Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Blockchain Germany - Startups and Venture Capital
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| Agentic AI for SaaS: Multi-Agent Playbooks, Pricing Agents & EU AI Act Trust | 18 Sep 2025 | 00:06:52 | |
Dashboards don’t decide. Agents do. In this episode of Startuprad.io, we sit down with Jennifer Grün, Senior Specialist for Generative AI & ML at AWS, to explore how agentic AI is rewriting the rules of SaaS. Instead of static dashboards and brittle automations, SaaS is moving toward agents that reason, plan, and act—delivering outcomes like churn prevention, dynamic pricing, and ticket resolution. Jennifer explains: Guest Spotlight: By 2028, Gartner predicts 15% of business decisions will run fully on autopilot. Founders who adapt now will own the SaaS future. 🚀 Meet Our SponsorAWS Startups is a proud sponsor of this week’s episode of Startuprad.io. Visit to find out how AWS can help you prove what’s possible in your industry: https://aws.amazon.com/startups?trk=ef3fc285-093c-49eb-b3df-eb3247352b67&sc_channel=el
If this episode gave you a new lens on AI pricing, share it with a founder who needs to hear it. Follow Startuprad.io on Spotify, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and join our blog + newsletter for full breakdowns.
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| AI Monetization Strategy: From POC to Proof of Value with AWS | 11 Sep 2025 | 01:00:14 | |
POC is dead. Proof of Value is the new standard for AI startups. In this episode, AWS’s Jennifer Grün reveals the AI monetization strategy that separates demos from businesses. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: – Why hybrid pricing models (subscriptions + credits) outperform per-seat SaaS in AI AWS Startups is a proud sponsor of this week’s episode of Startuprad.io. Visit to find out how AWS can help you prove what’s possible in your industry: https://aws.amazon.com/startups?trk=25cdbfe4-8d2e-4b0b-926e-3fe5ef6323cb&sc_channel=el Guest SpotlightJennifer Grün, Senior Specialist for Generative AI & Machine Learning at AWS, works with founders across Europe to monetize AI responsibly. She brings tactical insight from the field: how to price GenAI, validate ROI, and scale without losing margins.
If this episode gave you a new lens on AI pricing, share it with a founder who needs to hear it. Follow Startuprad.io on Spotify, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and join our blog + newsletter for full breakdowns.
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| Helsing, Luma, and EU Billions: DACH Startup Funding 2025 Unleashed | 03 Jul 2025 | 00:38:05 | |
What happens when Germany creates its second decacorn and the EU drops €10B to scale startups? This month’s news episode breaks it all down — from funding explosions in deep tech to the future of biotech, fintech innovation, and defense AI. The DACH startup scene has never been this hot. What You'll Learn
Startup Scene Pulse We highlight the rise of Swiss innovation, Austrian startups, and eco innovation models across the region. Explore how corporate growth meets AI-driven defense tech, how digital transformation strategy shapes cloud infrastructure, and what growth investing looks like in 2025. If you're a founder aiming for vision planning, an investor tracking vc investment trends, or just love hearing execution stories from unicorn builders, this episode is your new go-to. Now it is up to you! 💌 Subscribe to our newsletter and podcast updates: 🔗 Follow Jörn “Joe” Menninger on LinkedIn: 📩 Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io This episode is perfect for listeners searching phrases like:
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| Startup Storytelling That Wins: Craft a Pitch Investors Remember | 05 Jun 2025 | 00:42:40 | |
What if your startup pitch didn’t just inform — but moved people to believe? This episode reveals how the most effective founders use strategic storytelling to build trust, spark action, and secure funding. What You'll Learn:
Guest Spotlight: Whether you’re pre-seed, scaling, or pitching for your next round, this episode gives you practical frameworks, examples, and narrative power-ups you can apply immediately. Rate Us: Guest Name: Ehud Dror, Founder at Tailoring Your Story Relevant Resources: Timestamps: | |||
| May 2025: AI Unicorns, Mega VC Funds, and Regulation Shakeups in DACH | 29 May 2025 | 00:31:18 | |
Startups in the DACH region are heating up — from AI unicorns to VC mega-funds. In this monthly startup news roundup, we unpack the most important trends in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland’s tech ecosystem. Learn how Parloa became Germany’s second unicorn of the year, how Quantum Systems secured €160M to dominate aerial AI, and how the EIB’s €70B initiative is reshaping venture capital in Europe. We also dive into Lyft’s FreeNow acquisition, biotech patent wars, the MiCA crypto license, and regulatory risks like the EU Data Act. 🔑 Key Takeaways:
📱 Give Us Feedback 🚨 Sponsored by Tide 🔗 Dive Deeper and Be Ahead Of The Curve!
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| Negotiate Like the FBI: Sales Psychology for Startup Founders | 27 May 2025 | 00:46:42 | |
What happens when an FBI-trained negotiation coach brings elite sales psychology into the startup world? You get a masterclass in influence, integrity, and investor persuasion. Today’s episode of Startuprad.io features Matthias Bullmahn, a crisis negotiation expert, former Accenture executive, and storytelling coach — here to show founders how to negotiate like pros and scale without manipulation. What You'll Learn:
Guest Spotlight: Now It Is Up To YOU:
🚀Our Sponsor 👉 Struggling with small biz finances? Tide’s free account + up to €400 cashback makes it a no-brainer: tide.co/Podcastsde – use code STARTUPRADIO 📌 Show NotesGuest Name: Matthias Bullmahn, Sales Psychologist & Strategic Communications Expert Related Blog Posts on Startuprad.io:
Relevant External Resources:
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| Why Europe’s Venture Capital Needs a Mindset Reboot | Andy Goldstein | 22 May 2025 | 00:40:05 | |
🎧 Opening: Why do Europe’s startups scale slower than their U.S. counterparts? In this raw, revealing episode, Andy Goldstein uncovers what’s really holding back the European venture capital scene—and what we can do about it. 💡 What You'll Learn:
Andy Goldstein, Managing Director Europe at VU Venture Partners and Co-Founder of the German Accelerator, is a serial entrepreneur, ecosystem builder, and innovation catalyst. With decades of experience across the U.S. and Europe, he’s reshaping how VCs invest—and how startups scale. 🎯 Give Us a Review:Loved this episode? Help others discover it! 👉 Struggling with small biz finances? Tide’s free account + up to €400 cashback makes it a no-brainer: tide.co/Podcastsde – use code STARTUPRADIO ✅ Show NotesGuest Name: Andy Goldstein, Managing Director Europe, VU Venture Partners Relevant Resources: Timestamps:
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| How Trust-Based Leadership Drives Startup Culture That Scales (2/2) | 13 May 2025 | 00:19:48 | |
Most startups talk about culture. But very few measure it. Even fewer know how to scale it. In Part 2 of our interview with Christian Conrad — coach, former Kellogg’s exec, and author of Magical Company Culture — we go deep into the execution side of culture. Forget team-building retreats. Christian outlines a leadership playbook where trust, behavioral habits, and culture KPIs like eNPS are used to build high-performing, emotionally engaged teams. 🔍 In this episode, you’ll learn:
Christian Conrad is the founder of Management Boost and author of Magical Company Culture. His mission? 1 million smiling employees by 2035. He’s coached global corporations and hypergrowth startups alike on measurable, trust-based leadership. 🔥 If you’re a founder, investor, or executive navigating scale, this episode is your culture execution guide. ✅ Subscribe, review, and share this episode to help us build the startup leadership community. 🚀 Sponsor SectionThis episode is sponsored by Tide.co
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| Culture Is ROI: How Christian Conrad Builds Magnetic Company Cultures in Startups (1/2`) | 08 May 2025 | 00:48:28 | |
Sponsor 👉 Struggling with small biz finances? Tide’s free account + up to €400 cashback makes it a no-brainer: tide.co/Podcastsde – use code STARTUPRADIO 🎧 Opening What if your company culture was your biggest growth engine? In this episode, we dive deep with leadership coach Christian Conrad to unpack what makes startup cultures not only magnetic but measurable — and how founders can lead with emotional intelligence and trust from Day 1. 📌 What You'll Learn:
Christian Conrad, founder of Management Boost and author of Magical Company Culture, is on a mission to create 1 million smiling employees by 2035. He has helped startups and corporates alike transform their cultures into scalable engines for growth. 🎯 Your Turn:If you’re building a startup, managing a tech team, or investing in founders — this conversation will shift your thinking on leadership. 👉 Follow Startuprad.io, subscribe on Spotify & Apple Podcasts, and leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review. Share with your co-founder, HR lead, or investor network.
