Eric Thomas

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

22

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

61

9 Kommentare

🚨 We need (much) more migration. Or we have to drastically change the base conditions. Now. In recent weeks, I've shared some eye-opening facts: 🔹 In Switzerland, families invest approx. 500,000 CHF in daycare costs over the years. (Annual daycare expenses for two children amount to 33,000 CHF) 🔸 Married couples could pay an extra 10,000 CHF annually due to their marital status. ⚠️ A woman earns less than a man (e.g., 8% less per year for the same job in Switzerland) – all things above reduce the pension for women even more. Besides discrimination and injustice against families and women, what are the examples for the economic consequences? A projection for Germany expects that around 3 million skilled workers will be missing by 2030. Based on facts, there are only three options to fill the gaps: 1️⃣ Parents (especially women) will be much better integrated into labor markets. 2️⃣ The retirement age has to be increased drastically (e.g., to the age of 70). 3️⃣ We need much more migration. 😱 Are you surprised that we don't have too many foreigners, but too few? Politicians on the right wing don't like to hear it: Immigration is a solution to the shortage of skilled labor. 🙇‍♂️ Germany (and many other European countries) has a labor shortage and immigrants are the solution. What are your thoughts on the connection between immigration and the skilled labor shortage? 🤔 #MigrationMatters #EconomicPolicy #Immigration

25

34 Kommentare

How do I actually get proper money as a founder? I spoke about this in the Für-Gründer.de Podcast with editor Elena Todeva. What financing options are there? How do I find the VC that really suits me? When should I bootstrap? Which financing has which consequences in the end? My personal tip for founders: Do some real networking, exchange ideas with other founders, get tips and advice from everywhere, be brave, talk to experienced founders and ask really deep questions and learn always from the experiences of others. Please listen and feel free to write me feedback. https://lnkd.in/de_ZmdZq

10

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

100

2 Kommentare

Nothing is better than meeting in person. I believe. Most inspiring in my life is, to speak to as many entrepreneurs as possible. The companies of tomorrow will shape our future. This is precisely the reason why I (XAnge) will speak at the Hinterland of Things -Conference (organized by the Bertelsmann Stiftung Founders Foundation gGmbH ) on June 13. The tech scene meets investors and decisionmakers from the SME sector - thats a unique mix. StartupValley Magazine already gives an idea of what everyone can expect. #hinterlandofthings #bielefeld #techscene #startupscene #innovation #germany #smesector

31

1 Kommentar

Did you know that Antler welcomes already-formed startup teams to our residencies, offering fast initial investment to accelerate your venture's growth? 💼💰 Take inspiration from these remarkable success stories: 🔹 NetBird: Based in Berlin, @NetBird soared to success, securing a remarkable €1.1 million in pre-seed funding. Their mission? To revolutionize VPNs for businesses by simplifying IT infrastructure and networks. 🔹 FERO: Start-up from Amsterdam, @FERO, founded by industry experts from Ekata and Mastercard, raised an impressive €2.8 million. Their vision? To streamline payments processing for end-merchants, inspired by firsthand industry insights. If you're part of an established startup team hungry for growth, seize this opportunity to join Antler's May residency. 💥 #StartupAcceleration #EntrepreneurialSuccess

25

1 Kommentar

Always asked myself, if I can be happy …always? As an entrepreneur you are in the natural habit of optimizing all aspects of a project so why don’t optimize your life? After many years of learning about what makes us happy, I think it is only a transient state. But maybe we can feel even better … when we are in Flow! Flow is the state of consciousness in which we forget space and time, are maximally happy, motivated and efficient. In this state, we feel our best and achieve the most. What do we need to achieve this flow? Why is it so important for founders and managers? I talk about this in the podcast with editor Elena Todeva Listen in and share your best flow moments. #flow #flowmoment #success #performance #motivation #alignment #leadership #newwork #startup #vc #entrepreneurship

