Plastic waste and the circular economy: an interview with Maike Lambarth and Dominik Novakovic from Cyclize

The HTGF portfolio company Cyclize recycles plastic waste using CO₂ to produce synthesis gas for chemical processes. In this interview, co-founders Maike Lambarth and Dominik Novakovic share their experiences and challenges in founding the climate tech company. They talk about how it all started – from an initial idea to the construction of a large test facility. They also have some valuable tips for founders, the most important of which are to keep going and have a good team ethic.

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How did you come up with the idea of Cyclize and get the company started?

Maike Lambarth: At the University of Stuttgart, we worked on a project focused on producing marine diesel oil from CO₂. Our role in the project was to develop a plasma reactor for splitting CO₂. Stephan Renninger, our current CTO, began with this work in autumn 2018 and I joined at the start of 2019.

We were both scientific employees with a background in engineering and had little experience with plasma at that point in time. This actually proved to be an advantage, as we were able to come at the topic without any fixed ideas and pursue an unconventional approach. Roughly one year later, we were joined by Jan Stein, who later became a co-founder. He started out as a student and did some fantastic work right from the off. Once the research project had ended, we came to the conclusion that, while splitting CO₂ worked very well on a technical level, it was not an economically viable option – neither at that time or in the foreseeable future – due to the large amount of energy required to ultimately produce diesel.

However, we knew that we could recycle carbon with our very efficient plasma reactor. The question was therefore whether it could be used for a different economic application. Stephan ultimately came up with the idea of using plastic waste. This had two crucial advantages. We obtained, on the one hand, an additional source of carbon and, on the other hand, a source of energy. This significantly reduced the amount of electrical energy required, making the process economically viable under current market conditions. And the idea for Cyclize was born!

And then you joined the team, Dominik.

Dominik Novakovic: That’s right! There was the question of which funding opportunities were best suited to take the technology from research to application. While applying for the EXIST Transfer of Research programme, it became clear that the team needed someone with business know-how – and so I joined in 2022. We started out with funding from the EXIST Transfer of Research programme, which helped us to achieve many technical milestones, shape us as a team and generate a lot of market interest. This ultimately led us to found the company in 2023.

Your target market is the chemical industry. How is this industry profiting from your solution?

Maike Lambarth: To “cyclize” means forming a ring from a carbon chain. With Cyclize, we can cover three aspects. Firstly, we can replace fossil fuels such as natural gas by producing synthesis gas, which then serves as a building block for many different products. Secondly, we can recycle carbon and thus utilize plastic waste that previously could not be recycled. And there is also no need for a pre-sorting process, as we can simply recycle mixed, glued or coated plastics as well as plastics filled with other materials. Our process produces gas that is easier to clean than liquid products. Thirdly, in addition to plastic waste, we can also recycle CO₂ and use it to produce new plastic products. This capability is rare, as most technologies are only able to split and store CO₂, not utilize it as a raw material.

Dominik Novakovic: Another crucial factor for scaling our solution in the chemical industry is the economic viability of the process. The chemical industry faces considerable challenges, particularly with regard to CO₂ emissions and the use of fossil fuels. Our solution offers a process that can compete with existing solutions in terms of costs and thus play a fundamental role in the future chemical industry.

We have seen in the industry that there is huge pressure to develop processes that are not based on fossil fuels. There is also a demand for solutions that are economically competitive. Our technology can fulfil these requirements. It is not only important to offer a process, but to also ensure that the solution is scalable and marketable.

How did you cross paths with HTGF?

Dominik Novakovic: German start-ups in the hardware sector are well aware of HTGF. We made contact at an early stage. A crucial meeting then took place at Chemistry Pitch Day 2023. The team has comprehensive expertise and really knows how to establish and scale successful hardware companies. We are very happy that HTGF is now part of our journey.

Speaking of scaling up, what are you currently focused on and what are the next challenges?

Maike Lambarth: We offer a series of tests with our demonstrator at the University of Stuttgart. Companies are faced with the challenge of circularity and achieving net zero for their existing products. And we have the perfect solution. Companies send us either industrial waste or end-of-life products that they want to recycle in future. The aim is to test to what extent our technology represents a cost-effective solution.

In addition, we are currently working on putting into operation a much larger demonstrator that is already running semi-continuously in an industrial environment. The University of Stuttgart offers an outstanding infrastructure with its research power station. From 2025, our major task is to set up the first pilot plant in a chemical park. This will form the foundation for our first commercial chemical facility in the industrial environment of a chemical park.

So, there’s a lot to do. Are you currently looking to strengthen your team?

Dominik Novakovic: We have already grown a lot in our first year and are now an interdisciplinary team of over ten colleagues. We are always on the lookout for people who can offer expertise and experience in our field and help us to defossilize the chemical industry.

What would be your three tips for future company founders in the hardware sector?

Maike Lambarth: My first tip would be to not become discouraged. You encounter a lot of pessimism in the hardware sector. People often told us that it wouldn’t work out, that we needed too much money and the technology would be difficult to scale. Despite these warnings, we concluded a very successful seed funding round, raising over €4.75 million and receiving numerous inquiries from the market. You should therefore do things your own way and believe in your vision.

Dominik Novakovic: My advice is to learn from the experience of others. So many people have tried to establish a company – some have succeeded, and others have failed. Their experience is valuable and can help you to find your own path. You should have a concrete idea in mind, but also be open to the expertise and experience of others.

Maike Lambarth: And our third tip is that it is important to invest time in your team. This is something that companies don’t always get right. We quickly learned that it is important to regularly get together and talk about non-work-related matters.

Thank you for your fascinating insights!

This is how we did it – Episode 6 with Maximilian Webers, Co-Founder & CEO of COLIPI

COLIPI is developing an industrial biotechnological process to convert climate-damaging CO2 and carbon-containing industrial waste into climate-neutral oil. The product is a sustainable and climate-neutral alternative to palm oil and petroleum and has the potential to become the world’s fastest and thus most cost-effective CO2-transforming bioprocess.

In our interview, Maximilian Webers, Co-Founder & CEO of COLIPI, talks about the climate crisis as an opportunity for new solutions, about taking the plunge or being thrown in at the deep end, and about enjoying the founding experience despite the challenges and the great personal responsibility.

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What was your biggest learning from that time?
Everything takes time, especially for high-tech non-software-based start-ups. There is always a way and there are always paying customers if you can sell.

