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.

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🔍 Episode Highlights:

• Helsing’s €450M Series C Funding: Munich-based defense AI startup Helsing has soared to a €4.9B valuation with its recent funding. Discover how this positions Helsing as a leader in European security tech and what it means for the future of AI in defense.

• Lilium’s Strategic Dilemma: Explore the challenges faced by air taxi pioneer Lilium, including uncertainties over state aid that could lead to a sale and relocation. Learn how this could impact air mobility and the German startup scene.

• Grover’s €50M Funding Amid Market Challenges: Berlin-based tech rental company Grover raised €50M as it navigates economic headwinds. Find out how Grover is pivoting toward sustainable growth and what this means for the tech rental industry.

• CatalYm & osapiens: We discuss CatalYm’s €150M Series D funding for cancer immunotherapy and osapiens' €110M investment to expand its global ESG platform. These stories highlight the growing investor confidence in Europe’s deep-tech and biotech sectors.

• ECB’s Digital Euro Progress Report: Get updated on the European Central Bank’s first report on the digital euro, marking a significant step in developing Europe’s central bank digital currency (CBDC).

🇩🇪🇦🇹🇨🇭 Local Startup News:

• Germany: The AI startup sector in Germany is booming, with a 35% increase in 2024. We explore the opportunities and challenges in this thriving industry.

• Austria: Vienna-based HR tech startup Speedinvest Heroes (HROs) has filed for bankruptcy, highlighting the challenges in Austria's HR tech sector.

• Switzerland: Swiss startups raised CHF 1.1B in H1 2024, with biotech leading the charge. Despite a 9.5% decline, early-stage investments in AI and energy are showing strong growth.

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#Hashtags: #StartupNews #GermanStartups #SwissStartups #AustrianStartups #TechTrends #FundingNews #AIInnovation #DeepTech #VentureCapital #EuropeanStartups

In this must-listen episode of Startuprad.io, we bring you an insightful conversation with Nobel Laureate and former U.S. Secretary of Energy, Professor Steven Chu. As a leading authority in renewable energy, nuclear power, and innovative startups, Chu shares his expert insights on the challenges and opportunities in the evolving energy landscape. This episode is a deep dive into the future of energy, covering everything from small modular reactors to the critical role of energy storage technologies.

Key Topics Discussed

1. Nuclear Energy Challenges
   Professor Chu explores the difficulties of constructing large nuclear reactors, emphasizing budgetary constraints and project delays.

2. The Potential of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)
   Chu advocates for SMRs as a safer, more scalable alternative to traditional nuclear reactors. He explains how SMRs can benefit from mass production techniques, similar to those in the automotive industry, to drive down costs and enhance safety.

3. Geopolitical Impact of Nuclear Energy
   In light of current global tensions, Chu highlights the strategic importance of nuclear energy in reducing dependence on foreign energy sources, particularly Russian gas.

4. Germany’s Nuclear Phase-Out
   The episode examines Germany’s decision to phase out nuclear power and its potential repercussions on energy-intensive industries. Chu offers his perspective on whether reactivating nuclear plants or adopting new technologies could support Germany’s future energy needs.

5. Comparing U.S. and European Green Startups
   Chu compares the progress of green startups in the U.S. and Europe, highlighting the success of solar energy in Germany and the challenges faced by U.S. companies despite recent policy efforts like the Inflation Reduction Act.

6. Importance of Energy Storage
   As renewable energy sources like solar and wind continue to grow, Chu emphasizes the crucial role of advanced energy storage technologies. He discusses current limitations and explores potential solutions to support higher percentages of renewable energy in the grid.

7. Personal Energy Choices
   Chu shares his own energy consumption decisions, including the potential installation of solar panels and the maintenance of an older, fuel-efficient car. These personal insights offer a relatable perspective on sustainable living and energy efficiency.

8. Success Strategies for Energy Startups
   Chu discusses the importance of large investments and strategic collaboration between startups and established companies. He provides actionable advice for energy startups looking to scale their operations and significantly impact carbon emissions.

If you found this episode insightful, please follow Startuprad.io on Spotify, leave a rating, and share this episode with your network. Don’t forget to hit the notification bell so you never miss an update on our latest episodes.

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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!

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All Links and Show Notes Here is our blog post:

https://medium.com/startuprad-io/deep-dive-a-recap-of-2023s-startup-valuations-and-investment-trends-d0d876b4cd1e

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

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

Executive Summary

As we step into the holiday season, we at Startuprad.io are excited to bring you exclusive insights from our recent Fintech Review 2023 for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Our latest episode featured prominent voices in the Fintech industry, offering valuable perspectives on the current landscape and the Fintech Outlook 2024. We talk all things digital finance, banking, and capital markets. Tune in to learn more.

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Fintech Review

Ever since Joe ventured into podcasting, Fintech has ignited tremendous interest. In 2014, he initiated the annual Fintech reviews, initially in German. For several years, Startuprad.io has proudly presented this review as the crowning piece of each year. Lately, there's been a request to shift the publication from December 25th to an earlier date, ensuring you can tune in during your Christmas travels. We're thrilled to accommodate this request, especially for our German investors eager to delve into the thriving Fintech scenes of Hamburg, Berlin, and Munich, along with the broader spectrum of German startups.

The Guests 2023

Here are some of the highlights from the episode:

- Kimmo Soramäki, CEO of FAN.FI, shares positive news for the upcoming year and discusses the optimization of liquidity for banks and businesses, as well as the challenges posed by the rise in digital payment fraud. - Paolo Sironi, an esteemed author and thought leader, delves into the rise of generative AI and its impact on the banking relationship, emphasizing the importance of digitalization, personalization, and simplification in communication for understanding the value proposition.

- Luca Frignani, CEO of Exaloan, provides valuable insights into the challenges and successes in the Fintech lending space in 2023, while also predicting a convergence of Fintech lending, tokenization, and the digital asset ecosystem in 2024.

- Ivan Maryasin, CEO of Monite, reflects on the shift of startups towards becoming real businesses and the impact of high interest rates on incumbents and startups.

We invite you to tune in to the episode for an in-depth discussion on Fintech, banking, InsurTech, embedded finance, and CBDC, offering you a comprehensive understanding of the industry's current state and future potential.

All Links and Show Notes

Here is our blog post: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/fintech-review-2023-predictions-and-outlook-for-germany-austria-and-switzerland-1f147e768a87

Topics Discussed in this Interview

In this interview we are talking about Kimmo Soramäki, Jörn "Joe" Menninger, Ivan Maryasin, Paolo Sironi, Luca Frignani, Embedded finance, Digital payments, Liquidity optimization, Rising interest rates, Fraud in digital payments, Generative AI, Open banking, Neobanks, Digital wallet usage, Fintech lending, Tokenization, Digital asset ecosystem, Risk management, Startups, Unit economics, Talent migration, Incumbents, Financial services shift, Banking relationship, Digital connectivity, Consumer priorities, Institutional investors, Economic proof

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:

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All Links and Show Notes

Here 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

Executive Summary

In this episode of Startuprad.io, host Jörn "Joe" Menninger and guest Thomas Kösters, MD at DEEP Ecosystems, discuss the potential of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as a hidden gem for AI startups. They highlight the region's strong economic leaders and growing AI scene in cities like Warsaw, Bucharest, and Prague. While CEE is not heavily represented in AI startup locations, it shows promise in reaching the top 15 European rankings for AI startup investments. They also delve into AI investments and trends in Europe, including machine learning, big data, and natural language processing.  The episode ends with a call for listener suggestions for future topics of analysis.

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Questions Discussed in the Interview

• What factors contribute to the success of AI startups in cities like Bucharest, Budapest, Warsaw, and Tallinn in Central Eastern Europe?

• How do economic leaders like Poland, Bucharest, and Prague drive the growth of startup and AI scenes in Central and Eastern Europe?

• What are the main challenges for Central and Eastern European AI startups when it comes to attracting investment and building successful ecosystems?

• How do multinational teams and collaboration across borders contribute to the success of startups in Central and Eastern Europe?

• What are the key trends in AI investments in Europe, and how do they compare to global trends in AI investment?

• What opportunities and obstacles do AI startups face when expanding or near-shoring their teams to countries like Croatia, Serbia, Greece, and Poland?

• Why is Berlin rated as the top destination for starting an AI company, and how does it compare to other popular locations like London?

• Given the potential of Central and Eastern Europe as a growing hub for AI startups, what strategies can be employed to further develop and promote the region's AI ecosystem?

• ...

