💳 FinTech Germany – Startups and Venture Capital – Details, episodes & analysis

🎙️ AI-Powered Angel Investing: DACH Secrets Revealed
In this must-listen episode, we sit down with Germany’s Business Angel of the Year, Carsten Kraus, to uncover powerful strategies, AI tools, and investment insights shaping the future of startup funding across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).

Whether you're a founder, investor, or just startup-curious, this conversation is your roadmap to understanding how to secure funding, leverage AI in pitching, and scale with smart capital.

💡 What You'll Learn:

• How AI is transforming startup evaluation: Carsten shares how he uses AI to pre-screen pitch decks, surface red flags, and make faster, smarter decisions.

• Funding beyond VCs: Learn how bootstrapping, crowdfunding, and strategic partnerships may better serve your startup’s growth path.

• DACH-specific insights: Explore regional nuances, challenges, and opportunities in the German-speaking startup ecosystem.

• What angel investors really look for: Get inside the mind of an award-winning business angel.

• Scaling tips from a serial founder: Learn Carsten’s proven methods for sustainable growth and global expansion.

🎧 Why You Should Listen:
If you're ready to:

• Pitch smarter using AI insights

• Explore VC alternatives that fit your growth stage

• Understand DACH region investors

• Secure funding and scale efficiently

… then this episode delivers direct insights from one of Europe’s most respected tech investors.

🎯 Sponsor:
Thanks to our partner Vanta – the automated compliance and security platform trusted by 9,000+ companies.
Get $1,000 off via our exclusive link: https://vanta.com/startupradio

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Full Blog Post → http://startuprad.io/post/decoding-business-angel-investment-ai-funding-strategies-dach-insights

• Guest: Carsten Kraus LinkedIn

• Startuprad.io: https://www.startuprad.io/

• BAND (German Business Angels Network): https://www.business-angels.de/

🕒 Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro

• 2:15 Carsten’s background

• 5:40 AI’s role in investing

• 12:00 Startup pitch red flags

• 18:30 Funding beyond VC

• 25:00 DACH startup ecosystem

• 32:00 Angel investor advice

• 40:00 Scaling smart

• 48:00 Future of investing

• 55:00 Sponsor: Vanta

• 57:00 Call to Action

• 58:00 Outro

💬 Call to Action:

• 💬 Leave a 5-star review if this helped you

Discover how AI is transforming the financial services industry!
In this episode, fintech futurist Paolo Sironi, IBM’s Global Research Leader for Banking and Capital Markets, joins Startuprad.io to unpack how artificial intelligence is evolving from back-end automation to full-scale transformation—reshaping retail, SME, and investment banking.

• The AI-Powered Bank: From chatbot to C-suite—how AI is redefining customer service, credit, and even organizational structure.

• SME Banking Disrupted: Tailored, data-driven banking solutions are finally reaching small and medium-sized enterprises.

• Wealth Management, Reimagined: Robo-advisors, personalized portfolios, and smarter investment strategies.

• Embedded Finance Explodes: Banking is now built into the apps you use every day.

• The Regulatory Tightrope: How ethical, transparent, and explainable AI is shaping the future of financial compliance.

👉 Download the banking and fintech strategy 2025 cheat sheet here: https://docsend.com/view/qywh6bwwuapnjkre

🎙️ Guest: Paolo Sironi — Fintech author, IBM researcher, and host of The Banker's Bookshelf
🎙️ Host: Jörn "Joe" Menninger — Founder & Editor, Startuprad.io
🧠 Based on: IBM 2025 Banking & Capital Markets Outlook

💬 Key Quotes

• “Every banker must be an AI risk manager.” – Paolo Sironi

• “AI is not about the best tech—it’s about using it best.”

• “Transparency builds trust.”

⏱️ Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro

• 02:54 – The Evolution of AI in Banking

• 11:40 – AI’s Impact on Banking Efficiency

• 13:56 – AI and SME Banking

• 18:54 – Capital Markets Transformation

• 23:43 – Risk Management & Regulation

• 28:54 – Digital Currencies & CBDCs

• 30:59 – Embedded Finance Trends

• 35:45 – Wealth Management with AI

• 37:31 – Transparency & Ethics

• 40:04 – Outro

🤝 Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Vanta.
Vanta automates security and compliance for ISO 27001, SOC 2, and more—so you’re always audit-ready without the stress.
Over 9,000 companies (including Atlassian and Quora) trust Vanta.
👉 Get $1,000 off at vanta.com/startupradio

📢 Call to Action

• ✅ Subscribe to Startuprad.io so you never miss insights from global fintech leaders.

• ⭐️ Found it valuable? Please leave us a 5-star review—it really helps!

