," where we share in-depth reads, articles, studies, and podcasts. Our next news episode will be published on June 29th, and then we are - for the news - in summer break. Our Highlights: Germany is now officially in a recession, but one with barely any unemployment. Also, we still track many startups going out of business, BUT the overall picture is improving. The German VC and PE Barometer - which captures the mood of many German investors - is showing an uptick. This shows especially in the massive amount of new funds raised; they promise a bright future for startups! We tracked at least 3,4 bn Euros of newly raised funds, which will be invested entirely or partially in startups in Europe and GSA. Look at our medium blog; we have more information on what the investors are looking for and how to pitch them. We also have investments and exits worth at least 5,4 bn Euros and news in this episode, including WeFox, Tier Mobility, Infarm, Blinkist, Bitpanda, Aleph Alpha, Sono Motors, and many more. Let's talk startups: Find all links and the other news here: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-may-2023-episode-385-87fd564d483a Tune in to our 24/7 Tech Entrepreneurship Internet Radio Station here: www.startup.radio Subscribe Here Find all options to subscribe to our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel or listen to our internet radio station here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Enablers This recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen Look for our dedicated sub-podcast in partnership with them: Tech Startups Germany on our https://linktr.ee/startupradio Startupraven.com The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ Top News Deal or No Deal? Getir is in talks to take over German grocery app rival Flink | Financial Times But then: Flink's sale to Getir fell through. Now Flink is raising 150 M € from investors, including grocery giant Rewe and Doordash Tier Mobility to Merge with Competitor European e-scooter giant Tier Mobility maps route to merger Will Infarm Be Soon Outfarm? Infarm keeps shrinking and is leaving Europe, reports Handelsblatt. The greenhouse startup reportedly has only 80 employees in Europe left and will get an investment at an unknown valuation for their relocation - likely to the Middle East with low energy prices Blinkist Makes a Large Exit! Berlin-based startup Blinkist is sold to Australian education startup Go1 for an undisclosed amount, reported to be "hundreds of millions." Blinkist offers short wrap-ups of nonfiction books as text or audio Large Drops in Valuations are Not Only for the Small...

Executive Summary In this episode, Joe interviews Lukas, co-founder of Minds Medical, and Ingo, senior partner of SYNPULSE. The story follows the pivot of Minds Medical from a healthcare-focused AI startup serving hospitals to its services for fintech/insurtech companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also discuss the challenges of extracting structured data from unstructured medical documents and the potential applications of this technology in the insurance industry. The conversation highlights the joint offering of intelligent document processing for the insurance industry and the acquisition process between the two companies. When Corona hit, all hospitals stopped picking up the phone. So we had to focus all our energy on the insurance product. Lukas Naab, Founder Minds Medical Follow Us! If you are listening to our content for the 2nd time please consider following us on social media. https://linktr.ee/startupradio With SYNPULSE8 we are now building a product for the global insurance market. Lukas Naab, Founder Minds Medical Our Enabler Startupraven A startup's journey can be a tough one, but it doesn't have ́to feel like you're alone on your quest! Invest in others' success with us by joining our community of entrepreneurs who are building amazing things every day - no matter how big or small their ideas may seem at first glance. The best way to find investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up here: https://startupraven.com/ Our Enabler HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen This recording was made possible by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen. These organizations have made tremendous contributions to helping startup businesses succeed and thrive, providing a range of services from helping to find grants to ongoing partnerships. By taking advantage of these resources, startup companies can network and develop innovative strategies for success on the international stage. The dedicated support of HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen is paramount in providing startup businesses with the tools for lasting success. Learn more here: https://www.htai.de/ and https://www.een-hessen.de/ We discovered for example that one large hospital in Germany has more than 200 different forms just to discharge patients. [And there are more than 1.800 different hospitals in Germany]. This amount of unstructured data requires machine learning and AI to be useful. Lukas Naab, Founder Minds Medical The Founder Lukas is the founder and CEO of Frankfurt-based AI startup Minds Medical. Since the acquisition of Minds Medical he is in the new company the principal product owner for SYNPULSE8. During the outbreak of corona, hospitals had many other things to do and just stopped picking up the phone, all at the same time. So Minds Medical had to focus completely on their insurance product. They eventually decided to join forces with SYNPULSE since they already had a joint offering for disability insurance providers. The Startup Minds Medical was acquired by SYNPULSE, now known as SYNPULSE8. This becomes part of their offering to insurance companies and insurtech startups, active in the healthcare space. The problem these insurers are facing is the sheer amount of unstructured medical data they get bombarded with...