About the Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem

The European startup scene is changing fast. There are new players, old ones fading away, and even more to come in their place- all vying for a piece of this growing pie! To avoid getting left behind, you need regular updates on what's going on so that our entrepreneurs can stay one step ahead when building or investing in companies here: https://deepecosystems.com/

The EXCLUSIVE Report

You can download the exclusive research report here: https://community.deep-ecosystems.com/startupradio

Feedback

We are always looking for ways to make the show better. Please take this opportunity and share your feedback with us! We would love to hear from YOU!!! https://forms.gle/mLV6mVKwGwKuut8BA

All Links and Show Notes Here is our blog post:

https://medium.com/startuprad-io/the-cee-ai-scene-exploring-investment-growth-and-key-entrepreneurial-hubs-16245f4403ae

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Welcome

Welcome to our November 2023 wrap-up with vital news from the startup scenes in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 30 minutes or less 🙂.

Our Highlights

AI 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:

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Our Enablers

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

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 Investor

Sono 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 Germany

Vanguard'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 Insolvency

WeWork's German subsidiary filed for insolvency - the company had issues everywhere.

Find the full news with all links and show notes here:

https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-november-2023-startuprad-io-e-405-99d9efb6f3ff

Mentioned in this...

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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!

Our Highlights:

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:

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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

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Top NewsFormer Employee of BioNTech Receives as 13th Women Nobel Prize in Medicine

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.

Solar Startup Hunting for 100+ M € in Funding at 500 M Valuation

Freiburg, Germany-based solar startup Nexwafe starts new funding, aiming for 120 m € in Venture Capital at a valuation of up to 500 M €

Black Semiconductor 500 M € in Funding

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...

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Executive Summary

Welcome to Startuprad.io, the podcast that brings you the latest insights and stories from the world of startups. In today's episode, we have a special guest, Christian Noske, a Partner at NGP Capital in Berlin. Christian joins our host, Jörn "Joe" Menninger, to discuss their recent research on the startup ecosystem in the DACH region, which encompasses Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. They delve into the findings of NGP Capital's analysis, which explores the impact of COVID-19 on venture funding in the region and highlights some surprising facts about the different countries. Tune in to discover why Switzerland has emerged as a strong force in the startup scene, how Germany's diverse ecosystem mitigated the decline in funding, and the reasons behind France's larger drop in startup funding. If you want to uncover the hidden gems and thriving startups beyond the well-known hubs, this episode is a must-listen. Stay tuned for an in-depth conversation on the startup landscape in the DACH region with Christian Noske of NGP Capital.

Find all blog posts with all the links on our blog https://medium.com/startuprad-io/from-berlin-to-zurich-ngp-capitals-research-on-vc-funding-in-the-dach-region-startuprad-io-36553faace33

The Investor

Christian is a Partner at NGP Capital in Berlin. In a recent study, Christian and his team examined the post-COVID landscape in their core region, which includes Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. They found that each region had its own unique characteristics. Germany, being the largest country, was not surprising in terms of its size and activity in various sectors. However, Switzerland was a pleasant surprise, as, despite its smaller size, it had managed to build a thriving ecosystem and was demonstrating significant growth in venture funding, new creation, and deep tech software. The findings were quite astonishing and revealed the diverse and dynamic nature of the region's entrepreneurial and innovation landscape.

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Topics Discussed in this Episode:

#startuppodcast #germany #austria #switzerland #founder #startupradio #ngpcapital #vc #venturecapital #berlin #newyork #globalbusiness #venturefund #paloalto #shanghai #helsinki #seriesa #seriesb #technology #entrepreneurship #techentrepreneurship #dach #research #venturefunding #deeptech #software #climatetech #robotics #fintech #ecosystem #food #travel #france #gsa #deutschland #oesterreich #schweiz

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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

Executive Summary

This is the one-year anniversary episode of our cooperation with DEEP Ecosystems in our Sub-Podcast European Startup Pulse. In this episode of Startuprad.io, host Jörn “Joe” Menninger and guest Thomas Kösters discuss recent developments in the European startup scene. They explore the growing preference of founders to stay in Europe and the prominence of certain European cities, such as Malaga and Lisbon, in attracting startups. They delve into the challenges of building a startup hub brand, the underrepresentation of female founders, and the importance of founder mobility in the European ecosystem. The episode also analyzes the impact of startups on regional development and debates whether startups can solve societal challenges like climate change.

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About the Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem

The European startup scene is changing fast. There are new players, old ones fading away, and even more to come in their place- all vying for a piece of this growing pie! To avoid getting left behind, you need regular updates on what’s going on so that our entrepreneurs can stay one step ahead when building or investing in companies here. That’s why we started the “Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem” which will provide you with quarterly podcasts chronicling different aspects related to startup activity across European Hubs, supported by the data from the specialized analytics company DEEP Ecosystems.

Thomas Kösters is a visionary leader and ecosystem builder at DEEP Ecosystems, a renowned accelerator for ecosystems. With a strong passion for supporting start-ups and promoting sustainability, Thomas strives to revolutionize the system in which entrepreneurs operate. Utilizing data-driven approaches, he tracks the growth of ecosystems and shares valuable insights with entrepreneurs worldwide. Through his collaboration with Joe for the past year, Thomas analyzes European startup policies to identify the next big challenge for entrepreneurs in Europe. His expertise and commitment make him a driving force behind the success of DEEP Ecosystems and the entrepreneurs it supports.

All Links and Show Notes

Here is our blog post: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/from-london-to-lisbon-uncovering-europes-prominent-startup-scenes-startuprad-io-e-396-7e6003955376

Mentioned in this episode:

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In this episode of Startuprad.io, host Joe Menninger sits down with Professor Robert S. Langer, a renowned biotechnologist from MIT. Professor Langer, co-founder of Moderna and holder of over 1,400 patents, shares his expertise on biotech startups, innovation, and the future of mRNA technology.

Explore the critical differences between biotech sectors in Europe and the US, the key factors for biotech startup success, and the importance of great science, intellectual property, and business acumen. Professor Langer also discusses the essential role of government and private sector partnerships in fostering biotech innovation.

Discover insights on:

• Biotech landscapes in Europe vs. the US

• Success factors for biotech startups

• Future of mRNA technology

• Government and private sector partnerships

• Diversity in research and its benefits

• Funding challenges for biotech startups

• Advancements in drug delivery systems

Memorable Quotes:

• "Great science and intellectual property are the cornerstones of biotech success."

• "Diversity in research teams leads to innovative outcomes."

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  #Biotech #Startup #Innovation #mRNA #RobertLanger #MIT #ModernMedicine #TechEntrepreneurship #Startupradio #Podcast

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

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Our Highlights:

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.

Our Enablers 

This recording is supported by HTAI and the Enterprise Europe Network Hessen

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Top News Du kommst hier ned rein 🙂 Is the usual saying in Frankfurt if a Bouncer won't let you in a Club

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"

750 M US$ for Wind Energy

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

Bitpanda - The Austrian Unicorn

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.

Germany Sets a New Record in Founders

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...

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 Seems

Hamburg’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 Switzerland

Swiss-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 Back

GetYourGuide raises $194 million to fuel curated travel experiences and global expansion

30 bn For a New Chip Factory

Intel, 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 here

https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-june-2023-episode-388-960515c65b87

Startups, Venture Capital, Unicorn, New Unicorn, Europe, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scaleups, Tech News, Venture Capital News, Startup News,

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Executive Summary

Are you looking to create an innovative startup hub? Learn how Munich became a global center for deep tech and find out what your city can do to create its own thriving ecosystem with UnternehmerTUM in the center. This is part two of a series within our Sub-Podcast European Startup Pulse with DEEP Ecosystems. In part one we saw Odense in Denmark, becoming a global powerhouse in robotics, spanning from the success of just one company. Tune in to learn more

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First Episode: How to Build a Global Startup Hub (1/2) | Startuprad.io

https://medium.com/startuprad-io/how-to-build-a-startup-hub-101-european-startup-pulse-d1a024393935

About the Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem

The European startup scene is changing fast. There are new players, old ones fading away, and even more to come in their place- all vying for a piece of this growing pie! To avoid getting left behind, you need regular updates on what's going on so that our entrepreneurs can stay one step ahead when building or investing in companies here. That's why we started the "Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem" which will provide you with quarterly podcasts chronicling different aspects related to startup activity across European Hubs, supported by the data from the specialized analytics company DEEP Ecosystems.

Example Munich, Germany

Here one of the centerpieces of the success of Munich is the institution of UnternehmerTUM, part of Technical University Munich (TU München or TUM) which trained entrepreneurs from its own students but also has programs for all interested. The hub in Munich focused on deep tech and it really blossomed when deep tech became sexy.

