Nam Le

🚀 Buying is the new recruitment + TURBO for development In today's fast-paced business world, German SMEs are finding success through strategic partnerships with startups, even on a smaller scale. 🌟 Let’s consider the example of “CarTech”, a Berlin-based startup that developed an AI-powered platform for optimizing used car sales. In 2024, Auto 1 Group, a major European used car trading platform, acquired CarTech. The integration of CarTech’s technology streamlined Auto 1 Group’s processes, improved pricing accuracy, and expanded its market reach across Europe. This successful acquisition played a pivotal role in Auto 1 Group’s transformation to dominant players Excited to explore similar opportunities for your SME? Join us at the Bright Future Event, where we'll dive into real-life examples of German SMEs teaming up with startups and the game-changing results they've achieved. Exited to meet: Andy Zurwehme (eROCKIT AG), Paulina Tsvetanova (CEO & Founder PAULINA‘S FRIENDS Couture) ,  Mathias Tholey  (NU Company, Schokolade) and many more.... But wait, there's more! I'll be sharing practical tips on how startup teams can seamlessly integrate into SME environments, fostering innovation and driving mutual success. Check out: www.spitze-bleiben.de Thanks Ulf Leonhard for organizing. Don't miss out on this chance to unlock the potential of collaboration and propel your business forward. See you at the event! ✨ #BrightFuture #SMEs #Startups #BusinessGrowth #Innovation #Management #HumanResources #Technology #Future

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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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Ever felt overwhelmed by holding tax management in Germany? We’ve all been there. 🙄 Tax advisor scarcity, slow response time, and high costs are common issues in the German company taxation landscape. Fortunately, if you own a German Holding Company and are experiencing any of the above, we have a solution for you. With Plutus, you pay only 500€ and never have to worry about expensive tax advisors, bookkeeping, yearly financial reports, or tax declarations again. Plutus AI simplifies holding tax processes, dramatically reducing costs and time. Join over 60 entrepreneurs who now close their books swiftly and focus more on their passions, thanks to Plutus AI automated solutions. 👋 Ready for a change? Book some time with Plutus to find out more. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 👇 [Sponsored Post] #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #TaxManagement Picture: Now I am using my free time on Sundays to learn new hobbies 😎🎧

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🤔 Can you give me examples of similar startups and how the investment worked for them?” This is the question every founder raising #mediacapital asks! So here's How PKW.de is Leveraging Media for Equity to Expand Its Automotive Market Reach in Germany ℹ️ Context: • After leaving the mediaforgrowth (MFG) programme, PKW.de teamed up with GMPVC German Media Pool, securing €3.4M in media capital funding (media for equity) to boost their brand visibility on German TV channels like RTL2, Sport1, and Deluxe Music. 🎯 The impact? Increased brand awareness, more leads, and higher engagement. 👀 And the creative was key! Watch the TV Spot here https://lnkd.in/eMH2VA3c PKW.de’s TV ad was nominated for “Creation of the Month” by HORIZONT shortly after airing. Produced by DOG EAR FILMS GmbH, this nomination places PKW.de alongside creative powerhouses like Adidas and Aral. 📈 Key results: • Between March and July 2024, they aired 2,526 TV spots, driving a noticeable increase in branded search traffic—doubling it just a month after the campaign launched! • April 2024 saw an 18% growth in leads compared to February, and user engagement increased by over 12%. #mediaforgrowth #pkw #gmpvc #casestudy Christopher | Niko | Amelie | Maria