Follow the editor in chief / founder on LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger ✅ Show Notes:
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| €1.3B Raised, 1 Fintech Crashes: April 2025 DACH Startup News Breakdown | 30 Apr 2025 | 00:41:52 | |
In April 2025, DACH startups raised over €1.3 billion—while one of Europe’s top fintechs spiraled into crisis. This isn’t just another news roundup. This is your investor-grade, startup-founder-relevant, executive-level briefing from the DACH region’s leading podcast. 🚀 This episode is brought to you by Vanta. Automate your SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliance in weeks, not months. Learn more at vanta.com/startupradio What You'll Learn:
Guest Spotlight: We Love to Hear from You: Host: Jörn Menninger, Editor-in-Chief at Startuprad.io
Timestamps:
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| The Founder's Guide: Stop Burnout & Build a Startup | 24 Apr 2025 | 00:51:37 | |
StartupRad.io sits down with psychotherapist Imre Remenyi to explore burnout prevention, leadership, and culture for sustainable startup growth. Burnout is silently killing startups. Discover how top founders and leaders detect it early, prevent it, and scale sustainable companies. Are you a startup founder, tech executive, or investor navigating the intense world of high-growth companies? This StartupRad.io episode is your lifeline. Host Jörn 'Joe' Menninger speaks with renowned psychotherapist and consultant Imre Marton Remenyi in a masterclass on burnout prevention for entrepreneurs. You'll get actionable strategies to protect your team and build a business that lasts. Forget surface-level "work-life balance." We dig into the real psychological, operational, and financial risks that burnout presents — and show you how to fix them. Learn how to identify subtle warning signs, lead with empathy, and create a culture where your people (and your company) can thrive. Why this episode matters: For Founders & CEOs: For Tech Executives: For Investors: 🕒 Key Episode Highlights:
💼 Sponsor: Vanta helps startups automate security and compliance (ISO 27001, SOC 2, and more). 📣 Call to Action: ✅ Subscribe to the StartupRad.io podcast for more insights on entrepreneurship, venture capital, and startup growth. 🔥 Discover More Topics: | |||
| DACH Unicorn Tracker Spring 2025: Germany, Austria & Switzerland Startups | 18 Apr 2025 | 00:29:34 | |
Are you a founder, investor, scaleup exec, or tech enthusiast looking to decode Europe's billion-euro startup engines? You’ve landed in the right place. Startuprad.io brings you the ultimate Unicorn Tracker for Spring 2025, offering you front-row insight into the most dynamic startups and scaleups across the DACH region—Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. 🎯 Prefer the full analysis, data, and links? Dive deeper here: ⏱️ [00:02:20] What is DACH? ⏱️ [00:03:30] Quantum Systems & New Unicorns ⏱️ [00:04:20] Logistics Titans: Forto & Sennder ⏱️ [00:05:53] Mobility Mavericks: Flix, Tier, Volocopter ⏱️ [00:06:40] AI & Defense Tech: Agile Robots & Helsing ⏱️ [00:07:30] Consumer Tech Giants: Check24 & AutoDoc ⏱️ [00:09:10] Biotech’s Highs & Heartbreaks ⏱️ [00:10:10] Climate Tech’s Gold Rush ⏱️ [00:12:30] Fintech & Insurtech Battles ⏱️ [00:14:00] SaaS & Enterprise Software ⏱️ [00:24:55] The Unicorn Graveyard This is your unfair advantage in understanding how the DACH region creates, scales, and sometimes loses billion-dollar startups. Whether you're:
...you’ll walk away with actionable insights, real stories, and trend-defining strategies. 🛡️ SPONSOR SHOUTOUT – THANK YOU, VANTA👉 Vanta automates security and compliance (SOC 2, ISO 27001, and more), helping you stay audit-ready with less stress and zero spreadsheets. 📌 Full Show Notes + Transcript + Links: 🎧 Subscribe to Startuprad.io wherever you get your podcasts 💬 Leave a review or share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you! | |||
| German Startup Funding, Deep Tech AI, & Fintech M&A – September 2025 News | 04 Sep 2025 | 00:29:00 | |
What if the next billion-dollar startup was brewing in Berlin, Munich, or Vienna right now? In this episode, we cover the game-changing deals, deep tech breakthroughs, and green innovation stories shaping the DACH startup scene in September 2025. Whether you’re a founder, VC, or ecosystem insider, this is your shortcut to staying ahead in Europe’s most dynamic market. What You’ll Learn
From startup funding in Germany and European venture capital to deep tech AI hardware, fintech M&A, and green tech innovation, this episode is designed to rank high on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for founders and investors looking for cutting-edge insights. Episode: DACH Startup News – Summer Wrap-Up 2025 Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/cLO_niJ6wok Timestamps:
✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio 💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger Primary (in title + description): startup funding, German startups, venture capital Europe, deep tech startups, fintech Europe, green tech, AI search disruption. Secondary (in body + show notes): AI in business, biotech Germany, startup exits. | |||
| DACH Startups: AI, VC, & Fintech Trends - March 2025 | 27 Mar 2025 | 00:38:53 | |
Sponsor Section 👉 Vanta automates security and compliance, save 1.000 US$ with us by signing up with this link: vanta.com/startupradio Introduction Dive into the DACH region's startup scene! This episode covers the latest trends in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, recorded with Chris Fahrenbach in New York City. Key Highlights
Fintech: A Sector in Motion Fintech sees Coorsair's IDNow acquisition and stablecoin growth. The ECB's digital Euro plans are also significant. Venture Capital: Navigating the Landscape Toma Bravo's fund shows investor confidence, but "zombie VC" and insolvencies pose challenges. AI and Technology: Innovation Germany's AI research faces implementation hurdles. Volocopter and BioMed demonstrate other tech advancements. Startup Ecosystem: Challenges and Successes Funding for companies like Tectile contrasts with layoffs and insolvencies. Acquisitions continue. Regional Highlights
Conclusion The DACH startup scene is dynamic, with innovation and challenges across sectors. Call to Action Subscribe to our podcast for DACH startup updates! Share your thoughts below. The music used in our intro is "MF-297 : First Hero" licensed from Musicfox.com: https://www.musicfox.com/detailsuche/?searchtext=297&submit=search All rights reserved - Startuprad.io™ | |||
| DACH Startup Scene Explodes! 🔥 Finn's €1B Raise, Lilium's Fall, & More! | 27 Feb 2025 | 00:24:31 | |
🚀 Big news from the DACH startup world! Finn raises €1B for car subscriptions, Cherry Ventures launches a €500M AI fund, but Lilium faces insolvency. 👉 Vanta automates security and compliance, save 1.000 US$ with us by signing up with this link: vanta.com/startupradio 🤯 Finn raises €1 BILLION for car subscriptions! But is it all good news? Lilium crashes back to earth with its second insolvency. We unpack the hottest DACH startup stories:
🚀 Don't get left behind! Subscribe now for your weekly dose of DACH startup action.
