Tim Schumacher

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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Today I visited the GREENTECH FESTIVAL in Berlin with my dear friend Andreas. 💚 To make it short: Good vibes, busy floors and a big startup space. But tbh I wondered if it's really worth it for startups. I remember from my active time as an exhibitor that we weren't honest about the hard costs per lead. We argued a lot: being there is everything, you have to be seen, brand building is important, it's where the industry meets, serendipity happens, if we just get one big order it will pay off... not to forget the parties! That's all true, but the opportunity cost of attending a trade show is very high, especially for startups. And while this isn't meant to be a trade show bashing at all, here are a few suggestions from my experience, on how to make the most of it... - Train your team to proactively approach people. - Initiate a challenge to see who can get the most leads. - Prepare in advance and market your attendance by actively inviting customers. - Consider a small side event, such as a VIP dinner. - Try to book a package with a speaking engagement at the conference, that has always paid off for us. - Use the exhibitor directory for your own prospecting. - Calculate cost vs. lead conversion after the show with real data and decide whether to repeat. - Push your presence on social in real time. Good luck to all exhibitors and happy selling 🚀 ____________________________ Sharing my experience as an entrepreneur and angel investor. Investing in early stage B2B SaaS startups. Happy to connect 👋

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Zeitgeist is changing and we need to adapt or to encounter. When we started Climate Founders 4.5 years ago, we had a perfect Product Zeitgeist Fit (explained by a16z: https://lnkd.in/ePtBRVD3) in 2018 and 2019 activist groups like Fridays for Future played an important role to make the societies aware that we are in a climate crisis and need to act, with the beginning of the new decade announcement after announcement was made: politics made important changes from regulation to investment programs, more people than usual voted for green politics, the climate crisis got relevant media coverage, thousands of companies world-wide set decarbonization goals, huge asset managers implemented ESG and decarbonization strategies, billionaires pledged for the climate, hundreds of climatetech fund were established, serial entrepreneurs went into climate topics, Covid made many poeple think about contributing to a better world … in general you could feel change to make this decade to what it is in fact, the decisive decade for humanity. Even with beginning of the Russian war, there was a positive thinking that renewables are the solution to solve energy, industry and dependence problems, even climate chrisis deniers called them „freedom energies“. In 2023 we saw some Zeitgeist changes, the climate crisis seemed not to be a main topic anymore, in the media, in the politics, in companies and the society in general. Ambitious politicians understand that the society is not ready to change, some media work heavily against climate politics, companies realize how hard it is to decarbonize and partly drop their goals, asset managers start to drop ESG and decarbonization goals, investors and entrepreneurs look more at AI, politics goes right and populistic. Regarding Climatetech im still very optimistic: The 2018-2022 Zeitgeist helped to build a massive ecosystem, which is still growing. The current Zeitgeist is not in favor for Climatetech, but it will come back for sure, as unfortunately the climate crisis will hit us harder every year and we always had this typical left-right cycles in politics and societies. Due to our expanded activies our dealflow is still growing, but in general we have the impression that less new founders entered the space in the last 12-18 months and also hear from some other VCs that they see less climatetech teams. We take it as a challenge and re-focus on co-founder matching to make it easier to enter the space for founders. Especially scientists and serial entrepreneurs are our target group for our co-founder matching. Take the world’s biggest challenge as your personal opportunity and apply here: https://lnkd.in/egvTQApi

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Attention salespeople and networkers! If you're constantly meeting new people like I am, you might want to check out this interesting new tool. https://www.dossiergpt.com is a specialized research agent that can help you get to know more about the person you're speaking with prior to a call or meeting. Using GPT-40's reasoning capabilities, it can quickly scan and filter a vast quantity of content to give you exactly what you need. Give it a try and see how it can improve your interactions with potential clients and partners.

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The SaaS industry is still growing. But much more slowly. Last month I shared an Aleph statistic. Over the last 3 years we have invested in 17 companies. Only 1 out 17 was a classic horizontal SaaS company. SaaS was the single best business model of the last cycle (2008-2021), but the category has since entered a maturity stage (see graph below). This new report from the wonderful software team at Avenir clearly illustrates it. Growth rates for the combined SaaS industry are quickly declining as we are entering the later stages of maturity. In other words, there’s already an established software company in most sectors - and there’s very little room for entirely new software categories. At Aleph we still believe there’s an opportunity to build successful SaaS companies, but new entrants would have to carve out market share in existing industries and displace existing vendors. Vertical software is one area where lesser competition makes it more attractive, but entrepreneurs in crowded horizontal markets would have to work harder than ever before. Another key takeaway from the report - there are only 72 publicly traded companies (with market cap > $5Bn) with a combined market cap of $5.8Tr. However, 56% of this value is attributed to Microsoft alone, followed by a very long tail of lesser performing companies. Moreover, only 2 of the largest 11 companies were funded after the year 2000 (ServiceNow, CrowdStrike). If you are building or investing in SaaS, you should definitely read the full report by Jared Sleeper, Hannah Bao and David Prilutsky (link in the first comment).

