Explore every episode of the podcast Campus To Capital

What does it take to identify exceptional founders before the numbers exist, and win the right to back them in an increasingly competitive venture market?

In Episode 29, we sit down with Christian Meermann, Founding Partner at Cherry Ventures .

Christian shares how scaling Zalando across Europe shaped his view on growth, brand, distribution, and company building. We discuss how Cherry evaluates more than 10,000 startups each year, why team remains one of the most important investment criterion, and what separates genuine resilience from a strong-looking CV.

We also explore Cherry’s operator-led approach and how the fund supports founders with hiring, communications, fundraising, and execution.

The conversation covers Europe’s AI opportunity, sovereign infrastructure, hypergrowth valuations, technical founders, and why business graduates need deeper technical understanding in an AI-native world.

Many thanks to Christian for such an insightful conversation!!

What does it take to outpace a wave of well-funded competitors and build one of the fastest-growing AI startups?

In Episode 28, we sit down with Dennis May, former Associate at Lakestar and now Chief of Staff at Peec AI, one of Germany’s fastest-growing AI startups.

Dennis shares why he left venture capital to join the operator side, what convinced him to bet on Peec, and what the Chief of Staff role looks like inside a company scaling at exceptional speed. We discuss Peec’s journey from zero to €10 million ARR, its expansion into New York, and how the company is helping brands understand and improve their visibility across AI search engines.

We also explore the shift from traditional SEO to Generative Engine Optimization, the defensibility of AI application-layer companies, AI-native workflows, hiring at hypergrowth startups, and the reality behind Peec’s high-intensity culture.

Dennis also reflects on what he learned moving from investor to operator and shares his advice for founders trying to build something truly ambitious.

Many thanks to Dennis for joining us.

Why do nearly half of European household assets still sit in cash while retail investors in the US continue compounding wealth through the markets?

This week we sat down with Maximilian Meyer, Chief Marketing Officer of Scalable Capital, one of Europe’s leading investment platforms with more than one million clients and over €50 billion in assets.

Before joining Scalable, Max founded his own startup in his early twenties and later worked at Fidelity International, giving him a perspective that combines entrepreneurship, institutional finance, and modern fintech growth.

In this conversation, we explore how Scalable is trying to change investing behavior across Europe - not just through products, but through branding, education, and cultural relevance.

We talk about:

• ​Why Europe still struggles with a deeply rooted cash-saving culture
• ​Building trust in financial services and making investing accessible
• ​The psychology behind retail investing and first-time investors
• ​Scalable’s bold billboard campaigns and the strategy behind controversy
• ​Why out-of-home advertising still matters in a digital world
• ​The role of YouTube, finfluencers, and financial education
• ​Expanding a fintech brand across different European markets
• ​AI, personalization, and the future of financial communication

Many thanks to Max for the insightful conversation.

Why is hardware still dramatically harder to build than software?

This week we sat down with David Stålmarck, Co-Founder & CTO of Atech, one of the most exciting early-stage hardware startups coming out of Scandinavia right now.

Backed by Lovable, Nordic Makers, Emblem, and scout-linked capital connected to Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz, Atech is tackling a problem that has existed for decades: while software has gone through massive abstraction waves, hardware development is still constrained by complexity, tooling, and long iteration cycles.

In this conversation, we explore whether hardware could go through a similar transformation to software, and what happens if building physical products suddenly becomes dramatically more accessible.

We talk about:

• Why hardware never experienced the same abstraction wave as software
• The biggest bottlenecks in modern hardware development
• Why "Hackathon Maxxing" and Building in Public is Key
• Building a software-like UX for physical products
• The role of AI in hardware development
• Physical AI, robotics, and the next computing wave
• Working with Lovable and lessons from modern developer tools
• The realities of building a deep-tech startup in Europe

Many thanks to David for the highly technical and thoughtful conversation.

Now available on all major platforms.

Why are organizations still structured around management principles that are thousands of years old?

