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This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups — September 2022

Updated: 1 day ago

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?

The September 2022 DACH startup news roundup covers the month's developments as Germany prepares for a potentially rough economic winter — including funding updates, ecosystem shifts, and the stories defining the startup landscape across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

This article is part of our coverage of Monthly Startup News from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Executive Summary

  • This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.

  • Welcome to This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups wrap-up for September 2022 by Startuprad.

  • We recorded this news episode on Monday, September 26th, 2022.

  • Germany is preparing for a potentially rough winter, in many ways.

  • This show was made possible by Hessen Trade and Invest with their brand Invest-in-Hessen.



New Blog


This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups — September 2022 Startuprad.io brings you independent coverage of the key developments shaping the startup and venture capital landscape across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

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.

Welcome to This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups wrap-up for September 2022 by Startuprad.io. I am joined again by my co-founder and co-host Chris from New York City.

We recorded this news episode on Monday, September 26th, 2022. As always: All news not yet included here will be published in our next news episode in our regular October warp-up, which will be published on October 27th.

You can keep up to date with our Google Calendar for all publications:

Our highlights:

Germany is preparing for a potentially rough winter, in many ways. Now Environmental Action Germany (Deutsche Umwelthilfe): Asked Germans not to put up any Christmas lights this season. Startups in GSA keep laying off staff, but also raising significant funds. We have our usually shortened list a bit longer this month, to show that it is not all gloom and doom here. You will also notice that the M&A activity is up, totaling 55 bn US$ in summer 2022 (for all of Europe), and is still going strong.

Let’s talk startups:

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Top News


Berlin’s Everphone extends Series C to $232M

Everphone started with their first fundraising for Series C in December 2021 and now make an additional closing of 32 mn Euros (https://buff.ly/3Ck73x7), which totals — according to PitchBook 232 m US$ Series C for their device-as-a-service model https://buff.ly/3S3V23K


Crypto Boom is slowing

European crypto app downloads have almost halved from 2021 https://buff.ly/3qP4jBi amongst the biggest drops are Blockchain.com and unicorn Bitpanda.

Sifted writes “Beleaguered Austrian crypto trading platform Bitpanda saw a 65% decrease in app downloads from 563k in H1 2021 to 197k in H1 2022. In June, the company laid off a third of its employees, admitting that it had hired too fast and needed to cut back expenditure amid the crypto market rout.” VCs keep an eye on their investments and the app downloads are a proxy for growth here for them.


Insolvencies hit household names

Yes, they are not startups, but it gives you a great overview of the current environment, also for the startups

  • Automotive supplier Dr. Schneider has to file for insolvency with 4000 people employed there https://buff.ly/3QJbt4B

  • Shoe retailer Ludwig Görtz is a staple in German shopping streets founded in 1875 with their big stores and 1.800 employees, now they have to file for insolvency https://buff.ly/3Ryqmru

  • German toilet paper producer Hakle is a household staple in Germany. Now they have to file for insolvency, due to high costs of raw materials, energy, and transportation https://buff.ly/3d0aW08

  • Traditional Austrian lighting company Kolarz, founded in 1918, has to file for insolvency https://buff.ly/3D7pzcN


Podcast monetization is getting serious with international involvement

Lots of mergers in monetizing podcasts, the first Julep from Munich was bought by Libsyn and now London-based Auddy buys Vienna-based Audiomy https://buff.ly/3pULrjM


More firings :-(

Keep in mind here, that most startups are likely not in financial trouble, but they rather try to extend the money they have already raised. The consensus seems to be cutting 15–20% of the workforce for most startups.


USDA issued a warning form HelloFresh Meal Kits, due to E.Coli

FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Specific Ground Beef In HelloFresh Meal Kits Due to Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination | Food Safety and Inspection Service https://buff.ly/3xVogdr


The current economic situation even hits the markets for “Germany’s most loved child”

Germans refer sometimes to cars as Germany’s most loved child, but the current situation is also hitting the used car market: Auto1 competitor Cazoo leaves the German market, after launching only in 2021 https://buff.ly/3xfKSVE


Despite all the grim news, there is still good news

Former Tesla CTO and co-founder JB Straubel is looking at Germany for a site for a battery recycling plant for his company Redwood. Investment in the site could be around 1 bn USD https://buff.ly/3LbYpn9


Ecosystem

  • Top 3 EU tech hubs post-covid https://buff.ly/3qSRK7X are London, Paris, and Berlin, according to Tech.eu. Berlin knocked Dublin out of the top 3

  • The state of M&A in European tech, in summer 2022 European startups exited at a volume of 55 bn US$ https://buff.ly/3BLTAxO

  • The German government is preparing for a wave of insolvency filings this fall and winter https://buff.ly/3L0KgZV — You have already heard a few

  • You will read about Unzer, Wirecard is already known and there are other cases where Germany has proven to be less able to fight money laundering. Now they set up a new financial crime unit https://buff.ly/3DXWEbo

  • Russian pro-war propaganda is increasingly trying to imitate respectable German news outlets, BUT you can tell from bad spelling https://buff.ly/3pZ2sJr