• 📣 Share this episode on LinkedIn or Twitter using the hashtag #AIinBanking2025

• 🌐 Visit startuprad.io for more deep dives into fintech, AI, and startup innovation.

🧭 Also Check Out

• 🎙️ Fintech Review 2024: Navigating Trends and Innovations in Startups

• 🎙️ Fintech and Banking 2023 and Beyond | Strategy

Are you ready to revolutionize how your startup or SME operates? This episode of Startuprad.io is your ultimate guide to understanding the transformative potential of cloud-based ERP systems. Join host Jörn 'Joe' Menninger as he sits down with Ertan Özdil, the CEO and Founder of Weclapp, to explore how this cutting-edge technology empowers startups to scale efficiently, streamline operations, and stay competitive in a fast-evolving market.

• Weclapp’s Inspiring Journey: Discover how Ertan turned a groundbreaking idea into one of Europe’s leading ERP providers for small and medium businesses. Learn how Weclapp's innovative platform democratizes ERP software, making it accessible to startups and SMEs worldwide.

• Why Cloud-Based ERP is a Game-Changer: Gain actionable insights into how ERP solutions enable startups to integrate inventory management, customer relationships, and financial processes seamlessly into one platform.

• The Road to Scaling Success: Ertan shares candid stories of scaling Weclapp, from burning cash during the development phase to achieving a two-digit million-euro revenue milestone. He also discusses the challenges of calling off an IPO and how those lessons shaped the company’s future.

• The Role of Culture and Vision: Learn why company culture is the backbone of a scalable business and how staying true to your vision is critical for long-term success.

• The Future of ERP Systems: Dive into emerging trends like AI integration, predictive analytics, and mobile-first ERP strategies that are redefining the industry.

• 87% of startup failures are linked to poor operations management. This episode offers solutions to avoid that fate.

• The global ERP market is projected to reach $71.6 billion by 2026. Learn how startups can tap into this massive opportunity.

• Watch the Video Interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nCHjj7X9EqU

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/startuprad-io-the-authority-on-german-swiss-and/id967788304

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"Tech in insurance … is not on the cutting-edge of technology, but what one does has a great impact on a lot of people."

Benny Bennet Jürgens, CEO & Co-Founder NECT

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"We thought video ident is great but let us put in some AI magic."

Benny Bennet Jürgens, CEO & Co-Founder NECT

The Founder

We talk to Hamburg-based Founder Benny Bennet Jürgens (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennybennet/), the CEO and Co-Founder of NECT (https://nect.com/de/) Germany’s most downloaded self-identification app in 2020. Benny has a past history with insurance companies and found their need for self-identification – required by law – to be a major pain point for them. So he set out to provide a convenient solution, which turned out to be NECT.

"My co-founder and I pushed our children in strollers, and we talked about what is next in life for us." Benny Bennet Jürgens, CEO & Co-Founder NECT

Affiliate Links

• Learn how to grow your business using the numbers in your profit and loss and balance sheet: https://www.learndesk.us/class/5571076509663232/growth-by-the-numbers-real-small-business-finance-for-real-small-business-owners use our promo code: Access

"We got accepted at Insurrect Accelerator Munich and we had to start two weeks later, which did not give us a lot of time to think twice." Benny Bennet Jürgens, CEO & Co-Founder NECT

https://www.startuprad.io/blog/meet-nect-germanys-most-downloaded-self-identification-app/

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The Founder

This time we talk to Sebastian Wuerz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastianwuerz/) the founder and CEO of the co-living startup homefully (https://homeful.ly/), a proptech headquartered in Frankfurt, offering furnished apartments across Germany and Switzerland. This trend is called co-living and offers a convenient way for ex-pats to relocate to a new city and have instant social connections. Sebastian graduated with an international MBA, which took him to Warsaw University, DUFE (Dongbei University of Finance and Economics 东北财经大学), and the University of North Florida.

Before starting homefully Sebastian also had stints in wealth management in Singapore and investment banking in Frankfurt.

We have roughly 50% international tenants. Sebastian Würz, CEO and Founder homefully Subscribe Here

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We started homefully as a side business, but it grew and grew. So, I had to make a decision. And I went all in. Sebastian Würz, CEO and Founder homefully Enabler

This recording was made possible by (Hessen Trade and Invest). Learn more about our enabler here: https://www.invest-in-hessen.com/ You can also find the podcast we run together here:

iTunes https://apple.co/2Z17bfl Spotify https://spoti.fi/3wUshwv Deezer http://bit.ly/2Qbh1rl TuneIn http://bit.ly/2M8vpznWe started homefully as a side business, but it grew and grew. So, I had to make a decision. And I went all in. Sebastian Würz, CEO and Founder homefully

https://www.startuprad.io/blog/homefully-offers-co-living-in-germany-and-switzerland-and-is-looking-to-expand/

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How to keep your Cryptos Safe? I recommend to be always a bit paranoid. Alessandro Avagliano, Head of Security at Bitwala Subscribe Here

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If you have a considerable amount of money in crypto, make sure the least number of people knows about it. Alessandro Avagliano, Head of Security at Bitwala The Head of Security

In this interview, we walk to Alessandro Avagliano, the Head of Security and Infrastructure at Berlin-based crypto challenger bank Bitwala (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aavagliano/). Allesandro has been with companies like Sun Microsystems, Oracle, or Rocket Internet before, but joined Bitwala 2019 as head of security.