Also, many large companies do have a large presence in Munich, training capable employees, managers, entrepreneurs, investors, and engineers including, but not limited to Google (with a development center), IBM (Watson Center), Apple, Cisco Systems, HP, Intel, McAffee, Amazon Web Services, Airbus, Adobe, Microsoft, Nokia Solutions and Networks, NTT Data, Oracle, T-Systems, VMware, Attos Systems, Siemens, BMW, Check24, EOS, Epcos, Fujitsu Technology Solutions, Infineon, MTU, Scout24, Telefonica Germany, Travian Games, and Osram just to name a few.

Interviews with Companies Mentioned:UnternehmerTUM

https://youtu.be/1oi-2d2zqPc

ProGlove

https://youtu.be/dE76h-bKTH0

Find all links and show notes here: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/how-to-build-a-global-startup-hub-101-2-2-european-startup-pulse-fb9b49d38c9c

#startup #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurship #europe #startuphub #hub #hubs #startupradio #venturecapital #startegy #scaleup #deeptech #technology #techstartups #technologycompany #tech #startupstory #munich #germany

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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:

www.startup.radio

Subscribe Here

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 Hessen

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Top NewsDeal or No Deal?

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

Tier Mobility to Merge with Competitor

European e-scooter giant Tier Mobility maps route to merger

Will Infarm Be Soon Outfarm?

Infarm keeps shrinking and is leaving Europe, reports Handelsblatt. The greenhouse...

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 Acquisition

Private-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 € Exit

Reports 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 Funding

Isar 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 IntegrityNext

The 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 Falter

Smart 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 Alpha

German 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 Fly

Airtaxi 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...

Executive Summary

Get exclusive insights into the latest patent filings of GSA/DACH startups. Discover where they’re going and what impact they may have on your business. QuantIP is an analytics company that offers data and analytics on patent data and, for us, went through 460 categories and more than 16.000 patent filings. With their tools, we get you an exclusive insight into the patent filings of 2022. Tune in to learn more about the industries and areas startups are filing patents in.

Patent databases are the best man-made databases that ever existed. … a collection of all potential economically viable technical information, collected over the last 200 years.Lucas von Reuss, CEO and co-founder QuantIPThe Founder

Lucas is the CEO and co-founder of QuantIP. He held multiple positions, including in journalism, before co-founding the startup. His positions include editor-in-chief at €uro, a magazine for sophisticated private and professional investors (a German equivalent of Barron’s Finance and Investing News). He also held positions with Axel Springer Financial Media before. He was always working around investing and asset management. He holds degrees from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Axel Springer School for Journalism, and an MBA from Stockholm School of Economics.

Part of the success of a company can be forecasted with their patent and patent filings. There are a lot of other important factors, depending on the industry, but for many future industries patents play a big role.Lucas von Reuss, CEO and co-founder QuantIPThe Startup

QuantIP is a Munich-based big data startup, exclusively focused on patent analytics. The startup is already closing in on breaking even in the next 6–12 months.

QuantIP currently offers three products.

• Data feeds tailored to the needs of systematic and quantitative equity investors.
• Thematic search tailored to themed-driven asset managers, e.g., deal sourcing.
• The pre-produced company reports on companies, available via platforms like capital iq from S&P, or AlphaSense

Patents are a very hard read. The main purpose of the filing entity is to protect their IP in a way that no one can really figure out how to reproduce it.Lucas von Reuss, CEO and co-founder QuantIPExclusive Data

QuantIP went deep into its database with more than 16.000 patents and dug through to find the 2022 filings from startup companies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Large companies file many patents, and there are somewhere between two and three million every year. This report defines startups as companies that filed their first patent before 2018. They also have only 3–9 inventions (an invention is a novel idea, and the patent is only the protection of it so that an invention can be patented in several markets).

For 2022 we look at almost 8.000 patent filings from a bit over 1.500 startups for GSA/DACH:

https://medium.com/startuprad-io/where-are-gsa-startups-heading-insight-from-recent-patent-filings-with-quantip-exclusive-data-6b059d561480

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Executive Summary

Learn the secrets of how to create an effective startup ecosystem with Thomas' insights from DEEP Ecosystems. Discover what made Odense, Denmark such a successful start-up hub, and find out more in our blog post. This interview is part one of a series of two videos, where we discuss Munich in part two. There is much more to learn in the presentation we link to in our blog.

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About the Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem

The European startup scene is changing fast. There are new players, old ones fading away, and even more to come in their place- all vying for a piece of this growing pie! To avoid getting left behind, you need regular updates on what's going on so that our entrepreneurs can stay one step ahead when building or investing in companies here. That's why we started the "Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem" which will provide you with quarterly podcasts chronicling different aspects related to startup activity across European Hubs, supported by the data from the specialized analytics company DEEP Ecosystems.

The Boulder Thesis

One of the starting points of DEEP Ecosystems is The Boulder Thesis. It was poropesed by Brad Feld (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Feld). He formulated it as a basis to explain the success of the local Boulder, CO startup community.

Entrepreneurs must lead the startup community

The leaders must have a long-term commitment

The startup community must include anyone who wants to participate in it

The startup community must have continual activities that engage in the entire entrepreneurial stack

Example Odense, Denmark

Odense is with around 200.000 people only the 4th largest city in Denmark, but still managed to become a hub for Robotics companies and raised more than 860 mn € since 2015. It is world-class in robotics, raising 2020 alone 50 mn € for companies in this cluster. Companies located there include Universal Robots, Cabinplant, senmatic, MiR, ODICO, Shape Robotics, purple robotics, SCAPE, and many more. It all started out with Universal Robots founded in 2005 and exited in 2015. The three founders decided to invest in robotics startups locally. This cluster is a public-private partnership. Over time they had seven exits and three IPOs, very impressive for such a small town. They currently have 292 companies in robotics or related to it with 3,74 bn € annual revenues.

Find the full show notes and download the full presentation via our blog post here:

https://medium.com/startuprad-io/how-to-build-a-startup-hub-101-european-startup-pulse-d1a024393935

#startup #startups #hub #startuphub #london #berlin #paris #denmark #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #entrepreneurs #innovation #stationf #sucess #sucesso #mindset #businessowner #business #techstartups #techstartup #germany #austria #switzerland #denmark #france

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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:

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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

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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 Raisin

The rising interest...

Executive Summary

Germany has adopted a startup strategy for the first time. One should pay attention if Europe's largest economy makes such a step. The ten bn € Future Fund and others are part of the program, which channels billions in investments to startups in Europe and especially Germany. Therefore, this episode has a special guest, the Commissioner for Startups and Digital Economy for Germany, Dr. Anna Christmann, a Bundestag (the German federal parliament ) member (MdB). We touch on some of the ten points of the strategy and their criticism. The money comes from the ten bn € startup program (aka Future Fund) we covered with her predecessor in June 2021 (YouTube: https://youtu.be/kZxoEUa_6Uk) during the Merkel government. We also brush the topics of the German Deep Tech and Climate Fund, worth one bn €, and the European Tech Champion Initiative, a fund of funds worth four bn €, and how they fit into the programs.

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The Commissioner for Startups and Digital Economy

Our special guest is the Commissioner for Startups and Digital Economy for Germany, Dr. Anna Christmann, a Bundestag (the German federal parliament) member. This video follows her predecessor's interview from June 2021, where we explored how Germany will spend ten bn € in the newly set up startup program (YouTube: https://youtu.be/kZxoEUa_6Uk). She is a Green Party (Die Grünen) member, one of the three parties forming Germany's coalition government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The Startup Strategy

In broad terms, the strategy has 10 points in our show notes, links to further readings, and the full policy document in English. (Link below).

1. Strengthen financing for startups
2. Help startups to attract talent, including through improved employee ownership opportunities.
3. Develop a spirit of entrepreneurship and facilitate the setting up new digital businesses.
4. Strengthen female entrepreneurs and support diversity in startups
5. Facilitate startup spin-offs from science and universities
6. Improve the policy environment for startups that serve the common good
7. Mobilise startup competencies for public contracts
8. Make it easier for startups to access data
9. Strengthen regulatory sandboxes and facilitate access to them for startups
10. Put the focus on startups

Ten Billion Euro Future Fund

We already covered the ten bn € startup program (aka Future Fund) with the predecessor of Mrs. Christmann in June 2021. This fund is the source of money to be invested in different initiatives, some mentioned in the interview and shortly covered below (DTCF and ETCI). You can learn more in this interview here on YouTube https://youtu.be/kZxoEUa_6Uk.

Deep Tech and Climate Fund (DTCF)

The one bn € deep tech and climate fund is newly set up as part of the government program.

European Tech Champions Initiative (ETCI)

Germany also invests one bn € in the European Tech Champions Initiative. Five EU Member States launched the European Tech Champions Initiative (ETCI), a Fund of Funds that will channel much-needed late-stage growth capital to promising European innovators. At the time of the recording, four bn € have been committed to the...