  • Germany wanted to push ahead with legalizing cannabis for recreational use. It now turns out that the EU contracts may throw a roadblock in that way https://buff.ly/3BbVztI

  • Berlin’s booming $18 billion tech scene birthed unicorns like N26 and Trade Republic. Now, the founders want the government to help fuel the city’s growth. https://buff.ly/3QHqxj7

  • ECB Picks Amazon, Nexi, 3 More to Prototype Digital Euro Apps https://buff.ly/3xvZMaw


Hubs

There are many deserving startups, cities, and entrepreneurs who will never get any English coverage, would it not be for us. This is why this section exists. This time Chris is channeling his inner geography teacher and has his own order :-)


Frankfurt

  • Frankfurt-based WealthTech DIAMOS bought by London-based FNZ wealth management platform https://buff.ly/3d88Fjw

  • One year UberEats in Frankfurt am Main: More than 55.000 people already used the app. Top restaurants ordered from:

  • 1. Asian

  • 2. Vegan/Veggie

  • 3. Italian

  • Most frequently ordered: French Fries

  • Usually ordered at 19.00 on Sundays

  • https://buff.ly/3UiKUWX


Bruchsal

Volocopter shares its latest video update showing its eVTOL air taxi is closer than ever to reality https://buff.ly/3Rpneh0


Hamburg

  • Hamburg-based Localyze raises 35 mn US$ from investors General Catalyst, Visionaries Club, Web Summit Fund and Frontline Ventures for their employee mobility and relocation solution https://buff.ly/3x9UVeY

  • Hamburg-based Digital Transformation Capital Partners (DTCP) wraps up the first close of Growth Equity III Fund at €300 million https://buff.ly/3LI6BLY


Munich

  • Munich-based startup Cargokite raises pre-seed round for a big dream: They want to put kites on autonomous cargo ships, so they can harness wind energy and minimize energy consumption https://buff.ly/3cg8Vg3

  • Sono Motors is on track to put over 32,000 solar electric vehicles on roads this decade https://buff.ly/3B3fBGu


Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf-based online shop for high-end food Genusshandwerker stopped delivery with surprisingly short notice. Now the reason is known founder Hans-Georg Pestka, unfortunately, passed away after a short serious illness https://buff.ly/3xkckBR


Dresden

Dresden-based space startup Morpheus Space raises 28 m US$ in venture capital for their satellite mobility solution https://buff.ly/3BLpl9X


Osnabrück

The small city of Osnarbrück wants to rival Munich and Berlin as Germany’s startup capital. They have the first success stories https://buff.ly/3ABi7DV


Switzerland

  • Meaty affair! Swiss food tech Planted gobbles up €70 million to create ‘meat’ from alternative proteins https://buff.ly/3D4Y9nG

  • Swiss crypto platform Portofino unlocks $50 million to support high-frequency traders https://buff.ly/3SiRcng

  • Crypto Investment-Product Firm 21Shares’ Parent Raises $25M, Pushing Valuation to $2B, securing No 1 spot amongst Swiss crypto startups https://buff.ly/3TIy0ku

  • Swiss startup PeakData picks up €12.1 million for its platform connecting pharma companies with healthcare professionals https://buff.ly/3dLpLDP

  • Swiss-based deskbird bags €5M, becomes the most valuable European SaaS startup for workplace management https://buff.ly/3KyIL4F

  • Swiss HR tech beqom buys Our Tandem to personalize rewards for employees with real-time performance data https://buff.ly/3cwLUp6

  • Kuros Biosciences, a #swiss-based biotech startup raises CHF 6.0 million in a private placement to continue working on their drug for back pain https://buff.ly/3DBQcXj

  • Swiss-based Metabloqs closes 1,25 m US$ pre-seed round and launches beta tests https://buff.ly/3Upfe1O


Austria


New Section: VC News


General News / Tech News / Companies News Section

Fintech News Joe

  • Neobank Vivi, a challenger of N26 gets its own first financial services license, an investment license. Clients can now buy with their license e.g. equities and mutual funds https://buff.ly/3AnAUSV

  • Unzer was known as Heidelpay, before KKR bought them. Later Unzer bought the retail payment business of Wirecard. Now they are in trouble with BaFin for not doing enough to prevent money laundry according to a press report: https://buff.ly/3clQdUh

  • The crypto winter hasn’t put off European VCs just yet https://buff.ly/3Q5q8X7 you can read more on Sifted

  • According to German press reports, Berlin-based neobank Penta was bought for 179 m € in Qonto shares and payouts for employees, in total 200 m Euros https://buff.ly/3T1rg0R


Some VC fundings

Despite all the grim news, there is now our — almost unshortened — list of fundraisings announced within the last few weeks. You can see it is A LOT! We have this extensive list here to show you that not all is gloom and doom!

