CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center)’s Post

𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹! Do you want to bring your innovative products and services to the world? The Hamburg Next Level initiative, run by the Handelskammer Hamburg in partnership with the Start2 Group, helps startups and KMU's expand internationally. The programme consists of three phases, the application deadline for the first phase is 3 December. Join Phase 1 "Prepare" on December 10 and 12,  and learn essential internationalization topics, explore the global market, and plan your next steps. Why Participate? • Understand international markets • Tailored action recommendations • Identify growth-aligned target markets • Connect with other ambitious startups    Take your next step onto the international stage - all with expert mentoring and at no cost! More info can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eeGK2A7t For any questions, feel free to reach out to Nils Himmelreich and Jenny Kersten from Handelskammer Hamburg. #HamburgNextLevel #StartupExpansion #GoGlobal #InternationalGrowth #HamburgStartups

Here’s what leading investors had to say about the future of CEE startups at How To Web 2024! “We need to give people a reason to believe they can build $100 billion companies”—Marius Istrate. “In the US, trying and failing is respected”—Felix Martinez. “Life in Europe is good, but that can sometimes take away from the drive”—Eva Arh. “We need founders to tell better stories”—Bogdan Iordache. Read more in our latest article, covering one of the many panels and sessions during the two-day conference >> https://lnkd.in/d5Hz3KUE

🌟 What you always wanted to know about TrustTech startups in Europe: 🌟 Proud to share insights from the latest European TrustTech report by our Ventures team at Giesecke+Devrient. Our commitment to investing in startups is not only fostering new technologies but also bringing innovative ideas & business models to our customers. **Key Highlights from the report:** 🚀 **Strong Growth Despite Market Challenges**: The European TrustTech sector is showing remarkable resilience, with investments nearly doubling compared to 2019. This demonstrates the sustained interest and confidence in the innovative solutions our startups are bringing to the table. 📈 **Shift to Later-Stage Investments**: The ecosystem is maturing nicely. While early-stage deals are declining, the average deal size is surpassing previous years. This is a testament to the growing trust and value in TrustTech startups. 🌍 **Emerging TrustTech Hubs**: Beyond Western Europe, countries like Poland, Sweden and Spain have become key spaces. This geographic diversification highlights the broadening landscape of innovation across Europe. 🔄 **Strategic Acquisitions**: With consulting giants like Accenture, Deloitte, and PwC also acquiring TrustTech companies, and key acquisitions by Snowflake, Ripple and Darktrace, it's clear that TrustTech is becoming strategically vital in business services. 🇪🇺 **Domestic Investment Dominance**: Near 70% of investments in European TrustTech come from within the region, with Western Europe leading. This underscores the confidence of our local investors in their home markets. 🇺🇸 **Growing U.S. Interest**: We're also seeing increasing interest from U.S. investors, which signifies the recognition of opportunities within European markets and a favorable valuation gap. These insights are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Ventures team. Michael Hochholzer, Assaf Shamia, Andreas Barthelmes, Alberto Pérez Arranz and Ena Besirevic, keep up the great work! #Startups #TrustTech #VentureCapital #TechGrowth #FutureOfTech #EuropeanInnovation

During #LUVentureDays we had the chance to attend an insightful masterclass led by Quentin Dupraz, Principal at Ilavska Vuillermoz Capital. The topic? “Perfect Pitch: Myth or Reality?” We’ll be sharing key insights from this session in two parts. Here we go with part one! 🔑 What really matters to VCs? In a world where 4% of VC deals generate 64% of all returns, venture capitalists are highly selective. They invest only in startups with enormous potential, and the competition is fierce — firms like Andreessen Horowitz review around 4,000 startups annually, but only back about 20! 🔥One major takeaway? Keep it simple! Don’t overwhelm investors with excessive details or financial projections. Focus on telling a compelling story that sparks curiosity and keeps your message clear. ✔️Pitching isn’t just about the product — it’s about the vision. Investors want to know how you’ll grow and differentiate yourself in a crowded market. So, focus on a narrow niche, show tangible results, and demonstrate flexibility and resilience within your team. ✔️Be clear on what you want to achieve and how you’ll use the funds to get there. The pitch should be simple but powerful — enough information to convince without overloading. Overall, this session reinforced that the “perfect pitch” is less about perfection and more about clarity, precision, and showing your startup’s potential in a way that makes investors excited to learn more. Startup Luxembourg, LPEA - Luxembourg Private Equity & Venture Capital Association, LuXembourg - Let's Make It Happen, The LHoFT - Luxembourg House of Financial Technology, Luxinnovation GIE, University of Luxembourg Incubator and Entrepreneurship Programme, Luxembourg-City Incubator, PULSE, LBAN - Luxembourg Business Angel Network, Paul Wurth InCub, Le Village by CA, Technoport SA, GP Bullhound, Tomorrow Street, Expon Capital, Dealflow.eu, gener8tor, House of Startups Luxembourg, Cluster for Logistics Luxembourg - C4L

🚀🌍 Great news! The English interview article for the "Global Sustainability Accelerator" program is now available! ✨ Learn how #JICA, #Creww, and #GoogleForStartups support innovations for sustainable development. Check out the success stories and collaborations here👇 #SustainableDevelopment #Innovation #Startups #GSA2023