Executive Summary

We are back with quarterly cooperation with DEEP Ecosystems research from Munich. Today we talk about a few highlights of their extensive 2022 report. Our current impression is that the VC market could start a new cycle from the lows of Q4 2022. We already see a new uptick in seed investments in Barcelona, London, Paris, Berlin, and Stockholm. Also, London is losing some of its edge as a European Startup Ecosystem compared to the other hubs. For VCs, the next hot sector to invest in Europe is cleantech. Despite the job cuts in 2022, at the year's end, there still have been more employees at startups across Europe than before Corona.

"The mood is down in the venture capital market. Startups definitely feel the crunch, but there is still dry powder available."Thomas Kösters - DEEP EcosystemsSubscribe Here

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About the Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem

The European startup scene is changing fast. There are new players, old ones fading away, and even more to come in their place- all vying for a piece of this growing pie! To avoid getting left behind, you need regular updates on what’s going on so that our entrepreneurs can stay one step ahead when building or investing in companies here. That’s why we started the “Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem” which will provide you with quarterly podcasts chronicling different aspects related to startup activity across European Hubs, supported by the data from the specialized analytics company DEEP Ecosystems.

"Berlin is the European Capital of Meetups. "Thomas Kösters - DEEP Ecosystems

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Some Highlights

Startup funding took a hit on a European Level across the board regarding total investments, especially in Q4 2022. This matches what we have seen in our interview with kfw covering their VC and PE barometer.

On the excellent news site, there is a substantial uptick towards the end of the year 2022 in announced seed funding rounds. All large European Hubs, Barcelona, London, Paris, Berlin, and Stockholm, showed more seed funding rounds. Only Amsterdam did show a decline, which may be due to the available data.

Exits and large fundraisings have filled the coffers of VCs, who build up their teams during the good years. This leads to increasing pressure to invest on the VCs by their investors, called LPs (think insurance companies and pension funds).

Cleantech has also emerged as a new growth sector for VC investments - on a European level. In the last 6 months, compared to the last 3 years, cleantech investments have increased disproportionally.

Classic sectors for VC investments remained sexy in the 2nd half of 2022, including fintech, media, health, and AI & big data.

Hardware is also a sector - along with consumer apps - just on the edge of becoming a growth story for VC investments.

Despite the job cuts announced in recent weeks or months, there is still net positive job growth in the European Startup Ecosystem - compared to before

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).

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Executive Summary

The kfw surveys each quarter around 450 investors for this barometer, so it is one of the broadest and most reliable indicators of the current mood of private market investors in Europe's largest economy. In this episode, we have Dr. Fritzi Köhler-Geib, the chief economist of kfw, as a guest. She introduces us to the barometer that has 3 main components: business climate, (current) business situation, and business expectations (for the next quarter). There are also 12 subcategories covering areas like fundraising, entry evaluations, exit opportunities, new investment, deal-flow quantity, deal-flow quality, and even the taxation framework. Tune in to learn more.

The Chief Economist

Dr. Friederike "Fitzi" Köhler-Geib is the chief economist (https://www.kfw.de/About-KfW/KfW-Research/KfW-Chief-Economist/Koehler-Geib-vita.html) of kfw. Dr. Köhler-Geib has studied at HEC in Paris, the University of Michigan in the US, the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, and Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona in Spain. She is still a fan of Michigan's Wolverines by the way. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Ludwig Maximilian University Munich and Pompeu Fabra University. Before becoming the chief economist, she spent many years in Washington D.C., working for the international monetary fund and the world bank. She was at the world bank the lead economist for Central America and the Senior Economist for Latin America. In these functions, she also traveled quite frequently to Central and South America.

The kfw

kfw (https://www.kfw.de/kfw.de-2.html) is a wholly government-owned development bank, based in Frankfurt am Main. The bank has a public mandate to assist federal and state governments with administrating (mostly loan) programs.

According to the total size of its balance sheet, it was Germany's 3rd largest bank in 2018. The whole kfw group includes several specialized units, including kfw capital (https://www.kfw.de/microsites/Microsite/kfw-capital.de/en/) to promote innovation and growth, which also administrates multi-billion euros in VC investments, mostly as LP in other funds.

The Venture Capital and Private Equity Barometer

For the VC and PE index (https://www.kfw.de/About-KfW/Service/Download-Center/Konzernthemen/Research/Indikatoren/German-Private-Equity-Barometer/) the kfw research department surveys around 450 investors quarterly. They are members of Germany's PE and VC Association (https://www.bvkap.de/) and part of the Deutsche Börse Venture Network (https://www.venture-network.com/dbvn-en/) on many dimensions of their outlook for the next quarter and business in the last quarter.

Not all data is available on the website in English, but the index has now a history of more than 80 quarters.

The index has three main components and 12 subcategories. The main categories are business climate, (current) business situation, and business expectations (for the next quarter).

The subcategories cover areas like fundraising, entry evaluations, exit opportunities, new investment, deal-flow quantity, deal-flow quality, deal-flow innovativeness, taxation framework, write-downs, economy (overall), interest rates, and funding.

Find all blog posts with all the links on our blog https://medium.com/startuprad-io/the-only-venture-capital-data-for-germany-you-need-to-know-24aa5ac1e919

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Topics Discussed in this Interview

In this interview, we are talking about

#innovation #startup #startupstories #startupradio #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #business #motivation #success...

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 Hessen

Look 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.de

We 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 Hub

You 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...

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:

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Our EnablersInvest-in-Hessen

This 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

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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 date

BioNTech 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 Grammarly

DeepL 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 BaFin

Bafin 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 Updates

Trade 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...

Executive Summary

In this episode, we have the privilege to explore fintech and banking in 2023 alongside Paolo, Global Research Leader for Banking and Capital Markets for IBM. He offers his insight into fintech and banking twenty years from now. We examine the strategies important for capital markets, fintech, and banking and the forces shaping their future. Paolo shares with us that these players need to be cognizant of their strategy choices, as well as how different successful platforms will be in the future. Last but not least, he impresses how imperative it is to start reasonably preparing for quantum computing today. It is a must-listen episode that provides tremendous insight into fintech growth and innovation.

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The Expert

Paolo is a fintech entrepreneur and thought leader who stands out from the crowd. He has been at the forefront of innovation in banking and fintech for nearly two decades. He has served as an experienced banker and risk manager, having held senior positions in major firms. In 2008, he founded Capitecs, an innovative startup based in Frankfurt that would eventually be acquired by IBM in 2012. Since then, Sironi has continued to innovate and lead the global research efforts for the IBM consulting institute, particularly in banking, fintech, and capital markets. He has also released five bestselling books on various fintech-related topics that have further established him as an authority figure. Paolo Sironi serves as a testament to success resulting from fintech expertise gained through experience in traditional banking institutions.

His most recent one is "Banks and Fintech on Platform Economies: Contextual and Conscious Banking (The Wiley Finance Series)" you can buy it and learn more here: https://amzn.to/3XC3OIU (AL)

His other books are:

• FinTech Innovation: From Robo-Advisors to Goal-Based Investing and Gamification https://amzn.to/3IOHqrM (AL)
• MiFID II: Value-Generation for Investors https://amzn.to/3iFtQML (AL)
• Modern Portfolio Management: From Markowitz to Probabilistic Scenario Optimisation https://amzn.to/3iFtQML (AL)
• Financial Market Transparency: Essay on Financial Markets Theory https://amzn.to/3Wi7z5j (AL)
• 金融科技创新 (Fintech Innovation Mandarin Edition): https://amzn.to/3Wi7z5j (AL)

Thoughts To Ponder

Paolo, a fintech entrepreneur, banker, and thought leader in risk management, believes that banks are unable to compete on the level of volume needed to match that of tech giants. In order to stay competitive and provide value for their customers, fintech must set their sights on delivering superior service rather than chasing the same levels of scale. With his books and writing, Paolo has created a framework through which bankers and fintech entrepreneurs alike can better target value-based services in order to gain an...

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 Here

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FTX suffered from bad management and likely fraud as wellAntonio Fatas, Professor of EconomicsBackground

As 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 Economics

Bitcoin 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...

Management Summary

Welcome to a Startuprad.io tradition, airing on December 25th. A review of the most important events in Fintech from the perspective of our guests for the 8th year in a row right now. The most important development in the fintech world was for most guests the FTX collapse. During the recordings agreed that fintech investments have seen a peak — there will be a valley behind it, but there will be new investment records achieved after the expected recession. As next hot topics emerged embedded finance and crypto. Not all crypto will be hot again, only with a sustainable business model, there is a future according to our guests. Actually, some guests welcomed a shakeout of the market — albeit it should not have been that violent and long.