  • Automotive supplier Mahle is receiving a loan of 300 million euros from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the development of new technologies related to zero- and low-emission technologies https://buff.ly/3APkjro

  • Topi raises $45M to power hardware subscriptions for B2B merchants https://buff.ly/3AEcvbJ

  • Berlin-based Latana picks up €36 million for brand tracking and consumer insights platform https://buff.ly/3BCtYTP

  • Solsten, a Minneapolis, MI- and Berlin, Germany-based AI-based platform which allows brands to understand their customers on a deeply human level to create human experiences, raised $22M in Series B funding https://buff.ly/3QP7JPB

  • Berlin-based Candis banks €15.9 million to empower SMEs with automated accounts payable processes https://buff.ly/3QMoeLA

  • Cure is a laggard in Germany’s drug delivery companies, but still raises 15 m Euros in Series A funding https://buff.ly/3DtS30f

  • Berlin-based Aignostics scoops €14 million to decode diagnostics with an AI-driven pathology platform https://buff.ly/3qHTsZC

  • Lykon lands €10M to personalize nutrition https://buff.ly/3SaAabg

  • Plant-based egg startup Neggst bags €5M https://buff.ly/3qN7LMp

  • MVP Match, a tech-talent marketplace, raises $5M from Stage 2 Capital https://buff.ly/3eZGaFh

  • Berlin-based heyData welcomes €3.3 million investment to scale its compliance software solution https://buff.ly/3qGT5yt

  • Justhome Raises €3.3M in Pre-Seed Funding https://buff.ly/3LHcSaT


Green Startup Fundraising:


General News

  • MoweaWind delivers first micro wind turbines for radio masts https://buff.ly/3R8xVFj

  • Corona-boom times seem to be over for food delivery. Here is another sign: Delivery Hero shuts down ghost restaurants https://buff.ly/3eb6MTt

  • Meta bought Berlin-based haptics specialist startup Lofelt in June, it now emerges that all Lofelt projects have been stopped https://buff.ly/3evylqF

  • Amsterdam’s edtech platform Lepaya acquires Germany’s AI-based online coaching provider vCOACH https://buff.ly/3S7aOed

  • MercedesBenz partners with Rivian on electric vans https://buff.ly/3RT2G19

  • Kia Is Reincarnating Old EV Batteries As Energy Storage Systems For Buildings using a startup of railway German operator Deutsche Bahn https://buff.ly/3Lgtrdi

We will be back on October 27th with our next monthly news wrap-up!


Stay ahead of the curve


Automated Transcript


00:00:00.000 → 00:00:18.960Music.


00:00:20.096 → 00:00:29.821Hello and welcome everybody this is Joe from startuprad.io your startup podcast and you to block from Germany bringing you again news wrap-up


00:00:29.701 → 00:00:35.843from Germany this time September 20 22 yes it’s already dead late.


00:00:35.994 → 00:00:45.026Fortunately I do have Chris here with me Acres hiding hey I’m good as you can see I got the new airports Pro I’m happy about it.


00:00:45.293 → 00:00:49.932It’s really crazy the noise-cancelling is again so much better and like I don’t know.


00:00:50.028 → 00:00:55.441Don’t tell my mother one day I’m going to get hit by a car and I won’t even realize it until it’s too late


00:00:55.384 → 00:01:07.270this podcast is not sponsored by Apple but we would like to welcome you to this month in German Swiss and Austrian startups wrap up for.


00:01:07.583 → 00:01:17.542September 2022 and we recorded this news episode on September 26th


00:01:17.494 → 00:01:26.1212022 as always on news not yet included here will be published in our next news episode in our regular


00:01:25.983 → 00:01:35.240October wrap up which will be published on October 27th just four days before Halloween isn’t that awesome


00:01:35.138 → 00:01:39.985our highlights Germany is preparing for potentially rough


00:01:39.919 → 00:01:46.889winter in many ways now the environmental action Germany Dojo -

00:01:46.751 → 00:01:55.586ask Germans not to put up any Christmas lights this season startups in GSA keep laying off stuff but also


00:01:55.547 → 00:02:05.227raising significant funds we have our usual shortened list a bit longer this month of fundraising to show that it is not


00:02:05.080 → 00:02:17.983all gloom and doom here and you will also notice that m&a activity is up totaling 55 billion US Dollars In Summer 2022 for all of Europe


00:02:17.827 → 00:02:25.887and is still going strong so let’s talk startups first I would like to.


00:02:25.938 → 00:02:33.485Thank our enablers invest in Harrison this show was made possible by investing in Hanson.


00:02:34.031 → 00:02:36.960You can learn more about our specialized.


00:02:37.533 → 00:02:47.115Sap podcast with them at Tech startups dot Sounder dot f m or add invest — in — hsn.com


00:02:46.995 → 00:03:00.906startup Raven.com the best way to identify investors and cooperation partners for early-stage startups you can sign up for Early Access there and Chris as we talked before you are the top


00:03:00.786 → 00:03:02.652news guy right.