The music used in our intro is "MF-297 : First Hero" licensed from Musicfox.com: https://www.musicfox.com/detailsuche/?searchtext=297&submit=search
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| Startup Scene Heats Up: Acquisitions & Funding in Germany, Austria & Switzerland | Startuprad.io | 30 Jan 2025 | 00:33:55 | |
🚀 Tune in to Startuprad.io for an exclusive look into the dynamic world of German, Austrian, and Swiss startups! 🚀 This episode is jam-packed with the latest news and insights from the DACH startup ecosystem. We'll explore the hottest trends, major acquisitions, and exciting funding rounds that are shaping the future of innovation in the region. Our Sponsor Vanta Here's what you'll discover: 🔥 Acquisition Frenzy:
💰 Funding Fireworks:
🚀 Industry Trends:
This episode is perfect for:
Don't miss out on this exciting episode! Hit that play button and subscribe to Startuprad.io for more insights into the world of startups. uivM8GSkHAlzpD34z7M4 | |||
| Startup News Roundup: December 2024 | 19 Dec 2024 | 00:48:36 | |
Welcome to Startup News Roundup: December 2024 Highlights & Key Insights, where we dive deep into the vibrant world of startups across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. This episode delivers a comprehensive look at the latest developments, highlighting the most impactful stories, trends, and investments shaping the startup landscape. What’s Inside?
Hear from Jörn “Joe” Menninger and Christian “Chris” Fahrenbach as they analyze the biggest stories and provide expert commentary on what these developments mean for entrepreneurs, investors, and the broader startup ecosystem. Resources:Call to Action:Stay ahead of the curve by subscribing to Startup News Roundup on Spotify and your favorite podcast platforms. Don’t forget to leave a review and share your thoughts on social media to join the conversation! | |||
| Startup News November 2024: Insights on Tech, Funding, and Trends in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland | 28 Nov 2024 | 00:38:08 | |
This November, the startup ecosystem in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH region) is abuzz with critical updates that shape the future of technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Whether you're a founder, investor, or a startup enthusiast, this episode of Startuprad.io delivers everything you need to stay informed. Dive into the latest tech news, explore major funding milestones, and uncover the challenges impacting the region’s most innovative startups. What’s in This Episode?1️⃣ Germany: Startups Facing Turbulent Times
2️⃣ Austria: Triumphs Amidst Challenges
3️⃣ Switzerland: Big Wins in Funding
4️⃣ European Tech Trends
This episode offers a comprehensive snapshot of the startup world in the DACH region, helping you stay ahead of trends, funding opportunities, and regulatory impacts. Whether you’re exploring investment opportunities or seeking inspiration, we’ve got you covered with actionable insights and expert perspectives. Links to Explore More:
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| Top GSA Startup News October 2024: Unicorns, Fintech, and Sustainable Tech Trends | 31 Oct 2024 | 00:21:39 | |
Welcome to the October 2024 edition of "This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian Startups," where we bring you essential insights into the GSA startup ecosystem. Join hosts Jörn “Joe” Menninger and Chris Fahrenbach as they unpack the month’s top stories, from groundbreaking funding rounds to unicorn achievements and major pivots in tech and innovation. Episode Highlights: 1. Lilium’s Financial Struggles and eVTOL Innovation Setbacks 2. Egym and Orderfox Join the Unicorn Club 3. Austria’s Gropyus Secures €100 Million for Sustainable Housing 4. EU’s Deep Tech Initiative with Trusted Investors Network 5. SolarisBank’s €178M Loss and Restructuring Efforts 📍 Useful Links:
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| September 2024 Startup News: Intel Halts €30B Project, Magic AI Raises $320M, Flink Expands in Europe | 03 Oct 2024 | 00:48:20 | |
Welcome to the September 2024 Startup News from Startuprad.io! This episode covers the most impactful developments in the startup scenes of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Stay informed about key trends, funding rounds, and industry shifts that could influence your business or investment decisions. Key Highlights:
Additional Insights:
Useful Links:
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| Summer 2024 Startup News: DACH Funding, AI Trends, & Ecosystem Insights | 02 Sep 2024 | 00:49:13 | |
Welcome to the Summer 2024 Startup News Wrap-Up from Startuprad.io! In this special Labor Day episode, we cover the most crucial updates from the vibrant startup ecosystems in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights into the latest trends, funding rounds, and ecosystem developments shaping the future of innovation in the DACH region. 💼 New Sponsor Alert: We’re excited to announce our new partner, ModernIQs.com! Did you know an SEO-optimized blog post can generate significantly more traffic than a social media post? Startuprad.io listeners can create two free SEO-optimized blog posts per month in less than a minute. Sign up using the link in the episode notes. Sign up here. 🔍 Episode Highlights:
🇩🇪🇦🇹🇨🇭 Local Startup News:
🔗 Useful Links:
#Hashtags: #StartupNews #GermanStartups #SwissStartups #AustrianStartups #TechTrends #FundingNews #AIInnovation #DeepTech #VentureCapital #EuropeanStartups | |||
| Blockchain, Fintech, and Financial Innovation with Annelise Osborne | 08 Aug 2024 | 00:39:56 | |
Welcome to Startuprad.io™, your go-to source for news and insights into the world of German, Austrian, and Swiss tech innovation. Join us for conversations with industry leaders, game-changing entrepreneurs, and influential investors. Our guests include Nobel Laureates, Emmy Award winners, and Forbes list luminaries. We focus on startups around Series A funding, ensuring you get exclusive insights into the rising stars of tomorrow. Tune in for inspiring discussions that drive innovation and growth. Join us at Startuprad.io, where every conversation sparks new possibilities. Episode Summary: In this episode, host Jörn "Joe" Menninger interviews Annelise Osborne, Chief Business Officer at Kadena. Annelise discusses her journey from commercial real estate to blockchain, highlighting the inefficiencies in traditional finance and the transformative potential of blockchain technology. She covers her book on blockchain and cryptocurrencies, the benefits of stablecoins, and the regulatory challenges facing Fintech in the US. Learn about the importance of marketing, strategic partnerships, and adaptability for startups. This episode emphasizes the need for clear regulations to foster financial innovation and the vital role of networking in the Fintech space. Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
Leave a review, share the episode, and don't forget to subscribe for more insights into the world of startups and tech innovation! Links:
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| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - June 2024 | Startuprad.io | 27 Jun 2024 | 00:35:44 | |