Leave Us a Good Review

We would be more than happy if you rate and review us either on YouTube, your podcast app of choice, or on the internet radio station you are listening to us right now.

Introduction to our Fintech Review

For years Startuprad.io makes an annual fintech review, where practitioners, investors, and fintech folks get to wrap up their year. The focus is on GSA, but it seems to be more and more the case that markets get more interconnected and trends follow each other in much shorter time spans. It is also a tradition that we publish it on December 25th. 

Keep in mind that since the first fintech review the field has changed and broadened a lot! Really a lot. Where it used to be only payment apps, now there are fintechs in insurance, crypto, proptech, banking, SME banking, capital markets, and much much more. So we thought we would invite guests from a diverse range of backgrounds to give you their perspective on the time of corona, the year 2022, and the outlook for next year.

Our guest this year:

• Meeri Savolainen, CEO and Co-Founder of Insurtech INZMO
• Luca Frignani, CEO and Co-Founder of Credit Platform Exaloan
• Henrik Gebbing, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Crypto Custody Bank Finoa
• Frank Schwab, Co-Founder of the Fintech Forum and multiple supervisory board member

Our questions to the guests:

• What was the most important development in the fintech world in 2022?
• Do you think fintech has peaked in terms of investments — as some data suggests?
• What is the next hot topic in fintech? Is crypto making a comeback or are we all focusing on API tools for embedding finance functions?
• If you have one: What was the most interesting fintech development for you during corona?
• If you have one: What was the most important piece of news in 2022?

Thank you very much for your valuable time and insights. We wish you much success in 2023 and happy holidays!

Blog Post With Links and Show Notes

https://medium.com/startuprad-io/fintech-review-germany-switzerland-and-austria-gsa-2022-97b12122e34b

#startup #germany #austria #switzerland #fintechreview #startupradio #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #investing #venturecapital #crypto #embedded #custody

Mentioned in this episode:

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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 Fundraising

Enpal 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 Valuation

Digital 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 Closed

The 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 

Has Rocket Internet Already Seen Its Best Years?

"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.

Startup Brand Ranking

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 raises 200 mn US$

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

Not Oceans Eleven, But Still BIG

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 

Getir Buys Gorillas And It Is Not Going Well For the Gorillas Founder

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...

Our Highlights:

FTX may be history, BUT a German Blog reports there are several parties interested in buying the European Entity of FTX. FTX also triggered Bitpanda to order a special audit from KPMG. We have some more job cuts, this time the 2nd round. Gorillas may sell itself at 1 bn USD even though they have raised 1.3 bn USD in venture capital already. Air taxis are still hot, Volocopter raises more than 180 m US$ to get closer to certification and Lilium sells 100 Airtaxis to Saudi Arabia. The German VC market is stabilizing, according to KfW Research. Our former guest Creditshelf partners with Goldman Sachs and pockets 100 m Euros. Gitpod, a startup from Kiel convinces the founders of GitHub and Shopify to invest.

Let's talk startups:

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Top News FTX may soon be History, BUT

A German blog Finance Forward reports there are several parties interested in buying the European Entity of FTX, which is headquartered in Switzerland. Their information has been spot-on in other cases in the past.

Job Cuts Keep Coming - 2nd Round Now

Proptechs Homeday and McMakler enter the second round of job cuts. Homeday cuts 20 jobs (60 before) and McMakler again 100 employees

Gorillas May Sell Itself at a Huge Discount

Sequoia-backed grocery startup Getir is close to buying its troubled rival Gorillas in a heavily discounted deal said to be worth less than $1 billion. They have been valued at their series C investment at 2.1 bn US$ and to date they raised more than 1.3 bn US$.

Related: Deutsche-Startups uncovered that Gorillas (which is in the process of selling itself) paid 300 m € this year for french competitor Frichti.

Lilium Sells 100 Airtaxis

Saudi Arabia buys 100 air taxis from Munich -based startup Lilium. The delivery is expected 2025. Before the deal, they also hired former Airbus executive Klaus Roewe. Fingers crossed for them, they did not generate revenue yet, but 841 m Euros in losses so far.

Volocopter Raises 182 M US$

Volocopter raises $182M to bring air taxi closer to certification, as part of their Series E funding

The company is currently testing its two-seater VoloCity air taxi for the requirements set by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Volocopter is looking to certify its aircraft in H2 2023 and generate revenue with rides in 2024.

Creditshelf Partners with Goldman Sachs

Our former guest Creditshelf partners with Goldman Sachs and hits profitability - Goldman Sachs is providing the German alternative lender for SMEs with up to €100m of secured funding. Learn more in our interview with Creditshelf here https://buff.ly/3NVANo1

Creditshelf is Germany’s only listed pure-play fintech, offering a credit platform, where investors can grant credit to German small and medium enterprises.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Younium Younium is the subscription management and billing platform for B2B SaaS. Younium brings the transformative infrastructure to manage and grow your business while you focus on the things that matter. https://www.younium.com/ Tvarit Tvarit is an industrial ai startup, that helps companies to reduce rejections by 40%-60% in metal casting, as well as saving up to 18% on energy. Learn more here: https://www.tvarit.com/

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The Network of European Startup Hubs 101 (Podcast)

You have it all wrong. Europe is not full of competing startup hubs. They are increasingly forming a network for startups. The startups start at one knot in the network (frequently a university), move on to an accelerator, and end up in one of Europe's top 12 fundraising hubs to raise funds, sometimes becoming a unicorn. On their way, the startups leave traces, like R&D capabilities, sales teams, groups, investors, and so on. So they are not really the product of a city, but a continent with free movement. in our blog post you will find the link to a 115-page report that includes much more data.

Our EnablersYounium

Younium is the subscription management and billing platform for B2B SaaS. Younium brings the transformative infrastructure to manage and grow your business while you focus on the things that matter. https://www.younium.com/

Tvarit

Tvarit is an industrial ai startup, that helps companies to reduce rejections by 40%-60% in metal casting, as well as saving up to 18% on energy. Learn more here: https://www.tvarit.com/

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Startup Raven

About the Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem

The European startup scene is changing fast. There are new players, old ones fading away, and even more to come in their place- all vying for a piece of this growing pie! In order not to get left behind you need regular updates on what’s going on so that our entrepreneurs can stay one step ahead when building or investing in companies here. That’s why we started the “Pulse of the European Startup Ecosystem” which will provide you with quarterly podcasts chronicling different aspects related to startup activity across European Hubs, supported by the data from the specialized analytics company DEEP Ecosystems.

A Different Understanding of Startup Hubs

In the US most startup hubs have to fulfill most of the functions (incubation, acceleration, expansion, fundraising, …). Especially the Silicon Valley and Bay Area had no other option since they are the cradle of today's startup culture. In Europe on the other hand — with its free movement — a network of hubs developed, where hubs fulfill a function in the growth journey of a startup.

We pick today three functions of hubs in the network and show you how startups are moving along the network, staying in cities and — some of their staff — moving on to the next stage. But there are always departments, teams, or research locations left in the former home cities. This leads to real European startups, that are distributed across the continent in different locations, departments, teams, and functions.

The Twelve Hubs Leading Europe in Fundraising

12 Startup Hubs in Europe already reached critical size (raising more than 1 bn € in funding in one year in 2021. They are London, Berlin, Paris, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, Munich, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, Copenhagen, Dublin, and Helsinki. Coming from only one, London, in 2013. Most founders take the opportunity of free movement across the European Union, so the EU beats the US as a preferred location for European entrepreneurs.

57% of founders prefer Europe over the US. When asked where founders would...

Welcome to This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups in October 2022 by Startuprad.io with Chris from Essen, Germany, and Joe from Frankfurt. We recorded this news episode on Thursday, October 20th, 2022.

Our Highlights:

Another one of our former guests gets a Snoop Dog investment. Quick delivery startup Gorillas seems to sell itself to competitor Getir, according to Bloomberg, despite an earlier announcement they are looking for more investments. Gadget rental service Grover adds 270 m € in venture debt, getting it close to 2 billion €. Our former guest Nuri (formerly Bitwala) had to file for insolvency, now investors jump ship and the company is wound down this year. Volocopter is sued by early crowdfunding backers, Home24 has a takeover offer from a brick-and-mortar furniture retailer and BioNTech takes on cancer. Also, Munich-based travel tech Holidu raises 100 m € in a combination of 75 m equity and 25 m debt funding.