One of the safest solutions is still a paper wallet, stored in a safe place, … maybe even across locations. Alessandro Avagliano, Head of Security at Bitwala Affiliate Links

• Looking to open a bank account to shift between crypto and fiat? Try our partner Bitwala with this affiliate link here http://bit.ly/2w01Zye

For retail investors, the safest way may be paper-based storage, with some liquidity in a wallet. Alessandro Avagliano, Head of Security at Bitwala The Challenge

In this interview, we are talking about best practices on how to keep your cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets safe as a private investor. We talk about different levels of safekeeping and even have an idea how Elon Musk could keep his cryptos safe. You can learn more in the blog post here: https://www.bitwala.com/blog/knowledge/

Other Interview

We already published our interview with Bitwala’s founder in April 2020. We talk to Benjamin about his life, the idea behind Bitwala, and solve the secret behind its name. Learn more in this interview here:

https://www.startuprad.io/blog/meet-berlin-based-cryptocurrency-challenger-bank-bitwala/

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The Subject Matter Expert

This is one of our Subject Matter Expert interviews, where we try to bring you some specialized knowledge. Christian Flasshoff (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-flasshoff/)  was a founding member of the International Token Standardization Association (https://itsa.global/). In this interview, we talk to him about what NFTs are and how they may impact the music industry, the art market, and many more aspects of life.

Tune in to learn more … 

https://www.startuprad.io/blog/what-are-non-fungible-tokens-nfts/

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Today we are wrapping up March 2021 for you. We talk about Austria’s first unicorn Bitpanda, a Samwer attempt at a German Tesla, SPACs, indoor farming, open positions at N26, and much more.

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We are nothing like Greensill says Frankfurt-based TraxpaySupply chain financing became a bit shady with Greensill, but it is totally not. It supports the whole economy.

Markus Rupprecht, CEO Traxpay

The FounderIn this interview, we talk to Markus Rupprecht, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/markusrupprecht/, https://www.crunchbase.com/person/markus-rupprecht) CEO of Frankfurt-based supply chain financing fintech Traxpay.

Markus has vast experience, even before his time at Traxpay, for example, he has been with Deutsche Bank, Software AG, or Hitachi Consulting.

This is kind of a follow-up because one of the first interviews of Startuprad.io was with Markus’s Co-CEO (at the time) and one of their investors, published in October 2014 here on Startuprad.io.

You have on the supplier and buyer side ERP systems, but in payments, many of the information is lost.

Markus Rupprecht, CEO Traxpay

https://www.startuprad.io/blog/we-are-nothing-like-greensill-says-frankfurt-based-traxpay/

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This is the fintech track of Startuprad.io. Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fintech_germany

Learn more about us at www.startuprad.io

Flash Update

Hey guys, we are posting this short podcast just to keep you up to date on what Startuprad.io is doing.

You may know that we have special interest podcast (link to subscribe below) like Fintech, Deep Tech, Blockchain and for our Startup News? We are also a YouTube Blog (link below).

We also launched with our friends from Starting Y, Laptop Radio, Radio Free Enterprise and the IBGR Network the worlds first internet radio station dedicated to startups and tech companies on February 18th 2021. We are currently still in beta, but our Alexa Skill should be ready soon, as well as our listing on several radio directories.

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Affiliate Links

·         Is your startup in need of a bank account in Germany? Try our partner affiliate Penta http://bit.ly/3bdHX3d

·         Looking to open a bank account to shift between crypto and fiat? Try our partner Bitwala with this affiliate link here http://bit.ly/2w01Zye 

Feedback 

Reach out to us, here is our audience survey, to give us feedback, suggest topics, interview partners or just to say “Hallo!” https://forms.gle/mLV6mVKwGwKuut8BA

The InterviewerThis interview was conducted by Jörn “Joe” Menninger, startup scout, founder and host of Startuprad.io. Reach out to him:

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Keep Up to DateHere is our publication calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=MDEyaTI3YWs1MjVxaTNzbWdqbDh2OXRiaW9AZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ

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