This week we sat down with Niels Martin Brøchner, Founder of Paradox, a Danish startup building what might become one of the most ambitious infrastructure layers in enterprise software.

Backed by SpeedInvest and already working with leading Danish companies, Paradox is tackling a problem most organizations feel every day but rarely describe clearly: context fragmentation -> the idea that meaning, priorities, and understanding drift as information moves through layers of an organization.

Instead of building another productivity tool, Paradox is trying to fundamentally rethink how companies align, communicate, and make decisions.

In this conversation, we explore what happens when organizations move beyond static workflows and toward continuously connected organizational intelligence.

We talk about:

• Why most companies still operate on outdated organizational structures

• The hidden cost of context fragmentation inside large organizations

• What Paradox and Apppa actually do in practice

• The idea behind the “Organizational World Model”

• Why enterprise alignment is becoming one of the biggest software opportunities

• The overlap between AI, knowledge systems, and leadership

• Trust, security, and handling highly sensitive organizational data

• How AI could fundamentally reshape leadership and decision-making

• Building deep-tech enterprise software in Europe

• Advice for students and young founders entering tech

Many thanks to Niels for the thoughtful and highly ambitious conversation.

Now available on all major platforms.

What happens when universities move beyond teaching entrepreneurship and start shaping it?

This week we sat down with Yerrie Kim, who holds degrees from Harvard and MIT and has worked across finance, consulting, and venture building, before recently taking on the role of Executive Director at the Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship.

At CSE, the ambition is not to replicate a VC fund or accelerator. Instead, it operates at the intersection of research, education and entrepreneurship; supporting founders while staying grounded in academic thinking and long-term impact.

In this conversation, we explore what that actually looks like in practice, and where universities can play a more meaningful role in building companies and ecosystems.

We talk about:

What differentiates university entrepreneurship from VC and accelerators

The role of research in shaping entrepreneurial thinking

Why US universities continue to outperform in producing top innovators

Whether business schools risk losing relevance in the age of AI and deep tech

How to prepare founders for increasingly competitive venture environments

Europe’s ambition to strengthen its innovation ecosystem

Making entrepreneurship accessible beyond the “already entrepreneurial”

Many thanks to Yerrie for the thoughtful and forward-looking conversation.

🎧 Now available on all major platforms.

What does it take to back the most ambitious technology companies before the breakthrough?

This week we sat down with Hendrik Brandis, Co-Founder and General Partner at Earlybird VC and one of Europe’s most experienced venture capitalists. After starting his career as an aerospace engineer and later moving through consulting, Hendrik co-founded Earlybird nearly three decades ago and has since helped finance some of Europe’s most important technology companies.

In this conversation we explore how venture capital actually works behind the scenes - from sourcing founders long before they become visible to the market, to evaluating deep tech opportunities where the biggest uncertainty is technical feasibility rather than market demand. 

We talked about:

• The role of AI and data in sourcing, screening and investment decisions

• Why deep tech investing requires a fundamentally different due diligence mindset

• Europe’s persistent gap between world-class research and global category leaders

• Whether Europe is building the capital stack needed to compete with the US

• The reopening of IPO markets and what it means for venture exits

• Career advice for students interested in technology and venture capital

Many thanks to Hendrik for the thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation.

🎧 Now available on all major platforms!

How should a European business school position itself in a world shaped by AI and geopolitical fragmentation?

This week we sat down with Peter Møllgaard, President (Rektor) at Copenhagen Business School.

From his early career in economic research and public policy to leading one of Europe’s most international business schools, Peter reflects on how universities are evolving in an era of technological acceleration and political uncertainty. We explore whether business schools risk becoming irrelevant in an AI-driven economy, how small open economies like Denmark navigate global power shifts, and what universities must do to remain both competitive and responsible.