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Hey Berliners 😍 I’m back from Munich, and somehow managed to dodge both COVID and the Wiesn Grippe—no idea how, but there's no time to slow down! This week is on fire again, and if you didn’t know, we’ve got your back. Berlin SaaS week is in full swing! Comment below to win a guest list spot for these launch events: - startbereit launch event this Wednesday - M.STORIES Podcast launch event next week on Tuesday - Periodly launch event next week Thursday. 𝘛𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺: SaaS Founders Networking Night by Unicorn Bakery & re:cap 🧑‍💼 🥂 | ​ 7 pm - 11 pm: Kick-off Berlin SaaS Week the right way and join the founder-only event with Germany's most ambitious SaaS Founders. Speakers are Scott Chacon ((7,5 Milliarden exit an Microsoft) & Patrick Andrae (HomeToGo, publicly listed) VEECEE GP Dinner @Nightkitchen 🍽🍾 | 7:30 pm: GP-Dinner from VCs for VCs, during SaaS Week Berlin at Nightkitchen Berlin. 𝘞𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺: startbereit Launch Event 🍾 | 5:30 pm: Together with Berliner Volksbank eG and no venture studio, they will officially launch startbereit; this milestone will be celebrated with other leading startup ecosystem partners. FOMO247 is a proud media partner of this event! CMO & CRO Networking Night 🧑‍💼🥂 |  6 pm: Organized by Cremanski & Company – The Revenue Architects & Company and OMR Reviews, this networking dinner is designed to foster value-creating exchanges and provide new perspectives from the world of SaaS. 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺: ARRtist Summit 🧑‍💼| Join ARRtist SUMMIT to meet 500 high-profile B2B SaaS Founders and CxO, and 125 B2B SaaS investors. Network with and learn from the most relevant community in B2B SaaS for Europe. Join launch of THE CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center) and Venture Café Berlin 🍾 | (5 pm - 12 am: Kicking off with Thursday Gathering #1: connect with innovators, entrepreneurs and changemakers from across the city! I will share some thoughts about the current startup scene with 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 Maren Lesche , Christoph Raethke, and Klaus G. Kammermeier. 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺: Hugo x Zalando 🔵👖 | 7 pm:  A unique experience celebrating creativity. Meet some of Berlin's most talented local artists and stylists, get creative, explore the new HUGO BLUE collection, and enjoy some vibrant DJ sets and tasty vibes. Organized by AS.C Studio 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺: FEMALE FUTURE FORCE DAY @bcc Berlin 🦸‍♀️ | 10 am - 6 pm: This year's motto, BRIDGE THE GAP, addresses the omnipresent inequalities in almost all areas of life. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐅𝐎𝐌𝐎 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 👇 Which event are you planning to attend this week? What event did we miss? Please comment below! xoxo FOMO247 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬: Bits & Pretzels, 𝘊𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘉𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯, 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘑𝘢𝘮 𝘚𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 …

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Staffbase is in Sifted 50: Germany - a ranking of the 50 German startups with the strongest revenue growth over the past 3 years. We just squeezed in for our last year of eligibility as we're 10 years old this year, with still a healthy CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 56.35% 💪 Link to the full report in comments 👇 . From my perspective, the most striking part of the report is how German founders and companies universally bemoan the bureaucracy and inefficiency when dealing with officialdom in Germany. For legal teams operating in Germany, this is surely one of the most frustrating aspects of doing business in DE. From notaries to wet-ink signatures, it all adds up to more friction, time and expense in every legal transaction - entirely at odds with trying to build fast and nimble organizations in the digital age. As one founder put it "I think that everything I do as a founder, when it comes to formalities, feels like I'm building a factory for metalworking in the 1800's." Yet, despite the complexity of starting and running a company in Germany, the market size and opportunity is huge, with many large German customers keen to do business with a German HQ'd firm. Combined with high quality talent, grants, start-up incubators and keen interest from international investors, Germany's start-up hubs are thriving. We see this in Staffbase from our HQ in Chemnitz, and our locations in Berlin, Dresden, Munich, Leipzig and Cologne. My plea to the government is to follow the recommendations of the German Startup Association and to support the growth of startups by easing bureaucracy and to hire a chief digital officer in the federal chancellery to coordinate and accelerate digitisation projects. This is what is needed to make Germany fulfil its potential as a world-class, startup ecosystem. #sifted50 #germany #germanstartups #startups #Staffbase

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After closing a Series A funding round, companies enter a pivotal phase where the right approaches significantly influence their journey toward Series B. In brutkasten, Jan Lozek and I recently shed light on the critical strategies companies should adopt after securing Series A funding. 👉🏻 Here are the more top priorities companies should focus on post-fundraise: 📈 Optimize cash flow:  Investors are particularly interested in startups that efficiently manage their cash flow, maximizing growth and revenue while keeping expenses in check. 💰 Show them the money: Show investors how exactly you are making money: real customers, real sales, economies of scale. In other words, show you have a plan and that the plan is working. To outline flexible sales models, and exchange various key parameters, will also be a win. 🚀 Partner up, big time: Leverage your existing networks instead of spending more capital. Corporates can be great partners at this stage and could vouch for your startup. Be it for accessing a market or for increasing your sales, it always pays off to have the right partners. What additional tips would you add for companies navigating this crucial transition? 💡 #SeriesA #Funding #StartupGrowth