What perhaps unexpected developments or challenges did you experience in the early days, and how did you respond as a team?
Our EXIST funding will continue through November 2024. Initially, we were determined to stay at the TU Hamburg and use its resources until then. But when the COLIPI project grew faster than expected and we ran out of space, we were asked to move. So, we were thrown in at the deep end earlier than expected when it came to finding a space and setting up a laboratory. But what can you do? We rolled up our sleeves as a team, accepted the new reality and have been sitting in our own offices and laboratories since the beginning of 2024. It was a great team effort. We are very proud of that.

What should founders pay particular attention to when they start a start-up now?
There is so much to pay attention to, and it is so dependent on the situation. But perhaps I can say that you should be prepared for it to be hard work and a big part of your life. Joy and frustration are close together and there is little in between. Complaining about everything won’t help, as the founders are responsible for success. Whether it’s a supplier delivering late or someone unexpectedly quitting or something similar, no one out there cares about that. The only thing that is seen and that counts is financial success. Investors must make more money with start-ups than with other financial investments to justify the comparatively high risk.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Enjoy the start-up phase. It will be the time of your life. Be grateful for every experience, whether it feels good or bad, it will always help you grow.

Cultimate Foods: Interview with Eugenia Sagué on the Future of Meat Alternatives

We sat down with Eugenia Sagué, co-founder and CEO of Cultimate Foods, to learn more about the food tech company based in Hannover and Berlin, and the next generation of meat alternatives. Eugenia provides fascinating insights into the inspiration behind the company’s founding, the technology of their products, and the challenges they face in development and scaling.

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Can you tell us more about the technology behind your products?

Eugenia Sagué: Our CultiFat is a cultivated ingredient made with cell-cultivated animal fat cells (porcine and bovine fat cells). It offers a natural lipid profile that enhances the flavour and juiciness of plant-based meat alternatives even in small amounts. This minimises unwanted flavours and supports clean-label formulations, i.e. food products with transparent, short and comprehensible lists of ingredients, by replacing additives and enabling seamless integration into existing production processes.

What challenges do you face in the development and scaling of your products?

Eugenia Sagué: The biggest challenges in scaling up our products are the high costs of cell culture media and the design of bioprocesses. Culture media account for more than 30% of production costs. They must be food-grade, animal-friendly and economical. This means striking a balance between costs and the needs of the cells.

Uncertainties regarding innovation, regulatory approvals and the need for partnerships with specialised companies pose a risk. To overcome this challenge, it is necessary to work with media experts, focus on tailored media formulations (adapted to specific cell types) and eliminate non-essential components that drive up costs.

Scaling up from 1-litre to 10,000-litre bioreactors is anything but easy. If that doesn’t work, we could also pursue a ‘scale-out’ strategy with smaller bioreactors, while maintaining the cell metrics for greater efficiency. And to overcome these challenges, we need pilot validations and must also take advantage of advances in cell technology.

How do you see the future of meat alternatives?

Eugenia Sagué: I believe that hybrid products will dominate the market soon. Plant-based products will be refined with cultivated animal fat as a flavour carrier. The ingredient we are developing, based on cultivated fat, could play a central role in these new products.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in the food technology sector?

Eugenia Sagué: Follow your passion—that’s my most important piece of advice!

This is how we did it – Episode 5 with Lea Frank, Co-Founder and CEO of anybill

In December 2019, Lea Frank and Tobias Gubo co-founded anybill to build a modern solution for the obligation to issue receipts, which came into force in Germany at the beginning of 2020. anybill used the momentum to drive digitalisation and connectivity at the point of sale: the digital receipt was born. Today, the digital receipt is not only a reason for greater sustainability for many retail companies, but also a valuable marketing tool.

In our ‘This is how we did it’ series, we spoke to Lea about her start-up experience. The Covid pandemic has presented anybill with challenges but is also helping to drive acceptance of the product. Lea talks about remote work and team spirit, the right focus in times of crisis and adapting to changing conditions.

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What perhaps unexpected developments or challenges did you experience in the initial phase, and how did you react to them as a team?

We hired our first employees in March 2020 – right at the start of the Covid crisis. Of course, we all started working remotely back then, but that wasn’t a problem at all, as we all know that this works very well in these times. As soon as on-site meetings were possible again, we met regularly on site. Since then, we have mainly worked in the office and occasionally from home. However, the majority of the team regularly comes to the office. It is precisely this team spirit that makes us special.

What should founders pay particular attention to when setting up a start-up now?

Think very carefully about which path you want to take, in particular which form of financing suits your own business (e.g. bootstrapped or VC financed), position yourself as capital-efficiently as possible and always maintain your focus.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Invest in your network and in as much dialogue as possible with experienced entrepreneurs.

From research to market: Phytonics’ breakthrough in photovoltaics 

The global energy transition needs innovative technologies. Among the up-and-coming start-ups in this field is the HTGF portfolio company Phytonics. The KIT spin-off recently launched a self-adhesive film for anti-glare solar modules. This allows solar panels to be used in areas that were previously unused due to glare problems. In this interview, co-founder Ruben Hünig provides insights into the history of the start-up and the challenges involved in launching the product on the market. He also shares his most important learnings from the founding phase. 

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Ruben, how did the idea for Phytonics come about? What drives you and what is your vision? 

During my doctoral studies, I looked at various optical concepts to find out how light in solar cells can be converted into electricity more efficiently. By chance, I attended a lecture by biologist Anna Schulte, who is a member of the well-known research group that has researched and publicised the lotus effect, for example. Her lecture was about the optical properties of various plant surfaces, which are based on a wide variety of micro- and nanostructures. After that, we went to the laboratory and used an impression process to transfer various plant surface structures to solar cells. The results, especially with rose petals, were so good that I initially had doubts about the accuracy of the measurements. However, they were reproducible and confirmed in various experiments. Together with my co-founders Benjamin and Raphael, who were working on the topic as master students at the time, and my long-time friend Moritz, who had already successfully founded another HTGF start-up, we developed the idea of how we could turn this into a commercial product.  
It then took another three years before Benjamin succeeded in upscaling the microstructure in his dissertation and transferring it to real, small solar modules. The results in the open field were so good that it would have been a shame to let them disappear in a drawer. So in the summer of 2019, the decision was made to found a company to sell a bionic, microstructured polymer film for solar modules to increase the energy yield. From the outset, our vision was to make a decisive contribution to the energy transition. 

And what challenges did the market launch bring with it?