18

1 Kommentar

The next shout-outs are due: in my work with Founder Institute Berlin I have been mentoring startup founders with different backgrounds and the diversity of ideas is always challenging to work with: you never know what question comes next, but it is fun to figure out new ways to build products together. 🛳 Bernhard van Riessen is working on changing the way how companies deliver and make spare parts, just the fact, that his team has the curiosity and courage to take on such a challenging industry and actually make it more sustainable and efficient brings the wow factor in. We worked on understanding the product direction better and looked at the pitch. 🧠 Ric S. has been building his app in the currently trendy space - ADHD and neurodiversity awareness - but for a really long time. This idea is so amazing and such an easy way to solve scheduling issues for people with ADHD, that I was grateful to have helped to develop it even further and I hope to see it get the success it deserves. Having the trust of the founders I work with is a big deal for me because I do believe in the power of the network and the environment: the better the place you start from - the bigger the chances that your company grows into something worthwhile. That is why it is so important to me to share my expertise with the ones, who asked for it. Stay tuned to see more soon 🚀 #founders #mentoring #successstories

12

3 Kommentare

Strong founders are like benevolent dictators. 👑🤝 How do personality profiles of successful early-stage founding teams differ from those who are not so successful? We analyzed our 83 early stage founders in our Techstars Berlin portfolio to understand the secret recipe of successful founding teams at the early stage. Our founders took an assessment called Profile Dynamics®, which is an assessment designed to analyze people’s individual driving factors and motivation. Cornelius Schaub and Robert Siegers were so kind to introduce this to us. Profile Dynamics breaks personality factors down into 7 main categories 👉 💡 Yellow: Inspires with visionary ideas, forward-thinking, optimism, and is analytical 🏆 Orange: Competes, plays to win and to be viewed as successful 🏎️ Red: Executes quickly and decisively, and not afraid to be confrontational when necessary 💜 Purple: Stays loyal and dedicated to a cause or people, seeking security and safety 📘 Blue: Thrives in a structured environment, seeking stability and reliability 🌿 Green: Seeks harmony among people, listens empathetically, and desires consensus 🌐 Turquoise: Sees situations holistically, integrates difference in perspective, connects dots Here is the pattern in most of our founding teams that were successful in early-stage fundraising: 🏎️ More Decisive Red 🔴 Successful teams have on average 10 more points on their red score than unsuccessful ones. Takeaway: Strong founders are masters of execution. They cut off discussion to act quickly and decisively. They are relentless in working toward their goals, even if it sometimes means stepping on some toes. 💡 Lots of Visionary Yellow 🟡 100% of our most successful teams have at least one co-founder with a score of yellow higher than 10 points (average difference is 7 points). Takeaway: Successful founders are insanely ambitious with a vision for a new future. They can set a clear and inspiring Northstar for their company. They push for data to back up their vision and set the course. 🌐 Some integrative turquoise 🌐 Successful teams have on average 4 more points on turquoise than unsuccessful ones. Takeaway: While being decisive and visionary, it is critical to be able to integrate a diverse set of opinions around the (leadership) table. Strong teams tend to think in “and” not in “or” (e.g. growth AND profitability). 🌿 Less Harmonious Green 🟢 Unsuccessful teams have on average 8 points more in green. Takeaway: Unsuccessful founders often focus too much on building internal alignment instead of making decisions quickly and executing them. Therefore, don’t feel bad about being assertive and making decisive choices from time to time. We define successful as having raised a (pre-)seed round from institutional investors. Our sample size is 83. While this does not qualify for a scientific publication, is should give some practical advice.