Executive Summary Learn how to acquire competitive advantages in your eCommerce ventures with a buy & build strategy, unlock potential growth and add new capabilities: In this episode, Joe, interviews Peter, the founder of an AI startup called Pythia. Peter discusses his company’s buy-and-build strategy for acquiring e-commerce startups, which involves integrating them into their standardized processes and assigning brand managers or CEOs to oversee them. He also talks about the challenges facing companies in the current market, including rising prices, tighter financing, and more restrictive customers. Peter’s company is looking for profitable e-commerce companies with solid earnings and adjusted earnings, and they plan to continue buying until late 2027, with the goal of reaching €80 million in revenue and €20 million in profit. There has been a kind of Bermuda triangle created by external forces for e-commerce companies recently. Financing becomes more expensive, inflation increases production prices and consumers are more restrictive with their purchases Peter Hart — Founder and CEO DIPQ and Pythia Happy Father’s Day At the day of the publication of this interview, we celebrate in Germany Father’s Day. In Germany, the day is always celebrated on a Thursday, Ascension Day, also a public holiday in Germany, which gives fathers time to celebrate. Happy Father’s Day! Note: Mother’s Day is always celebrated on the second Sunday in May in Germany, where we do not publish, so no Mother’s Day episodes exist. Sorry to all mothers, and belated happy Mother’s Day as well! Over the last 12 months, we looked at the demand for consumer products and made a buy or build decision, which always ended up to be a buying decision, due to the lower multiples. Peter Hart — Founder and CEO DIPQ and Pythia Follow Us on Social Media! If you are listening to our content for the 2nd time please consider following us on social media: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Enablers This recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen: https://www.een-hessen.de/ The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ We usually look at Shopify stores. If they are not, we move them over time to Shopify.Peter Hart — Founder and CEO DIPQ and Pythia The Founder Peter Hart is a young and exceptional entrepreneur. He appeared in Germany’s version of Shark Tank and got a deal for 200.000 Euros as a 25-year-old. Currently, he is not even 35 and already runs 12 brands simultaneously. You can learn more about how he achieves this in the Starting Y interview in the links on the blog post. He started with a body aftershave brand called Dr. Severin and then went on to develop the software he used to forecast consumer trend tools into the AI startup Pythia. With this, he built and bought several consumer brands and now logically continues this approach by buying up profitable e-commerce shops with Dipq (no website). Currently there are not many investors active. For all of our acquisitions we have been the only ones bidding.Peter Hart — Founder and CEO DIPQ and Pythia The Strategy Peter has with Pythia a competitive advantage in...

Welcome to our April 2023 wrap-up with important news from the startup scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂. Our Highlights: Considerable funding made headlines last month. We have more than 600 M euros in funding in our highlights alone. A potential large exit: Software AG, the Darmstadt-based listed software company, is close to a 2.4 bn US$ exit with an offer from Silverlake Partners. Also, Berlin-based Blinkist may be close to a 200 M € exit. Hundreds of millions of raised funds were announced by Enpal (via ABS), Isar Aerospace, IntegrityNext, Razor Group, and Tado. Also, SAP is close to investing in Germany’s hottest AI startup Aleph Alpha from Heidelberg. Diverging picture in Airtaxi space: Lilium is looking for new investors; Volocopter builds the taxis and expects them to fly in less than 500 days at the Paris Olympics. Let’s talk startups: Top News Software AG Close to a Multi-Billion Acquisition Private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners, based in Menlo Park, is close to buying Germany’s Software AG in $2.42 billion deal. The offer is already public, reported Reuters. Shares of listed Software AG jumped 53% at the announcement. The investor already knows the company: In February 2022, Silver Lake had invested 344 million euros in the software developer’s convertible bond, which upon conversion would represent nearly 9% of issued Software AG shares. Enpal Raises More Than 300 M€ Enpal raises up to €356 million via Securitization of Solar Receivables with first German residential solar ABS. ABS are asset-backed securities, that means if Enpal can not pay interest or pay back the final sum, the investors have the collateral (assets) backing the security Blinkist Close to 200 M € Exit Reports blog Deutsche-Startups, with an offer from an — yet unnamed — American company. The blog, with