00:03:02.821 → 00:03:17.659Yeah this this month I actually am because there’s a couple of interesting stories that give you a good overview over what’s going on in the German startup scene right now it all starts with Berlin’s


00:03:17.494 → 00:03:26.643ever phone they extend their series The to 232 million dollars are quite a significant amount of money


00:03:26.443 → 00:03:36.969they start the first hundred and fundraising for a series C in December 20 21 and now make an additional closing of 32 million Euros which totals according to pitchbook


00:03:36.957 → 00:03:46.034two at 232 million u.s. dollars for their device as a service model.


00:03:46.824 → 00:03:49.896We have startups startup news dead


00:03:49.731 → 00:04:00.510relate to Germany but that basically in line with what we see all around the world because also in Germany the crypto bloom or as we should say in German speaking Latin in German


00:04:00.372 → 00:04:02.554language countries because we always.


00:04:02.677 → 00:04:17.560I want to think about our listeners in Austria and Switzerland as well and but we see news and signs that the crypto boom is slowing the European crypto app downloads have almost asked from 2021 amongst the biggest.


00:04:17.899 → 00:04:24.204Drops are blockchain.com and the Unicorn did Panda sifted for example right.


00:04:24.453 → 00:04:34.034And I quote beleaguered Austrian crypto trading platform did pandas or 65 percent decrease in app downloads from 563.


00:04:34.212 → 00:04:37.230Thousand in the first half of


00:04:37.092 → 00:04:50.87821 of 2021 to only an 197,000 so 563 to 197,000 in the first half of 2022 in June the company laid off a third of its employees00:04:50.776 → 00:04:56.180admitting that is at higher too fast and needed to cut back expenditure MIT the crypto Margaret route.


00:04:56.510 → 00:05:02.950I’m close this is keep an eye on their investment and the app download our proxy for growth here for them it seems.00:05:03.883 → 00:05:10.476In German not necessarily startup culture but definitely Enterprise and


00:05:10.329 → 00:05:15.391business culture we start the insolvency of


00:05:15.226 → 00:05:24.078a couple of really big household names in Germany because they are and they were in the consumer Market or they are still in the consumer market so.


00:05:24.165 → 00:05:35.430We can like it gives you an idea of the current environment in Germany also for startups so for example there’s at the automotive supplier dr. Schneider which had to file for insolvency with


00:05:35.283 → 00:05:37.753at least 12,000 people


00:05:37.669 → 00:05:47.745employed there and then if you’ve been to a German who’s going out sooner so German downtown and you were chopping there you probably saw.


00:05:47.796 → 00:05:57.107The shoe stores of lubic girls it’s a shoe retailer Staple in German shopping streets was founded in 1875.


00:05:57.158 → 00:06:00.942With big stores 1,800 employees but they


00:06:00.705 → 00:06:10.305also now have to solve for insolvency they claimed it also partly has to do with consumers being really cautious because of inflation and even the Ukraine war


00:06:10.284 → 00:06:14.185then German toilet paper producer hard clear.


00:06:14.245 → 00:06:29.327Is a household Staple in Germany now they have 25 insolvency due to high cost of raw materials energy and transportation as they said Berkeley is really really big in Germany and toilet paper and among the companies


00:06:29.144 → 00:06:32.810they’re who came up with innovation.


00:06:33.321 → 00:06:41.687If you believe that Innovation exists when it comes to toilet table but still they came up with Hockley wet wipes at least in the 70s


00:06:41.468 → 00:06:55.613so then there’s traditional Austrian Lighting Company Cole has founded in 1918 which also had to file for insolvency so as you can see it’s traditional companies and some of them unfortunately has to.


00:06:55.655 → 00:07:02.806Close shot or at least in big trouble and try to restructure we have to say because girls for example key is keeping the shops open.


00:07:03.640 → 00:07:18.380Next up your podcast monetization is getting serious with International involvement lots of mergers and monetizing podcast the first Julep from Munich was bought by Lipson and now london-based body bias Vienna based audion.


00:07:18.440 → 00:07:19.487Audio my.


00:07:19.637 → 00:07:28.741What do you mean no audio my I would say audio mine both and both pronunciations are totally fine Chris.


00:07:29.882 → 00:07:43.370Who knows who knows we don’t I don’t want to get emailed we on the more somber side of things we also got a lot of news about more firings.


00:07:43.970 → 00:07:48.537Keep in mind here that most startups are likely not in financial trouble but they rather try to.


00:07:48.598 → 00:07:57.711Extend the money they’ve already raised the consensus seems to be that fifteen to twenty percent of the work force for most startups.


00:07:57.834 → 00:08:04.679Berlin base e scooter company for example tier fire sixteen percent of employees and freezes new hiring


00:08:04.541 → 00:08:16.841and their case that means firing around 180 people berlin-based art night organizes do-it-yourself art events across Germany they’re impacted by Corona and let us as 1/3 of their status.


00:08:17.324 → 00:08:26.608In farm laser staff as the energy prices bite and recession looms tiger Back start up which the Lays off 30 percent of staff.


00:08:27.010 → 00:08:33.711Urban Sports Club let’s go 15% in their case that’s around 55 people of their Workforce.