This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian Startups - June 2024 | Startuprad.io Welcome to our June 2024 wrap-up, where we bring you the latest news from the startup and tech entrepreneurship scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, all in under 30 minutes! In this episode, recorded with Chris in New York City and Joe joining from Frankfurt, we cover the top highlights from June 25th: ### Highlights: - Check24's Massive Marketing Campaign: Check24 launched a major campaign, distributing 5 million free Puma football jerseys in Germany, costing around €100 million. This initiative has sparked vibrant online discussions and driven app downloads, despite privacy concerns. - Aviation News: Lilium seeks €300M in government aid to advance its "Lilium Jet," while Volocopter continues to vie for funding. - Insurtech Updates: WeFox faces internal strife that could significantly lower its valuation from $4.5 billion, while Clark is preparing for a substantial funding round under new leadership. - Amazon's Investment in Germany: Amazon announces an additional €10 billion investment in Germany, focusing on cloud data storage and logistics, bringing their total investment in the country this year to €17.8 billion. - DeepL's Milestone: DeepL becomes Germany’s most valuable AI startup with a $2 billion valuation, following a $300 million investment. - Black Semiconductor's Major Funding: Black Semiconductor secures €254.4 million to boost Europe's semiconductor industry, with plans to open a pilot facility in Aachen by 2026. - Cognigy's AI Advancements: Cognigy raises $100 million to enhance AI-driven customer service automation, supported by major brands like Lufthansa, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz. - Flix's Strategic Moves: Flix considers private equity investment from EQT, potentially acquiring a 30% stake and altering Flix's path to a public offering. Join us as we delve into these stories and more, highlighting the dynamic changes and strategic shifts in the DACH startup ecosystem. Stay informed with the latest developments in tech and entrepreneurship in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. For more in-depth coverage and analysis, visit our blog at [startuprad.io/blog](https://startuprad.io/blog). 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 | |||
| DACH Startup News: Berlin AI Rockets, N26 Shakes & Europe’s Hydrogen Bet | 01 Sep 2025 | 00:21:33 | |
Berlin’s AI just rocketed from $350M to $2.3B. This is not Silicon Valley news. This is the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) reshaping startup dynamics — and it’s moving fast. In this Startuprad.io Summer Wrap-Up 2025, we unpack: – How Berlin’s open-source workflow AI became a unicorn and why enterprises are buying in now 🎙 Why listen? What you’ll learn: 👉 If you learned something here, share this episode with a founder who needs it. Follow us on Spotify, subscribe on Apple, and check the blog for a full breakdown. Episode: DACH Startup News – Summer Wrap-Up 2025 Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/iV1Gzz0zy_k Timestamps ✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio 💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger Primary (title, early description, timestamps): DACH startup news, Berlin AI automation, EU hydrogen funding, German startup ecosystem Secondary (description + show notes): N26 governance, defense tech Europe, tele-driving Germany, Stan index, European AI hub, EIC startup funding | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - May 2024 | Startuprad.io | 30 May 2024 | 00:35:04 | |
Welcome to our May 2024 wrap-up, delivering vital news from the startup and tech entrepreneurship scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland—all in 30 minutes or less! 🎧 Join Chris from New York City and Joe from Frankfurt as they bring you the latest updates in the GSA region. Due to Whit Monday and travel plans, this news cut is from May 16th. Any news not covered today will be included in our next wrap-up. #### Schedule: - Next Episode: June 27th - Summer Wrap-Up: September 2nd (Labor Day) We'll have a lighter summer program, possibly with more frequent updates, based on listener requests. #### Highlights: The startup scene is roaring back in GSA, with large investments and early-stage innovations. Grab a drink and a snack—this episode is packed with positive news and is longer than usual. - New VC Funds Raised: Over $7.5 billion - Germany's Air Taxi Dilemma: Lilium and Volocopter are at a crossroads, with France offering subsidies while Germany debates state support. - Amazon's €7.8 Billion Investment: Development of a purely European cloud storage infrastructure in Brandenburg. - WeFox Challenges: Valuation setbacks amid growth challenges. - Alzheimer's Research Boost: Takeda and AC Immune's $2 billion partnership. - Biontech's Resilience: Despite Q1 losses, Biontech advances its oncology pipeline and prepares for a renewed push in COVID vaccine demand. For detailed news and updates, visit our [blog](https://startuprad.io/blog) with all the latest stories. Interested in collaborations or advertising opportunities? [Storefront](https://workspace.passionfroot.me/startupradio). Don't forget to subscribe on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to stay updated with the latest news from the GSA startup scene! --- Detailed Topics: 1. Will German Air Taxis Fly? Germany debates support for air taxi startups Lilium and Volocopter, while France offers subsidies. Lilium is in advanced talks with the French government for expansion plans and potential financial aid. [Read more](https://buff.ly/3UBNCHS). 2. Amazon's Investment in Brandenburg: Amazon's €7.8 billion investment in Brandenburg to develop purely European storage capacities highlights its commitment to data sovereignty. [Read more](https://buff.ly/3V1PJpN). 3. WeFox Valuation Takes a Hit: WeFox faces valuation woes amid growth challenges, impacting its once promising trajectory in insurtech. [Read more](https://buff.ly/3UIByES). 4. Alzheimer's Research Collaboration: Takeda teams up with Swiss firm AC Immune in a deal potentially exceeding $2 billion to fight Alzheimer's. [Read more](https://buff.ly/4dJN5wk). 5. Biontech's Oncology Advances: Despite significant Q1 losses, Biontech continues to advance its oncology pipeline and prepares for a renewed push in COVID vaccine demand. [Read more](https://buff.ly/3wDhn33). | |||
| MiCA Explained: Navigating Crypto Regulation in the EU | 28 May 2024 | 00:42:38 | |
In this episode of Startuprad.io, host Jörn Menninger sits down with Alireza Siadat, a seasoned lawyer and Head of Digital Assets at Annerton, to delve into the European Union’s MiCA regulation. Discover what these stringent requirements mean for stablecoin and crypto asset service providers, the distinctions between stablecoins and asset reference tokens, and the challenges of gaining regulatory approval. This episode highlights Germany's pioneering role in crypto regulation and provides essential entrepreneurial guidance on navigating this complex landscape. Key Topics Covered:
Don't Miss Out:
Tune In and Stay Ahead: Whether you're a crypto enthusiast or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with crucial information to help you stay ahead of the curve in the evolving world of crypto regulations. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe and Follow: Stay connected with us on social media and join our newsletter for the latest updates: linktr.ee/startupradio #CryptoRegulation #MiCA #Stablecoins #DigitalAssets #Startupradio #Entrepreneurship #TechNews | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - April 2024 | 25 Apr 2024 | 00:32:31 | |