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Markus Söder (Dr. Markus Söder) the "Geisterfahrer" Visionary: Bavaria's Nuclear Nostalgia! Markus Söder, our Bavarian Ministerpräsident and self-proclaimed visionary, has announced plans to build new nuclear power plants in #Bavaria. In doing so, he’s boldly steering the energy debate like a Geisterfahrer— (In the German language: a wrong-way driver on the autobahn of progress). Everyone’s honking and flashing their lights, but Söder? He’s convinced he’s the only one heading in the right direction. My Two Cents on This Nuclear Odyssey Let’s unpack this bold strategy that brings to mind a mix of Schadenfreude and existential dread: Insurance or Wishful Thinking? Nuclear plants are so risky, even insurance companies—those fine folks who insure skydivers and volcano tours—want nothing to do with them. Who steps in? Us, the taxpayers! Söder’s plan ensures Bavarians not only foot the bill for construction but also play nuclear roulette with their wallets. Waste Disposal: A Glowing Legacy Söder, where exactly do you plan to stash this toxic waste? In Lederhosen-shaped bunkers? Perhaps under Allianz Arena? Radioactive material is a forever problem in an era where most policy decisions barely account for next year. Chernobyl and Fukushima: Ignoring History Remember those small nuclear mishaps? Like Chernobyl, which cost $200 billion and left us with a post-apocalyptic tourist attraction? Or Fukushima, which is still leaking and racking up bills north of $750 billion? Calling nuclear "safe" now is like hiring a chef whose specialty is food poisoning because "they’re due for a win." Economics: A Non-Starter Nuclear power plants take decades to build. By the time Söder’s reactors are online, we’ll have drones that harvest solar energy directly from the sun. Meanwhile, wind and solar are cheaper, cleaner, and won’t turn Garmisch-Partenkirchen into a Fallout cosplay zone. Geisterfahrer and the Angel-Demon Dilemma Once hailed as a miracle energy source (our angel), nuclear quickly revealed its demonic side: meltdowns, waste, and costs that rival Bavaria’s annual beer consumption. Advocates argue it’s a fallen angel ready for redemption. But repackaging the same risks with fresh PR doesn’t make them disappear—it just distracts long enough to hope no one notices. Final Thoughts Herr Söder, as you barrel down this Geisterfahrer path, may I suggest pulling over for a moment? Bavaria has abundant resources—sun, wind, beer. Why chase radioactive rainbows when renewable energy promises a brighter, safer, and far less glowing future? Let’s raise a pretzel-shaped wind turbine and toast to common sense. Prost!  It’s time to unmask the greed and betrayal driving the climate crisis. My (Jude S. Ngu' Ewodo) book, Climate Crisis Unmasked: Unraveling the Web of Betrayal and Greed, reveals the hidden forces behind this global issue—and how YOU can be part of the solution. Get your copy now: https://lnkd.in/dFWDViwD #NuclearDebate #EnergyCrisis #ClimateCrisisUnmasked

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An outstanding year is coming to an end! 🌟 For me, it was a real rollercoaster ride in which I achieved many things that I had planned for a long time: - The year kicked off by founding MKBurg Process Experiences GmbH as my new legal platform to get people excited about processes. - In April, we celebrated the New Process Conference with 50 people in Seeheim. In person. With so much experience and excitement to rethink processes. - In June, I launched the BPM Navigator Program as a structured 12-week online program to guide you with your individual BPM challenges and to push your process to the next level. - In October, BPM.today was released. 10 years after registering the domain, my AI-assisted BPM news site finally aggregates all the latest BPM podcasts, blogs, videos, and more for you. - In November, a long-time dream came true: The Pizza Game 3.0 came out and you can use it to get people excited about processes without the need of hiring me as your game master. I worked on some amazing projects and helped customers to: - Establish a process culture - Get people excited about processes - Implement a human-centric BPM framework - Model processes that people understand and fight for - Enable Process Owners and Architects to manage their processes Thanks to the New Process Podcast, I was able to interview exciting experts and learn how to use their expertise to rethink processes. I found out a lot about storytelling, different generations, psychology, thinking with my hands, process culture… and lately about how BPM can prevent burnout. To deep dive into these topics, we’ve added live sessions with the experts on our community platform New Process Pro. For example, there will be a deep dive session with my latest podcast guest Prof. Dr. Yevgene Bogodistov on BPM and Burnout Prevention in January. Sign up now: https://lnkd.in/dKg9-aNq Thank you so much for being a part of this journey! 🚀 Finally, the question is: what will be on the agenda for 2025? We’ll kick off 2025 by publishing the results of my survey and sharing the top BPM topics 2025 with all of you on January 8th. And I will also tell you more about the topics I’m planning to work on in 2025 in January too. If you would like to be part of my 2025 highlights, I’d invite you to work with me next year! Just DM me to explore the options. But for now: Have a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎄 ✨ Best regards, Mirko