its founder Alexander Hüsing is usually pretty well informed and has been right before. Isar Aerospace Closes €155 Million Funding Isar Aerospace closes €155 million Series C funding round, ignition sequence start, all engine running. Investors are 7-Industries Holding, Bayern Kapital via its Scale Up Fund Bavaria, Earlybird Venture Capital, HV Capital, Lakestar, Lombard Odier Investment Managers, Porsche Automobil Holding SE (Porsche SE), UVC Partners, and Vsquared Ventures 100 m € for IntegrityNext The company has been bootstrapped for seven years, but now IntegrityNext takes €100 million from EQT Growth fund. Razor Group Raises 88 M US$ Berlin-based Razor Group, an e-commerce aggregator, closes Series C at $88M at $1.2B valuation, acquires Stryze to consolidate. Tado Raises Money, As IPO Plans Falter Smart thermostat startup Tado wanted to IPO but then came Corona and Ukraine. They originally wanted to explore a sale or IPO after their 2021 fundraising, but the SPAC deal faltered and they needed to adapt. So they raised 46.9 M US$. Their existing investors already include Siemens, Amazon, and EON. SAP To Invest In AI Startup Aleph Alpha German press reports that the software giant SAP is about to invest in German ChatGPT competitor Aleph Alpha, which also claims to have eliminated fake news from its software. As yet, the valuation and investment are not known. Related: Heidelberg-based startup, a competitor of ChatGPT, claims to have eliminated fake news from its tool Luminous Airtaxi Lilium is Looking for New Money, and Volocopter is Planning to Fly Airtaxi Lilium: 0 Euro revenue, 253 mn € losses. They are looking for new investors. Volocopter on the other hand, wants to start operating their drones as taxis ASAP. They also pledged to operate their air taxis in Paris, during the Olympic Games, in less than 500 days. Related: Volocopter starts production — founders magazin All Links and Show...

Executive Summary Learn how CreditShelf, a leading German fintech company, secured 100 million euros of investment from Goldman Sachs and what that means for businesses seeking credit. CreditShelf recently received 100 mn € from Goldman Sachs to lend out via their platform; Goldman joins other investors like the European Investment Fund. The fintech works with Raisin Bank to get SMEs loans within four weeks. They IPOed already in 2018 in Frankfurt as the first pure-play fintech in Germany. The Founder Daniel is a returning guest. We interviewed CrediShelf shortly after their IPO in 2018 (link below). Daniel holds an MBA from the University of Mannheim and a Ph.D. from the University of Düsseldorf. He has experience s a management consultant from Kienbaum and Bain & Company. He has also been an executive director for Swiss banking giant UBS for eight years in their investment bank (Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities (FICC)) in Zürich and Singapore. He is one of the three co-founders of CreditShelf, which was set up in 2016, and currently acting as the CFO of the company. The Startup CreditShelf is a credit platform connecting institutional investors and German Mittelstand (German small and medium enterprises). They provide corporate loans using a licensed bank (Raisin Bank). The loans work as a fast stand-alone solution (can be paid out within 4 weeks) or part of a more significant credit, involving other parties and banks. The company has successfully developed an online credit marketplace platform whose processes are supported by proprietary, data-driven risk analysis software. On their platform, they offer loans for companies located in Germany from 100.000 € to 5 M €, stretching up to 5 years for supplies, scale-up, real estate, and M&A. The CreditShelf platform models the entire credit process, from the loan application through credit analysis and risk management to loan disbursement and servicing. Subscribe Here https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Sponsor Startupraven https://startupraven.com/ Keep Up to Date Here is our publication calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=012i27ak525qi3smgjl8v9tbio%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=Europe%2FBerlin All Links and Show Notes Here is our blog post: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-fintech-got-100-mn-from-goldman-sachs-to-invest-creditshelf-782d9f2223b7 Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:50 Daniel Bartsch, CFO - Former Management Consultant and Investment Banker 00:03:16 The Company - CreditShelf 00:13:42 Loan Demand in Germany Outstripping Supply 00:23:44 CreditShelf’s Outlook on the Economy in 2023 00:25:18 Hessen and Frankfurt as Startup Hub #startupradio #startup #startups #fintech #fintechfinance #fintechstartups #fintechstartup #frankfurt #germany #credit #sme #lending #lendingcompany #credit #venturecapital #technology #techstartup #techstartups #joemenninger Mentioned in this episode: Startupraven.com The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podder -...