21

5 Kommentare

🔍 AI – Climate Savior or Destroyer? Artificial intelligence and its impact on climate has been on my mind for some time. Handelsblatt recently wrote about it and I thought there were some interesting take-aways worth sharing: 🔷 The rapid growth of AI is putting significant pressure on global energy systems. Data centers consume about 4.5 gigawatts, projected to increase more than 4x within four years – equivalent to the output of almost 14 nuclear power plants. 🔷 If Google searches become AI-driven in the future they would consume ten times more energy than now, illustrating the escalating demand. 🔷 Efforts are being made to reduce the environmental burden of AI, such as innovations in "Clean IT" focusing on using more efficient hardware, optimizing energy storage, and reducing energy consumption. Additionally, IT systems themselves could become more efficient by addressing overly complex programming and poor IT system design. Using smaller or more efficient AI models, which don’t require total calculation accuracy, can also save energy. For example, calculations for AI can be performed with much lower numerical precision and tolerable rounding errors. 🔷 Luckily, AI’s negative footprint is vastly outpaced by its potential for positive climate impact. eSmart Systems and Jungle AI are just two examples of companies scaling AI solutions for intentional, scalable and substantial climate benefits. At Future Energy Ventures we are constantly looking for more, so if you are scaling such solutions, please do reach out! AI has the potential to do more good for the climate than harm, I firmly believe that. By investing in energy-efficient AI, and promoting sustainable practices, we can harness this climate action power. Thanks for a thought-provoking article Katharina Kort, Kathrin Witsch and Luisa Bomke! #FutureEnergyVentures #AI #ClimateChange #Sustainability #CleanIT #EnergyEfficiency

17

2 Kommentare

Teamwork truly makes the dream work. Yesterday, Leon J. Iwanowitsch, Robin Capital's Founders Associate, joined me for coffee at Gipsplatz in Berlin. It's always refreshing to connect in person. At Robin Capital, our leadership operates without ego. We work together as friends, driven by a shared mission—United as one. "People First. We care about building real relationships. Your mission matters — it resonates with us. We trust founders. We're not just financiers; we're participants. One journey, one community. Audacious, Authentic, and Resilient. People First."

63

1 Kommentar

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

32

43 Kommentare

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

68

64 Kommentare

📢 What VCs Look for in Startups!   The VC perspective is unique and multifaceted, but there's one thing they all agree on: it's all about the people. The team is a crucial component of any successful startup.   Maria Heeschen-Ollendorff, our external expert on the Organisation & Team discipline and who has worked with due diligence on startup teams, shared her thoughts and reflections with the startups in GreenUP Accelerator.   Here are four of them:   ✨Team Dynamics✨: A balanced team with diverse competencies and personality profiles is essential. Each member brings something unique to the table, creating a robust foundation for innovation and growth. In GreenUP Accelerator, we make use of the TT38 competencies test to acquire insights on each startup's team and define their strengths.    ✨Shared Vision and Coherence✨: Reflect on why you have chosen each other as partners. Understanding the motivation behind your collaboration is vital. You could ask yourself: Are you in it for the long run? Do you share the same visions of purpose and leadership? Will you stick together when the going gets tough?   ✨Adaptability✨: You don't need to have tried everything, but you should have a clear plan for how you will approach new challenges. This adaptability and willingness to explore uncharted territories are critical. For example, you might not have tried selling before, but when meeting with VCs, show them how you have reflected on both your strengths and the gaps you are going to fill.    ✨Mutuality✨: Your relationship with your VC goes both ways. It's about mutual understanding and shared goals. Keep these points in mind as you build and refine your startup journey. Ask for references and get input from other startups that have been on the same journey as you.   GreenUP Accelerator is run by DTU Science Park and supported by Industriens Fond.