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Hey Berliners, we have some guest list spots to give away 👋 What's happening this week in Berlin! I hope all recovered from last week's @Berlin SaaS week organized by ARRtist. But before we dive in, let’s join forces and back this petition: https://www.eu-inc.org. Let’s unite Europe’s startup scene and make waves together 🌍🤝! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐅𝐎𝐌𝐎 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 👇 Comment below & add the event to win a guest list spot for these events: - 1)M.STORIES Podcast Launch Event Berlin (Tuesday) - 2) Periodly launch event (Thursday) - 3) Big B2B Deals: Proven Strategies & Tactics for 6-Figure+ Sales (Thursday) - 4) ANTI Launch Event (Thursday) - 5) A Feast in Autumn: Reclaiming Narratives (Saturday) 𝘛𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺: M.STORIES Podcast Launch Event Berlin 🦸‍♀️🎙 | 6:30 pm—10 pm: An exciting live podcast episode with Paula Lambert (Germany's best-known sex and relationship expert). Martina Panchyrz Unboxing The Future of Berlin as an international business hub 🎤 | 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm: with Lubomila Jordanova at betahaus. 𝘞𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺: Egg Freezing: Conversations & Crémant 🥚🥂 | 7:30 pm - 10 pm:  Organized by Johanna Rief. 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺: ANTI Launch Event 🎉🧘 | 5 pm: ANTI, Berlin's new health club crafted for those who live and breathe longevity, is opening its doors. Periodly Soft Launch Party 🍋🍾 | 6 pm Big B2B Deals: Proven Strategies & Tactics for 6-Figure+ Sales 👨🏼‍💼 | 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm: Learn how to close big deals with proven strategies and tactics specifically designed for C-level sales executives. SalesMaster Network Young VC Drinks @HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds 🍻 🧑‍💼 | 7 pm: ​ FOUNDERS LEAGUE Investor Night 🍾 | 7 pm 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺: Berlin Design Circle | BDC05 — Experiences of Gatherings 👯 | 7 pm - 11 pm: ​ Damian Martone, Alexandra Klatt, Jesse May Palmer and I will join the panel and exchange insights on the art of gathering. Thx for the invite nick stübe - Berlin Design e.V. 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺: FOMO Berlin x Lucky Punch powered by lululemon 🥊 | 10 am - 12 am: After the session, we’ll head over to the lululemon store opening for some coffee—and maybe even a few surprises. But remember, you didn’t hear it from me 😚. FOMO247 x Lucky Punch A Feast in Autumn: Reclaiming Narratives 🍽 🖼 | 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm: Get ready for an immersive dining experience. PRAZZLE Inc TEDxMitte—Move Closer 🎤 | 11 am - 5 pm: We joined as a media partner and secured a 20% discount code: fomo-20. Which event are you planning to attend this week? Which event did we miss? Please comment below! xoxo FOMO247 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬: ARRtist Summit, CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center), startbereit launch event, Exclusive Dinner with Cremanski & Company – The Revenue Architects & OMR Reviews, etc.

