Simon Lohmann

Great to see what Jan Thomas and his team at Startup Insider did with the new Investors Report 2024 for the DACH region! Anyone who wants to learn more about the German #venturecapital ecosystem and its investors, go get the report: https://lnkd.in/ehiVqmX6

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🚨 Red Alert for Germany’s Startup Ecosystem: A 30% Drop in Active Investors – How Can We Keep the Innovation Engine Running? A recent article from Handelsblatt (link in comments) points out that early-stage startups are especially at risk during this downturn since they depend on venture capital to scale. The expanding funding gap will further stifle growth in areas where innovation is most needed. Yet, within this challenge lies opportunity: 🌱 Resilient Sectors Lead the Way Sectors like #GreenTech and #AI are still drawing investment, showing their potential to drive innovation. These industries highlight where Germany can have the most significant impact. 🏠 Family Offices as Growth Catalysts As traditional investors pull back, family offices can step up. By leveraging patient capital, they can empower promising startups and lay the foundation for long-term success. 🤝 Venture Clienting as a Key to Co-Innovation Strategic partnerships between startups and established businesses bridge the funding gap. These alliances not only drive digital transformation but also deliver mutual value and foster innovation. At D11Z. Ventures, we believe Germany’s competitive edge depends on collaboration. That's why we invest in high-potential startups and create co-innovation opportunities with family offices and industry leaders. Together, we're fostering an ecosystem that drives innovation and supports long-term growth. 🚀 💬 How can family offices and industry leaders support the next wave of startup innovation? Share your ideas below! #D11ZVentures #Innovation #StartupEcosystem #VentureCapital #InnovationLeadership #FamilyOffices #CoInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence

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

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Germany-based venture capital fund Robin Capital closed its Robin Fund One at 13 million euros (about $13.6 million). #venturecapital #veteranventures

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It was a great honor to record this week's Startup Insider podcast together with Dirk Sahlmer. 🚀 🚀 🚀 Dirk is a former intern at our TS Ventures and is now Head of Deal Origination at saas.group. Moreover, he has become one of the most recognized voices on LinkedIn when it comes to SaaS M&A and VC (bashing?), which often leads to - shall I say - inspiring conversations. We talked about bootstrapping vs. hypergrowth in the podcast, about the discrepancy between M&A valuations and the valuations of VC rounds and about the chances of success of startups in the parking sector... 😉 It's impressive what someone who has had nothing to do with the startup scene up to that point can build up in 5 years. Have fun with this podcast episode. Link to the episode as always in the comments. I have also linked Dirk's LinkedIn post, as it contains exciting figures on the SaaS and M&A market. Dirk, keep rocking! Here's to many more podcasts! #saas #ai #startup #vc #venturecapital #businessangel #funding #bootstrapping #exit #podcast #parking

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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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Excited to share what I learned from Sandro Stark, founding partner at Vanagon Ventures backing FrontierTech from Munich/DACH 🚀 to the World at the YUVC video podcast (links in comments) 💡 Above all, Sandro is a super nice person to get along with and has a great NPS from founders 👋 Here 3 Core Takeaways ✨ 1. Vanagon’s approach to startup evaluation 👀 - Distribution capability is now the key differentiator, not just technical innovation - Customer "stickiness" and deep industry understanding - The solution must demonstrate both climate impact and profit potential 2. Why is Munich's ecosystem strategic? 🇩🇪 - Part of DACH region - third-largest market globally after China and US - Rich concentration of technical talent and corporate headquarters - Untapped potential in Mittelstand venture engagement 3. What's the philosophy behind sustainable success? 😉 - Don't postpone happiness for future achievements - True leadership creates more leaders, not followers - Consistent effort matters more than breakthrough moments Now listen in for more insights! ❤ Kudos to his great co-founders/GPs @Vanagon: Susanne Fromm Axel Roitzsch Shoutout to their amazing portfolios: Senken Particula Renoster youba The Landbanking Group LoopID heartstocks Learn.xyz ExoMatter and more

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

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📈 The latest startupdetector report couldn't have been better for me. - the number of newly founded German startups increased in Q1 2024 - a trend reversal we waited for some time new! - Leipzig and Dresden were the cities with the biggest increase of new startups (+41%, +36%), while Jena had the most financing rounds per capita - while many regions had a smaller number of new startups, Saxony increased most by 35% - the energy sector saw the strongest increase from all industries - our Smart Infrastructure Ventures ('SIVentures') portfolio company traide AI GmbH with their founder Leonie Althaus got featured next to SpinLab - The HHL Accelerator alumnus Dr. Jannik Lockl from inContAlert - our partners from TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen are ranked #5 in the most active VCs list. Smart Infrastructure Ventures ('SIVentures') among the top investors in AI All in all a great job Arnas Bräutigam & team