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For all those who don’t know that “there are only 72 publicly traded SaaS companies (with market cap > $5Bn) with a combined market cap of $5.8Tr. However, 56% of this value is attributed to Microsoft alone, followed by a very long tail of lesser performing companies. Moreover, only 2 of the largest 11 companies were funded after the year 2000 (ServiceNow and CrowdStrike , I highly recommend to read the report shared by Aleph

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4️⃣ SaaStock Fundraising Chatter: Finding the Right VC for You. A key takeaway from Tuesday’s post was how important it is to qualify your investors. With so many options, here's how to be strategic: 🔎 Qualify ruthlessly. Treat your investor funnel like a sales funnel. AlbionVC, for example, invests $1-10M in UK-based B2B software and deeptech. If you’re a Paris-based consumer marketplace raising $20M, it’s a non-starter. Founders waste precious time crafting outreach to funds outside their scope. 🥇 Prioritise Smartly. Rank your target funds by both appeal and likelihood of success. 💘 Find a Warm Intro. If you don’t know the fund directly, network like you would for sales. Get a concise, compelling intro via a mutual connection. Remember a “pass” could even lead to a referral to another, better-fit fund. 🎮 Sequence Pitches. Start with lower-priority VCs to refine your pitch with early feedback. Then, approach your top picks with a polished narrative. Generating interest early creates momentum in your process. ⚠️ Requalify Your VCs! It’s as important to assess us as it is for us to assess you. ➡️Ambition Alignment: Are their expectations aligned with yours? ➡️Personal Fit: Grab a coffee, breakfast, lunch, go on a walk: will you enjoy working with them for years? ➡️Support: What do you need? Do your diligence to ensure they deliver it. ➡️References: Talk to portfolio companies, successes and struggles. Were they fair? were they kind? ➡️Partner Stability: The partner who leads your investment will be emotionally and intellectually invested in you and your vision. They will be on call. They will fight for you when things get tough (bridge rounds, etc)…far more than someone who replaces them later. Also, high turnover at a fund could signal cultural issues. #SaaS #Fundraising #VC #AlbionVC

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Y-Combinator Guide: How to Split Equity between Cofounders & When You Should (and Shouldn’t) Split… https://buff.ly/3WoVkav The Y-Combinator Guide delves into the intricate process of splitting equity among cofounders, outlining the crucial considerations and scenarios where equity division is warranted. Understanding the dynamics of equity distribution is essential for fostering a fair and sustainable partnership. By exploring real-world examples and statistics, cofounders can navigate this challenging aspect of startup collaboration more effectively. It is crucial to establish clear guidelines and agreements to prevent potential conflicts in the future. This guide provides valuable insights for entrepreneurs embarking on new ventures. #StartupEquity #CofounderCollaboration #venturecapital #startups

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Is the conventional wisdom about startup growth even close to the truth? Marc von Brockdorff challenges the status quo with insights drawn from his journey co-founding Hotjar, a SaaS powerhouse that reached a whopping €15M in ARR. One take that stands out: stop trying to solve problems you have no personal stake in. Too many entrepreneurs chase ideas because they look good on paper, neglecting the core of their own experiences and needs. A product must resonate with you, or it’s a tough uphill battle. Another point that deserves a spotlight is the distinction between building a product and running a business. Turns out, those two roles require entirely different skill sets. Many founders cling too tightly to their original vision while losing sight of essential business metrics. Understanding your CAC, churn, and LTV is not just a suggestion; it’s a necessity. If you think you can launch a product, sit back, and watch the profits roll in, think again. Feedback isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the lifeline of your growth. This isn't just theory; it's backed by lived experience. For those looking to navigate the rocky landscape of entrepreneurship, heed the lessons from someone who's made the climb. What do you think? Is it time to reconsider what we accept as startup gospel? https://lnkd.in/ev9u3atp

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Big news in Berlin! Daato just secured €5 million in seed funding to turbocharge the ESG transformation. Here's the scoop: 1. Who’s investing? kopa ventures (formerly Wi Venture), neosfer, and IBB Ventures. Big names, big confidence. 2. What’s next? Enhancing automation, expanding market reach, and leading in sustainability management. 3. Why it matters? New EU regulations mean 60,000 companies need to step up their ESG game, and Daato is here to make it easier. Daato's unique approach simplifies compliance and boosts sustainability for both large corporations and SMES. It’s more than just ticking boxes; it’s about shaping a greener, more ethical business landscape. How are you handling your ESG goals this year? https://lnkd.in/dT3fcwdY #Sustainability #ESG #StartupSuccess #MondayFunding