Lower your Costs of ISO 27.001 and SOC 2 Compliance by up to 85% [with our Partner 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 vanta.com/startupradio Interested in Working with us? Have a look here:https://www.passionfroot.me/startupradio Find all options to follow us and subscribe here:https://linktr.ee/startupradio 🌟 April 2024 Startup & Tech Wrap-Up 🌟 | Germany, Austria, Switzerland | Biotech Breakthroughs, Fintech Boom & Space Innovation 🚀In just 30 minutes, get the latest on the hottest entrepreneurship news from the heart of Europe! From groundbreaking acquisitions to futuristic ventures, here's what you need to know: 🔬 Novo Nordisk's €1.025B Biotech Splash! Discover how Novo Nordisk's landmark acquisition of Cardior Pharmaceuticals is reshaping the biotech landscape. 🚁 Volocopter's €150M Boost! Despite challenges, Volocopter gets a significant funding injection for its flying taxi vision. 💡 Zolar Shines with €100M! Learn about Zolar's massive credit line and its innovative financing options. 💰 ELEMENT Scores €50M! Explore how ELEMENT is revolutionizing InsurTech with its latest funding round. 🏦 Berlin: Fintech Capital! Berlin solidifies its status as the Fintech Capital with 160 thriving startups. 🛰️ Mynaric's Space Laser Triumph! Witness Mynaric's milestone in global space development with the CONDOR Mk3. Don't miss out on the latest tech and entrepreneurial breakthroughs! Watch now for all the details. #entrepreneurship #technews #startupscene #startupradio Find all links and show notes here: | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - March 2024 | 28 Mar 2024 | 00:29:20 | |
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 SceneYou 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 HereFind 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/ FeedbackWe would love to hear from YOU!!! https://forms.gle/mLV6mVKwGwKuut8BA The HostsThe 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: Chris on LinkedIn | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups – February 2024 | 29 Feb 2024 | 00:34:41 | |
🚀 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 SubscribeHere 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 Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups – February 2024 | 29 Feb 2024 | 00:34:41 | |
🚀 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 SubscribeHere 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 Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - January 2024 | 25 Jan 2024 | 00:27:04 | |
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 StartupravenThe 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:#startupradio #startupnews #startuppodcastgermany #technews #technologynews #techpodcast | |||
| Deep-Dive: A Recap of 2023's Startup Valuations and Investment Trends | 23 Jan 2024 | 00:17:41 | |
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 HereWe 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 StartupravenA 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: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 | |||
| Warm Wishes and Cheers: A Festive Message from Joe Menninger | 25 Dec 2023 | 00:02:03 | |
Dear Esteemed Listeners, As the holiday season wraps us in its joyful embrace, I wanted to take a moment to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who has been a part of our incredible journey here at Startuprad.io. This time of year is not just about the twinkling lights and merry melodies; it's about cherishing connections, celebrating accomplishments, and embracing the spirit of togetherness. Your unwavering support, insightful feedback, and enthusiasm have been the driving force behind our podcast's success. As we reflect on the year gone by, I'm filled with immense gratitude for the enriching conversations, the wisdom shared by our remarkable guests, and the vibrant community that surrounds us. Your engagement fuels our passion to continue bringing you thought-provoking insights and valuable content. May this season fill your hearts with warmth, your homes with laughter, and your lives with endless joy. Here's to a new year brimming with innovation, inspiration, and boundless opportunities. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. From the entire team at Startuprad.io, I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season. Warm regards, Joe Menninger Host, Startuprad.io The background music is Borrtex 04 Happy Holidays published under Creative Commons License | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - December 2023 | 21 Dec 2023 | 00:23:18 | |
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 NotesHere 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 | |||
| Productionizing AI: AWS Bedrock, MCP & Agentic Workflows for Startups | 21 Aug 2025 | 00:57:14 | |
What does it really take to move from a GenAI prototype to a production-ready system? In this episode, AWS AI Engineering Specialist Dennis Traub breaks down the hard truths behind scaling, securing, and monitoring AI systems — and why the future belongs to startups who learn how to productionize AI fast. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
AWS Startups is a proud sponsor of this week’s episode of Startuprad.io. Visit startups.aws to find out how AWS can help you prove what’s possible in your industry. The AWS Startups team comprises former founders and CTOs, venture capitalists, angel investors, and mentors ready to help you prove what’s possible. Since 2013, AWS has supported over 280,000 startups across the globe and provided $7Billion in credits through the AWS Activate program. Big ideas feel at home on AWS, and with access to cutting-edge technologies like generative AI, you can quickly turn those ideas into marketable products. Want your own AI-powered assistant? Try Amazon Q. Want to build your own AI products? Privately customize leading foundation models on Amazon Bedrock. Want to reduce the cost of AI workloads? AWS Trainium is the silicon you’re looking for. Whatever your ambitions, you’ve already had the idea, now prove it’s possible on AWS. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups to get started.
Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio 💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8 💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - November 2023 | 30 Nov 2023 | 00:20:15 | |
Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Startuprad.io WelcomeWelcome to our November 2023 wrap-up with vital news from the startup scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂. Our HighlightsAI startup Aleph Alpha raises half a billion dollars, CMBlu raises 100 mn € for energy storage, WeFox gets 55 M US$ 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 StartupravenThe 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 subscribehttps://linktr.ee/startupradio Our EnablersThis 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 NewsAleph 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 InvestorSono 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 GermanyVanguard'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 InsolvencyWeWork's German subsidiary filed for insolvency - the company had issues everywhere. Find the full news with all links and show notes here:Mentioned in... | |||
| Revolutionizing Securities: Exploring Securities Tokenization and Transparency with Cashlink | 16 Nov 2023 | 00:32:29 | |
Like what you hear? You can tip us here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Startuprad.io Executive SummaryIn 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 Herehttps://linktr.ee/startupradio Our Enabler StartupravenThe 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 HessenThis 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 NotesMentioned in this episode: Startupraven.com Startupraven.com The best way to identify investors and cooperation... | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian Startups - October 2023 | Startuprad.io E 400 | 26 Oct 2023 | 00:20:29 | |
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!
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:
Find all options to subscribe to our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel, or listen to our internet radio station here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our EnablersThis recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network HessenThis 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.comThe best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/
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.