Let’s talk startups:

Our Enablers Younium

Younium is the subscription management and billing platform for B2B SaaS. Younium brings the transformative infrastructure to manage and grow your business while you focus on the things that matter. https://www.younium.com/

Tvarit

Tvarit is an industrial ai startup, that helps companies to reduce rejections by 40%-60% in metal casting, as well as saving up to 18% on energy. Learn more here: https://www.tvarit.com/

Invest-in-Hessen

This 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. Find it all here:

Tech Startups Germany - Startups and Venture Capital

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Top News Europe’s Largest Cannabis Funding To Date

Europe’s largest cannabis funding to date: Snoop Dogg-backed German cannabis startup gets $37.6M Series B led by British American Tobacco

learn more about the Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 (German Startup Awards) founder Finn Age Hänsel in our interview

Gorillas May Soon Be Bought By Getir

Delivery Startup Getir in Advanced Talks to Buy Gorillas (Bloomberg). They write:

• “Proposed deal for Gorillas would be a mix of cash and equity
• The combination would give Getir, which is backed by Mubadala Investment Co. and Sequoia Capital, scale in key European markets including the UK and Germany.
• Gorillas had previously held talks with a number of competitors about the prospects for a merger or sale of its business, people familiar with the matter said previously.
• Chief Executive Officer Kagan Sumer said earlier this year that he planned to look for new financing to recalibrate the company to work toward profitability.”

Grover Takes Home 270 m €

As consumer spending tightens, yet appetites for tech remain the same, Berlin-based Grover sees an uptick in rental interest and is now bringing its debt funding to close to €2 billion to meet demand. Grover takes on more debt funding, this time €270 million from London-based M&G

Our Former Guest Nuri (Bitwala)

Will be wound down. Despite seeing interest from investors, they could not get one to sign up. So the company will be shut down until the end of the year. The last day one can use a Nuri account is in mid-December. Neobank Vivid makes...

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).

Our highlights:

Germany is preparing for a potentially rough winter, in many ways. Now Environmental Action Germany (Deutsche Umwelthilfe): Asked Germans not to put up any Christmas lights this season. Startups in GSA keep laying off staff, but also raising significant funds. We have our usually shortened list a bit longer this month, to show that it is not all gloom and doom here. You will also notice that the M&A activity is up, totaling 55 bn US$ in summer 2022 (for all of Europe), and is still going strong.

Let’s talk startups:

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Our Enablers Invest-in-Hessen

This 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. Find it all here:

Tech Startups Germany

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Blog Post

Find all links, news and show notes here: https://medium.com/@startuprad_io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-september-2022-53339fae6ca7

Top News Berlin’s Everphone extends Series C to $232M

Everphone started with their first fundraising for Series C in December 2021 and now make an additional closing of 32 mn Euros, which totals — according to PitchBook 232 m US$ Series C for their device-as-a-service model

Crypto Boom is slowing

European crypto app downloads have almost halved from 2021 amongst the biggest drops are Blockchain.com and unicorn Bitpanda.

Sifted writes “Beleaguered Austrian crypto trading platform Bitpanda saw a 65% decrease in app downloads from 563k in H1 2021 to 197k in H1 2022. In June, the company laid off a third of its employees, admitting that it had hired too fast and needed to cut back expenditure amid the crypto market rout.” VCs keep an eye on their investments and the app downloads are a proxy for growth here for them.

Insolvencies hit household names

Yes, they are not startups, but it gives you a great overview of the current environment, also for the startups

• Automotive supplier Dr. Schneider has to file for insolvency with 4000 people employed there
• Shoe retailer Ludwig Görtz is a staple in German shopping streets founded in 1875 with their big stores and 1.800 employees, now they have to file for insolvency
• German toilet paper producer Hakle is a household staple in Germany. Now they have to file for insolvency, due to high costs of raw materials, energy, and transportation
• Traditional Austrian lighting company Kolarz, founded in 1918, has to file for insolvency

Podcast monetization is getting serious with international involvement

Lots of mergers in monetizing podcasts, the first Julep from Munich was bought by Libsyn and now London-based Auddy buys Vienna-based Audiomy

More firings :-(

Keep in mind here, that most startups are likely not in financial trouble, but they rather try to extend the money they have already raised. The consensus seems to be cutting 15–20% of the workforce for most startups.

• Berlin-based escooter company Tier fires...

Executive Summary

This episode is part of our Subject Matter Expert Interviews. It will be one in a series over time, keeping up with the development of the central banks and their digital currency. This episode is just the start! We talk to Kimmo, a regtech entrepreneur, who formerly worked at central banks of Finland, Norway, Bank of England, ECB, and the Fed in New York City. This episode is a starting point for us, from which we will dive deeper, keeping up with the developments on CBDC.

At the Federal Reserve in New York I siumlated attacks on critical infrastructure on the back of the 9/11 attacks.Kimmo Soramäki, Founder and CEO of FNA

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We work with a lof of clients with three letter acronyms. So we decided to name our company financial network analytics, FNA.Kimmo Soramäki, Founder and CEO of FNA

The Expert

This episode is part of our Subject Matter Expert Interviews. It will be one in a series over time, keeping up with the development of the central banks and their digital currency. We talk to Kimmo, a regtech entrepreneur, who founded with FNA a company that helps banks, central banks and financial institutions. He has already advisde the central banks of Finland and Norway, been a visiting researcher at the Bank of England and expert at ECB. He also spents a year as research economist at the Fed in New York City. His first software simulated for finish banks the impact of joining the euro zone.

When the financial crisis 2008 came, we realized that we don’t need an outside attack on the symstem to destabilize it. Kimmo Soramäki, Founder and CEO of FNA

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Blog Post

Find all links and show notes here: https://medium.com/@startuprad_io/fintech-opportunities-in-cental-bank-digital-currency-part-1-839a35c2a1be

Our Highlights

Startups in GSA did better than expected. We had a few insolvency filings, but also amazing fundraisings like Celonis 1 bn US$ combination of equity and debt funding. Insuftech Wefox raises 400 m. One can already see the signs of a downturn, M&A activity going up, as well as the news about insolvencies or job cuts/ hiring freezes. But — according to a Bikcom survey — 8 out of 10 startups are still hiring. Deal time our recent guest Qonto buys former guest Penta and there was more in a B2B neobank deal week. Even Allianz had to learn, that one can not buy fintech success and there is more news on Wirecard.

We will also bombard you with funding data on Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as global numbers. Keep in mind you can read all our news on our blog https://medium.com/@startuprad_io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-summer-2022-wrap-up-603e2c1939ae

Top News Celonis Secures 1 bn US$ Funding

Celonis remains a success story with a 400 million Series D extension and a 600 mn US$ credit facility, at a valuation of nearly 13 bn US$. They are cementing their spot as Germany’s most valuable startup as well as its only decacorn. They do process mining and help to identify unrealized efficiencies. Right now, they’re helping with supply chain issues, for example.

Despite Market Conditions, WeFox Closes 400 m US$ Funding

Wefox, the Berlin-based insurtech, closes USD 400 million Series D round at 4.5 bn Dollar valuation 

One Former Guest Has to File for Insolvency

• German crypto startup Nuri had a streak of bad luck. First, they announce to cut almost 20% of their headcount, then millions of their client’s money is frozen with Celsius and now a blog claimed it all hit during fundraising 
• Eventually followed by an insolvency filing https://medium.com/startuprad-io/berlin-based-crypto-bank-nuri-formerly-known-as-bitwala-with-500-000-b4953e15dbfa
• Berlin-based crypto neoborker Nuri had to file for insolvency. Now the insolvency administrator says there are parties interested in buying the company 

Neobrokers Facing Headwinds 

• Neobrokers close to the edge: No good news from the SEC report on the poster child of all neo-brokers. Unfortunately, there is no report for Germany mentioning e.g. Trade Republic
• Robinhood almost imploded during GameStop meme stock chaos — TechCrunch 
• Bankman-Fried’s FTX Is Seeking a Path to Buy Robinhood — BloombergWhat does this mean for BitPanda, Trade Republic, Scalable Capital, and N26? Do they also need to look for a strategic buyer rather than an IPO?  

B2B Neobanks Had a pretty big Deal Week

Qonto Announces Plan to Acquire Penta https://buff.ly/3zwPCI3 as we have predicted two weeks before https://buff.ly/3zxUSeH we have extensive coverage of Penta from the past linked in the article, as well as an interview with Qonto’s head of Germany. Also Kontist was selling itself at a pretty hefty discount https://buff.ly/3c9pmuF

Viability of Quick Delivery Business Model still Questioned

• After only one year: Gorillas is closing shop in Belgium. Efarmz is taking over parts 
• Gorillas wants to save itself with advertising from consumers and food giants of the world, the producer of the products they are delivering every day 
• More signs of the current economic environment for startups: Munich-based quick delivery startup arive delivers tech gadgets and lifestyle products. They...

