#StartupTicker
+++ #StartupTicker +++ STARTUPLAND: This is how you as a founder don’t become a bottleneck +++ Startup scene: The mood is extremely divided +++ Fincompare and Compeon become Fynbiz +++ b2venture: Friederike Hoffmann becomes a partner +++
What’s up New? In ours #StartupTicker we provide a compact overview of the most important startup news of the day (Thursday, February 26th).
#STARTUPLAND: 20 more days!
STARTUPLAND – where the future begins.
+++ Our third STARTUPLAND Conference will take place on March 18th at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne. A fascinating journey into the startup scene awaits you again – with lectures from successful founders, educational interviews and pitches that inspire. More about STARTUPLAND
Live at STARTUPLAND: Michelle Calios (Koro)
+++ Why is letting go so difficult – even when the team is growing? In STARTUPLAND, Michelle Calios, founder of KoRo, talks about leadership between control and trust and the turning point at which she realized: It wasn’t the team that was the bottleneck, but the founder herself. Using her experiences from building a company with a turnover of over 100 million euros, she shows how clear responsibilities, real delegation and simple structures make trust possible. An interview about the transition from operational control to effective leadership – and about how teams take responsibility and founders become strategically capable again. Your topic in STARTUPLAND: Leadership, delegation and trust: This is how you as a founder don’t become a bottleneck.
#STARTUPTICKER
Mood situation
+++ Good mood meets bad mood! The mood among Germany startups is extremely divided. “Around a third (35%) report an improvement in the past year, but almost as many (30%) report a deterioration.” This is shown by a survey by the digital association Bitkom. “The general situation of German startups is much more skeptical: Only 19% saw an improvement in the past year, while 37% saw a deterioration. Around one in eleven startups (9%) fears insolvency over the next twelve months,” says a press release. A value that was recently significantly higher (2024: 11%). More at Bitkom
Fynbiz
+++ New name! Almost a year after the merger, Fincompare and Compeon have given themselves a new name. In the future, the two brands will appear under the name Fynbiz. The new name is intended to convey “the common business model, a clear market presence and a uniform identity”. The FinTech shares the background: “The business models of FinCompare and Compeon had become increasingly similar in recent years. Both companies addressed the same customer groups and solved comparable financing issues. Running two brands in parallel in the same market did not make sense in the long term.” Fynbiz positions itself as a “digital financing platform for small and medium-sized businesses”. More about Fincompare
b2venture
+++ Rise! Friederike Hoffmann becomes a partner at the Swiss early-stage investor b2venture. Hoffmann most recently served as Executive Vice President and Head of B2B Telecommunications at Swisscom. “In the newly created position, Hoffmann will work closely with the b2venture angel community, strengthen the direct investment strategy, act as an interface between startups and corporates and further advance the expansion of the LP networks,” said the financier. The early-stage investor recently announced the final closing of his fifth fund (150 million euros). More about b2venture
Customer Support
+++ In 2026, the actual ROI of customer support will arise primarily from preventing avoidable problems from becoming lost sales in the first place. Automation is crucial – but only if it solves problems. More in the guest post by Nataliia Onyshkevych
Startup Radar
+++ It’s time for new startups again! Here are some very fresh companies that everyone should know. Today we introduce these young companies: Linq Photonics, Nexus Politics, Vakanzio, reltix and Food be Good. More on the startup radar
#DEALMONITOR
Investments & Exits
+++ DefenseTech Tytan Technologies receives 30 million +++ DeepTech startup FLEXOO raises 11 million +++ Compliance startup Secfix receives 12 million +++ Financial injection for benefits manager +++ Frank Thelen invests in Zahnheld. More in the deal monitor
What else happened recently? That’s always in the #StartupTicker
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