Freiburg, Germany-based solar startup Nexwafe starts new funding, aiming for 120 m € in Venture Capital at a valuation of up to 500 M €
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... | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - September 2023 | Startuprad.io E 397 | 28 Sep 2023 | 00:26:09 | |
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 Mentioned in this episode: Startupraven.com 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 | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - Summer 2023 (July/ August) | Startupradio Episode #393 | 04 Sep 2023 | 00:34:34 | |
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
The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/
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.
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/
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"
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
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.
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... | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - June 2023 | Episode #80 | 29 Jun 2023 | 00:22:39 | |
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 SeemsHamburg’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 SwitzerlandSwiss-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 BackGetYourGuide raises $194 million to fuel curated travel experiences and global expansion 30 bn For a New Chip FactoryIntel, 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 hereStartups, Venture Capital, Unicorn, New Unicorn, Europe, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scaleups, Tech News, Venture Capital News, Startup News, Mentioned in this episode: Startupraven.com 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 | |||
| Accelerating the Adoption of Cryptocurrencies: Klink Wallet | Startuprad.io #387 | 15 Jun 2023 | 00:32:35 | |
Executive Summary In this episode of Startuprad.io, Joe Menninger interviews Philip Jonitz, co-founder of Klink Finance, who talks about his company's mission to encourage the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies. Offering an easy-to-use investment wallet with an interest-generating-like feature, Klink combines gamification into personal finance by providing liquidity to different players in the crypto space and generating random prizes for its users. Jonitz also speaks about the impact of regulation and institutional adoption on the crypto image problem and shares his experiences and lessons learned from investing in cryptocurrencies. They are also planning to set up a decentralized insurance company. Tune in to learn more …. Subscribe HereWe are always sharing new resources with you. Find all of our options below. https://linktr.ee/startupradio Main Themes Discussed1. Crypto Image Problem: regulation, institutional adoption 2. Crypto Investing: diversification, multiple wallets/exchanges 3. Clink Finance: gamification, easy entry to crypto markets 4. Price-Linked Savings: incentivizing holding assets, gamification 5. Crypto Insurance: a decentralized, new type of insurance.
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Philip is a fintech entrepreneur with a passion for innovation and solving problems with technology. He has extensive experience in the fintech space, venture capitalism, and working with accelerators. Philip noticed the lack of gamification in the personal finance space and decided to explore the possibility of incorporating gamification to make personal finance more engaging and accessible for consumers. In 2016/17, Philip got involved with the crypto space, initially attracted to the potential of becoming wealthy quickly. However, he ended up losing most of his funds due to his lack of education about the market. This experience has taught him to be wiser about crypto investing and motivated him to build his own crypto project, Clink. Through Clink, Philip aims to provide an easy entry into the crypto markets by generating interest in users' deposited funds and incorporating gamification to incentivize users to hold onto their assets. He hopes to make investing in cryptocurrency more accessible and understandable for everyone.
Klink Finance is a company that aims to bring gamification to the world of personal finance and accelerate the adoption of cryptocurrencies. The company provides an easy-to-use wallet application that allows users to invest and earn interest on their deposited funds. Klink Finance generates interest on the users' funds by providing liquidity to other players in the crypto space through decentralized lending and tokenized treasury bills. The interest generated powers prices paid back to users and insurance for the jackpot prize. The company plans to expand and offer additional currencies with prices powered through staking, where users can provide liquidity to validate transactions and earn interest.
Klink Finance is also pioneering a new type of crypto insurance space with decentralized ways of generating and selecting winners fully on chain, ensuring the jackpot prize. Overall, their vision and innovative solutions have the potential to change the way people perceive and invest in personal finance.
Here is our blog post: | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - May 2023 | Episode #78 | 01 Jun 2023 | 00:31:10 | |
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: Subscribe HereFind all options to subscribe to our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel or listen to our internet radio station here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our EnablersThis recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network HessenLook for our dedicated sub-podcast in partnership with them: Tech Startups Germany on our https://linktr.ee/startupradio Startupraven.comThe best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/
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
European e-scooter giant Tier Mobility maps route to merger
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
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
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| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - April 2023 | 27 Apr 2023 | 00:22:08 | |
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 NewsSoftware AG Close to a Multi-Billion AcquisitionPrivate-equity firm Silver Lake Partners, based in Menlo Park, is close to buying Germany’s Software AG in $2.42 billion deal. The offer is already public, reported Reuters. Shares of listed Software AG jumped 53% at the announcement. The investor already knows the company: In February 2022, Silver Lake had invested 344 million euros in the software developer’s convertible bond, which upon conversion would represent nearly 9% of issued Software AG shares. Enpal Raises More Than 300 M€Enpal raises up to €356 million via Securitization of Solar Receivables with first German residential solar ABS. ABS are asset-backed securities, that means if Enpal can not pay interest or pay back the final sum, the investors have the collateral (assets) backing the security Blinkist Close to 200 M € ExitReports blog Deutsche-Startups, with an offer from an — yet unnamed — American company. The blog, with its founder Alexander Hüsing is usually pretty well informed and has been right before. Isar Aerospace Closes €155 Million FundingIsar Aerospace closes €155 million Series C funding round, ignition sequence start, all engine running. Investors are 7-Industries Holding, Bayern Kapital via its Scale Up Fund Bavaria, Earlybird Venture Capital, HV Capital, Lakestar, Lombard Odier Investment Managers, Porsche Automobil Holding SE (Porsche SE), UVC Partners, and Vsquared Ventures 100 m € for IntegrityNextThe company has been bootstrapped for seven years, but now IntegrityNext takes €100 million from EQT Growth fund. Razor Group Raises 88 M US$Berlin-based Razor Group, an e-commerce aggregator, closes Series C at $88M at $1.2B valuation, acquires Stryze to consolidate. Tado Raises Money, As IPO Plans FalterSmart thermostat startup Tado wanted to IPO but then came Corona and Ukraine. They originally wanted to explore a sale or IPO after their 2021 fundraising, but the SPAC deal faltered and they needed to adapt. So they raised 46.9 M US$. Their existing investors already include Siemens, Amazon, and EON. SAP To Invest In AI Startup Aleph AlphaGerman 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 FlyAirtaxi 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... | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - March 2023 | 30 Mar 2023 | 00:31:15 | |