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What’s going on in Berlin this week? Or is everyone already heading to Octoberfest 🍻🥨 We’ve got some exclusive guest list spots available for a few events! Just drop a comment below if you’re interested. And for those of you headed to Munich for tech events like the Activant Capital Genesis Summit or Bits & Pretzels, we’ve got something special—a secret side-event list just for you! 😎 To get in on it, comment below with FOMO247 and tag your plus-one to unlock access. 🚀 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐅𝐎𝐌𝐎 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 👇 𝘛𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺: Roundtable | Germany Launch X Investor Networking 🥂 | ​Tuesday, 6:30 pm: Roundtable brings Berlin's top angel investors, VC partners, Solo GPs, and multipliers in the tech ecosystem together to celebrate their (official) launch in Germany. If this sounds like you, feel free to send me a DM to secure your spot on the guest list. SLEEK meets FORA - Pressehaus Podium 🦸‍♀️ \ 7 pm - 11 pm: In an increasingly digital world, strong personal branding is more important than ever. Christian Bracht, editor of Sleek, discusses with Sherin Maruhn from PwC the strategies and techniques for effectively building and maintaining your personal brand on LinkedIn. 𝘞𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺: Avomind Connect: Founders & Friends Berlin Meetup 🚀 | 6:30 - 10 pm: Join Avomind for an evening of networking, interesting conversations and fun time at the Founders and Friends Meetup. The talk is about customer success and retention. 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺: nocodeklub Conference - Learn from top no-code & AI innovators 🧑‍💻 | 2 pm - 11 pm: Discover how forward-thinking companies are using no-code and AI to accelerate growth and scale faster. Join and learn directly from the founders and CEOs of FINN, Circula, Thuy-Ngan Trinh (Project A), TeleClinic, Fabian Q. Veit Make, Mariam Hakobyan (Softr) and many more. Onibar Opening Party 🍙🍾 | 6 pm: Berlin’s first Onigiri Shop just opened! 🎉 We have a few guestlist spots for the opening party. Use our code for 50% off your next visit. Comment below to get access to the link and the chance to win a guestlist spot. 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺: "Board Meeting" at Surftown - where surfing, networking and charity converge! 🏄🏽 I 2 pm & 4 pm: Together with Fabian Tausch and Clemens Kauschke, we invite CEOs and founders to an exclusive event packed with surfing, networking, and giving back to a great cause. 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺: Factory Network x {Tech: Berlin} AI Hackathon 👩‍💻 | 28.09, 10 am - 29.09, 8 pm ​- Join an exclusive event designed for ambitious entrepreneurs, startup teams, and builders eager to push the boundaries of AI innovation. Which event are you planning to attend this week? What event did we miss? Please comment below! xoxo FOMO247 Here are some impressions from the busy event week last week!

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What makes you Exceptional, Remarkable or Extraordinary?? As a pre seed / seed founder, this is what you should be pitching to investors. Well, at least that’s my opinion. What’s your thought on this? Very well described by Sam Marchant in his post ⤵️ #founders #investors
#alwaysbelearning #changethewaywework #thefutureofworkisnow #firstdegree

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At our VC firm, we don't just fund companies, we fund your existential crises. Every investment comes with a complimentary philosophy book. #vc #startups #investment

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Raising a VC Fund in Europe? We've gathered insights from over 300 VCs and LPs. Here’s what you need to know: 1. Build trust-based connections. 👉28.6% of our guests emphasize the power of strategic and authentic networking Deep, sector-specific insights + broad, meaningful networks = the winning combo! 2. Stand out in a crowded space! 👉19.7% highlighted the need for a compelling narrative that aligns with investors’ goals. Showcase your investment thesis and team expertise to carve out your niche. 3. Be consistent & committed. 👉18.9% stressed the importance of resilience, grit, and continuous improvement. Success requires enduring the trials of fundraising and staying dedicated to your long-term goals. 4. Show knowledge & expertise. 👉14.3% mentioned the value of deep knowledge and effective communication. Blend your expertise with a forward-thinking vision to articulate your thesis in a compelling way. 5. Keep it real. 👉 10.9% advised authentic engagement and integrity. Build genuine relationships and be transparent about your strengths and weaknesses to foster trust. 6. Stay flexible! 👉 7.6% underscored the need for a flexible mindset to navigate uncertainties and seize new opportunities. Pivot strategies and embrace continuous learning. Learn how to navigate the effects of the #TechReset. Get insights from The State of European Fundraising Report. https://buff.ly/4boUlfm #EUVC #fundraising #venturecapital #industryreport

