Dr. Alexander Reichhuber

"The last 18 months have been brutal. Many startups that received high valuations during the 2021 boom are now struggling to survive." says Gina Domanig, Managing Partner at Emerald Technology Ventures in this Forbes Austria article. Yes, 2024 has been a tough year for many fledgling companies. But I am encouraged by some of the startups scaling disruptive technology and business models in service of accelerating the energy transition in India and across the Asia Pacific and Middle East. They will survive and thrive - with the support of a growing investor community who have come to appreciate that the global south possess truly innovative solutions. One of the highlights for me this year was the first Asia Climate Tech Venture Fair, held in Singapore in October. The brainchild of Gina and her team, it brought together a critical set of VCs, CVCs and PE firms to share insights and leads on startups in the region. Looking forward to more conversations in 2025. Read now: https://lnkd.in/dhEtFTbV #Cleantech #Venturecapital #Innovation #Startups #energytransition #Corporates #Climatetech #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability #Futureoftech #Cleantechventures #Startupgrowth #Corporatecollaboration #Techinvestment

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In February it will be 6 years since I had a 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁. With some distance Business Insider has asked me to talk about my experience in consulting, my burnout and the new company I started: WirDämmenDeinHaus.com You can find the link in the first comment.  (I’m also happy to share the pdf, in case you cannot access it.) My ask to you:  𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘁. Having talked to many people that suffered a burnout, my observation is that it can be tremendously helpful to get a nudge from people that care about you. It is a common burnout symptom to “try to keep pushing through” and “take care of one self, after X, Y, Z is finished” -> this often significantly prolongs the healing process. Be there for the people you care about and encourage them to take care of themselves now and not when it’s too late. I’m also here for anyone that wants to talk 1:1 about their experience or ask questions. Please feel free to reach out. Happy holidays to all of you!

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𝗜𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗖? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂. Michael Treskow from Eight Roads Ventures said recently on #startupland powered by deutsche-startups.de that we're already playing in the big leagues. But are we? Let's dive into some numbers. Germany's venture capital scene is booming, but how do we compare globally? 1. In 2022, Germany attracted €11.3 billion in VC investments. Impressive, right? 2. Yet, the US still leads with €150 billion. The gap is significant. 3. But here's a twist: Germany is closing the distance fast. Growth rates are higher than many expect. So, what's behind this momentum? → A strong startup ecosystem that fosters innovation. → Government initiatives supporting tech ventures. → A cultural shift towards embracing entrepreneurship. But challenges remain. The focus is now on creating an inclusive environment where diverse voices, especially from the HR sector, can thrive. To truly lead, we must leverage untapped potential, like the 50+ generation and women in STEM. Germany's VC landscape is evolving, and the future looks promising. Yet, we must continue pushing boundaries to maintain our upward trajectory. What are your thoughts on Germany's VC potential? Are we ready to lead globally?

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Germany-based venture capital fund Robin Capital closed its Robin Fund One at 13 million euros (about $13.6 million). #venturecapital #veteranventures

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Three biggest learnings from a fundraising journey. Shared by Rainer Märkle, General Partner at HV Capital at EUVC 1/ Have a time box with a deadline attached. Have a defined horizon & create a clear plan. Have some urgency to get things done at some point. Execute very transparently and reliably. 2/ Stick to your narrative. But don't do it blindly. Tweak it when necessary. Adapt it. Don't let yourself be surprised by major changes. Keep focusing on delivering according to your strategy & plan. 3/ Fundraising is a marathon with many sprints. There are moments when you'll ask yourself - Why do I do this? Is it gonna work out? But don't get too negative during the down phases. Adapting and pivoting is part of our job. As it is for the founder of a company. How about you? What fundraising lessons have you learned? Join the conversation. 🔽 #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