We talk about:

• The changing role of university leadership in a politicized and technologized world
• Economic power, tariffs, and fragmentation beyond the headlines
• CBS’s positioning as a European alternative to US-style MBA models
• The growing dominance of AI and STEM and what that means for business education
• Redesigning education in the age of generative AI
• Supporting international students in an increasingly complex global job market
• The responsibility of universities in climate and long-term policy debates

Many thanks to Peter for the thoughtful and forward-looking conversation.

🎧 Now available on all major platforms
PS: Here is Peter’s Podcast Recommendation: https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class

How do you invest in founders before there’s a company, a product - or even an idea?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Michael Wiatr Aagaard, General Partner at @ Antler, one of the world’s most active early-stage investors with more than 1,300 portfolio companies across 27 global locations.

Michael shares his journey from real estate finance and consulting into entrepreneurship - and eventually into backing founders at the very beginning of their journey. We explore how Antler identifies outliers before the market does, how risk is managed on the left side of the J-curve, and why the Nordics are becoming a critical hub for Europe’s next generation of founders.

We talk about:

• From operator to investor: how founder experience shapes investment judgment
• Identifying high-potential founders at the idea stage
• Antler’s €4.5m commitment to Danish startups and the role of Copenhagen in Europe
• Investing at scale without sacrificing quality
• AI as both a startup enabler and an investor tool
• Climate tech, AI, and building companies with real-world impact
• Why founders are getting younger — and how Antler helps them scale faster
• Exit thinking in an era of longer private market cycles
• Differences (and similarities) between Danish and Swedish startup ecosystems
• Leveraging Antler’s global network to accelerate growth

Many thanks to Michael for joining the conversation.

🎧 Now available on all major platforms.

How do you turn millions of financial data points into faster, more objective investment decisions?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Deniz Schütz, CEO & Co-Founder of StrategyBridgeAI, a fintech startup automating data-driven business analysis for private equity funds, M&A advisors, and consultants. Before founding StrategyBridgeAI, Deniz worked at institutions like UniCredit and Amundi - exactly the environments where he experienced first-hand how slow, manual, and subjective financial analysis can become at scale.

In our conversation, we explore how StrategyBridgeAI uses AI to benchmark companies against peers, validate management forecasts, and support buy-side decisions across M&A and private credit, all while operating in an increasingly regulated environment.

We talk about:

• Deniz’s journey from large financial institutions to founding an AI-native fintech startup

• How StrategyBridgeAI processes millions of financial data points into objective analytical reports

• Real-world use cases in M&A and private credit, including identifying undervalued mid-market opportunities

• How AI is reshaping workflows in M&A — between efficiency gains and headcount implications

• The rebound in global M&A activity and the rise of private credit as a key growth engine

• What the EU AI Act means for financial AI tools, especially in deal screening and credit assessment

• Scaling StrategyBridgeAI after an oversubscribed seven-figure pre-seed round

• Building a high-performance team in Munich as an emerging European finance hub

• Key AI trends young professionals in finance should be paying attention to

A deep dive into the intersection of AI, M&A, private markets, and regulation.

Many thanks to Deniz for joining the conversation.

Now available on all major platforms.

The past years reshaped Europe more than any decade since the end of the Cold War: war returned, energy systems fractured, AI accelerated, and political extremes gained ground. We spoke with someone who stood at the center of these shifts: Robert Habeck, former German Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Recorded just months after leaving office, this conversation goes far beyond headlines.

We discuss Europe’s execution gap and regulatory identity, the tensions between short-term energy decisions and long-term climate goals, and whether real strategic autonomy in energy and technology is achievable. We explore Draghi’s competitiveness agenda, Europe’s response to the IRA and China, and what it would take to prevent a deep-tech exodus.

We also talk about the war in Ukraine and how it reshaped long-held Green ideas on pacifism; Europe’s role in a fragmenting global order; the rising electricity needs of AI and data centres; and the question of whether next-generation nuclear must return to Europe’s strategic debate.