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🥲 DATEV eG and I, we have a complicated relationship.  I like the look and feel - I mean, the 90s are back, right? And it's reliable in terms of finding the data you need and ensuring compliance with its out-of-the-box setup. I also like to follow for instance Andreas Hausmann or Lars Böhnke from Candis to see how they try to get the best out of Datev. But… Datev only looks at the individual company, never at a group of companies. This is time consuming and causes problems with data consistency and comparability between these entities. So it is very limited compared to other small ERPs. 🔧 But hey, I found my own way with Maurice Henry Büttgenbach from Daidalus UG: KR Export from DATEV eG🔨 to Snowflake 🏂 and into PowerBI 📈 at very low costs and only limited human resources. These tools are game changers, allowing seamless data transfer and analysis. It's frustrating that DATEV doesn't offer a simpler solution, but with a little creativity and technical know-how, these challenges can be overcome. Cash overview, creditor analysis, Bundesbank reports - all now possible with less effort. Next stop: Integration with our master Data, VESTBERRY and Fundrbird. Has anyone else experienced similar problems with DATEV? I'd love to hear about your experiences and possible solutions. Or do you prefer tools like Lucanet or loyos bi as (good) out-of-the-box solution? Cc: Akash Bajwa, C&P Capeletti & Perl Gesellschaft für Datentechnik mbH Martin Sperling Nikolaus Lutterotti Ludvig Wärnberg Gerdin David Kozisek

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Will it be worth rethinking the tendering process? For most startups and smaller companies, participating in a tendering process is often an automatic “no.” The extensive bureaucratic burden simply doesn't align with the agile nature of small teams. However, there are certain industries and contract sizes where tendering is the main way business is made. In these cases, securing a larger contract through a formal tender can significantly accelerate growth and open new business opportunities. The Good News: Change is on the horizon. In Germany, an upcoming legal update to the tendering laws aims to simplify these processes, making them more accessible. This reform will not only streamline the steps involved, but also reduce the barriers for startups looking to participate in such contracts. With these changes, tendering might become a viable option for startups seeking to break into larger markets. Key takeaway: If you've dismissed tendering as too complex or cumbersome in the past, now might be the time to reconsider. Stay informed and be ready to leverage these new opportunities as they arise. For more details on the upcoming changes, check out this Handelsblatt article. https://lnkd.in/djmvGjvi

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In February it will be 6 years since I had a 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁. With some distance Business Insider has asked me to talk about my experience in consulting, my burnout and the new company I started: WirDämmenDeinHaus.com You can find the link in the first comment.  (I’m also happy to share the pdf, in case you cannot access it.) My ask to you:  𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘁. Having talked to many people that suffered a burnout, my observation is that it can be tremendously helpful to get a nudge from people that care about you. It is a common burnout symptom to “try to keep pushing through” and “take care of one self, after X, Y, Z is finished” -> this often significantly prolongs the healing process. Be there for the people you care about and encourage them to take care of themselves now and not when it’s too late. I’m also here for anyone that wants to talk 1:1 about their experience or ask questions. Please feel free to reach out. Happy holidays to all of you!

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In my 46 years in the markets, Payrolls has always been the most significant data released in the world. I traded a lot of German bunds on LIFFE over US data. They were a great trade as were and still are the bonds. I don’t trade them anymore but I still watch them every day. I know the pivot points work really well in them. Here is a bond market observation I’ve had in my “analyzing from afar” back pocket. The past year or so on Payroll Friday, when ZB closes at the low of the week, the next week is a slow grind higher. It’s a tough long the following week but by Friday it’s a nice weekly gain. We are obviously trading on or near our weekly lows on Thursday night. We will see the data and hope we get the bullish setup works for the following week. I will not be trading the financials on Friday.

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🎙️Podcast alert: Had a great catch-up with Kai on 🤝𝑪𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒍🤝 this week (🇩🇪) After our first session last year, we again talked about the latest developments in the SaaS and M&A market. Topics we've covered: ➡️ Our approach with saas.group, ➡️ Where we stand and what our goals are, ➡️ Current SaaS and M&A market trends, ➡️ How to properly value a SaaS business, ➡️ Role of AI in SaaS and M&A, ➡️ And more... You can check it out on all relevant podcast platforms. Links to Spotify and Apple below: 🟢 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gn8RaVpD 🟣 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/g3kBWSBW Enjoy listening! 🙌 @ Kai, Anja + team: Thanks again for having me. Happy to speak again next year and see how good or bad my predictions were.