00:08:33.960 → 00:08:45.792And the expense management via credit card is the topic of startup mosque they have to let go of around 70 employees in their case that’s one.


00:08:45.870 → 00:08:53.291Silence of their Workforce fifty percentno startup news.


00:08:53.432 → 00:09:07.118Would be complete without talking about New York it’s so in this case also it’s a bit of a weird news because the USDA issued a warning for a Hello fresh milk it’s due to equally


00:09:06.980 → 00:09:15.274um so I mean it happens quite a lot in the US to be honest to get warnings about like romaine and letters and it happens to a lot of.


00:09:15.316 → 00:09:19.343Fast forward a bit higher ground Hydrox assets.00:09:19.935 → 00:09:26.374Yeah usual suspect has been for example a Chipotle they also have no sacrifice exactly yeah.


00:09:26.893 → 00:09:33.477Yeah let’s not talk about what my tummy does when I eat Chipotle let’s just say I learned my lesson.


00:09:33.510 → 00:09:44.433And for the past five years I haven’t been to a Chipotle anyway fsis issues a public health alert for specific ground beef in hello fresh milk it’s due to possible


00:09:44.385 → 00:09:51.085equally contamination Zone that case it’s not the lettuce but it’s minced meat or like ground beef


.00:09:51.605 → 00:09:56.622So hopefully this stays rather small occurrence.


00:09:57.447 → 00:10:04.166The current economic situation even hits the market for what in Germany is that Germany’s most.


00:10:04.199 → 00:10:09.423Loved child and if anyone wants to take a guess what we claim.


00:10:09.672 → 00:10:17.075Des deutschen keeps the skin is so Germany’s most beloved kid it’s of course our cars.


00:10:17.225 → 00:10:25.951But the current situation is also hitting the used car market there are two one competitor kazoo leaves the German market after launching only in 2021.


00:10:26.191 → 00:10:39.400And despite all those Grim news there are still good news for my Tesla CTO and co-founder JB’s Travelers looking at Germany for aside for battery recycling plant for his company Redwood.


00:10:39.650 → 00:10:48.556Investment in the side could be around 1 billion US dollarswhich right now is around like that 70 billion euros.


00:10:48.751 → 00:10:57.351Giving given day the exchange rate ecosystem news.


00:10:57.411 → 00:11:07.668We see that the top three you Tech hubs post-coital London Paris and Berlin according to Tech EU verlinden knocked oven Dublin out of the top speed


00:11:07.665 → 00:11:17.471we have news about the state of ma in European Tech and summer 2022 you can startups exited at volume of 55 billion dollars.


00:11:17.594 → 00:11:33.387And the German government is preparing for a wave of insolvency filings this Foreman winter you’ve already heard of you but in Germany there’s really huge pessimism especially going on with an energy and gas crisis and its really a Grimm


00:11:33.231 → 00:11:37.105mood I would say specially for energy heavy companies right now.


00:11:37.660 → 00:11:49.519You will read about Unser Maya card is already known and there are other cases where Germany is proven to be less able to fight money laundering now they set up a new Financial crime unit.


00:11:50.741 → 00:11:54.317Russian pro-war propaganda is increasingly trying to


00:11:54.098 → 00:12:14.302imitate respectable German news outlets but you can tell from that spelling the way where you have to imagine this is that it kind of looks like the news websites but then when you read it you think or something is a bit off but maybe those articles are then already shared and people with lesser media literacy


00:12:14.101 → 00:12:20.730probably might be confused as one of the new strategies of the desinformation Cycles circles.


00:12:20.898 → 00:12:30.732Germany wanted to push ahead with legalizing cannabis for recreational use it now turns out that the EU contracts May throw a roadblock that way.


00:12:30.918 → 00:12:34.648Berlin Peruvian booming 18 billion dollar


00:12:34.573 → 00:12:47.890Tech scene birthed unicorns like and 26 and trade Republic now Founders want the government to help fuel the city grow the city’s growth even more and the European Central Bank picks Amazon Nexium three more two prototype


00:12:47.689 → 00:12:49.780digital Euro apps.


00:12:50.723 → 00:13:03.365Just to give you an idea of what the Talk of the Town is in the ecosystem which lets us move on to a couple of cities in what we call Allah subsection.


00:13:03.533 → 00:13:09.774As always there’s some small smaller cities that never will get


00:13:09.555 → 00:13:18.714any International press coverage wouldn’t it be for us that’s why this section is here Frankford based wealth Tech demos.


00:13:18.810 → 00:13:24.700By london-based F and Seto wealth management platform and we found.