Finally, Robert reflects on leadership under pressure, stepping out of the “corset” of Berlin politics, his message to Gen Z, and whether he could imagine returning to political office.

An unusually open conversation about power, responsibility, uncertainty & the future of Europe.

Now available on all major platforms.

How do you turn study stress into study success - for millions of students worldwide?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Kim Rants, Founder & CEO of Alice.tech, the Y Combinator-backed EdTech startup that’s redefining how students learn and teachers teach through generative AI. Kim began his career as one of the youngest Engagement Managers at McKinsey, taught for over a decade, and now leads one of Europe’s fastest-growing AI education companies.

Released just 1 day after the launch of Alice 2.0, this episode dives deep into the company’s next chapter and what the future of AI-driven education will look like.

We talk about:

• The journey from academia and consulting to building a YC-backed EdTech rocketship
• How Alice.tech is personalizing learning at scale - from ingesting raw course materials to generating tailored quizzes and flashcards
• The story behind Alice 2.0 and how it builds on hyper user growth and €4.2 million in recent funding
• The dual-market strategy of empowering both students and educators through one adaptive AI platform
• How user-generated content and tools like Superscale AI could reshape Marketing
• Navigating a post-pandemic EdTech landscape - and what that means for sustainable growth
• Why brand, trust, and design matter when building an AI-native education platform
• Lessons from Kim’s leadership journey and his advice for the next generation of tech entrepreneurs

Many thanks to Kim for joining us - we really enjoyed the very authentic conversation.

How do you decarbonize a country’s heat supply from the ground up?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Herbert Pohl, Founder & CEO of Deutsche Erdwärme and former Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, to explore how deep geothermal energy can become a scalable pillar of the energy transition.

We talk about:

- The full life cycle of a geothermal project – from site selection to drilling to operations

- How risk assessments work in multi-million-euro projects with geological uncertainty

- The economics of geothermal development: capital costs, funding models, and policy alignment

- What 16 years at McKinsey taught him about leadership, decision-making, and navigating complexity

- Building interdisciplinary teams that connect engineering, finance, and sustainability

- Lessons from transitioning from consulting to founding a clean energy company

A deep dive into the intersection of energy, finance, and technology and what it takes to make geothermal energy bankable at scale.

Many thanks to Herbert for joining the conversation!

Presented by our partner Timeless Investments.

How is technology reshaping the future of asset management?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Joseph Pinto, CEO of M&G Investment Management, to discuss how one of Europe’s leading investment firms navigates transformation across technology, sustainability, and leadership.

From his early career in at AXA Investment Managers to global executive roles at Natixis and now M&G, Joseph shares key insights on:

• How AI and automation are redefining investment processes and client engagement
• Integrating ESG across public and private markets while balancing performance and purpose
• The differences between public and private markets – and how multi-asset strategies connect both worlds
• Building trust and accountability in global teams
• The core skills and mindsets young professionals need to thrive in finance today

A conversation on innovation, integrity, and long-term thinking in a rapidly evolving financial world.

Many thanks to Joseph for joining the conversation!

Ever wondered how venture capital can scale smarter with technology and community?
In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Bastian R. Larsen, Founder & CEO of BlackWood Ventures, to unpack how AI, data, and a strong angel community are reshaping early-stage investing in Europe.
From working on the globally fastest growing hedge fund at BlackRock to launching his own VC fund, Bastian shares the operator lessons and contrarian lens behind building BlackWood.

We talk about:
• The founder’s lens: what it takes to launch a first-time fund in a cold market
• AI in venture: separating noise from signal in thousands of startups
• When conviction beats the algorithm – and why it matters
• Designing a community-driven portfolio strategy at scale
• Where contrarian alpha is hiding across European venture markets
• Lessons from Oxford, HEC & Inhouse Research
• Career advice for students and young professionals entering VC

A conversation on rethinking venture capital – powered by intelligence, strengthened by community, built for Europe’s next generation of founders.

Many thanks to Bastian for joining the conversation!