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Reading tip for all startup founders with fundraising plans in DACH: Investoren Report 2024 by Startup Insider. This report provides valuable insights into the venture capital landscape, and is a must-read for anyone looking to secure funding. Plus, it includes bonus material from IRIS on the latest developments in our ecosystem. Get your copy here: https://lnkd.in/dU-5AMPz #startups #founders #VC #LP #fundraising

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😱 German VCs are in deep trouble 😱 - at least according to a recent article in manager magazin. Let's dive into it... 🤿 🤔 The key narrative of the article stems from two arguments: 1️⃣ VC funds who started investing in 2020 and 2021 are underperforming funds raised in 2017-2019 (so called "vintages" in VC-language). 2️⃣ Since the performance of recent vintages is "bad", it is harder for VCs to raise new funds, competiton amongst funds is getting stronger and managers start getting at each others throat. Voilà, the industry is in crisis! 😱 💸 As proof they showed that the "share of VC funds who distributed capital back to investors" for vintages 2020 and 2021 is lower after 3, 4 and 5 years, compared to vintages 2017-2019. 😤 This analysis immediately triggered me, because I see two problems with it: 1) "Share of VC funds who distributed capital back to investors" is first of all a very "odd" KPI, because it does only measure the "fact" of distribution, and not the "amount". A more typical measure of success is the DPI-Ratio ("Distributions-to-paid-in-capital-ratio), which is an actual performance measure of the fund, or the IRR, the internal-rate-of-return, which does not take distributions into account but shows the actual value increase of the existing holdings of a fund. 2) The Second "problem" is the that the mentioned KPI neglects the "timing problem" of the different vintages. For example, macroeconomic effects like the Corona Pandemic or the War in Ukraine affect all funds, but if you compare the vintages, the effect comes in a very different "stage" of the life cycle of the fund. The data for the analysis comes from Carta, so I went back to the original source ( 🤓 ) and found this median IRR analysis for different vintages, that paints a much better picture in my perspective. It is true that the vintages 2021 and 2022 had a rough start due to the end of the corona-startup-hype and the start of the war in Ukraine. But IRRs are constantly picking up. It rather seems to me, that these funds started "in a dip" and are now coming out of it. To frame it positvely, they may have even made some "cheap" deals during the recent years, which may pay off in the next years 😉 . Remember: VC funds run for 10+2 years. So there is still time to create great value from the investments done in recent years. But what about the lower share of "pay-outs" that the #ManagerMagazin highlights? I think that this is actually due to a shift in the VC landscape in general. While earlier vintages have invested strongly in B2C and B2B software, "younger" vintages have done more #deeptech investments which takes more time to mature and quick exits are rare, which is not a bad thing. By the way: The article on Carta was actually titled "Despite a slow start, investors are optimistic about recent VC fund vintages" which is probably more accurate than the headline in #ManagerMagazin which titled "Earthquake in Berlins VC scene" 😂 Thoughts?

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What are your thoughts for the German startup ecosystem in 2025? In my latest contribution to Business Punk, I shared some of my post November 6th thoughts on the topic [Link in Comments]. Here are my key takeaways: 🇺🇸 🛑 🇨🇳 The new #US administration will drive deregulation to strengthen its tech sector against #China's dominance. #Europe should closely monitor its global impact. 🇩🇪 📂 🤯 The German ecosystem faces structural challenges: #overregulation, a risk-averse culture, and a €30bn #fundinggap drive German success stories get capital outside the EU. 🚀 🧑‍💻 📈 Despite challenges, 2025 holds immense opportunities for German #entrepreneurs. The #earlystage ecosystem has shown resilience even during recessions, while emerging AI hubs like #Heilbronn, #Karlsruhe, and #Heidelberg are on a promising path forward. Personally, I think the transition towards #green economies and #cities has additional potential for the next generation of hidden champions made in Germany. #startup #politics #elections #innovation #tech

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Three biggest learnings from a fundraising journey. Shared by Rainer Märkle, General Partner at HV Capital at EUVC 1/ Have a time box with a deadline attached. Have a defined horizon & create a clear plan. Have some urgency to get things done at some point. Execute very transparently and reliably. 2/ Stick to your narrative. But don't do it blindly. Tweak it when necessary. Adapt it. Don't let yourself be surprised by major changes. Keep focusing on delivering according to your strategy & plan. 3/ Fundraising is a marathon with many sprints. There are moments when you'll ask yourself - Why do I do this? Is it gonna work out? But don't get too negative during the down phases. Adapting and pivoting is part of our job. As it is for the founder of a company. How about you? What fundraising lessons have you learned? Join the conversation. 🔽 #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

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