Our Highlights:

Startups in GSA also shedding headcount, including unicorns that recently raised money. All signs point towards them extending their runway, expecting a recession. Some startups face a challenging fundraising environment, but others like WeFox want to almost double their valuations. Also, Personio and Trade Republic raise additional funds.

In our “stay ahead of the curve” section, we have a lot of articles an entrepreneur should read to prepare for the potential downturn.

German economic minister Habeck is unveiling his new startup strategy, considering even a minimum investment in VC Funds for German insurers and pension funds.

The fast delivery startups seem to hit a wall and even formerly mighty Gorillas now explores strategic options.

Let’s talk startups: https://medium.com/@startuprad_io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-june-2022-2651b2b64fe

Top News Tech Layoffs

This is just a selection of the current bloodshed going on in listed and non-listed tech around the world. Again we are focusing on the GSA market, but this is currently a big thing, especially for the workers fired.

• Global startup job cut reaches 17.000 people. Recent job cutters include unicorn Berlin Brands Group with 10% of their employees 
• German neobroker unicorn Trade Republic raises 250 m € at 5 bn € valuation, despite challenging market environment (for trading and fundraising). This is up from a 4.4 bn € valuation at their last fundraising in Mai 2021, despite that they are joining a long list of startups to cut expectations and jobs 
• Crypto trading platform Bitpanda cuts headcount by a third 
• A few weeks ago Berlin-based crypto startup Nuri announced to ax 20% of its headcount. Now they have to freeze withdrawals from some of their accounts since their partner Celsius Networks did so 
• Rocket Internet has already cut headcount: 30% of their workforce at their Global Founders Capital (formerly 94) and 50% at their Flash Ventures (formerly 40) 

Fast Delivery Startups in Trouble

Berlin’s Gorillas lays off 300 and exits four markets. They are not the only ones, Getir (also active in Germany) is also shedding headcount. They are also reportedly in search for other options, which may include a merger or acquisition as well. Read more here: Gorillas Burns 80 m US$ a Month. Now Explores Options, Weighed Deals With Delivery Rivals.

Instant delivery firm Jokr is leaving the US. Its founder — Ralf Wenzel — is also known as the founder of Foodpanda and helped Softbank with the reorganization of WeWork

Related:

• Gorillas Startup Dream of Food Delivery and Office Raves Falters 
• Ultra-Fast Delivery Startups May Have Moved Too Fast 

Challenging Fundraising Environment

But Some persevere for example

• Personio nabs $200M at a $8.5B valuation as its HR for small businesses hits the big time — Making it one of Europe’s most valuable startups 
• Insurtech Startup Wefox Seeks Funding at Over $5 Billion Value almost doubling their previous valuation

And others start to think about all options

• Solarisbank is Exploring All Options From Fundraising to a Sale to a PE Fund 

Plusdental

Plusdental is a Berlin-based startup working on mouthguards. In March 2021 said they were looking at a unicorn valuation. Now they exit for a mere 131 m € to a swiss based company

Wingcopter

Wingcopter receives 42 m US$ new funding, plans expansion. They are building a unique drone, that combines vertical lift-off capabilities with wing-assisted flight for long distances (much like a V 22 Osprey), already working in the Pacific on remote atolls...

Highlights

Startups in Europe raises 28.2 bn US$ in Q1 2022, the 2nd highest quarterly number on record. ⇒ Is this a lagging indicator!

Related:

CB Insights wrote just a few days ago: https://news.crunchbase.com/news/eu-funding-slows-europe-investment-startups-russia-ukraine/

But the seed funnel for startup investments is declining.

Hot sectors are currently

· Fintech

· Deeptech

· Health

· AI & Data

Startups Generated in the first quarter of 2022 more than 50.000 jobs. There are 90% more job openings, with the largest openings currently in fintech, health and biotech.The Exclusive Report

A little note here: There was a glitch in the seed data – in the version we used for our YouTube recording. Please refer to the corrected numbers in the document below:

https://infogram.com/quarterly-report-q1-2022_europe-1h7g6k05mplwo2o?live

Find the complete blog post here: https://medium.com/@startuprad_io/pulse-of-the-european-startup-system-update-q1-2022-f3fe257e70d6

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The best way to find investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up here:

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Welcome to This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups in May 2022 by Startuprad.io — in a news recording with Christian Fahrenbach from New York City and Jörn Menninger, from Frankfurt. This recording is sponsored by Invest-in-Hessen and Startupraven.com. It is in radio syndication with our very own station www.startup.radio, and our partner IBGR.Network.

We recorded this news episode on Thursday, May 19th, 2022. The next news will go live on June 30th. Keep in mind, that we will have a summer break afterward and be back for you with another news episode on Labor Day September 5th, 2022. In this episode, we will wrap up July, and August.

As always: All news not yet included here will be published in our next news episode in June.

We will also slightly change our publication schedule in the summer — as we have done before. For July and August, we will only post a new episode every other week (July 14th, 28th, and August 11th, as well as August 25th). We will be back to normal at the start of September.

We also partner with Artic 15 you get a discount with our code in the show notes at www.medium.com/startuprad-io

• Artic15 startupradio

Our Highlights:

We can proudly announce unicorn No 29 Taxfix, No 30 Onefootball and on the downside, RaisinDS loses its unicorn valuation. Really bad news for car sharing: BMW and Mercedes pull the plug on their joint venture. Our 2018 guest ProGlove is sold in a 500 m € deal (525 m US$) and Orderbird is sold in a 100 m € deal (105 m US$). Other unicorns are currently on the hunt for new capital and feel the heat of the current funding environment.

Let’s talk startups:

Our Enablers Invest-in-Hessen

This 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. Find it all here:

Tech Startups Germany This is Tech StartUps Germany by Startuprad.io, a global top 125 Tech Podcast. You will find interviews with all sorts…techstartups.sounder.fm

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Startup Raven Welcome! We know the time-consuming process of approaching investors and companies can be tedious, so we do it for you…startupraven.com

Find all news and show notes here: https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-may-2022-de23cf4942e3

Welcome to This Month in GSA Startups in April 2022 by Startuprad.io — in a news recording with Christian Fahrenbach ”Chris” from New York City today and me Jörn Menninger “Joe”, from Frankfurt am Main. This recording is sponsored by Invest-in-Hessen and Startupraven.com. It is in radio syndication with our very own station www.startup.radio, the blog Fundscene, and our partner IBGR.Network.

We recorded this new episode on Monday, April 25th, 2022. The next news will go live on the 26th of May, the day we celebrate fathers day in Germany. For this reason, we have at this date two publications: the news and an episode on men’s health.

As always: All news not yet included here will be published in our next news episode.

We also partner with the EU-Startups Summit and Artic 15 you get a discount at both events with our codes in the show notes www.medium.com/startuprad-io. You can meet Joe in person in Barcelona at the EU Startups Summit on May 12th and 13th.

The discount codes are:

• EU Startups STARTUPRADIO20
• Artic15 startupradio

Our highlights:

Despite slightly declining global VC investments GSA still generates Unicorns. This time we welcomed Grover and Choco officially into the league. Swiss Beqom is not confirmed, but also a massive investment. Apple and Porsche are rumored to work together on joint projects. Gorillas is looking for funding again, after raising a billion US$ (850 m Euros) in September 2021. Germany’s second most valuable fintech Mambu had to publish numbers. The corona patron registration app Luca first boomed during the lockdown, then their data protection was questioned, now they pivot to a fintech with the backing of investors including the Wefox founder.

Let’s talk startups:

Find all the links and show notes on our blog www.medium.com/startuprad-io

This time we do not interview an entrepreneur or investor from GSA, but we speak to Daniel. His startup equidam helps to value startups. He shares exclusive data with us on the GSA startups.

"We helped to value more than 130.000 startups."Daniel Faloppa, Founder and CEO equidam

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"A lot of news around is just about the best startups. This gives entrepreneurs the wrong impression on the valuation of what is possible."Daniel Faloppa, Founder and CEO equidam

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"One of the central questions of entrepreneurial finance is how much is my startup worth?"Daniel Faloppa, Founder and CEO equidam

The Founder

We hear from Daniel Faloppa (https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielfaloppa/), originally from Italy, but set up equidam (https://www.equidam.com/) in the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. This time we talk about startups and their valuation.

Daniel is originally from Italy, but his studies also took him to Glasgow and Rotterdam, where he set up his company.