One important lesson we had to learn on our way to the market was that almost no one is willing to actually spend money on additional electricity. To make matters worse, module prices have fallen sharply. A two-square-metre solar module with an output of 430W now costs less than 50 euros. Even with an additional yield of 10%, this does not result in a cost-covering surcharge for a coating, or only with truly large-scale production.  
However, the nice side effect of our technology is that significantly less light is reflected, which means that the modules are glare-free. That’s what customers really jumped on, which is why we have also geared our product precisely to the anti-glare segment. Our film is an enabler, because it is only through it that our customers can use solar energy. So the question is not whether there is a few percent more yield, but whether you have 0% or 100% yield. This also results in a higher willingness to pay, which enables us to cover our costs. At the same time, the contribution that our product makes to the energy transition is significantly greater than a few percent more yield. 
Many customers find us through their own research because they urgently need a solution. However, it remains a challenge for us to inform the market that there is now an answer to the glare problem. This means that we have to become better known among the glare assessors, engineering firms, module dealers, installers, architects, etc., so that our solution is taken into account in the planning of PV systems. At the same time, it is of course important to be able to offer the film at a lower and lower cost through economies of scale. These are currently our two main topics. 

What are the next steps and goals for Phytonics?

We have been on the market for two months now and are doing good business. Our next goal is to make ourselves known in the market and get into the mainstream. To do that, we want to market our film directly to module manufacturers. Unfortunately, the PV industry in Europe is now very limited. That’s why we will work with PV manufacturers outside Europe. 

What advice would you give to founders who are just starting out?

If I could give 2019 Ruben any advice today, it would be these three things above all: First, talk to potential customers as early as possible and take their feedback seriously. Second, get experienced external partners to do as much as possible, even if it costs money. And third, question your beliefs and throw them overboard if necessary. 

Thank you for the exciting insights, Ruben! 

Against the tide – HTGF portfolio SciRhom company rewarded for courage with EUR 63 million Series A financing

In July, HTGF portfolio company SciRhom announced one of the largest financing rounds in German biotechnology this year and will soon begin clinical trials of its first drug. The company’s unique therapeutic approach targets a central node of the immune system. In this interview, company co-founder and current SciRhom Managing Director and COO Jens Ruhe, his Co-Managing Director and CEO Jan Poth and Frank Hensel, Principal at HTGF, provide insights into the collaboration that has been in place since 2016 and the next milestones for the company.

SciRhom began with a scientific speculation that was not without controversy. What exactly was it about?

Jens Ruhe: Contrary to the prevailing opinion at the time the company was founded, SciRhom decided to pursue a novel approach against autoimmune diseases with a therapeutic antibody directed against iRhom2. Antibodies react with structures on the surface of cells. However, the conventional wisdom was that the processes we are targeting take place entirely inside the cells and are therefore beyond the reach of an antibody. We, and above all our scientific co-founder Carl Blobel, who established the foundations of SciRhom’s approach at a renowned US research institute, were of a different opinion. In this respect, SciRhom was indeed swimming against the tide in the founding phase.

Jan Poth: I was impressed by the courage of the founding team when I joined SciRhom from Boehringer Ingelheim in 2022 – and I still am. This early positioning allowed us, among other things, to establish broad patent protection for the therapeutic strategy developed by SciRhom. This is a potential competitive advantage for a fully developed drug. In addition, years of very meticulous scientific work have gone into identifying and characterising this antibody and underpinning it with positive test results.

How did HTGF get involved and what convinced the team to take this risk?

The other important deciding factor was clearly the quality and experience of the SciRhom team. Jens and his co-founder Matthias Schneider had already gone through the entire value chain as part of a previous start-up – U3 Pharma AG. U3 Pharma emerged from the laboratory of Professor Axel Ullrich at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry. Here, too, the team developed therapeutic antibodies through clinical trials. And in 2008, U3 was acquired by the pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo for around 150 million euros. So we knew that the SciRhom team had what it takes to master this challenge a second time. And such serial founders are very important for the sustainable growth of the German biotechnology sector.

Jens Ruhe: Interestingly, our team’s background also had a disadvantage. As SciRhom was not a classic university spin-off and our team already had many years of development experience, some of the usual funding pots for start-up teams were not accessible to us. This made the question of whether HTGF would get involved as an early-stage investor even more decisive. A “yes” from HTGF acted as an important nucleus for approaching and attracting the interest of other early investors. I therefore still remember our first visit to Bonn very clearly – and how impressed we were as founders that there were knowledgeable experts on the investor’s side who were able to evaluate our idea in a well-founded manner.

If SciRhom is successful with its approach, what could this mean for patients with autoimmune diseases?

Jan Poth: In autoimmune diseases, put simply, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissue. Over the last two decades, several new drugs have been launched on the market for these diseases. As a rule, these drugs target precisely one area to alleviate disease symptoms or slow down the progression of the disease. However, daily practice shows that a kind of glass ceiling has been reached regarding their effectiveness. The therapeutic benefit for the patient can no longer be increased with this paradigm, so a new one is needed.

With iRhom2, SciRhom’s approach targets a molecule that is located at the interface or, in a certain sense, at the origin of several disease-promoting processes, and thus promises significant advantages. However, if you want to address such a junction, you have to proceed very specifically and very carefully so that only the processes you intend to influence are affected and side effects are minimised or excluded.

In June 2024, SciRhom closed a new financing round with €63 million. HTGF participated again, as did six national and international venture capital funds. What will the fresh capital enable the company to do?

Jens Ruhe: We can continue and intensify our research and development activities. In principle, we had everything in place for the start of the first of three clinical phases. The regulatory authorities have given their approval for the clinical trial plan, a renowned clinical centre in Austria is acting as a partner and an established molecular biomarker is helping to prove the basic mechanism of action of our antibody in humans. When the first phase is expected to begin in the coming weeks, SciRhom will have reached a historic milestone. With the new funding, we now want to carry out this study, further substantiate the safety of the active substance and then provide clinical proof of efficacy in two patient populations in further studies. Achieving this will naturally increase the value of the development candidate and thus the value of the company many times over.

How would the HTGF categorise SciRhom funding in a national and international context?

Frank Hensel: The financing is one of the biggest rounds on the European stage this year and in several recent years, actually. The consortium is broadly based and highly qualified with the new investors Andera Partners, Wellington Partners, Hadean Ventures, MIG Capital, Kurma Partners and Bayern Kapital. The fact that SciRhom was sufficiently financed to bring its active ingredient to clinical maturity was certainly a clear advantage.