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Markus Söder (Dr. Markus Söder) the "Geisterfahrer" Visionary: Bavaria's Nuclear Nostalgia! Markus Söder, our Bavarian Ministerpräsident and self-proclaimed visionary, has announced plans to build new nuclear power plants in #Bavaria. In doing so, he’s boldly steering the energy debate like a Geisterfahrer— (In the German language: a wrong-way driver on the autobahn of progress). Everyone’s honking and flashing their lights, but Söder? He’s convinced he’s the only one heading in the right direction. My Two Cents on This Nuclear Odyssey Let’s unpack this bold strategy that brings to mind a mix of Schadenfreude and existential dread: Insurance or Wishful Thinking? Nuclear plants are so risky, even insurance companies—those fine folks who insure skydivers and volcano tours—want nothing to do with them. Who steps in? Us, the taxpayers! Söder’s plan ensures Bavarians not only foot the bill for construction but also play nuclear roulette with their wallets. Waste Disposal: A Glowing Legacy Söder, where exactly do you plan to stash this toxic waste? In Lederhosen-shaped bunkers? Perhaps under Allianz Arena? Radioactive material is a forever problem in an era where most policy decisions barely account for next year. Chernobyl and Fukushima: Ignoring History Remember those small nuclear mishaps? Like Chernobyl, which cost $200 billion and left us with a post-apocalyptic tourist attraction? Or Fukushima, which is still leaking and racking up bills north of $750 billion? Calling nuclear "safe" now is like hiring a chef whose specialty is food poisoning because "they’re due for a win." Economics: A Non-Starter Nuclear power plants take decades to build. By the time Söder’s reactors are online, we’ll have drones that harvest solar energy directly from the sun. Meanwhile, wind and solar are cheaper, cleaner, and won’t turn Garmisch-Partenkirchen into a Fallout cosplay zone. Geisterfahrer and the Angel-Demon Dilemma Once hailed as a miracle energy source (our angel), nuclear quickly revealed its demonic side: meltdowns, waste, and costs that rival Bavaria’s annual beer consumption. Advocates argue it’s a fallen angel ready for redemption. But repackaging the same risks with fresh PR doesn’t make them disappear—it just distracts long enough to hope no one notices. Final Thoughts Herr Söder, as you barrel down this Geisterfahrer path, may I suggest pulling over for a moment? Bavaria has abundant resources—sun, wind, beer. Why chase radioactive rainbows when renewable energy promises a brighter, safer, and far less glowing future? Let’s raise a pretzel-shaped wind turbine and toast to common sense. Prost!  It’s time to unmask the greed and betrayal driving the climate crisis. My (Jude S. Ngu' Ewodo) book, Climate Crisis Unmasked: Unraveling the Web of Betrayal and Greed, reveals the hidden forces behind this global issue—and how YOU can be part of the solution. Get your copy now: https://lnkd.in/dFWDViwD #NuclearDebate #EnergyCrisis #ClimateCrisisUnmasked

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🔍 AI – Climate Savior or Destroyer? Artificial intelligence and its impact on climate has been on my mind for some time. Handelsblatt recently wrote about it and I thought there were some interesting take-aways worth sharing: 🔷 The rapid growth of AI is putting significant pressure on global energy systems. Data centers consume about 4.5 gigawatts, projected to increase more than 4x within four years – equivalent to the output of almost 14 nuclear power plants. 🔷 If Google searches become AI-driven in the future they would consume ten times more energy than now, illustrating the escalating demand. 🔷 Efforts are being made to reduce the environmental burden of AI, such as innovations in "Clean IT" focusing on using more efficient hardware, optimizing energy storage, and reducing energy consumption. Additionally, IT systems themselves could become more efficient by addressing overly complex programming and poor IT system design. Using smaller or more efficient AI models, which don’t require total calculation accuracy, can also save energy. For example, calculations for AI can be performed with much lower numerical precision and tolerable rounding errors. 🔷 Luckily, AI’s negative footprint is vastly outpaced by its potential for positive climate impact. eSmart Systems and Jungle AI are just two examples of companies scaling AI solutions for intentional, scalable and substantial climate benefits. At Future Energy Ventures we are constantly looking for more, so if you are scaling such solutions, please do reach out! AI has the potential to do more good for the climate than harm, I firmly believe that. By investing in energy-efficient AI, and promoting sustainable practices, we can harness this climate action power. Thanks for a thought-provoking article Katharina Kort, Kathrin Witsch and Luisa Bomke! #FutureEnergyVentures #AI #ClimateChange #Sustainability #CleanIT #EnergyEfficiency