Ever wondered how to scale real-world innovation without the hype?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Laurits Bach Sørensen, Co-Founder of Nordic Alpha Partners, to unpack economic sustainability and the operator playbook behind Europe’s industrial reboot.

From BCSA (Better, Cheaper, Simpler, Available) to GP/CoE, Laurits shows how fundamentals - not buzzwords - drive adoption, profitability, and impact.

We talk about:

• ​The operator lens: why execution beats slideware
• ​Changing the Math: practical models for engineered hypergrowth
• ​BCSA model & how to apply it tomorrow
• ​Value creation beyond topline: ROIC, efficiency, and defensible moats
• ​Europe’s edge in hard-tech: recycling, advanced manufacturing, hydrogen
• ​Talent, capital stacks, policy - what Europe really needs next
• ​Career advice for students who want to be builders, not just analysts

A conversation on turning hard-tech into market leaders - grounded in fundamentals, built for scale.

Many thanks to Laurits for joining the conversation!

NAP: https://www.nordicalpha.com/

Changing The Math: https://www.changing-the-math.com/

Did you ever wonder how interspecies communication really works?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we speak with Fiona Korwin-Pawlowski, Chief Strategy & Programs Officer at Project CETI - a research initiative that uses cutting-edge AI to decode the communication system of sperm whales.

Fiona shares insights from a career spanning humanitarian work at UNICEF and Global Citizen to leading strategy at CETI, where science, technology, and ethics meet.

We talk about:

- How AI is applied in large-scale ocean research

- What studying whales teaches us about language, empathy, and intelligence

- Why oceans deserve more attention in the climate and tech debate

- The challenges of measuring success in research beyond KPIs

- Advice for students interested in working at the intersection of tech, research, and global impact

An episode that shows how AI can expand our understanding of communication - not only between humans, but across species.

Many thanks to Fiona for joining the conversation!

Presented by our partner Timeless Investments.

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Andreas Schwarzenbrunner – General Partner at Speedinvest and one of Europe’s leading voices in early-stage venture capital.

But this conversation goes far beyond term sheets and cap tables.
With a background in politics and a deep focus on industrial and climate tech, Andreas shares what it truly takes to build globally competitive startups in Europe.

We talk about:

• What politics can learn from venture capital – and vice versa

• The role of AI-powered robotics, simulation, and predictive maintenance

• Europe’s urgent need for smarter capital, talent mobility, and visa reforms

• The story behind Speedinvest’s “Build in Europe” initiative

• Where we are in the AI hype cycle

• Where AI can drive real value in industrial sector

This episode is a deep dive into Europe’s innovation landscape – and what it takes to lead the next frontier of tech.

Many thanks to Andreas for joining the conversation – and for sharing his vision for Europe’s tech future.

Presented by our partner Timeless Investments.

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Ruben Benjamin – a German visual artist whose sculptural, three-dimensional works are collected and exhibited from Seoul to Los Angeles.

But this conversation goes far beyond aesthetics.

Recorded on-site at Ruben’s studio in Munich, this episode captures not only his voice but also the atmosphere of his creative environment – from raw materials to finished pieces.

Ruben shares how he built a successful, international artist brand without ever attending art school – drawing instead on his background in mechanical engineering, technology, and business.

We talk about:

• What it means to “become” an artist in 2025

• Why Ruben calls his works sculptures for walls, not paintings

• The business side of art: pricing, scaling, and commercial influence

• How brand collaborations (e.g. Vacheron Constantin) work behind the scenes

• Navigating the fine line between content and creation in the age of Instagram

• His views on AI, NFTs, and new materials reshaping the art world

• And what it takes to stand out – without selling out

This episode is a deep dive into creative autonomy, brand building, and the power of visual storytelling.Many thanks to Ruben for sharing his journey – and for welcoming us into his studio.

Presented by Timeless Investments.