After last year’s somewhat difficult financing situation for the German biotech sector, things are looking more positive again this year. In addition to SciRhom, companies such as our portfolio company Tubulis and the cancer specialists CatalYm and ITM have each raised three-digit million euro sums from venture capital funds. On the exit side, 2024 is also already a good year, as we can see from the acquisition of the HTGF portfolio company Cardior Pharmaceuticals by the Danish pharmaceutical group Novo Nordisk, for example. Novo is acquiring Cardior for an amount of up to €1.025 billion if certain development and commercial milestones are reached.

Overall, the SciRhom funding fits in well with the current upward trend and increasing maturity of the sector. And SciRhom shows once again that there is excellent science in Germany and that such innovations can also attract investors.

SciRhom is opening a new chapter with the Series A financing. What would an interim conclusion look like?

Jan Poth: For me, this story is a prime example of how biotech start-ups work best. A founding team that is absolutely convinced of the science meets an investor who can assess the risk but is not afraid of it. Motivated by the HTGF seal of approval, private investors participate in the start-up and in subsequent rounds. HTGF thus acts a bit like a talent factory in sport – with the right nose to recognise the complete player of tomorrow in a young talent.

Jens Ruhe: In recent years, we have optimised and characterised our therapeutic agent, found cooperation partners to produce it in larger quantities, built up strong patent protection and much more. Now it’s time to take the next important steps and bring our approach into clinical trials, and thus closer to patients who need better treatment options. Without HTGF, this first phase of the company’s history would certainly have been more arduous and may not have progressed as far.

And for the HTGF? Has the project thus reached a “happy end?”

Frank Hensel: “Happy” yes, but we’re certainly not at the end yet. The role of HTGF naturally changes after such a financing round, but we continue to support SciRhom. Such successes enable us to initiate new activities and certainly give us a little personal “push.”

To summarise, I would say that we have once again succeeded in supporting a biopharmaceutical start-up from the concept phase through to clinical trials of the first active ingredient – now one of almost 20 cases in our portfolio. And with a cumulative investment sum that is comparable to the research expenditure that pharmaceutical companies also have to spend on such a balance sheet. Such cases are therefore further confirmation that HTGF can also be a driver of medical progress.

Thank you very much for these exciting and valuable insights!

This is how we did it – Episode 4 – with Celine
Göhlich, Co-Founder & Managing Director everyone energy

In the fourth episode of our “This is how we did it” series, Céline Göhlich, Co-Founder and Managing Director of everyone energy, talks about how much the conditions for her company have changed because of the energy crisis and how she and her co-founders have responded. everyone energy is accelerating the expansion of renewable technologies in buildings with consulting software that makes the energy transition easier for everyone – consumers, companies and solution providers.

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What was your biggest learning from this time?
The most important realisation for us was how crucial it is to react quickly to a changing market environment – and that you must be prepared to risk a pivot if necessary. This includes regularly scrutinising your own value creation logic and business model. The great art lies in recognising exactly what is indispensable and what you can do without in times of crisis – in other words: “Kill your darlings!”

What perhaps unexpected developments or challenges did you experience in the initial phase, and how did you react to them as a team?
As a start-up that was founded in the dynamic environment of the energy transition and during the coronavirus pandemic, we had to be characterised by flexibility in our working methods and company structure right from the start. Particularly in the initial phase, we attached great importance to keeping our costs as low as possible. Wherever possible, we used external support, funding programmes and our network to gain valuable knowledge and experience.

What should founders pay particular attention to when setting up a start-up now?
As a founder, you are constantly confronted with new challenges – especially in times like these. It is crucial to see these challenges as solvable problems. This requires a strong growth mindset, but even more important is a committed team and a genuine enthusiasm for the cause.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Building a successful start-up is a marathon – it requires perseverance. It is important to keep an eye on the added social value and positive impact. This is the only way to sustainably attract investors along the way. But at the end of the day, it’s all about believing in your own vision and not being discouraged by setbacks. Every crisis also harbours opportunities, and those who are prepared to remain flexible and learn can develop great things from these opportunities.
So: stay curious, keep your eyes open and, above all, have fun changing the world!

Four branding tips for start-ups and founders

A guest article by Simon Rieger, communications and PR consultant and speaker. Simon was recently part of this year’s Top 30 under 30 in the PR Report’s communications rankings. As Team Lead Brand Marketing, PR & Communications at anybill, he is committed to the positioning and visibility of the start-up and co-founder and CEO Lea Frank

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As a founder, it is essential to strategically build and maintain your personal brand as well as your start-up brand. LinkedIn is an excellent communication tool for attracting customers, partners, investors and employees.

Here are four important things you should definitely bear in mind:

1. Authenticity is everything
Authenticity is the cornerstone of your communication. Both online and offline, your presence must be genuine and straightforward. Authenticity creates trust and credibility, which are essential in the start-up world. Authentic founders are perceived as honest and transparent, which strengthens long-term relationships with customers, partners, investors and even employees. So: Don’t do any communication activities that you don’t stand behind.

2. Define and differentiate your own brand
Take a close look at your personal brand. Use coaching to recognise and establish your brand and clearly define what is not part of your brand. This differentiation helps to create an unmistakable brand image that your target group will remember in the long term. Clearly communicating your values and unique selling points is crucial.

3. Invest in good images
No, quick office photos taken with a smartphone are not enough. Investing in high-quality portrait photos is a must. They should be in the golden ratio, preferably upright and sympathetic, as well as adapted to the mood of your text. Professional photo shoots help to present your brand in a visually appealing and consistent way. Good images are essential for your website, social media profiles and press appearances. Remember: “Position yourself bigger as you are!”

4. Use a mix of your personal and your company page on LinkedIn
Don’t neglect the company page on LinkedIn. A good mix of personal page and company page is important. The visibility of the personal brands should contribute to that of the company. However, employees can change companies and thus also take their reach with them. In extreme cases, the same can also happen to founders. Your strategy should therefore strengthen both the personal brand and the corporate brand. Content should reflect the company’s vision and values and offer added value for customers and partners. But never rely solely on personal branding and “never build your house purely on someone else’s land”. This means that your own company account must also be strengthened. Team content, for example, is ideal for employer branding as well as voices from customers and partners.

“Financial planning is not a luxury” – Interview with Karolina Decker, CEO and founder of finmarie

How can women become financially independent and more confident in their financial decisions? This is the question addressed by Karolina Decker, CEO and founder of finmarie. finmarie is an investment platform and mobile app designed specifically for women to help them invest their money wisely and plan for the future. We spoke to Karolina Decker about how she came up with the idea of helping women with financial education, how her concept works and what tips she has for aspiring entrepreneurs.