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https://lnkd.in/djQb_9Hc "Startup Hacks for Impact Founders": the next Angel in Residence Meetup is here. It's great to have someone on board who I consider a "celebrity of impact" - Christian Röser, founder of Starkmacher e.V., the force behind the truly great Tumo Center for Creative Technologies in Mannheim. Join us on September 11! It's an old gripe of mine that #founders in #impact and #sustainability often inhabit their own, separate ecosystem. Separate co-working spaces, separate events, separate media, separate accelerators. Me, I've always believed that in order to be sustainable not only environmentally, but also commercially and professionally, the segment needs to run on proper startup (e-)fuel. Customer research and acquisition cost, business and stakeholder verification, cash flow planning, everything. Plus, of course, #GenAI. Let's tear down that wall and talk on eye level - because commercial startups need to become much more aware of the emerging Impact Measuring industry, too. 120 Million for Mannheim-based osapiens show that there's money in it! Rene Wienholtz Philipp von der Wippel Sebastian Stricker Thomas Baum Andreas Kuhlmann Lubomila Jordanova MAFINEX Technologiezentrum Aljoscha Kaplan Benjamin Schulz Darius Moeini Sebastian Daus Anna Alex Christian Kroll Leon Reiner

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Today or tomorrow, I’ll hit a new milestone on LinkedIn. 🌟 20,000 followers (𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿?) My commitment to posting 1-2 times daily has transformed my reach, driving 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 of founders and LPs to our site 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵. This is core to our RevOps strategy (demand generation): → How we attract LPs → How we attract Startup Founders → And yes, I play to win. 🏆 𝗔 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗼, I got serious about LinkedIn. → 7,434.9% increase in reach 📈 → 3.5 million impressions 🎉 But it all started with that first post back on 6/13/22. 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘂𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿, I know our brand’s success depends on a clear message and a global presence. At CanaGlobal, we’re focused on four pillars: 🚀 Startup Church 🚀 Startup School 🚀 Startup Incubator 🚀 Startup Venture Studio Though we have a stellar team, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. We’ve become a global brand — a global movement, attracting founders from around the world and all walks of life. 100% of our LPs are faith-driven patriots — proudly MAGA — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 100% 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to learn from LinkedIn pros like Kevin Jurovich and Nat Berman. 🔹 I’ve studied their strategies, connected with them, and continue to cheer them on daily. So, if you’ve been part of this journey — thank you! It’s been a privilege to get to know you, support you, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽: 100,000. ~~~ Need help, 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 and reach out. Follow me, Gerald Duran for daily startup and VC mentorship, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘁 from CanaGlobal's faith-driven venture studio and startup incubator. #startups #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

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The Pro-Rata Trap: How VCs Lose Millions on Their Biggest Winners Excited to publish our newest Last Money In Media newsletter today. This week we deep dive into: - How pro-rata works - Reasons why investors sometimes DO NOT get or do not take their pro-rata - My personal view on how pro-rata actually works (not legally) - A few unique pro-rata stories that led to me getting pro-rata when we didn’t “legally” have it and losing it when we did Unfortunately SPV leads are occasionally unable to double down and get pro-rata on some of their breakout winners. This is an issue both syndicate leads and venture funds deal with and an issue that can have massive impacts on returns given the dilution from follow-on financings. Obviously not all of your portfolio companies are going to be winners where you want to re-invest and maintain your ownership percentage, but given a VC’s Seed investment may be diluted 50%+ from first investment to IPO, having a strategy around maintaining ownership, especially when acquiring ownership requires relatively minimal additional capital (e.g. Seed+, Series A), is critical to avoid leaving millions (if not tens to hundreds of millions) on the table in winners. And when we say hundreds of millions, we mean it. As a quick example, let’s say Riverside acquires 10% of Company A at Seed. It turns out Company A goes the distance and IPO’s at a $3B valuation. If I maintained my full 10% in the business at IPO by investing in every pro-rata round (and thus avoiding almost all dilution), my stake would be worth ~$300M. If I skipped every pro-rata round, it’s likely I would have been diluted 50-70% and my take may only be worth $100M-$150M (i.e. $150M+ left on the table). Point being - pro-rata is serious money for the big winners. Link to full article in comments. -- Powered by Sydecar and Forge, Last Money In Media is the most actionable venture capital newsletter. Written by Zachary Ginsburg and Alex Pattis, the global syndicate leaders with 800+ SPVs invested.

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Top tips for angel investors for more international deals. From Eva Spannagl, Managing Director of Climatos. The easy part: 👉 Build connections with international investors. 👉 Reach out proactively to international teams. 👉 Use Linkedin The tough one: 👉 Define your unique value proposition for this type of founders 👉 Preach what you want to do a thousand times. Talk about what you want. And the actions will follow. What do you think? What other tips will you add to the list? Join the conversation. #venturecapital #startupinvesting #angelinvesting #europe

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