Intro Welcome to our March 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: The top news, followed by a bird’s eye view at the startup ecosystem, next deeper looking at fascinating startup cities, and we end with general information. And for those serious about startups, there is a collection called: Stay ahead of the curve, where we share exciting reads, articles, studies, and podcasts. Welcome to our startup news wrap-up for March with Chris from New York City and Joe from Frankfurt. We recorded this news episode on March 27th, 2023. A little disclaimer: You may have noticed a lot of stress in February here at Startuprad.io. We should have remembered a few news items in our backlog and added them to this episode. All news not yet included here will be published in our next news episode for April, to be published on April 27th. Find all links to the quoted information on our Medium blog link below. If you celebrate it: Happy Easter! We also try to bring you a bit of culture from Germany here. Our Highlights:Good news and bad news for Fintechs Raisin and N26. Raisin gets its unicorn status back and gets a lot of new business, so much in fact that the complaints at Bafin are mounting. N26 generated 200 mn € revenue in 2021 but has to deal with a senior employee uprising. Neobank Ruuky is saved last minute. Startup Bonify reportedly makes a 20 mn € exit, but employees only get invited to a barbeque. GoStudent is a no-go with courts, and the first Goldman-backed fintech in Germany struggles. Bavarian Airlines may be just a hoax, and Grover shows the first signs on their way to an IPO. Let’s talk startups: Tune in to our Internet Radio Station here: Subscribe HereFind all options to subscribe to our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel, or listen to our internet radio station here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our EnablersThis 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.comThe best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/ Find Us on NewslyNewsly gathers the most trending web articles, reads them in a natural human voice, and showcases trending podcasts from over 80 countries. Newsly was recently selected by BestStartup.ca as one of the top 15 consumer apps in Canada and got to the top 3 daily products on Product Hunt. Register here: www.newsly.me and use the coupon code “STARTUPRAD” to get a one-month free premium subscription. Top NewsGood News and Bad News at RaisinThe rising interest... | |||
| How Startups Can Use GenAI Without Breaking GDPR or Trust | 14 Aug 2025 | 00:48:10 | |
Startups love GenAI. But most founders are using it unsafely — and exposing their team, their customers, and their legal risk without even realizing it. In this episode of Startuprad.io, we sat down with Dennis Traub, AI Engineering Specialist at AWS, to unpack what safe adoption of Generative AI really means for founders, CTOs, and product leads. Dennis introduces the “Artificial Intern” framework — a practical way for startups to implement GenAI without hallucinations, GDPR violations, or broken trust. He walks us through where to start, what not to do, and how to pick your very first AI use case. 🚀 Meet Our SponsorAWS Startups is a proud sponsor of this week’s episode of Startuprad.io. Visit startups.aws to find out how AWS can help you prove what’s possible in your industry. The AWS Startups team comprises former founders and CTOs, venture capitalists, angel investors, and mentors ready to help you prove what’s possible. Since 2013, AWS has supported over 280,000 startups across the globe and provided $7Billion in credits through the AWS Activate program. Big ideas feel at home on AWS, and with access to cutting-edge technologies like generative AI, you can quickly turn those ideas into marketable products. Want your own AI-powered assistant? Try Amazon Q. Want to build your own AI products? Privately customize leading foundation models on Amazon Bedrock. Want to reduce the cost of AI workloads? AWS Trainium is the silicon you’re looking for. Whatever your ambitions, you’ve already had the idea, now prove it’s possible on AWS. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups to get started. 📌 What you’ll learn in this episode:
Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio 💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8 💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups — February 2023 | 23 Feb 2023 | 00:22:44 | |
Welcome to our February 2023 wrap-up with the 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 interesting startup cities and end with general news. And for those of you who are really serious about startups, there is even a collection called: Stay ahead of the curve where we share interesting reads, articles, studies, and podcasts. Welcome to our startup news wrap-up for February 2023 by Startuprad.io with Chris from New York City and Joe from Frankfurt. We recorded this news episode on February 21st, 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. Our Highlights:Rising interest rates are leading to an interest rate war between the neobrokers. We covered the troubled company Windeln.de, which is now liquidated. Farewell! Moonfare extended it’s Series C funding to more than 130 m US$, but we are not sure who invested in the last batch, since a fund is mentioned, that was also founded by Moonfare’s founder. The City of Mainz goes live with its quest to become a world-class biotech hub. N26 was reportedly in advanced talks to buy dutch broker Bux, but buxed out shortly before the closing. AAAAAAnd, we like to end on a high note: Raising is in the process of reclaiming its unicorn status with new funding. We have also some event recommendations for you and discounts from 20% to 100% for the events listed in our show notes. Let’s talk startups: Our EnablersThis recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network HessenLook for our dedicated sub-podcast in partnership with them: Tech Startups Germany on our https://linktr.ee/startupradio Top NewsNeobrokers Just Started — What May Be An Interest Rate War (Chris)After german unicorn Trade Republic had a smashing success with offering 2% interest for money deposited there now also fellow unicorn Scalable offers even 2,3%, BUT only from 100k € on and only if you are a subscriber (4.99/month) Farewell Windeln.deWe have often talked in our news about the precarious position of windeln.de. Now it is finally liquidated Who Extended Moonfare’s Series C?Moonfare is a fintech from Germany, allows individuals to invest in Private Equity Funds, founded by former KKR Germany Head Steffen Pauls. They cap their Series C extension round at about $15M, bringing its Series C funding to $130 million+ the Berlin-based fintech allows HNWI, family offices, banks, and their advisor's access to top-tier private markets investments. BUT German business magazin Manager Magazin reports that for this extension the only investor mentioned by name is one that Mr. Pauls has co-founded. You can find his profile at 7 Global Capital here on their website as Managing Partner and Founder. City of Mainz Starts to Invest some of Their Billions in the BioTech HubYou may remember that we told you the story of Mainz? A lovely city with a normal annual budget of 100 million Euros, the capital of one of Germany’s states. Since they are also the headquarters of BioNTech they got flooded with tax revenues as soon as the corona vaccine was rolled out. They showed more than 1 bn € profit as a city in 2021 alone and they want to invest the money to become a world-class biotech hub. Now the company they want to... | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - January 2023 | 26 Jan 2023 | 00:25:58 | |
Happy 2023, as well as a happy Chinese New Year of the Rabbit. 