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How do you go about this? How does your concept work?
finmarie is an investment platform and mobile app for women in Europe that can be used for both private customers (B2C) and for companies (B2B). As a comprehensive solution, finmari eoffers digital financial education, wealth management with robo-advisor tools and a digital insurance strategy. The offering: finmarie primarily aims to empower women to make smart financial decisions themselves and to make the financial market more transparent and more accessible. Among other things, the Investment Academy, an 8-week-training programme, is intended to help with this. It provides participants with a step-by-step guide to transforming their finances – from learning the basics to making their first investment. Customers have now invested several million euros with the help of finmarie.
We have developed a flexible and customisable SaaS solution for companies. This includes personal financial coaching and a hybrid digital Financial Wellness Academy, which can be offered as a white-labelled option under the company’s own brand.

Numerous studies repeatedly show that women invest differently to men, partly because they appear to have less financial education. What is the reason for this difference?
The difference in the investment behaviour of women and men can be attributed to several interesting factors. Women often have less access to financial education than men, which influences their investment behaviour. While men often simply move on from losses and talk about them less, they tend to be bolder – sometimes even reckless and overconfident.

Women, on the other hand, are often more cautious and risk-conscious. They prefer to invest with a long-term view and take care to make sustainable decisions. This approach means that female portfolios are often more stable and even perform better in the long term. Through their careful and far-sighted investment strategy, women create a solid financial foundation for the future.

30 per cent of German women feel financially dependent, 82 per cent are convinced that they will never be financially independent. How can a solution like finmarie help?
Every woman must learn to be more courageous with her finances and actively invest money. The gender pay gap, the gender investing gap and the gender pension gap – i.e. the fact that women earn less, invest less and have less money in old age – are major problems that urgently need to be addressed.

That’s why there’s no way around sound financial planning for women. It can be easy to get started, for example with an ETF savings plan starting at 25 euros per month. The earlier you start, the better. The decisive factor is long-term investment and the consistent pursuit of your own strategy without being unsettled by market fluctuations.
Financial planning is not a luxury, but a necessity for every woman. Now is the time to take responsibility for your own finances and take control of your financial future.

Studies show that women are more risk averse when it comes to investment products. How can you instil more courage to invest more in the financial market?
Many women often lack confidence in their financial abilities. But you don’t have to be an investment professional to successfully build up your wealth. You don’t have to be a broker or a statistics expert. Unfortunately, the topic of finance has long been portrayed as very complicated, which makes women feel insecure.

We are currently seeing a clear example on the market of why women are often cautious: They feel overwhelmed by the amount of information and products available. Constant media reports about “top shares” and “must buy” investments only make things more complicated and opaque.

That is why finmarie is committed to bringing more transparency and clarity to the financial world. We want to encourage women to take control of their finances and give them the confidence they need to invest successfully. Now is the time to trust yourself and take action!

What have you learnt in particular on your journey with FinMarie? Were there any surprises in the area of finance and women?
There is a lack of basic financial education in the current school system. Children in 6th and 7th grade do not learn what services and products are available on the market that could be important for their future. It’s reminiscent of the viral tweet from a few years ago: You can write a poetry analysis in three languages, but don’t know how to do a tax return. That urgently needs to change.

To improve this, we launched the “Schulgold” initiative before corona. Our aim is to get young people interested in finance. We went to Berlin schools and taught classes the basics of finance in 45 minutes.

You’ve been around since 2018. A lot has happened since then – the pandemic, the time of multiple crises. How have you experienced this time as founders?
The coronavirus pandemic has presented us all with enormous challenges. We had to react quickly, including through the conversion and digitalisation of work processes. A clearly defined corporate culture (home office, remote working, trust-based working hours) has helped us a lot. And ultimately, it’s always about setting an example of mentally healthy behaviour, i.e. acting as a role model.

You are a female team of founders and therefore in the minority in Germany and internationally. What advice can you give to women who want to start their own business?
Founders are used to adapting quickly to new situations – and making the best of them. However, this would be much easier for them if government support and investor capital were even better tailored to their specific needs.

What are general tips for founders that you wish you had known when you were a founder?
Firstly: Always be up to date! Keep up to date with the latest developments in your industry and ensure that your company always has its finger on the pulse. Use innovative tools and technologies to help you optimise your processes and motivate your employees.

Secondly, focus on your strengths! Concentrate on the areas in which you are particularly good and target your energies there. Delegate tasks that are not among your strengths to your team and utilise their skills to achieve even greater success together.

And thirdly: Be courageous and innovative! Have the courage to break new ground and realise innovative ideas. This is the only way to set yourself apart from the competition and lead your company into a successful future.

Thank you very much for your insights, Karolina.

This is how we did it – episode 3 with Dr. Jannik Lockl from inContAlert

The decision to start your own start-up is always a challenge. In our series “This is how we did it” we talk to founders from our portfolio who have made their first experiences as entrepreneurs in challenging times — valuable first-hand tips and insights. In the third episode we talk to Dr. Jannik Lockl, co-founder of inContAlert, about his founding experience. The MedTech startup was founded in 2022 and develops a sensor device to monitor the bladder filling level of patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction. The AI-based solution enables the affected people to empty their bladder in time and protects them from uncontrolled urine leakage or a health-damaging overstretching of the bladder.

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What was your most important insight from this time?
Setbacks are normal in times of great change! Instead of giving up right away, you should get together as a team and work together on a solution that makes you emerge stronger from the situation.

Were there any surprises?
The extreme openness of the affected people surprised us a bit, especially since we are not medical professionals. We knew what demand there was for such a product, but we are always impressed by the different backgrounds for the interest in our product and how committed the affected people are to advance our development. This gives us realistic insights into the lives of the patients and motivates us to continue working on the product every day.

What should founders pay special attention to when they start a start-up now?
It is important that you deal extensively with the idea and inform yourself in advance about competitors, but also the demand for the new product in this area. Of course, a balanced team as well as the fun and desire to found are essential. There are numerous possibilities to get support for a founding, which you should definitely take advantage of.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Deal with the real problems of society. Think disruptively, out-of-the-box. This is the only way to find groundbreaking ideas and solutions that improve our society and thus the quality of life of our fellow human beings.