In episode 10 of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Jonas Gjørup Larsen, CFO at Bitpanda, to explore what it takes to build resilient financial structures in a rapidly evolving fintech landscape. As the company transitions from a crypto trading app to a full-stack investment infrastructure provider, Jonas offers a rare inside look into the financial strategy behind Bitpanda’s growth—and what the future of digital assets might hold.

From embedded finance and real-world asset tokenization to navigating regulation and unlocking institutional demand, this episode dives deep into the mindset and mechanics of fintech leadership.

Key Takeaways:

• Why the modern CFO in fintech needs to master both financial discipline and innovation
• How Bitpanda balances agility with long-term resilience in the fast-moving digital asset space
• The financial logic behind Bitpanda’s B2B growth engine—and partnerships with brands like N26 and FC Bayern
• Why MiCA is both a challenge and a competitive edge for regulated players in Europe
• What makes a successful sports partnership from a CFO’s perspective
• Why it is smart to hold one Do&Co stock
• How Jonas views the convergence of retail and institutional demand in crypto
• The role Bitpanda wants to play in the tokenization of real-world assets
• What students should focus on if they want to enter fintech today—and what qualities Jonas looks for when hiring
• Which Bitpanda job Jonas like to try for a week

From strategy to culture, from market regulation to innovation, Jonas shares sharp insights and bold perspectives on the next chapter of finance.

A huge thank you to Jonas for joining us and sharing his journey with our audience!

🎁 Special Offer from Our Partner:Get a €10 welcome bonus with Timeless Investments! Sign up here: ⁠timeless-investments.de/financepodcast⁠

About Timeless Investments: Europe’s leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art—making alternative investments accessible to everyone.

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with David Höhl, Co-Founder and CEO of Phoenix Alpha Capital – a newly launched hedge fund focused on Europe’s overlooked small and midcaps.

David shares a rare, inside look at what it takes to build a hedge fund from scratch: from legal structure and fundraising to investment philosophy and day-to-day operations. Drawing on his background in venture capital and public markets, David explains how early-stage investing shaped his approach to identifying underappreciated opportunities.

We also explore how writing publicly through his Substack Simple Alpha has helped him sharpen his thinking, build trust, and stand out in the world of capital allocation.

Key Takeaways:

• How to build and structure a hedge fund in 2025
• Why small and midcaps are one of the biggest inefficiencies in European public markets
• How David raised $1.8 million and put in personal capital to align with LPs
• The mechanics of fund setup: regulation, custody, compliance, daily ops
• Why his early investment in About You shaped how he sees opportunity
• The role of writing (Simple Alpha) in building credibility and discipline
• Advice for future fund managers and thoughtful young investors

If you’ve ever wondered how hedge funds actually get started—this episode is for you.

🎧 Now available on all major platforms

A huge thank you to David for joining us and sharing his story with the Campus To Capital audience.

🎁 Special Offer from Our Partner:
Get a €10 welcome bonus with Timeless Investments! Sign up here: timeless-investments.de/financepodcast

About Timeless Investments:
Europe’s leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art—making alternative investments accessible to everyone.

In this episode of Campus to Capital, we sit down with Eddie Opara, Partner at Pentagram and one of the most influential figures in contemporary design. From early drawings in church pews to reshaping global brands like the High Line, Eddie’s story is one of boundary-pushing creativity, cross-disciplinary thinking, and cultural impact.

This episode explores the personal journey, design philosophy and future vision of a designer who believes in systems just as much as spontaneity.

Key Takeaways:

• How Eddie’s early exposure to architecture, music, and management shaped his creative mindset
• What makes Pentagram’s partnership model so unique—and how it fuels collaboration
• How to balance creative autonomy with corporate expectations
• Why AI and data are both tools and challenges for tomorrow’s designers
• Core principles Eddie applies when building emotional brand identities
• What excites him about shaping design accessibility through Canva
• How the next generation of designers are different—and what they urgently need to learn

From London to New York, from Yale to Pentagram, Eddie shares powerful insights into what it takes to build lasting design systems and why mindset matters more than medium.