35

3 Kommentare

I have news to share: In the upcoming months, you will see more of me in Business Insider Gründerszene as I share some of my perspectives on the startup ecosystem as a founder turned investor. First up: Why do start-up companies with remote-only employees face significant disadvantages, and why am I reluctant to invest in them? A take that I’m aware everyone won’t agree with... but I rest my case here! Here are three key takeaways: The importance of a strong corporate culture: A strong corporate culture, built when actually working together, is essential for the success of all startups. It fosters engagement and builds loyalty - crucial for a company’s stability and growth, especially during uncertain times. The risks of remote work: Remote work increases the risk of communication errors, delays in information sharing, team-building challenges, and potential employee isolation, which can hinder team development. The importance of a balanced approach: Hybrid teams must invest in building and maintaining a strong corporate culture through regular in-person interactions, team-building sessions, and coaching to keep employees motivated. Thanks to the team at Gründerszene for a great collaboration – more to come! Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dgD-KUBr

67

4 Kommentare

Obviously still some room to grow for the German & EU-VC/Startup-Ecosystem! Important sidenote: Whereas these charts look "bad" at first sight and should motivate all of us to further improve the German and EU-system, let's not forget that "less capital in the market" also correlates a lot with "attractive investment terms for the ones that are investing" - so likely investing in German/EU startups / grownups and funds will continue to provide a more attractive return than standing with 100 peers in a long queue in a potentially exagerated US/Chinese-funding round (and e.g. the FoF EIF-data from Bjorn Tremmerie et al seems to prove that assumption). (Ulrike Hinrichs; Verena Pausder; Christoph J. Stresing; Anna Christmann; Anna Alex; David Wortmann; Thomas Jarzombek; Holger Clemens Hinz, CEFA ...)

36

Jan Lozek, and I shed light on the importance of collaboration between climate tech start-ups and corporations in Business Insider last week. Here are the key takeaways: 1️⃣ Digitalization can slow down climate change: As our electricity grids transform, digital tools are crucial. In Germany alone, 2.6 million photovoltaic systems will be on residential roofs by summer 2023. This ecosystem can only be managed effectively with automated, digital tools, like Amperecloud, node.energy and metergrid GmbH are working on. 2️⃣ Unity for Climate Goals: To meet climate goals amid significant macroeconomic challenges, collaboration between startups and corporations is essential. Startups bring innovation and new technologies, while corporations provide resources, market access, and scaling capabilities. At Future Energy Ventures, we foster collaboration by bringing together innovative climate tech startups and experienced corporations to maximize impact in climate technology. 3️⃣  Decarbonization Goals: Decarbonization is still progressing far too slowly: According to a recent study by PwC, the world needs to decarbonize seven times faster to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Urgent action is needed. It's time to unite and collaborate! Together, we can spearhead impactful shifts towards a future devoid of carbon, guaranteeing value for every stakeholder right from the beginning. #ClimateTech #Innovation #Decarbonization #EnergyTransition 

26

1 Kommentar

🎉 𝗜'𝗺 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼'𝘀 𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗢 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿! As a partner providing tailormade leadership development programs to its clients Junto's belief is that People & Culture needs to have a seat at the C-level table - ultimately business performance can only be sustainably reached through and with people 💡 I couldn't agree more - and I'm thus very much looking forward to work with Junto's founders Marius Hepp and Johannes Schnell-Kretschmer, helping them to develop innovative products that help people teams to unleash their full potential 🚀 Couldn't be happier to do so in the amazing community of three thought leaders who already represent the people function at the C-level table, too: 💪 Annika in der Beek, who I deeply admire for breaking down the most complicated issues to their essence to build solutions out of them and who was recently appointed Statista's first ever CPO 💪 Roxana Dobrescu, a professional globetrotter in the work context, well-versed and who led people teams through hypergrowth at Glovo and now as CPO at commercetools 💪 Miriam Sternitzky (née Rabung), who I highly appreciate for being a tireless networker, for bringing people together and for being a role model for sharing is caring and who serves now as CPO at Westwing after a dream career in the firm I believe that to shape the future of HR, it will take more than just us - it will require an entire village: ➡️ Who are the People & Culture leaders who have inspired you the most? Tag them in the comments 👇 #hrrocks #chrocouncil #junto #leadership

126

44 Kommentare