top of page


AI Agents and the End of Seat-Based SaaS
Ventech partner Stephan Wirries explains how AI agents reprice SaaS, shift software value to outcomes, and open a narrow European industrial AI window.
Jörn Menninger
Mar 2020 min read


refurbed is One Step Closer to Becoming Austria’s Next Unicorn Startup
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? Vienna-based refurbed has become one of Austria's most promising unicorn candidates by building Europe's leading marketplace for refurbished electronics. The startup combines sustainability with consumer savings, offering professionally restored devices at lower prices while reducing e
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1518 min read


Where Are GSA Startups Heading? Insight From Recent Patent Filings With QuantIP | Exclusive Data — Founder Interview
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? Patent filings reveal where startups are actually investing R&D — not just where they claim to be heading. Exclusive data from QuantIP shows which technologies and sectors DACH startups are actively protecting with intellectual property, offering a forward-looking signal of innovation
Jörn Menninger
Mar 158 min read


Immer.App Reinvents Reading For The Digital Age — Founder Interview
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? Immer.App is reinventing how people read in the digital age. The startup builds immersive reading experiences that go beyond traditional e-books, combining interactive elements with storytelling to make digital reading more engaging — particularly for audiences who have shifted their a
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1528 min read


Bonus: What We Know About the FTX Collapse? — Founder Interview
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? INSEAD Professor Antonio Fatas breaks down the FTX collapse and what it means for the crypto industry. This bonus episode examines the systemic failures, regulatory gaps, and governance breakdowns that led to one of the largest financial frauds in crypto history — and the lessons for E
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1527 min read


Fastbill’s Exit to Canada Based Unicorn FreshBooks
This story was migrated from our old blog, originally published on November 18th, 2021. What Is This About? German accounting software startup Fastbill was acquired by Canadian unicorn FreshBooks — marking a notable cross-border exit in the DACH fintech space. The deal shows how European SME-focused fintechs can attract international acquirers looking to expand their market footprint into German-speaking markets. This article is part of our coverage of Scaleup Founder Intervi
Jörn Menninger
Mar 156 min read


Inside of the Mind of a Blockchain Investor
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? Wolfgang Männel, co-founder and senior partner of Blockchain Founders Group (BFG), takes us inside the mind of a blockchain investor. The company builder and venture fund operator explains how he evaluates crypto and Web3 startups, what makes a winning blockchain project, and where the
Jörn Menninger
Mar 156 min read


AskBrian is the Digital Assistant All Busy Professionals Need — Founder Interview
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? AskBrian is a digital assistant that handles time-consuming professional tasks — from research and data analysis to presentation creation. The AI-powered service delivers results in minutes for consultants, executives, and professionals who need to move fast without sacrificing quality
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1521 min read


Incari wants to be the OS for the cars of the future — Founder Interview
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? Berlin-based Incari is building the operating system for next-generation vehicles — a software platform that powers the digital cockpit experience in modern cars. The startup's technology enables automakers to create interactive, visually rich interfaces without traditional automotive
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1525 min read


AI Startups Guide: Germany, Austria & Switzerland
The DACH region hosts 687+ AI startups in Germany alone (35% YoY growth), 44 AI companies in Austria, and a Swiss AI sector that raised CHF 345M in 2024 (134% increase). Key players include DeepL ($2B valuation), Helsing (€3.4B valuation), and hundreds of ventures spanning generative AI to enterprise solutions. This page is part of the AI & Deep Tech Startups pillar in the Startuprad.io Knowledge Center. In Short The German-speaking region of Central Europe has emerged as a s
Jörn Menninger
Mar 104 min read


Media, Podcasts & Platform Strategy: Germany, Austria & Switzerland
Startup media in the German-speaking world operates through a distinctive combination of specialized digital outlets, podcast networks, and social platforms that differ significantly from the US and UK ecosystems. Germany leads with outlets like Deutsche Startups, Gruenderszene (Business Insider), and t3n, alongside a thriving podcast scene anchored by OMR, Doppelgaenger, and Startuprad.io. Switzerland and Austria maintain their own media ecosystems through outlets like Start
Jörn Menninger
Mar 105 min read


Founder Stories and Entrepreneur Interviews from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Startup founder stories are one of the most enduring formats in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. They capture what data alone cannot: the judgment calls, pivots, failures, and breakthroughs that shape companies from idea to exit. Across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, these narratives take distinct forms — shaped by local media landscapes, cultural attitudes toward entrepreneurship, and the maturity of each country's startup infrastructure. This page is part of the Startupr
Jörn Menninger
Mar 97 min read


Ray Zinn on Bootstrapping Micrel Through 8 Chip Cycles
Ray Zinn explains how Micrel survived eight semiconductor downturns without venture capital and why culture and discipline determine founder endurance.
Jörn Menninger
Mar 630 min read


Inside the Founders Vault | AI-Driven Culture: The Leadership Test No One Is Ready For
AI is reshaping trust, collaboration, and leadership faster than companies can adapt. Christian Conrad reveals how trust-first leadership, scalable positive reinforcement, and disciplined executive self-management form the cultural armor needed to survive. The winners are those who master AI-enabled culture before their competitors even see the shift.
Jörn Menninger
Nov 25, 20255 min read


AI Agents Are Rebuilding Europe’s Construction Industry
PlanCraft is redefining what digital transformation means for Europe’s construction and craft industry. Founded by Julian Wiedenhaus in Hamburg, the startup evolved from a family carpentry shop into a €38 million Series B SaaS scale-up serving over 20 000 businesses.
Jörn Menninger
Nov 13, 202533 min read


How Edurino Built Europe’s Hybrid Learning Revolution
Irene Klemm of Edurino explains how hybrid learning turns screen time into learning time, scaling across Europe and winning parental trust in the process.
Jörn Menninger
Nov 6, 202534 min read


Inside the Founders Vault: How Codoflow Rebuilt from the Edge
Explore how Codoflow’s Stefan Opitz rebuilt his startup from scratch just weeks before launch
Jörn Menninger
Nov 4, 20254 min read


Flow State Rituals for Founders: How to Design Deep Work, Beat Distractions & Harness AI
Discover Steven Puri’s flow rituals, body doubling, and focus tactics for startup founders to build deep work cultures and ship faster.
Jörn Menninger
Oct 14, 202538 min read


Flow State for Startup Founders: The Complete Deep Work Playbook
Discover Steven Puri’s flow rituals, body doubling, and focus tactics for startup founders to build deep work cultures and ship faster.
Jörn Menninger
Oct 9, 202540 min read


Limescale’s Hidden Energy Cost in EU Homes
A practical guide to diagnosing limescale energy losses, preventing scale, and calculating ROI on fixes.
Jörn Menninger
Sep 29, 20256 min read
bottom of page