A huge thank you to Eddie for joining us and sharing his journey with our audience!

Special Offer from Our Partner: Get a €10 welcome bonus with Timeless Investments! Sign up here: timeless-investments.de/financepodcast
About Timeless Investments: Europe’s leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art—making alternative investments accessible to everyone.

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Torsten Slok, Chief Economist at Apollo Global Management and one of the most respected macro thinkers on Wall Street. With previous roles at the IMF, OECD, and Deutsche Bank, Torsten brings a uniquely global and data-driven perspective on the economy.

The episode was originally recorded on April 14th, 2025. Please be aware that a lot has transpired in the financial markets since then. The content reflects the context and views as of the recording date.

Key Takeaways:

• ​Why the U.S. economy is “firing on all cylinders” despite high rates and inflation
• ​How Torsten solved the “Sherlock Holmes mystery” of interest rate sensitivity
• ​The impact of tariffs and trade policy on investment strategies
• ​Lessons from studying in Copenhagen vs. Princeton
• ​Why private markets matter for retirement portfolios
• ​What skills young professionals need to break into direct lending and asset-backed finance

Torsten shares deep insights on how macro trends influence capital markets - and what the next generation of economists and investors should pay attention to.

A huge thank you to Torsten for joining us and giving our audience such inclusive insights!

Special Offer from Our Partner: Get a €10 welcome bonus with Timeless Investments! Sign up here: ⁠⁠⁠timeless-investments.de/financepodcast⁠⁠⁠

About Timeless Investments: Timeless Investments is Europe’s leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art—making alternative investments accessible to everyone.

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we speak with Jonas Deichmann, world record-breaking extreme athlete, motivational speaker, and bestselling author. From cycling 18,000 km across Eurasia to completing the first triathlon around the world, Jonas’ mindset and approach to endurance are on a different level.

Key Takeaways:

• How to build extreme mental resilience – and stay calm in total chaos

• What solo world records teach you about discipline, fear, and freedom

• Why "quitting is not an option" – and how to build that mindset in business and life

• Lessons for founders, investors, and young professionals from endurance sports

• How to manage risk, uncertainty, and fatigue over long horizons

• Insights on goal-setting, inner motivation, and dealing with failure

• Thoughts on performance and the connection between body and mind

• What the corporate world can learn from ultra-endurance

Jonas shares raw and powerful stories from his most intense expeditions—and explains how anyone can train their mind for extreme performance.

A huge thank you to Jonas for joining us and inspiring our audience with his mindset!

Special Offer from Our Partner: Get a €10 welcome bonus with Timeless Investments! Sign up here: ⁠⁠timeless-investments.de/financepodcast⁠⁠

About Timeless Investments: Timeless Investments is Europe’s leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art—making alternative investments accessible to everyone.

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we speak with Simon Schmincke, General Partner at Creandum — one of Europe’s leading early-stage venture capital firms. Simon’s career path is marked by a rare blend of operating and investing: from launching HelloFresh in the U.S. to backing high-growth startups like Lemon Markets, Tide, and Topi.

Key Takeaways:

- Scaling HelloFresh in the U.S. market: operational complexity, logistics, and hyper-growth- Transitioning from founder to investor: lessons learned and mindset shifts- What Creandum looks for in fintech, SaaS, and consumer startups- The state of the European VC ecosystem and what needs to change- AI’s real impact on venture investing and startup performance- Thoughts on Klarna’s IPO and the broader exit environment in Europe- Advice for early-stage founders and aspiring venture capitalists

Simon shares unfiltered insights from both sides of the table—building and backing startups—and outlines what it really takes to succeed in today’s venture landscape.

Special Offer from Our Partner: Get a €10 welcome bonus with Timeless Investments! Sign up here: ⁠timeless-investments.de/financepodcast⁠

About Timeless Investments: Timeless Investments is Europe’s leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art—making alternative investments accessible to everyone.