00:13:24.751 → 00:13:34.513Data from one year Uber Eats in Frankfort more than 55,000 people already used the app top restaurant orders


00:13:34.483 → 00:13:47.629are from first Asian second vision and veggie and third Italian restaurants most frequently ordered french fries usually ordered at seven PM 1900 CT


00:13:47.581 → 00:13:50.789on Sundays you can read more in the show notes


00:13:50.705 → 00:14:02.654Pulsar for the copter shares its latest video updating update showing its EV tol Air Taxi is closer than ever to reality


00:14:02.543 → 00:14:12.367the beautiful city of Hamburg Hamburg based localized raises 35 million u.s. dollars from investors General Catalyst Visionaries Club


00:14:12.247 → 00:14:24.997whip Summit fund and Frontline Ventures for the employee mobility and relocation solution and digital transformation Capital Partners reps up first close of equity to


00:14:24.949 → 00:14:39.113Equity three fund at 300 million euros will hear about this again and we need based startup cargo kites races proceed around for a big tree they want to put guides on autonomous cargo ships.


00:14:39.434 → 00:14:43.146So taking harness wind energy and maximum


00:14:43.134 → 00:14:54.408and minimize energy consumption and so on a motor is also based in Munich is on track to put over 32,000 solar electric vehicles on the roads this


00:14:54.324 → 00:14:57.730they can’t they write Dusseldorf based


00:14:57.574 → 00:15:13.096online shop for high-end food goodness and Vac stop delivery with a surprisingly short notice now the reason is known found a hunt scale Pista unfortunately passed away after short but seriously


00:15:12.986 → 00:15:14.546illness00:15:14.453 → 00:15:28.355Kristin based space startup more voice space race has 28 million u.s. dollars in venture capital for the satellite Mobility solution and the City of Austin approach


00:15:28.307 → 00:15:36.448they want to rival Munich and Berlin as Germany start of capital they have the first success stories yet.


00:15:37.553 → 00:15:42.579Switzerland media Fierce with fruit eggplant it


00:15:42.468 → 00:15:48.736gobbles up 70 million years to create meat from alternative proteins


00:15:48.607 → 00:15:58.108speaking about crypto not all this patio Swiss crypto platform Portofino unlocks 50 million to support high frequency Traders


00:15:57.979 → 00:16:08.667Crypt investment product from 21 chairs parent races 25 million pushing valuation 22 billion securing number one spot amongst Swiss.


00:16:08.674 → 00:16:23.233Crypto startups Swiss startup data picks 12.1 million for its platform connecting Pharma companies with Healthcare professionals desk bird backs five million becomes a.


00:16:23.500 → 00:16:37.763Becomes most valuable Europeans a start-up for workplace management Swiss HR tag big commbuys our tandem to personalize rewards for employees with real-time performance data


00:16:37.760 → 00:16:49.313kouros bioscience raises 6 million Swiss franc in a private placement to continue working on the drug for back pain or against


00:16:49.481 → 00:16:58.513Pain swiss-based meta blocks closes 1.25 million u.s. dollar precede round in launches beta test


00:16:59.662 → 00:17:13.574going to Austria where 5% of business angels are in Austria are women and only seventy percent of startups are founded or co-founded by women the Vienna base co-working space


00:17:13.463 → 00:17:19.173tripe space has to file for insolvency and something we will come back to you again.


00:17:19.314 → 00:17:26.366Austrian climate and energy fund code green energy Labs gets 190


00:17:26.255 → 00:17:34.081mailed in yours more to invest we get to New section v c — news and Chris’s doing that


00:17:34.015 → 00:17:45.505yes I actually am so we know from a lot of your feedback that you are always interested in where the money comes from or where there is new


00:17:45.304 → 00:17:53.283funds popping up in Germany so we decided to make it a new section in this case calling it The VC news so


00:17:53.190 → 00:17:59.368x marks the spot is North Zone raises north of 1 billion euros


00:17:59.320 → 00:18:08.326we mentioned before Hamburg based digital transformation Capital Partners D TCP wraps up the first closing of growth equity


00:18:08.251 → 00:18:15.888three fund at 300 million euros I BB Ventures raises 30 million.


00:18:16.011 → 00:18:18.705Euros for an impact fund


00:18:18.603 → 00:18:32.515successful founders with exits from zone until plus and flashing past join investor Paul uses Pat in his VC called x capital fundraising in 2022 where we are and where we’re going


00:18:32.386 → 00:18:41.346will is an article that gives you some background information keep in mind Austrian climate and energy fund called Green energy lab gets.


00:18:41.694 → 00:18:51.320190 million euros more to invest Luna Capital kicks off a new fund as it joins the DC Scramble for Europe00:18:51.147 → 00:18:59.782by moving from Palo Alto to Luxembourg and DC firm Lightspeed expands in Europa hiring Partners in Paris and Berlin


00:18:59.708 → 00:19:06.534and as you can tell these are all articles that are linked in our show notes and all part of.


00:19:06.558 → 00:19:21.064More in-depth information at other outlets but we wanted to give you the overview for that which leads us to the general news Tech News company in new section and Joe’s kicking in are kicking us off00:19:20.917 → 00:19:22.306with the fintech news.


00:19:22.501 → 00:19:35.927Yes let’s kick a little bit off Neil Bank Vivy Challenger of an-26 gets its own First Financial Services license and investment license clients


00:19:35.807 → 00:19:41.418can now buy you with their license for example equities and mutual funds there


00:19:41.307 → 00:19:48.890once I was known as highly pay before KK L bought them later on the board the retail


00:19:48.878 → 00:19:58.720payment business of way a cart now they in trouble with boffin for not doing enough to prevent money laundry according to press reports.