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After closing a Series A funding round, companies enter a pivotal phase where the right approaches significantly influence their journey toward Series B. In brutkasten, Jan Lozek and I recently shed light on the critical strategies companies should adopt after securing Series A funding. 👉🏻 Here are the more top priorities companies should focus on post-fundraise: 📈 Optimize cash flow:  Investors are particularly interested in startups that efficiently manage their cash flow, maximizing growth and revenue while keeping expenses in check. 💰 Show them the money: Show investors how exactly you are making money: real customers, real sales, economies of scale. In other words, show you have a plan and that the plan is working. To outline flexible sales models, and exchange various key parameters, will also be a win. 🚀 Partner up, big time: Leverage your existing networks instead of spending more capital. Corporates can be great partners at this stage and could vouch for your startup. Be it for accessing a market or for increasing your sales, it always pays off to have the right partners. What additional tips would you add for companies navigating this crucial transition? 💡 #SeriesA #Funding #StartupGrowth

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🌟 Welcome HyperHeat to our Portfolio! 🌍 We’re proud to announce our investment in HyperHeat, a European startup transforming industrial heating with zero-carbon, high-temperature technology. Co-founded by Lars Amsbeck, a veteran in high-temperature engineering with 20+ years at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Center, and Frederick Lessmann, a seasoned entrepreneur and industrial engineer, HyperHeat is tackling the enormous challenge of decarbonizing heavy industries like steel, cement, and chemicals. Their innovative electric heaters reach up to 2000°C with 98% efficiency, offering a cost-effective, renewable-powered alternative to fossil fuels. This €3.5M funding round, led by the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund in partnership with Finindus, Possible Ventures, E44 Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Fellows, and experienced angel investors, will help HyperHeat expand its team, accelerate R&D, and collaborate with pilot customers by 2025. 🌟 Why it Matters Heavy industries face immense challenges in transitioning to sustainable energy, particularly at the high temperatures required for production. HyperHeat’s technology bridges this gap, enabling industries to achieve their climate goals without sacrificing efficiency or economic viability. We’re excited to support HyperHeat’s mission to reshape industrial heating and significantly reduce global emissions. Welcome to the family! #HyperHeat #ClimateTech #Sustainability #IndustrialInnovation #Decarbonization APEX Ventures / Amadeus Capital Partners Tim Hos, Wolfgang Neubert, Ion Hauer, Diana Röttger, PhD, Stefan Haubner, Hannah Stein, Vera Kunz https://lnkd.in/dMsEX-SS

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Great to see what Jan Thomas and his team at Startup Insider did with the new Investors Report 2024 for the DACH region! Anyone who wants to learn more about the German #venturecapital ecosystem and its investors, go get the report: https://lnkd.in/ehiVqmX6

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Hey all you #startups and #scaleups, you #sme and #mittelstand companies. Have you done great work adopting to #ai, optimized your #funnel or worked on your #bottomline? If yes, then get nominated for the A-Awards, presented by Startup Insider and Project A!

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🚨 Red Alert for Germany’s Startup Ecosystem: A 30% Drop in Active Investors – How Can We Keep the Innovation Engine Running? A recent article from Handelsblatt (link in comments) points out that early-stage startups are especially at risk during this downturn since they depend on venture capital to scale. The expanding funding gap will further stifle growth in areas where innovation is most needed. Yet, within this challenge lies opportunity: 🌱 Resilient Sectors Lead the Way Sectors like #GreenTech and #AI are still drawing investment, showing their potential to drive innovation. These industries highlight where Germany can have the most significant impact. 🏠 Family Offices as Growth Catalysts As traditional investors pull back, family offices can step up. By leveraging patient capital, they can empower promising startups and lay the foundation for long-term success. 🤝 Venture Clienting as a Key to Co-Innovation Strategic partnerships between startups and established businesses bridge the funding gap. These alliances not only drive digital transformation but also deliver mutual value and foster innovation. At D11Z. Ventures, we believe Germany’s competitive edge depends on collaboration. That's why we invest in high-potential startups and create co-innovation opportunities with family offices and industry leaders. Together, we're fostering an ecosystem that drives innovation and supports long-term growth. 🚀 💬 How can family offices and industry leaders support the next wave of startup innovation? Share your ideas below! #D11ZVentures #Innovation #StartupEcosystem #VentureCapital #InnovationLeadership #FamilyOffices #CoInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence

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📈 The latest startupdetector report couldn't have been better for me. - the number of newly founded German startups increased in Q1 2024 - a trend reversal we waited for some time new! - Leipzig and Dresden were the cities with the biggest increase of new startups (+41%, +36%), while Jena had the most financing rounds per capita - while many regions had a smaller number of new startups, Saxony increased most by 35% - the energy sector saw the strongest increase from all industries - our Smart Infrastructure Ventures ('SIVentures') portfolio company traide AI GmbH with their founder Leonie Althaus got featured next to SpinLab - The HHL Accelerator alumnus Dr. Jannik Lockl from inContAlert - our partners from TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen are ranked #5 in the most active VCs list. Smart Infrastructure Ventures ('SIVentures') among the top investors in AI All in all a great job Arnas Bräutigam & team

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It was a great honor to record this week's Startup Insider podcast together with Dirk Sahlmer. 🚀 🚀 🚀 Dirk is a former intern at our TS Ventures and is now Head of Deal Origination at saas.group. Moreover, he has become one of the most recognized voices on LinkedIn when it comes to SaaS M&A and VC (bashing?), which often leads to - shall I say - inspiring conversations. We talked about bootstrapping vs. hypergrowth in the podcast, about the discrepancy between M&A valuations and the valuations of VC rounds and about the chances of success of startups in the parking sector... 😉 It's impressive what someone who has had nothing to do with the startup scene up to that point can build up in 5 years. Have fun with this podcast episode. Link to the episode as always in the comments. I have also linked Dirk's LinkedIn post, as it contains exciting figures on the SaaS and M&A market. Dirk, keep rocking! Here's to many more podcasts! #saas #ai #startup #vc #venturecapital #businessangel #funding #bootstrapping #exit #podcast #parking

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🎙️Podcast alert: Had a great catch-up with Kai on 🤝𝑪𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒍🤝 this week (🇩🇪) After our first session last year, we again talked about the latest developments in the SaaS and M&A market. Topics we've covered: ➡️ Our approach with saas.group, ➡️ Where we stand and what our goals are, ➡️ Current SaaS and M&A market trends, ➡️ How to properly value a SaaS business, ➡️ Role of AI in SaaS and M&A, ➡️ And more... You can check it out on all relevant podcast platforms. Links to Spotify and Apple below: 🟢 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gn8RaVpD 🟣 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/g3kBWSBW Enjoy listening! 🙌 @ Kai, Anja + team: Thanks again for having me. Happy to speak again next year and see how good or bad my predictions were.

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"As a VC for 20 years, here's a confession: I should have trusted my gut more often." Something that Rainer Märkle, General Partner at HV Capital. Shared with us at EUVC We all know VCs are supposed to be data-driven guided. We're trained to believe perfect analysis leads to perfect investment decisions. But sometimes, your gut feeling is your best friend. As a highly analytical person, Rainer has learned this valuable lesson. Intuition matters. Yes, due diligence is essential. However, take a break and look from a different perspective. Experience tells you when to trust your instincts. How do you balance data-driven analysis with intuition? Share your experiences in the comments! #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

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Germany’s Investor Drop – Why Climate Tech is Bucking the Trend A recent article by Nadine Schimroszik in Handelsblatt today mentioned that the number of active investors in Germany has dropped by 40% this year. Based on PitchBook data, the conclusion is that venture capital in Germany has become significantly more challenging, particularly in early-stage and growth-stage investments. However, for Climate Tech, the story is different. Despite the overall decline in venture capital, the sector continues to attract attention, with a 16.2% increase in pre-seed and seed investments. Indeed, we have seen some positive developments recently: 1. Growing Commitment to Addressing the Climate Crisis 🌱 2. Long-term Investment Horizon ⏳ 3. Robust Capital Availability for Scalable Solutions 💰 Big thanks to Nadine Schimroszik for raising awareness on this important issue. As investors, how can we ensure we're not just reacting to trends, but actively driving the transformation needed for a sustainable future? 🌍🔋 #ClimateTech #SustainableInvestment #VentureCapital  

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The digital world thrives on start-ups, which require support through robust capital markets and minimal bureaucratic interference. While Germany provides a strong support system for established companies, it falls short when it comes to fostering start-ups. The country lacks a modern venture capital ecosystem, and its subsidies are designed to benefit large corporations with extensive legal resources, not entrepreneurs focused on growing their businesses. Bureaucracy poses a significant challenge - large companies can navigate it, but small businesses often cannot. #venturecapital #investing #startups #germany

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