Lukas Haemisch had achieved what many founders dream of: he helped build a data startup, supported its sale to Thyssenkrupp and then led a team within the group. But instead of security, he wanted freedom again. “In a corporation there are many interests, many opinions and many goals,” he says. Together with his former colleagues Reiner Kurzhals and Patrick Petter, he founded Datasphere Analytics in 2025.
The three already knew each other from their previous startup and left Thyssenkrupp together. With Datasphere Analytics, they are now developing AI software that analyzes material prices and supports companies in their purchasing decisions.
The founders were clear from the start: they did not want to build their company according to the rules of classic venture capital financing. “Our original plan was to invest our own capital first and see how the first year developed,” says Haemisch.
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Datasphere Analytics delivers AI-powered analytics for material pricing. To do this, the software evaluates news reports and determines how certain raw materials are developing. This should enable industrial companies to plan their purchases efficiently. The startup now has four major customers, from DAX companies to medium-sized companies, says Haemisch.
The founders are familiar with such software; Kurzhals, for example, is a professor of data science at the Münster University of Applied Sciences. However, they are new to the raw materials market. “If you – like us – come from the AI environment and not directly from the industry, you first have to understand the target group,” says Haemisch. “You have to learn their language and know their challenges.”
They have an expert for this: While they were still in the start-up phase, they met a manager from the energy industry. He had contacts, expertise – and he liked the idea. He soon offered them a low seven-figure sum to become co-partners, says Haemisch. “We had a lot of discussions about that before we decided.”
The founders wanted to remain independent, develop their product and build a base. “Then it’s clear what the company stands for,” says Haemisch. They made this clear to their potential partner. He agreed: He would invest, advise the startup, but stay in the background as a business angel and not appear publicly. So they agreed on the deal and collected the millions – just in time for the founding.
“Our business angel knows the market, the companies and the problems in the industry very well,” says Haemisch. “We incorporate this knowledge directly into our product, without having worked in the energy industry for years.”
The personal closeness of her partner convinced her. “If you want a close sparring partner or mentor who is close to the company, then in my opinion a business angel is often the better choice.”
Less KPI stress for team spirit
That’s why the founders didn’t pitch their concept to a VC. “Many startups talk about the rocket or the unicorn. The difference is very clear in everyday life. When a VC invests millions of euros in a startup, founders have to achieve certain growth goals in a short time,” says Haemisch. “That often means they hire heads of level and managers or sales teams. The money is supposed to be invested – mostly in people, processes and tools. That’s exactly what we don’t do. We look at every expense very carefully.” The Datasphere team is consciously slowing down. “Our goal was never to grow as quickly as possible, but rather sustainably,” says Heamisch.
Their motto: “Snail instead of unicorn,” says Haemisch. It means autonomy, because a snail “doesn’t need anyone to tell it how fast it should go.”
Datasphere Analytics is hiring carefully and now has four employees and 20 freelancers in different countries. “They experience how we work, understand our vision and develop a common understanding of the company,” says Haemisch. “On the other hand, if I hire a lot of people within a few weeks, I can no longer convey this spirit with the same intensity.”
With VCs, “collaboration is usually much more KPI-driven. There are clear expectations, targets and regular milestones that need to be achieved.”
However, the makers of Datasphere Analytics want to become a leading provider of agentic AI in raw material purchasing. The team could also imagine a VC investment for this. “We discuss this topic regularly. I even believe that it will be necessary at some point – just to be able to keep up with international competition,” says Haemisch. “With more capital, we could tap into additional target groups, develop our product more quickly or expand internationally earlier,” says Haemisch.
These processes took longer with a single business angel. “We consciously accept this because our goal is not a quick exit, but rather the sustainable development of our company.”
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This is how you find the right business angel
Here Haemisch reveals how he and his team, together with their business angel, realized that the collaboration was a good fit.
Anyone who decides to use external capital has to make compromises. “The investor then belongs to the company and his interests are just as relevant. Every founder should be aware of this before taking on external investors.” An investment is more than an offer and a signature. “We discuss shareholding levels, partnership agreements, visions and the future development of the company.”
The main question is: “Does this person fit with our founding team? Does he fit with our corporate culture? Does he share our vision?”
Haemisch advises spending as much time as possible with a potential business angel – even outside of meeting rooms. We played tennis or padel together, ate together and even went out for a beer,” he says. “It’s not primarily about the product or the investment, but about the people. When you start a business – especially as a team – it’s almost like a marriage. You have to know how the other person thinks and acts.”
So take off your sales glasses and show yourself authentically. “In the end, you bring a co-partner or investor into the company. This person should be behind you even in difficult phases. If the human fit is not right, many situations become unnecessarily complicated.”
He himself clarified these questions:
- How much does the investor actually want to get involved?
- How does he tick as a human being?
- What leadership style does he follow?
- What experiences does he bring with him from working with teams?
And Haemisch advises getting to know the companies in which the business angel is already investing – if the investor allows it. “Speak to the founders, get to know the culture and get as many perspectives as possible.”
Because “the better you know the person, the better you can assess whether a long-term collaboration will work,” he says.