00:19:59.951 → 00:20:11.837Decrypt to Winter hasn’t put off your pmv’s he’s just yet you can read more on sifted and according to German press report berlin-based new bank Penta was bought for 100


00:20:11.780 → 00:20:23.15279 million euros in Contra shares and pay out for employees in total 200 million years Chris you got a very long list of VC funding


00:20:22.997 → 00:20:29.733as we said we normally cut this but we want to show them that not everything here is gloom and doom in Germany.


00:20:29.748 → 00:20:34.378Yes so yeah time for some good news.00:20:34.394 → 00:20:47.909And let’s run through it Automotive supplier Marla is receiving a loan of 300 million euros from the European Investment Bank Eid for the development of new technologies related to zero and low emission Technologies.


00:20:48.563 → 00:20:54.697Topi raises 30 45 million dollars to power Hardware subscriptions for B2B merchants.


00:20:55.126 → 00:21:05.103Berlin best electronic picks up 36 million euros for brand tracking and consumer insights platform is Alston Soul Stone.


00:21:05.190 → 00:21:08.506Minneapolis Michigan and Berlin Germany base


00:21:08.512 → 00:21:20.227I based platform which allows Brands to understand their customers on a deeply human level as they say to create human experiences raise 22 million dollars in the series B funding.


00:21:20.611 → 00:21:28.743Berlin based Candice Banks fifteen point nine million euros to empower small and medium-sized Enterprises with


00:21:28.713 → 00:21:31.552automated accounts payable processes.


00:21:32.026 → 00:21:40.698Pure is a laggard in Germany’s truck delivery companies but still raises 15 million euros in a series a funding berlin-based


00:21:40.650 → 00:21:50.222agnostic say I agnostics gnostics Scoops 14 million euros to decode Diagnostics with an AI driven pathology platform.


00:21:50.643 → 00:21:58.631Luke on lens 10 million euros to a personalized nutrition plan based egg start up next.


00:21:59.231 → 00:22:06.012So n EG G St to get it because it’s the next type of egg next.


00:22:06.262 → 00:22:16.059Beck’s 5 million euros berlin-based MVP matched Tech Talent Marketplace raises five million dollars from stage to Capital.


00:22:16.299 → 00:22:18.985Berlin based hate data welcomes.


00:22:19.279 → 00:22:28.6443.3 million euros investment to scale its compliance software solution just home raises 3.3 million and three seed funding.


00:22:29.722 → 00:22:40.014And we also saw a couple of news about a green startups German Death Alchemy picks up 10 million euros to have decarbonized cement and the concrete industry.


00:22:40.317 → 00:22:48.269Which actually gets a lot of talk and by the way little name-drop here I was talking about this recently with Bill Gates actually.


00:22:48.401 → 00:22:56.506Because I had to 10 minutes to engage interview and he was telling me about how much it’s needed to also not just change.


00:22:56.629 → 00:23:02.250Industries like travel and energy but also Industries like cement and concrete.


00:23:02.571 → 00:23:11.189And I are actually Chris of quiz you will later on shared link and we will link it down here in the shown only and Jack see them in Germany.


00:23:11.564 → 00:23:23.027Oh Bill speaks German I made him amazing anyway berlin-based carbon credits marketplaces Caesar that is Cee.


00:23:23.393 → 00:23:34.532Zhi ER scores 4.2 million euros and new carbon ones industrial cooling towers to join the climate fight and raises 1.25 million euros.


00:23:34.628 → 00:23:43.048Precede and Cerulean back green tray to offer carbon credits for 4th conservation oat ocean restoration.


00:23:43.252 → 00:23:51.960Let the very last little piece movie I went delivers first micro wind turbines for radio masts


00:23:51.750 → 00:24:02.007we’re in contact with this very interesting start up and basically we going to interview them sometime next year what they do they have very tiny wind turbines in the attached mmm


00:24:01.923 → 00:24:02.907all


00:24:02.796 → 00:24:15.825for example to the radio masks or the cell phone towers Corona boom times seem to be over for food delivery here’s another sign deliver here shut down ghost restaurants.


00:24:16.002 → 00:24:25.359Mita formerly known as Facebook bought berlin-based haptics specialist startup Love Field in June it no emergence that’s all


00:24:25.311 → 00:24:28.491Louisville project have been stopped


00:24:28.371 → 00:24:35.999Amsterdam’s at Tech platform liepaja equates Germany’s AI based online coaching provider


00:24:35.852 → 00:24:49.314V coach Mercedes-Benz partners with Rivia non-electric fans and Kia is incarnating odd EV batteries as energy storage system for buildings using startup of


00:24:49.167 → 00:24:51.303German Railway operator.


00:24:51.318 → 00:25:00.647Deutsche Bahn thank you for listening we will be back with another startup news episode on October 27th Chris.