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A milestone worth celebrating! Five years ago, our Index Ventures team launched #NotOptional alongside more than 500 CEOs and founders to improve stock options and conditions for employee ownership at European startups. A lot has changed since we started in 2019: The most celebrated win so far goes to Germany 🇩🇪, one of the biggest economies in the world that used to have one of the worst stock options policy in Europe. Last year, the German Parliament voted to turn their failing policy into one of the best in the world. 10 other countries also updated their stock options legislation: the UK 🇬🇧, Portugal 🇵🇹, France 🇫🇷, Austria 🇦🇹, Czechia 🇨🇿, Spain 🇪🇸, Latvia 🇱🇻, Lithuania 🇱🇹, Greece 🇬🇷, and the Netherlands 🇳🇱. 7 countries now have policies that match or exceed the US: Germany, France, Portugal, the UK, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. Only one, Estonia 🇪🇪, already had a policy better than the US in 2019. That includes Europe’s three largest economies and the largest VC hubs. There’s still a long way to go for some countries. Finland 🇫🇮, Switzerland 🇨🇭 and Norway 🇳🇴 have the worst policies, followed by the Netherlands (even with updated legislation already), Belgium 🇧🇪 and Denmark 🇩🇰. These are countries with strong tech credentials where the tech innovation flywheel is being hampered. With the help of European entrepreneurs everywhere, we will keep pushing until every single European country’s options policy is at least as attractive as the US! There is no reason why they can’t be. We are also working on taking it to the next level: standardization at the EU level through a single corporate entity. The “EU Inc.” initiative launched earlier this month and builds on the success of #NotOptional at Andreas Klinger European Accelerationism. Thankfully, the challenges European startups face are more in the spotlight than ever because of Mario Draghi’s report to the European Commission in September, which emphasized that innovative startups should have the opportunity to adopt a new EU-wide legal statute. Already, the European Commission has established a Stock Options Working Group, the European Securities and Markets Authority has urged the Commission to consider a dedicated EU-wide framework for ESOPs, and commission president Ursula von der Leyen appointed the first-ever commissioner for startups. Every improvement makes it easier for startups to attract and retain talent and makes it more likely that the next tech giant will come out of Europe. To everyone involved in this fight, congratulations on five years of progress. Now let’s keep going!

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"The last 18 months have been brutal. Many startups that received high valuations during the 2021 boom are now struggling to survive." says Gina Domanig, Managing Partner at Emerald Technology Ventures in this Forbes Austria article. Yes, 2024 has been a tough year for many fledgling companies. But I am encouraged by some of the startups scaling disruptive technology and business models in service of accelerating the energy transition in India and across the Asia Pacific and Middle East. They will survive and thrive - with the support of a growing investor community who have come to appreciate that the global south possess truly innovative solutions. One of the highlights for me this year was the first Asia Climate Tech Venture Fair, held in Singapore in October. The brainchild of Gina and her team, it brought together a critical set of VCs, CVCs and PE firms to share insights and leads on startups in the region. Looking forward to more conversations in 2025. Read now: https://lnkd.in/dhEtFTbV #Cleantech #Venturecapital #Innovation #Startups #energytransition #Corporates #Climatetech #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability #Futureoftech #Cleantechventures #Startupgrowth #Corporatecollaboration #Techinvestment

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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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Thank you, ZyCrypto and Krypto News Deutschland, for including us in your recent list of "10 Fast-Rising Crypto VCs Shaping the World of Web3" together with our esteemed VC colleagues from all around the world. And yes, "it does take a village to raise a startup" but nothing beats working with obsessed founders on a mission! Recall, Trever, River Platform Company, OpenQ, KINO https://lnkd.in/en3SvQ5t #blockchainfounderscapital #zycrypto #venturecapital #blockchain #crypto #startups

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Honoured to be featured in the latest Tech Funding News article discussing Germany’s role as a leading tech hub. 🚀 I’m also proud to see standout companies from the Earlybird Venture Capital portfolio—N26, Marvel Fusion, Isar Aerospace, and others—highlighted alongside my alma mater, Technical University of Munich, which is another key driver of innovation in the country. While Germany is often dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley of Europe,’ there’s still much to do, such as overcoming regulatory challenges and channeling more growth funding into promising startups. My advice for those navigating the Central European startup landscape: Leverage government-backed funding, connect with business angels, and build relationships with established companies. Do not wait to build a global network early on. Together we can strengthen this ecosystem so that one day it can truly live up to its nickname. Read more by Sofia Chesnokova here: https://bit.ly/404yyXr Cc: Dr. Hendrik Brandis, Paula Wehmeyer, Mario Kohle, Filip Lukac, Benjamin Berényi, Elisheva Marcus #Innovation #DeepTech #VentureCapital #GermanyTech

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5 founders in Germany decide to start a company together. How many should be Managing Directors (Geschäftsführer) of the company and who should that be? (They each hold 20% of the equity and make a material contribution to the company) Whilst moderating the Founder Institute Startup Legal Panel last week in Munich I asked this to our highly experienced panel of investors and lawyers? Surprisingly there were different answers, each of which was backed up by an intelligent and well articulated reasoning. So what do you think and why? Especially interested in your answer if you have been in a similar situation and needed to make this decisions? I'll add the answers our expert panel gave and their reasons for doing so to the comments later. #founderjourney #startuplife #investors #legal #vc #earlystage

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

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