How doinstruct revolutionizes the training of frontline workers

Frontline workers are those who have direct contact with customers, products or machines, such as warehouse, production, care or sales staff. They are often the face and heart of a company, but also the ones with the least access to digital training and the greatest need for it. HTGF portfolio company doinstruct aims to change this with an innovative platform for training frontline staff. Based in Osnabrück, Germany, doinstruct has had an impressive growth story since 2021. We sat down with Charlotte Rothert, co-founder and CEO of doinstruct, and Christian Arndt, Principal at HTGF, to learn more about the founding story, the recent funding round with Creandum and the startup’s vision.

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Charlotte, how did you come up with the idea for doinstruct?
Charlotte Rothert: I am a trained farmer and have restructured large farms, i.e. farms with many employees with very different backgrounds. I have learnt how important well-trained employees are for the success and productivity of a farm. I invested a lot of time in training but could not find a digital solution that met my expectations. Almost all of the solutions were made by desk workers for desk workers, not for the 80% of the population in the farm or commercial areas.

Then Thorsten contacted me, my current co-founder, who had the same problem in industry. He was using e-learning that only reached office workers. He also had an app, but it was only being downloaded 30% of the time. So there was a huge gap between what was available and what the frontline workers needed.

So I brought on board my second co-founder Daniel, the technical brains behind doinstruct. We searched for a tool that was accessible, simple, multi-lingual, fully integrated and automated into the existing IT infrastructure and could reach every employee. And we found nothing that convinced us. We then surveyed 1000 employees to find out what training would be needed to reach everyone. We built the first prototype and iterated quickly. Later, Thorsten joined as a co-founder. He was so excited about the idea that he wanted to be part of it. And a few weeks ago, Mona joined us, our fourth co-founder, an absolute product luminary who complements us perfectly with her experience.

What does doinstruct do and how does it benefit the employees and the company?
Charlotte Rothert: Training frontline staff has never been easier than with doinstruct. Many companies do not reach their employees without a fixed desktop workstation and train them awkwardly via computers in production or in long face-to-face training sessions. The training rates are low, not sustainable and not understandable for employees due to language barriers and sometimes lack of language skills. With doinstruct, training can be fully automated, anytime, anywhere, on a smartphone or tablet, without the need for a desktop workstation or an email address. And most importantly, before the first day of work, in the employee’s native language.

We also realised that there is a lot of mandatory training in every industry that is 80% the same and needs to be updated in every company. And we make this training available to our customers as a library. Over 100 videos in 20 languages, short and crisp with storytelling elements. Customers can then combine or customise the training to suit their needs, for example by adding a short reel or existing material.

In this way, they can automatically keep their employees up to date, save up to 70% of training costs and reduce implementation times from sometimes more than two months to two hours. We also track training results and progress, so organisations always know who has what skills and how effective training is. Or prepare for audits or reviews at the touch of a button.

Christian, how did you hear about doinstruct and what convinced you to invest?
Christian Arndt: I first became aware of doinstruct when I was giving a talk at the Venture Club in Münster, Germany. Co-founder Thorsten was in the audience and approached me afterwards. Both, the team and the product convinced me. I had a good feeling from the beginning that this would be a good fit on a personal level. They are also solving a real problem for a lot of companies that employ frontline workers. And they did it not from one of the big start-up hotspots, but from Osnabrück, where they also have a good connection to their target group. In addition, all three have a relevant track record in the area they are in. So they have the know-how, the network and the passion to build a successful business. And they have proven this over the past two years.

And how did the collaboration between you work out?
Charlotte Rothert: We learned a lot from Christian and the HTGF. He always calibrated us well, gave us tips, recommended podcasts, invited us to events. He was our cheerleader and always drummed up publicity, but also our sparring partner. He always asked us the right questions, challenged us, supported us, encouraged us. He was always available when we needed some advice or had an idea.

Christian Arndt: I can only give that back. The team was always very open, honest and proactive. We never had the feeling that anything was hidden or embellished, so that we could always go into sparring on an equal footing. This way we could discuss challenges and strategies and find solutions together. The team also always showed a lot of initiative, educated themselves and developed further. You could practically watch them grow, both on a personal and on an entrepreneurial level.

Charlotte, you just closed a 7.6 million € seed financing round with Creandum. How did you experience that?
Charlotte Rothert: We asked ourselves: Who do we want to work with, where do we want to go, who fits our journey? We had a long list, but Creandum was one of our preferred partners right from the start. We had a lot of interest from investors, but at first we put them off because we wanted to achieve our figures and get our work done first. When the interest became so great that we could no longer ignore it, we said: OK, we are going to do a quick fundraising round. And it was a really quick round. We got a termsheet within eleven days. It was a mixture of good execution and good preparation. And of course to Creandum, who just know how to run a great fundraising process and got us to say no to 25 other investors.

Christian Arndt: I think the success shows that the team has developed a product that meets a real market need and effectively solves the customer problems. That is the basis to make such a financing round possible at all. The financing round is an important milestone on the way to a market-leading company. The foundation for this was laid by the team through their excellent operational work and their focus on the customer needs and the product.

And what are the next steps and goals for doinstruct?
Charlotte Rothert: We still have a lot to do. We want to expand into new verticals, because we believe that our solution is relevant for many industries. Today we are in the food industry, logistics and construction. In the short term we will also cover manufacturing. We also want to grow internationally, because we have customers who also have locations outside of Germany who want to work with us. We already have 20 languages on offer, that is a big advantage. We also want to further develop our technology, especially in the area of AI enablement. We want to make the topic of content creation even smarter and more automated. We have the big goal of offering only 10% human-generated content by 2026. We also want to develop further products, for example we just launched a visitor module that trains not only the employees, but also visitors and external service providers.

What are your most important advice to founders in the early stage?
Christian Arndt: My biggest piece of advice is to always focus on solving the customer’s problem. If you don’t, you’ll end up with a product that nobody needs. Doinstruct did that perfectly, they always had the customer in mind, always got feedback, always optimised and finally achieved a good product-market fit. And that was reflected in the numbers and the results.

Charlotte Rothert: I think it was also very good that we started during the crisis. That showed us how important it is to work counter-cyclically, i.e. not to be influenced by external circumstances, but to focus on your strengths, to use your opportunities, to find your position. Another piece of advice I would give is not to be ashamed of releasing something early that is not perfect. We did that too, we threw out our MVP, which was not the coolest solution on the planet, but it solved a clear pain and we could sell it. We interviewed 1000 people first, built prototypes, tested, moved on. Only then did we go for perfection. I think that helped us the most in the beginning.

Thank you for these exciting and valuable insights!