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Joakim Bruchmann, CEO and Co-Founder of Pluto.market. Joakim's journey spans from trading at Goldman Sachs and Danske Bank to becoming a serial entrepreneur in the FinTech space.

Key Takeaways:

• Transition from Corporate to Startup: Joakim's decision to leave high-paying corporate roles to pursue entrepreneurship, including the challenges and sacrifices involved.

• Innovating in FinTech: Insights into building Pluto.markets, a platform aimed at simplifying investing and fostering a supportive community for young investors. ​

• Lessons from Trading: How experiences at Goldman Sachs and Danske Bank shaped his approach to risk, market analysis, and financial innovation.​

• Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Joakim shares valuable lessons on resilience, character development, and the importance of embracing failure on the entrepreneurial journey. ​

Special Offer from Our Partner: Get a €10 welcome bonus with Timeless Investments! Sign up here: timeless-investments.de/financepodcast

About Timeless Investments: Timeless Investments is Europe’s leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art—making alternative investments accessible to everyone.

Disclaimer! This episode is a special episode – it's in German - all of our future episodes will be in English.

In this episode, we sit down with Noah Leidinger, Managing Director of OMR X, bestselling author, and host of OHNE AKTIEN WIRD SCHWER, one of Germany’s most successful finance podcasts. We explore the world of finance, what it takes to make financial education engaging, and how young investors can navigate the markets effectively.

Noah shares insights from his experience producing over 1,000 finance episodes, along with his take on investment trends, VC investments, and the future of finance content.

Key Takeaways

• From podcasting to running OMR X – Noah’s career journey
• The biggest lessons from analyzing financial markets daily
• Why financial education needs a new approach
• Investment trends that will shape the next decade
• How to build and scale finance content successfully
• Noah’s perspective on startups, investing, and media innovation

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About Timeless Investments: Timeless Investments is Europe’s leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art – making alternative investments accessible to everyone.

In this episode, we sit down with Magnus Resch, serial entrepreneur, professor at Yale, and one of the world’s leading experts on the art market. We explore the business of art, how value is created in the market, and what it takes to succeed as an artist or investor.

Magnus shares insights on the economics the art market along with his take on how technology and data are reshaping the industry. 

Key Takeaways:

• The hidden economics of the art world – who really makes money?
• Why many artists fail in the market and how to succeed
• The role of data and AI in valuing artworks
• How to break into the business of art as a young professional
• Why the art market heavily relies on the upcoming generation
• How to become successful as an entrepreneur

Special Offer from our Partner : Get a €10 welcome bonus with Timeless Investments! Sign up here: timeless-investments.de/financepodcast

About: Timeless Investments is Europes leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art - making alternative investments accessible to everyone.

This episode is presented by Timeless Investments.

In our first Campus To Capital episode, we speak with Christian Kromann, former CEO of SimCorp and now executive board member for investment management solutions at Deutsche Börse Group, about the intersection of finance, technology and leadership.

He shares insights on navigating high-stakes M&A deals, the real impact of AI on investment management and why ESG and SaaS are reshaping the industry. Christian also reflects on key career decisions, the importance of strategic networking, and how young professionals can stand out in a competitive field.

Key Takeaways:

• ​Opportunities don’t wait – how to recognize and act on them at the right time
• ​Specialist or generalist? Why a mix of deep expertise and broad business understanding matters
• ​AI in investment management – overhyped trend or real game changer?
• ​Networking that works – why strong career connections come from quality, not quantity
• ​The next big shift in finance – how ESG and SaaS are transforming investment strategies

Special Offer from our Partner : Get a €10 welcome bonus with Timeless Investments! Sign up here: timeless-investments.de/financepodcast

About: Timeless Investments is Europes leading platform for fractional investing in high-value assets like luxury watches, rare sneakers, and fine art - making alternative investments accessible to everyone.