00:25:00.852 → 00:25:07.507It was pleasure talking to you thank you very much and by the way your old me a bagel no sirens in the background today


00:25:07.459 → 00:25:17.311for one side it’s really calm outside I wonder if I don’t know maybe there’s a apricot apocalypse is on and no one told me.


00:25:17.668 → 00:25:32.146And this was the last thing I ever did can you imagine okay byeThat’s all folks find more news streams event.


00:25:32.306 → 00:25:39.906Interviews at www.starballroomdancestudio.com sharing is caring.


00:25:39.760 → 00:25:52.981Music.


What Happened in GSA Startups in September 2022?

September 2022 saw Berlin's Everphone extend its Series C to $232M, European crypto app downloads almost halving with Bitpanda seeing a 65% decrease, major insolvencies like automotive supplier Dr. Schneider (4,000 employees), and growing podcast monetization activity with international involvement. Germany was preparing for a rough winter amid the energy crisis.

Introduction

This monthly news wrap-up covers September 2022 in the DACH startup ecosystem, recorded on September 26th. The episode leads with Everphone extending its Series C to $232M and the significant cooling of the European crypto market, with app downloads nearly halving from 2021. Sifted reported that Austrian crypto platform Bitpanda saw a 65% decrease in app downloads. The episode also covers insolvencies hitting established companies like automotive supplier Dr. Schneider with 4,000 employees, and emerging opportunities in podcast monetization. Germany was bracing for a difficult winter due to the energy crisis.

Executive Summary

The September 2022 DACH startup wrap-up reflects a market in transition. While Everphone demonstrated continued growth by extending its Series C to $232M, the crypto sector faced steep declines with European downloads halving and Bitpanda reporting a 65% app download decrease. Traditional industry insolvencies, including automotive supplier Dr. Schneider with 4,000 employees, signaled broader economic pressures as Germany prepared for an energy crisis-driven winter. Podcast monetization emerged as a bright spot with increasing international involvement and merger activity. The episode was enabled by Hessen Trade and Invest.

Key Takeaways

  • Berlin's Everphone extended its Series C to $232M, building on initial fundraising that started in December 2021.

  • European crypto app downloads almost halved from 2021, with Bitpanda seeing a 65% decrease, signaling the depth of the crypto winter in Europe.

  • Major insolvencies hit established German companies including automotive supplier Dr. Schneider with 4,000 employees, reflecting broader economic pressures.

  • Podcast monetization was becoming increasingly serious with international involvement and a wave of mergers in the space.

  • Germany was preparing for a potentially rough winter amid the energy crisis, creating uncertainty across the startup ecosystem.

Atomic Answer

Entities Referenced in This Episode

Startups & Companies

  • Everphone — Berlin-based startup, extended Series C to $232M

  • Bitpanda — Austrian crypto trading platform, 65% decrease in app downloads

  • Dr. Schneider — Automotive supplier, filed insolvency with 4,000 employees

Organizations

  • Hessen Trade and Invest / Invest-in-Hessen — Episode sponsor

  • Sifted — Reported on European crypto downturn

People

  • Jörn "Joe" Menninger — Startuprad.io host

Topics

  • Crypto winter Europe, Series C funding, German insolvencies, podcast monetization, energy crisis, DACH startup news

Relationship Map

  • Everphone → extended → Series C to $232M (Berlin)

  • Bitpanda → suffered → 65% app download decrease (crypto winter)

  • Dr. Schneider → filed → insolvency (4,000 employees, automotive)

  • Hessen Trade and Invest → sponsored → September 2022 wrap-up

Related Episodes on Startuprad.io

Partner with Startuprad.io

Startuprad.io is the leading independent media platform covering startups, venture capital, and innovation across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and Europe. We offer B2B partnership opportunities for companies looking to reach startup decision-makers, founders, and investors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Everphone raise in its Series C?

Berlin-based Everphone extended its Series C to $232 million. The company began its Series C fundraising in December 2021 and added to the round through September 2022.

How did the crypto downturn affect European startups?

European crypto app downloads almost halved from 2021 levels. Austrian trading platform Bitpanda, one of the biggest crypto companies in the region, saw a 65% decrease in app downloads as the crypto winter deepened in 2022.

What insolvencies happened in Germany in September 2022?

Automotive supplier Dr. Schneider filed for insolvency with 4,000 employees. While not a startup, this reflected the broader economic pressures in Germany as the country prepared for a difficult winter due to the energy crisis.

Access Europe's Startup and Technology Decision Makers

This article is part of Startuprad.io's structured coverage of the European startup ecosystem, with deep editorial roots in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The platform reaches a highly targeted audience of founders, operators, and investors — over 90% of whom are based in Europe. Companies partner with Startuprad.io to gain visibility within this ecosystem and build credibility where business decisions are made. Explore partnership opportunities.

About the Host

Joern "Joe" Menninger is the host of the Startuprad.io podcast and covers founders, investors, and policy developments across the DACH startup ecosystem. Through more than 1,300 interviews and nearly a decade of reporting, he documents the evolution of the European startup landscape. Follow Joern on LinkedIn.

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