Looking back: HTGF Family Day 2024 in Berlin

At our new location STATION Berlin, we were able to offer participants at the Family Day even better opportunities for personal exchange and networking. Around 1,300 investors, founders and representatives of companies and the start-up ecosystems took advantage of this opportunity in thousands of 1-on-1 meetings.

Our two stages offered plenty of inspiration with keynotes, keynote speeches and panels. In addition, selected MasterClasses on various topics rounded off the program. On the Vision Stage, our start-ups from the fields of digital health to climate tech presented themselves to interested VCs and corporates.

Entrepreneur Verena Pausder, CEO of the Startup Association, offered a fresh perspective on Germany as a business location. The presentation by Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Robert Habeck, in which he announced the HTGF Opportunity, was the highlight of the first day. The presentation by Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, Inspector General of the German Air Force, on Wednesday also met with great interest from the audience.

Many of our portfolio and partner companies also used the extended exhibition space. The Seed Club on Tuesday evening provided a successful conclusion in a relaxed atmosphere, accompanied by an exclusive performance by BC & the VCs.

We are already looking forward to next year: on May 20 and 21, 2025, again at STATION Berlin.

Systematically utilizing start-up innovations – Interview with Fabian Dudek, founder and CEO of GlassDollar

We sat down with Fabian Dudek, Founder and CEO of GlassDollar, to learn how established companies can systematically leverage start-up innovations. GlassDollar helps companies quickly identify the right solutions and gain competitive advantages through successful partnerships and proof-of-concepts. Fabian provides insights into various innovation methods and shares his tips for effective cooperation.

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If the solution you are looking for is already available on the market, there are the Invest and Partner options. Invest means that the company invests in start-ups and acquires a minority stake. Partner includes Venture Clienting and Corporate Startup Partnering. Venture Clienting is about using external innovations for internal advantages. This involves accessing the technologies of start-ups quickly and efficiently. Corporate start-up partnering promotes mutual growth through closer cooperation between companies and start-ups. The synergy is crucial: start-ups contribute innovation and flexibility, while companies offer size, market knowledge and resources.

When does it make sense to invest in start-ups yourself, and when should you use the technologies directly?
Fabian: It doesn’t necessarily have to be either/or. Venture Clienting Units (VCUs) often work together with Corporate Venture Capital (CVC). A VCU is often the start because it is cheaper and faster to implement – a proof of concept (PoC) typically costs less than €100,000. VCUs can therefore execute more transactions and deliver results faster.

However, this does not mean that start-up partnering is superior to venture capital. Both approaches complement each other. VCUs identify and test new technologies in PoCs, which can then become potential investment targets for CVC. This ensures that the investments are strategically relevant and validated.

What best practices would you recommend to a company considering Venture Clienting as an innovation tool?
Fabian: Venture clienting is essentially the professionalization of cooperation between established companies and start-ups. As existing solutions are tested, the process is often quickly profitable. GlassDollar published a large-scale study in March 2024 that illustrates the financial impact of over 66,422 corporate-startup relationships. It is important that the process does not end after a successful PoC. The validated solution must be anchored in the company. This is where internal communication and activating the right departments are crucial.

To begin with, companies should carry out three to five PoCs to prove that the effort is worthwhile. At least one person should devote a third of their time to this for six to twelve months and calculate with a small, six-figure budget. After a successful PoC, the solution should be implemented in the company. In the long term, it is crucial to understand the company’s challenges and involve as many internal stakeholders as possible.

And how can the added value of these projects be demonstrated in a quantifiable and comprehensible way?
Fabian: Added value is measured at business case level, i.e., the direct business benefits. These include, for example, reduced working hours, compliance with regulations, reduction of waste or tapping into new sales potential. It is important to track these successes in the long term and make them understandable with an ROI.

Do you have any other tips for new Venture Clienting units?
Fabian: Innovation teams should start with simpler projects to build trust and awareness within the company. Lean PoCs that demonstrate quick success and positive ROI are a good place to start. Examples include new software solutions in marketing or HR that save costs or a solution that optimizes logistics routes. Such projects are minimally invasive but offer fruitful momentum. It is also advisable to bring in experts at the beginning. They will help to successfully implement the first PoCs and benefit from the advantages of Venture Clienting.

And what advice do you have for start-ups that want to work with established companies?
Fabian: Start-ups should make access to their product particularly easy. Clear and comprehensible presentations make it easier for the Venture Clienting Unit to pitch the solution internally and quantify the added value. Of course, we are always happy to receive new entries in our database.

Thank you, Fabian, for these insights!

More than just a “nice to have” – why diversity makes companies better

Start-ups with a good corporate culture tend to be more successful. This involves fulfilling ESG (environmental, social, governance) criteria as well as actively promoting diversity. We sat down for a chat with Claudia Raber, ESG Manager and Principal at HTGF, and Barbara Lutz, founder of the consulting firm FKi Diversity for Success and initiator of the Impact of Diversity Award.

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Why has it now become so important for start-ups to focus so heavily on ESG?

Claudia Raber: It’s because start-ups also tend to be more successful when they address these topics. ESG helps drive sales growth for companies by facilitating better pricing and longer-term investment. After all, consumers tend to be willing to spend more money on “green” products. What’s more, start-ups that tick the ESG box often receive preferential treatment when it comes to financing. So they have a better chance of securing capital. And on top of all that, ESG helps improve corporate culture. The key word here is diversity, which is an important part of ESG, especially the social aspect

Let’s stick with that subject for a moment. Barbara, you’ve been working in the start-up scene for quite some time now, and diversity is a topic that has frequently cropped up. If we think about diversity within teams, what do you think are the biggest advantages for start-ups?
Barbara Lutz: Diverse teams offer a whole host of advantages. They promote an open and inclusive corporate culture in which staff feel heard and respected. This increases employee retention and satisfaction while also strengthening a company’s ability to innovate. Diverse teams also help start-ups address a diverse customer segment, boosting growth and success. Priorities may initially lie elsewhere, which is understandable, but we mustn’t forget how important diversity in particular has become for investors.

Why are some start-ups struggling to get to grips with the topic?
Claudia Raber: Let’s take a specific look at science and tech: Most students are male. So it’s not surprising to see more men on the team when a start-up is taking its first few steps. But then when teams start to get bigger, or even before that, you need to focus on achieving greater diversity. This doesn’t only apply to gender, though. Here at HTGF, we offer targeted support to our portfolio companies while helping to foster understanding.