2023 Chris and Joe will again bring you startup news once a month (with a small summer break) wrapping up what was going on — and we found noteworthy — in the GSA / DACH startups scene. Our Highlights:WeFox is under fire for growing with acquisitions of insurance broker pools, BioNTech makes largest acquisition in its history, DeepL confirms unicorn status and snipes at Grammarly, Solarisbank in trouble with BaFin, Trade Republic has to disclose numbers and Sono Motors gets longer runway with EU money. Let’s talk startups: Subscribe HereFind all options to subscribe to our newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel or listen to our internet radio station here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Our EnablersInvest-in-HessenThis show was made possible by Hessen Trade and Invest with their brand Invest-in-Hessen. You can learn more about them here (https://www.invest-in-hessen.com/). We also run a dedicated sub-podcast with all interviews and news in cooperation with them. Look for Tech Startups Germany here: https://linktr.ee/startupradio Startupraven.comThe best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: Top NewsWeFox got some splaining to do 🙂Extensive, but not favorable coverage of insurtech Wefox came out this month. The main complaints are that the growth is basically driven by acquiring existing pools of insurance brokers (not really what you would associate with an insurtech startup). They made that way 600 million Euros in revenue in 2022. But these pools do not get innovative systems from WeFox, or innovative insurance offers from them, they just keep working. Also, there has been no innovative product that really drove the growth at WeFox as an innovative unicorn BioNTech makes the largest acquisition to dateBioNTech may be one of Germany’s most successful startup companies. We talked about it in our news before, the company alone is responsible for approximately half a percentage point of Germany’s GDP Growth in 2021 — Keep in mind that Germany is the 4th largest country in the world by nominal GDP. Here is the new piece: Mainz-based pharma company BioNTech (famous for their corona vaccine) makes the largest acquisition in its history with UK-based AI startup Instadeep Related: BioNTech’s founder on the future of mRNA technology Cologne-based DeepL confirms unicorn status and snipes at GrammarlyDeepL takes aim at Grammarly with the launch of Write, to clean up your prose. Related: Cologne-based translation tool DeepL confirms unicorn valuation for their 2022 fundraising of 100 mn US$ Solarisbank joins N26 in Troubles with BaFinBafin is Germany’s bank oversight body (think FSA or SEC). They have already limited the number of customers N26 can acquire due to lapses in following regulations (especially AML), now Solarisbank is in too: “Solarisbank in Germany can now only get new partners (fintech clients) with permission of German finance oversight BaFin, due to continuing problems. BaFin also sends an “observer” Trade Republic UpdatesTrade Republic generates more than 1 bn Euros inflows of new client money with 2% interest rate offer and a lot of favorable press coverage. Also, Trade Republic has to publish their numbers: There is a legal requirement in Germany to publish your balance sheet 12 months after your business... | |||
| Bonus: What We Know About the FTX Collapse? | 26 Dec 2022 | 00:35:30 | |
Executive Summary In this bonus episode of our expert interview series, Antonio Fatas, Professor of Economics at INSEAD, joins us to provide insights into the current situation with FTX. We've gathered a good deal of information about the collapse so far but there is still much that remains unknown. We delved into some of the known facts surrounding FTX and pondered together on what could happen in the future. It's clear from our discussion that FTX was not a regulated financial institution, and also had its own unique challenges. We'll be keeping an eye out for more developments related to FTX as time goes on to see what other lessons we can learn. I do believe there are other places where entities are insolvent, we just have not seen it yet.Antonio Fatas, Professor of Economics Subscribe HereWe are always sharing new resources with you. Find all of our options below. https://linktr.ee/startupradio FTX suffered from bad management and likely fraud as wellAntonio Fatas, Professor of EconomicsBackgroundAs crypto continues to grow into a new and important market, the digital asset industry has been rocked by the sudden collapse of one of its biggest crypto exchanges - FTX. Led by crypto personality Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX had previously been ranked as the world’s third-biggest crypto exchange in terms of trading volume, so its downfall came as quite a shock to crypto investors. This news is sure to cause ripples throughout the crypto industry for a long time, and it serves as another reminder that despite its rising popularity, crypto remains an unpredictable and high-risk gamble. Regulators may now have a different view on the risks and regulations of crypto. Antonio Fatas, Professor of Economics
This event echoed Mt Gox’s downfall although the underlying problem was quite different. Unlike Mt. Gox which fell victim to hack, FTX merely could not keep up with the sudden demand for withdrawals caused by investors who were losing faith in the platform. The resulting effect sent FTT, their native token, tumbling and kicked off a domino effect causing customers to rush out of the exchange and further crippling its ability to sustain itself, leading inevitably to its demise. I find it very revealing that these tokens that are supposed to work with high inflation, because the central banks are all crazy but this is the way to hold on to your purchasing power. Now that we have inflation, they are collapsing. That to me is a really red flag.Antonio Fatas, Professor of EconomicsBitcoin crashed, Ethereum crashed, and almost every other major token did the same. Then Binance stepped in, with the world’s number one exchange announcing it would buy FTX and ensure everyone gets repaid. But just as soon as the market settled, Binance announced a U-turn, saying the situation at FTX was beyond recovery.
The implications from the complase of FTX will be felt for crypto for the coming years in more an thougher regulations. That is why we will follow the story. We start with a discussion of the situation with our guest. Professor Fatas. The Expert Antonio is an influential professor of economics with an impressive set of credentials. With a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University and a research fellowship at the Centre for Economic and Policy Research in London, he brings broad expertise to his job as a Professor of Economics... | |||
| This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups - December 2022 | 22 Dec 2022 | 00:26:05 | |
Welcome to This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups, our startup news wrap-up for December 2022 by Startuprad.io with Chris from New York City and Joe from Frankfurt. We recorded this news episode on December 19th, 2022. Keep in mind, this news episode covers everything since our last news episode. As always: All news not yet included here will be published in our next news episode, which will be January 2023, the first news for 2023. Guys, another year is over! Find all links to the quoted news on our Medium blog, link below Our Highlights:Enpal makes huge fundraising in the current environment, more than 800 mn €. Sennder doubles its valuation in the next funding round to 2 bn US$ and has already 60 mn commitments. The funding environment may be bleak, but investors announced new funds for VC and PE investments worth 3.1 bn US$ targeting startups and scaleups in GSA or Europe. One blog asks if the time of Rocket Internet is over, Matter Labs raises 200 mn, a big heist drives a startup into insolvency and Getir buys Gorillas for 1,2 bn US$, a far cry from Gorillas' former 3 bn US$ valuation. Let's talk startups: Top News Enpal FundraisingEnpal could double its valuation in the new funding round. Berlin-based unicorn Enpal closes €855 million in debt funding to accelerate the adoption of solar energy. Sennder Raises New Funds At Double ValuationDigital forwarder unicorn Sennder is raising new money, at a 2 bn US$ valuation. According to the report, they already have 60m commitments. Fundraising For VCs Went Quite Well - More Than 3.1 bn Euros Worth of New Investment Funds Have Been ClosedThe largest is EQT Ventures. It has Money if your startup needs it: EQT Ventures III closes Europe's largest venture capital fund committed to early-stage tech startups. The money will go to early-stage startups in Europe and North America. For more funds, wait for our later section with new fund announcements. A service for our audience: Learn more and send in pitches here: https://eqtgroup.com/current-portfolio/funds/eqt-ventures-iii
"Mucho trouble over at Rocket Internet," wrote Robin Wauters in his readworthy newsletter for Tech.eu. The article asks if their era is over. Staff cuts and investment stop point in that direction.
Jung von Matt publishes their annual GERMAN STARTUP BRAND RANKING Some of the top 50 startup brands are known from our news: About You, Flink, Numa Group, getquin, Vivid, Flaschenpost, Tier Mobility, Zolar, Enpal, Sono Motors, Trade Republic
Matter Labs, the Berlin, Germany-based developer of zkSync, a solution that reduces the cost of Ethereum transactions, raised $200M in Series C funding https://buff.ly/3UorChp
Berlin-based luxury watch marketplace Watchmaster was one of the largest marketplaces of its kind. After a spectacular robbery where 10 m € worth of watches have been stolen the company has to file for insolvency https://buff.ly/3Fi3qsG
First, this kind of news appeared: Getir will take over Gorillas soon - according to press reports. The negotiations have been dragging on for some time now. Then, we got the confirmation: Getir acquires German competitor Gorillas in $1.2 billion deal - where Gorillas was once valued at 3 bn... | |||