For the first time, the Financial Times ranks all startup hubs in Europe 🏆 🥇 If you had asked me in 2018 if I thought SSE Business Lab would go from being that tiny incubator nobody had heard of to #1 in Sweden, I would never have believed you. Then again, I could have never guessed how such talented people would come to build this with us and get us here; our coaches, partners, investors, entrepreneurs, and of course - the team who pulls it all together 🙏🏽💥 It is with boldness, passion, grit, and a crazy sense of humor, that a team of 22-32-year-olds, the youngest management team of an incubator in Sweden BY FAR, becomes number one. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you’re too young or don’t have enough experience. We proved them wrong, and you will too. Andreas Johansson William Hagströmer Eric Åkermo Elsa Giolito Adam C Backman 🫶🏽 SSE Business Lab ranks… 🏆 #1 in Sweden 🇸🇪 🏆 #3 in Scandinavia+Baltics 🇸🇪🇳🇴🇩🇰🇫🇮🇪🇪🇱🇹🇱🇻 🏆 #26 (of 2000) in Europe 🇪🇺 🏆 #1 in the category Best Track Record in Europe 🇪🇺 🔗 Financial Times: https://ssebl.com/ft 🔗 Breakit: https://lnkd.in/gHhjC65w 🔗 Dagens Industri: https://ssebl.com/ft-di

The UnternehmerTUM at the Technical University of Munich is the biggest start-up centre in Europe. 👉 Out of the 125 European start-up centers listed in the Financial Times' 'Europe's Leading Start-Up Hubs' this year, UnternehmerTUM ranked first. 👉 Each year, 5,000 people take part in start-up programmes at UnternehmerTUM, and 50 new businesses are created. 👉 The organization offers 20 different programs to support start-ups, from creating a prototype to pitching for venture capital groups. 👉 UnternehmerTUM also has plans to replicate its model in other locations. 👉 In collaboration with Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, they want to create 10 start-up factories near German universities Sources: Deutschland<dot>de, Financial Times Follow for more updates. #startup #businessowner #startuphub #munich #startupcapital #corporate

What are some valuable insights into the European startup ecosystem? I recently had the opportunity to read an insightful discussion between two established investors in the European venture space - Saul Klein of LocalGlobe and Raluca Ragab of Eurazeo. At the TechCrunch StrictlyVC event in London, they generously shared their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges facing founders and investors across the continent (for source or entire article see comment). While the fundamentals of starting and scaling a high-growth business remain similar everywhere, Saul and Raluca highlighted some key differences that impact the European landscape. One aspect they discussed was the relative lack of liquidity events compared to the U.S., which makes returns riskier for investors. With fewer large exits, it can be more difficult to attract later stage capital. 🔝 At the same time, both highlighted many promising qualities of Europe's startup hubs. Talent pools are deep, and multinational collaboration comes naturally to entrepreneurs in the region. Government programs also aim to foster innovation, and COVID has accelerated the digital transformation of traditional industries 🏭. However, Klein and Ragab's perspectives underscore the work that still needs to be done in Europe to catch up with the U.S. exit environment. Their balanced view got me thinking about how to strengthen Europe's network effects in the long term. As leaders seeking to build an inclusive world of shared prosperity, what innovative strategies could help connect the continent's many vibrant startup ecosystems? I'd love to hear your thoughts. #D11ZVentures #techcrunch #FutureOfTech #VCInsights

🚀 The place to be? The German Accelerator & EXIST Booth at Bits & Pretzels! 🎉 The German Accelerator and EXIST - Existenzgründungen aus der Wissenschaft booth has been a popular go-to spot at #Bits24, bringing together startups, investors, aspiring founders, program alumni, ecosystem partners, innovation enthusiasts, and the curious - eager to learn more about their respective programs and resources. From insightful conversations to the irresistible pairing of roasted almonds and the occasional beer, it was a popular place to be! So it was beyond thrilling to see Matthias Notz (CEO, Start2 Group/German Accelerator), Bernd Storm vans Gravesande, Andy Bruckschloegl, and #BMWK’s Dr. Sabine Hepperle, Dr. Armgard Wippler, and Stefan Drews, connect with Tomas Villalba, of the Argentine Embassy to Germany, Kristin Eckert, Managing Director for Latin America at Start2 Group and German Accelerator, and LatAm founders from Einsted.Bio, Sensify, and WeCircular. These LatAm founders are keen to build bridges and participate in discussions on how startups, corporates, and governments are shaping the innovation landscape across Germany and Latin America! Missed them and their incredible startup colleagues at Bits & Pretzels? No worries! If you're interested in learning more about their ecosystem or want to connect, click ➡️ https://t.ly/zg4hS for info on two exciting upcoming events where you can do so: one in Munich, the other in Berlin. See you there ! .... BMWK: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto de la República Argentina #GermanAccelerator #EXIST #Bits24 #Networking #BMWK #Entrepreneurship #LatAmStartups #GlobalExpansion

📢 Exploring Europe's Startup Ecosystem 📢 Our CEO, Tom Villinger, just shared insights from the TechCrunch StrictlyVC event, where Saul Klein of LocalGlobe and Raluca Ragab of Eurazeo discussed the European startup landscape. They highlighted challenges like fewer liquidity events compared to the U.S., as well as strengths such as deep talent pools and strong government support for innovation. Tom’s post got us thinking about how to further enhance Europe’s network effects and foster a thriving startup ecosystem. What strategies do you believe could connect Europe's diverse and dynamic startup communities? We look forward to your thoughts! #D11ZVentures #TechCrunch #FutureOfTech #VCInsights #EuropeanStartups https://lnkd.in/e2X4hdeW