What can founders do to achieve greater diversity within their teams?
Barbara Lutz: Take action, and communicate sensitively. The two most important aspects. And by ‘communicate sensitively’, I mean inclusive communication: How can I communicate in a way that makes everybody feel included? And then within teams, or also externally for future team members: How do I formulate the content on my website? How do I present my company? This also applies to job ads, and using inclusive language, as linguistic nuances can often leave certain groups feeling excluded. And on top of that, the work culture needs to be right. That includes fundamental aspects such as offering flexible working arrangements and part-time work.

How can leadership benefit from diversity, and what advice would you give to founders?
Barbara Lutz: Diversity unlocks huge opportunities for leadership. By effectively managing a diverse workforce, leaders can take advantage of a broad spectrum of perspectives and experience, resulting in sound decision-making and innovative solutions. They can learn from different mindsets and work styles, and in doing so improve their own leadership skills and deliver much better results. My advice to founders would therefore be as follows: Right from the get go, make sure you create awareness for the importance of diversity in leadership, and build diverse teams. It’s important to promote a culture of inclusion in which all team members feel heard and respected, irrespective of their background. Laying better foundations for decision-making paves the way for greater success and efficiency, and is therefore key for founders.

HTGF Family Day goes Berlin: A look behind the scenes

HTGF Family Day is taking place in Berlin for the first time. In this interview, Stefanie Grüter, Partner Communications & Relations at HTGF, and Event Manager Maren Breuer reveal what our guests can expect on June 11 and 12 at STATION Berlin, what highlights are planned and what innovations there are.

Can you tell us more about the idea behind the HTGF Family Day 2024? What is different this time around?
Stefanie Grüter: The Berlin location and the venue offer us and our guests new opportunities. We have significantly more space and can therefore respond even better to the individual interests and needs of our target groups. Two stages for keynotes, impulses, sessions, panels and pitches. Plus curated master classes, an exhibition area and sufficient space for important and confidential discussions and meetings. This wish has been expressed frequently in recent years. We want to offer concrete and sustainable added value with the program and new networking opportunities. After all, we are expecting up to 1,500 guests. We want them to go home with at least one concrete input for their business and new, valuable contacts.

So networking plays a crucial role?
Maren Breuer: The exchange between the various stakeholders of the startup ecosystem with industry and politics is important for driving innovation. For almost 20 years, we have been offering a platform for this with the HTGF Family Day. Our matchmaking tool enables participants to make targeted contacts with potential partners, investors and industry experts even before the event begins. This allows the event to be used optimally for meaningful interactions. Last year, more than 3,100 one-to-one meetings were created using our tool. We want to beat this record again this year. And, of course, there is also room for spontaneous encounters, e.g. in the exhibition area.

The agenda for this year’s event was recently published and promises some highlights. What should participants not miss?
Maren Breuer: We are offering many highlights, some of them in parallel, so our guests can put together their own program according to their individual interests from the extensive range on offer.  We are looking forward to welcoming AI expert Dr. Feiyu Xu, investor Daniel Gutenberg, Verena Pausder from Start-up Verband, Björn Tremmerie from the European Investment Fund and serial founder Miriam Wohlfarth as well as Ingrid Hengster, CEO Germany, Global Chairman Investment Banking at Barclays, Bernd Leukert, Chief Technology, Data and Innovation Officer at Deutsche Bank and Ingo Generalleutnant Ingo Gerhartz, Inspector of the German Air Force, among others. I am sure that their insights into important trends and pioneering technologies will inspire and inform participants. Sessions on topics such as AI, M&A and the regulatory environment are particularly relevant for participants looking for strategic and new insights. Discussions on topics such as New Space, ESG and Venture Clienting offer valuable insights. We are particularly looking forward to the speech by Federal Minister of Economics and Vice Chancellor Dr. Robert Habeck. We also welcome Heiko Thoms, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Anna Christmann, Federal Government Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Start-ups, from federal politics.

That sounds like a lot of input. What supporting program do you offer?
Maren Breuer: A special musical highlight awaits guests at the traditional Seed Club this time.  We also have something new: if you get up early, you can also get some exercise. On the morning of the second day of the event, all those interested can look forward to a joint running training session with long-distance runner Maciek Miereczko.

Another highlight will certainly be the opportunity to get to know start-ups from the HTGF portfolio. What is planned here?
Stefanie Grüter: There are over 70 pitches on the Innovation Stage. We have the advantage of a broad portfolio. Interested investors, but also representatives of companies who want to work with startups, will get to know highly interesting technologies and business models. From various areas such as deep tech, climate tech, medtech, pharma and digital tech. From AI solutions to quantum technologies and biotechnological advances. After all, HTGF is one of the most active investment funds in Europe in the fields of climate tech and quantum technology.

What do you want participants to take away from Family Day?
Stefanie Grüter: We would be delighted if the participants leave the HTGF Family Day 2024 with a smile, new insights, contacts, ideas and perhaps even concrete to-dos. Whether it’s forging new partnerships, finding investment opportunities or gaining valuable insights into the technologies of the future: HTGF Family Day aims to provide an enriching experience for all.

This is how we did it – Episode 1 with Leonie Althaus from traide AI

The decision to found your own start-up is always a challenge. In our series “This is how we did it”, we speak to company founders from our portfolio who first experienced life as an entrepreneur during challenging times. They offer first-hand experience and valuable tips. Leonie Althaus, founder of traide AI, kicks off the series. Her start-up uses the latest cloud and AI technologies to support companies of all sizes and from all sectors in adhering to customs regulations and automating their customs processes. In this interview, the entrepreneur shares her experiences and has a clear message: “seek out opportunities.”

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What did you learn most from this time?
In some industries, it can sometimes take a while until the first signs of success can be seen – this is partly due to their possibilities and openness towards technology. It’s always worth plugging away with topics. You have to open up a lot of opportunities.

What developments or challenges – perhaps even unexpected ones – did you encounter in the early phase, and how did you respond to them as a team?
For us, the new large language models (LLMs) were incredibly important and helped us to gain acceptance on the market. Our quick response as a team really helped us out in this regard.

What should entrepreneurs pay particular attention to when founding a start-up at the moment?
Ideally you want to have a business model where you can start earning money quickly and, if necessary, be independent from external capital. 

Do you have any other advice to pass on to our readers?
We quickly realised how important our office culture was for us in the early stage. Having days where the whole team is in the office works really well for us, as it ensures that we get to see each other in person several days a week.

Media contact
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH  
Tobias Jacob, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager   
T.: +49 228 – 82300 – 121 
t.jacob@htgf.de