"Valuating startups is really a dark art."Daniel Faloppa, Founder and CEO equidam

The Data

Find the graphics with the exclusive data on our blog post on medium.com/startuprad-io  

Welcome to This Month in German, Swiss and Austrian (GSA) Startups in March 2022 by Startuprad.io — in a news recording with Chris — not from New York City today and me Joe, from Frankfurt am Main. This recording is sponsored by Invest-in-Hessen and Startupraven.com. It is in radio syndication with our very own station www.startup.radio and our partner IBGR.Network.

We recorded this new episode on Monday, March 21st, 2022. The recording is one week earlier than usual, due to the travel schedules of Chris and me.

As always: All news not yet included here will be published in our next news episode.

Our Enablers Invest-in-Hessen

This 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. Find it all here: https://techstartups.sounder.fm/

Startupraven.com

The best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups. Sign up for early access here: https://startupraven.com/

Our highlights:

We have the 100 most influential women in startup and venture capital in Europe. There are two new unicorns to announce in GSA. Unicorn Personio set up a charity fund and Germany’s largest fintech exit (at approx 1 bn US$) is in the making. We have an exclusive interview with the CEO in charge for almost 40 minutes from July 2021. We try to touch on the Russian invasion in Ukraine as lightly as possible, only when it impacts the GSA startup scene since you get more than enough news about this tragedy on ANY OTHER outlet. Please note that this does not mean we don’t care, but it is not our area of coverage. We are also talking about delivery startups and again Wirecard. Not surprisingly, Wirecard will keep the German courts busy for years to come.

Let’s talk startups:

Find all links and show notes here: https://medium.com/startuprad-io

The Subject Matter Expert

Tara is a political analyst from PANALIS. PANALIS is Germany’s and likely also Europe’s No 1 software tool for policy analysis for associations and industry groups. You can find the interview with the two founders dating to April 2019 on our blog post here: www.medium.com/startuprad-io

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First 100 days

All governments have 100 days before the press hikes up their scrutiny. Since Mr. Scholz was sworn in on December 8th, 2021 as the 9th chancellor of Germany, the first 100 days will be over on March 18th, 2022. So we took the opportunity to have a look at what is potentially on the cards for

The interview was recorded before the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine, so there is no mention. We focus on what to expect from the German Government in very broad terms. Note that the current situation, with Ukraine and Corona, may totally derail the coalition contract, which is what we discuss right now. But for now, we can only discuss what we know. So let’s dive in.

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🌟 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:

https://medium.com/startuprad-io/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-gsa-startups-march-april-bb97d8243696

“The main message is that 2021 was an exceptional year. 2021 saw an 150% growth of startup investments in Europe”Thomas Kösters – Managing Director DEEP Ecosystems

Media Partnership

This is just the kick-off for our cooperation with the DEEP Ecosystem and we will bring you at least four more episodes with them. All data available here and discussed in our episode is only available here with us. Let us know what you would be interested in for the next episodes.

“We detected the uptick in Lisbon early, when we started. We asked ourselves if we are wrong as no one else was talking about Lisbon as a startup hub.”Thomas Kösters – Managing Director DEEP Ecosystems

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“Seed rounds are actually a lagging factor of the success of a startup hub”Thomas Kösters – Managing Director DEEP Ecosystems

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The DEEP Ecosystem

DEEP Ecosystem is a company founded by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, also the entity behind the https://startupheatmap.eu/. The company is an analytics company focusing on startup hubs in Europe. They are actively tracking more than 100 cities across all of Europe, from Meetups in the respective cities, to the share of female founders and all the accelerators active in the cities and even much more.

The Guest

Thomas Kösters (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-k%C3%B6sters-8602a247/)is our guest today, he is the Managing Director. Before he started with the startup heatmap, he was working for companies like Siemens, Microsoft, and EIT Digital.

The Report – Exclusively for our Listeners and Viewers

The data we are sharing here is nowhere else legally accessible. We are sharing here exclusively an excerpt of the Q4 Startup City Signals report, with more than 10 pages of exclusive data.

You can find all data here (hint: it is interactive when you hover with your cursor over it).

https://infogram.com/1pe2qp17963ej1bm75jlwzk23nhl1ky39zw?live

Nobody knows what a digital euro will look like. ECB is in the process of exploring the possibility. Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

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China is with its digital Yuan ahead of Europe or the US. The ECB is investigating the possibility, with the aim of having a digital Euro 2025. We will see China launching the digital Yuan this year. That is almost 5 years ahead.Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

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CBDC is a variant how the Euro will run on a modern infrastructure.Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

The Expert

This interview is part of our series with subject matter experts. Our guest today is Philipp Sandner (https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippsandner/), Professor at Frankfurt School of Management and Finance. There he is head of the Blockchain Center. He is also a member of the fintech advisory council to the German federal government (FinTechRat), Chairman of the International Toke Association, as well as a contributor to Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/philippsandner/).  According to one of Germany’s largest newspapers Frankfurt Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Philipp is also one of the 30 most influential economists in the German-speaking area in their ranking for 2018 and 2019. He is also co-founder of the German Blockchain Association.

• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippsandner/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/philippsandner
• Wiki https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philipp_Sandner

The situation of the Federal Reserve in developing a digital central bank Dollar is like the ECB. Both are early in exploring the topic. Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

The Digital Euro

Central banks take inspiration from cryptocurrencies and are actively thinking about introducing their own cryptos, called central bank digital currency (CBDC). There are many podcasts out there talking about CBDC, especially US$, but Startuprad.io is headquartered in the city of the Euro, Frankfurt. So, we thought we shed some light on the perspective from Europe. The European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve are both in the first steps of exploring the possibilities and implications of CBDCs for the Euro and the US Dollar. But there is already a growing market in US$ stable coins, where stable coins in Euro have to stomach losses, due to the negative interest rates in the European Monetary Union (EMU). Tune in to learn more...

The difference in the US is that there is already a working alternative, the US$ stable coins. Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

Further Readings / Additional Resources

• Here is the link to the blockchain master program of Frankfurt School https://www.frankfurt-school.de/home/programmes/master/blockchain-digital-assets
• The central bank digital currency tracker of the Atlantic Council: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/cbdctracker/
• CBDC definition

Welcome to This Month in GSA Startups - meaning Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for February 2022 by Startuprad.io - in a news recording with Chris from New York City and me Joe, from Frankfurt am Main. This recording is sponsored by Invest-in-Hessen and Startupraven.com. It is in syndication with our very own station www.startup.radio, our partner station IBGR.Network and the Fundscene blog.

We recorded this new episode on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2022. Today we bring you everything from a new Switzerland-based unicorn to a new take on quick delivery - pardon the pun.

We start out with mega-deal in Gaming: ESL Gaming is sold for 1bn US$, Munich-based Fintechsystems is sold for 120 mn € and Aachen-based Next Ego may accomplish THE turnaround of the whole year, coming out of insolvency, they are looking to list via SPAC, valued at 1.5 bn €. Switzerland has a new unicorn, congratulations to Scandit, Gorillas wants to buy a french competitor and is thinking about a SPAC deal. Also, we have a large update on neobanks in Germany, and they are not all doing well.

Let's talk startups:

https://medium.com/@startuprad_io/this-month-in-gsa-startups-february-2022-44520c52b1eb

A Joint Audio-Only Podcast

This is the first joint radio program and podcast of IBGR and the Startuprad.io podcast with its radio program Startup.Radio. You may know that IBGR and Startup.Radio are syndication partner, almost from the start of Startup.Radio. I, therefore, welcome William Eastman, founder of the IBGR Network, everybody calls Bill.

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What we have learned

Today we bring you insights from Atomico’s State of European Tech 2021 - an annual survey of startups all over Europe taking place annually since 2015. This survey may be the most comprehensive, repeated overview of the European startup and tech scene. This survey is a joint endeavor by Atomico, a London-based VC and PE fund, as well as the annual Slush tech festival in Helsinki, Finland. And, guys, you know a tech festival has to be good, if it can lure people to the freezing cold Helsinki in December. They also add data from providers like S&P and Dealroom in the mix. Startuprad.io had Dealrooms Founder in an interview btw.

This is just a start

This is just a starting point for you to discover the whole report on your own. It spans more than 350 pages, so we can not give you all the information here. The bottom line is … I would say: The whole continental ecosystem all over Europe has been lacking behind the US and China for quite some time. It looks like they have started to catch up in a big way, despite corona. We see this in increases in the number of investors, startups, fundings (number and size), and the increase in the uni/decacorn herds. The authors see a potential for the whole ecosystem that is now worth 3 Trillion US$ to be worth 24 Trillion US$ in 2030.

Learn More here:

https://www.startuprad.io/blog/what-we-have-learned-from-atomicos-state-of-european-tech-survey-audio-only/

Feedback is always welcome:

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