Alexander Kölpin

Markus Söder (Dr. Markus Söder) the "Geisterfahrer" Visionary: Bavaria's Nuclear Nostalgia! Markus Söder, our Bavarian Ministerpräsident and self-proclaimed visionary, has announced plans to build new nuclear power plants in #Bavaria. In doing so, he’s boldly steering the energy debate like a Geisterfahrer— (In the German language: a wrong-way driver on the autobahn of progress). Everyone’s honking and flashing their lights, but Söder? He’s convinced he’s the only one heading in the right direction. My Two Cents on This Nuclear Odyssey Let’s unpack this bold strategy that brings to mind a mix of Schadenfreude and existential dread: Insurance or Wishful Thinking? Nuclear plants are so risky, even insurance companies—those fine folks who insure skydivers and volcano tours—want nothing to do with them. Who steps in? Us, the taxpayers! Söder’s plan ensures Bavarians not only foot the bill for construction but also play nuclear roulette with their wallets. Waste Disposal: A Glowing Legacy Söder, where exactly do you plan to stash this toxic waste? In Lederhosen-shaped bunkers? Perhaps under Allianz Arena? Radioactive material is a forever problem in an era where most policy decisions barely account for next year. Chernobyl and Fukushima: Ignoring History Remember those small nuclear mishaps? Like Chernobyl, which cost $200 billion and left us with a post-apocalyptic tourist attraction? Or Fukushima, which is still leaking and racking up bills north of $750 billion? Calling nuclear "safe" now is like hiring a chef whose specialty is food poisoning because "they’re due for a win." Economics: A Non-Starter Nuclear power plants take decades to build. By the time Söder’s reactors are online, we’ll have drones that harvest solar energy directly from the sun. Meanwhile, wind and solar are cheaper, cleaner, and won’t turn Garmisch-Partenkirchen into a Fallout cosplay zone. Geisterfahrer and the Angel-Demon Dilemma Once hailed as a miracle energy source (our angel), nuclear quickly revealed its demonic side: meltdowns, waste, and costs that rival Bavaria’s annual beer consumption. Advocates argue it’s a fallen angel ready for redemption. But repackaging the same risks with fresh PR doesn’t make them disappear—it just distracts long enough to hope no one notices. Final Thoughts Herr Söder, as you barrel down this Geisterfahrer path, may I suggest pulling over for a moment? Bavaria has abundant resources—sun, wind, beer. Why chase radioactive rainbows when renewable energy promises a brighter, safer, and far less glowing future? Let’s raise a pretzel-shaped wind turbine and toast to common sense. Prost!  It’s time to unmask the greed and betrayal driving the climate crisis. My (Jude S. Ngu' Ewodo) book, Climate Crisis Unmasked: Unraveling the Web of Betrayal and Greed, reveals the hidden forces behind this global issue—and how YOU can be part of the solution. Get your copy now: https://lnkd.in/dFWDViwD #NuclearDebate #EnergyCrisis #ClimateCrisisUnmasked

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"The last 18 months have been brutal. Many startups that received high valuations during the 2021 boom are now struggling to survive." says Gina Domanig, Managing Partner at Emerald Technology Ventures in this Forbes Austria article. Yes, 2024 has been a tough year for many fledgling companies. But I am encouraged by some of the startups scaling disruptive technology and business models in service of accelerating the energy transition in India and across the Asia Pacific and Middle East. They will survive and thrive - with the support of a growing investor community who have come to appreciate that the global south possess truly innovative solutions. One of the highlights for me this year was the first Asia Climate Tech Venture Fair, held in Singapore in October. The brainchild of Gina and her team, it brought together a critical set of VCs, CVCs and PE firms to share insights and leads on startups in the region. Looking forward to more conversations in 2025. Read now: https://lnkd.in/dhEtFTbV #Cleantech #Venturecapital #Innovation #Startups #energytransition #Corporates #Climatetech #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability #Futureoftech #Cleantechventures #Startupgrowth #Corporatecollaboration #Techinvestment

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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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Germany-based venture capital fund Robin Capital closed its Robin Fund One at 13 million euros (about $13.6 million). #venturecapital #veteranventures

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🚨 Red Alert for Germany’s Startup Ecosystem: A 30% Drop in Active Investors – How Can We Keep the Innovation Engine Running? A recent article from Handelsblatt (link in comments) points out that early-stage startups are especially at risk during this downturn since they depend on venture capital to scale. The expanding funding gap will further stifle growth in areas where innovation is most needed. Yet, within this challenge lies opportunity: 🌱 Resilient Sectors Lead the Way Sectors like #GreenTech and #AI are still drawing investment, showing their potential to drive innovation. These industries highlight where Germany can have the most significant impact. 🏠 Family Offices as Growth Catalysts As traditional investors pull back, family offices can step up. By leveraging patient capital, they can empower promising startups and lay the foundation for long-term success. 🤝 Venture Clienting as a Key to Co-Innovation Strategic partnerships between startups and established businesses bridge the funding gap. These alliances not only drive digital transformation but also deliver mutual value and foster innovation. At D11Z. Ventures, we believe Germany’s competitive edge depends on collaboration. That's why we invest in high-potential startups and create co-innovation opportunities with family offices and industry leaders. Together, we're fostering an ecosystem that drives innovation and supports long-term growth. 🚀 💬 How can family offices and industry leaders support the next wave of startup innovation? Share your ideas below! #D11ZVentures #Innovation #StartupEcosystem #VentureCapital #InnovationLeadership #FamilyOffices #CoInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence

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📈 The latest startupdetector report couldn't have been better for me. - the number of newly founded German startups increased in Q1 2024 - a trend reversal we waited for some time new! - Leipzig and Dresden were the cities with the biggest increase of new startups (+41%, +36%), while Jena had the most financing rounds per capita - while many regions had a smaller number of new startups, Saxony increased most by 35% - the energy sector saw the strongest increase from all industries - our Smart Infrastructure Ventures ('SIVentures') portfolio company traide AI GmbH with their founder Leonie Althaus got featured next to SpinLab - The HHL Accelerator alumnus Dr. Jannik Lockl from inContAlert - our partners from TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen are ranked #5 in the most active VCs list. Smart Infrastructure Ventures ('SIVentures') among the top investors in AI All in all a great job Arnas Bräutigam & team

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🔸 🔶 🔸 AI is going vertical 🔸 🔶 🔸 In a new guest article for Gründerszene / Business Insider I talk about how vertical AI is revolutionizing the work environment: After genAI took the world by storm it has rapidly commoditized. To train an advanced LLM costs hundreds of millions of $$$. But the usage of LLMs has become commonplace. Now the AI world is turning vertical: How can genAI solutions successfully be deployed within industry verticals? Not on the surface but solving some of the tough industrial challenges in a substantially new way, driving an increase in productivity by a factor of 2-5? That has become a core area of interest for AI in 2024. Vertical AI is already making inroads into a number of core industries such as consulting, finance and healthcare but is also being used in less obvious sectors such as wind energy generation or sports. Over time it is likely to affect our work environment across all sectors. And - unlike earlier automatizations - it is going to affect mostly white collar rather than blue collar work. Welcome to a new and lasting technological disruption. Gründerszene, the leading online magazine for the startup scene in Germany (operated by Business Insider), got interested in the subject and has featured an article on the subject this week. Take a look at the online article following the link below (in German): https://lnkd.in/ecJcUwHK (the Gründerszene article as a pdf: https://lnkd.in/eimBKSQP)

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Great to see what Jan Thomas and his team at Startup Insider did with the new Investors Report 2024 for the DACH region! Anyone who wants to learn more about the German #venturecapital ecosystem and its investors, go get the report: https://lnkd.in/ehiVqmX6

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If you are a founder or funder in Austin on Wednesday, November 6th, join us at Stubb's BBQ 🍖 to hear these six pitches from startups visiting from Switzerland: ​- Magnes AG offers a cutting-edge solution for monitoring walking patterns in patients with neurological disorders. Smart sensors embedded in sneakers collect data during daily activities, and AI generates reports and real-time feedback to prevent falls and freezing. ​- MYNERVA has developed a groundbreaking medical device combining AI and neurostimulation to artificially restore the sense of touch and decrease pain in patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy. ​- Authena advances supply chains with real-time technology, improving transparency, efficiency, and sustainability. Their eco-friendly IoT devices and AI analytics, developed with leading Swiss universities, offer single-unit visibility for tracking and actionable insights. ​- Auxivo AG, a Swiss exoskeleton spinoff from ETH Zurich, enhances worker safety with wearable exoskeletons that reduce physical workload and injury risk. The company has quickly established itself as a leading developer, launching multiple products in the market. ​- ORamaVR aims to transform global healthcare with advanced XR and deep learning technologies, addressing the urgent issue of inaccessible and unaffordable surgical care by modernizing outdated medical training systems. ​- Biosimo Chemicals specializes in sustainable chemical production using renewable resources and green chemistry. They combine bioprocessing with advanced catalysis to create environmentally friendly, scalable solutions. In partnership with FIESTA. https://lnkd.in/gi6q8ged

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Excited to share what I learned from Sandro Stark, founding partner at Vanagon Ventures backing FrontierTech from Munich/DACH 🚀 to the World at the YUVC video podcast (links in comments) 💡 Above all, Sandro is a super nice person to get along with and has a great NPS from founders 👋 Here 3 Core Takeaways ✨ 1. Vanagon’s approach to startup evaluation 👀 - Distribution capability is now the key differentiator, not just technical innovation - Customer "stickiness" and deep industry understanding - The solution must demonstrate both climate impact and profit potential 2. Why is Munich's ecosystem strategic? 🇩🇪 - Part of DACH region - third-largest market globally after China and US - Rich concentration of technical talent and corporate headquarters - Untapped potential in Mittelstand venture engagement 3. What's the philosophy behind sustainable success? 😉 - Don't postpone happiness for future achievements - True leadership creates more leaders, not followers - Consistent effort matters more than breakthrough moments Now listen in for more insights! ❤ Kudos to his great co-founders/GPs @Vanagon: Susanne Fromm Axel Roitzsch Shoutout to their amazing portfolios: Senken Particula Renoster youba The Landbanking Group LoopID heartstocks Learn.xyz ExoMatter and more

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Honoured to be featured in the latest Tech Funding News article discussing Germany’s role as a leading tech hub. 🚀 I’m also proud to see standout companies from the Earlybird Venture Capital portfolio—N26, Marvel Fusion, Isar Aerospace, and others—highlighted alongside my alma mater, Technical University of Munich, which is another key driver of innovation in the country. While Germany is often dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley of Europe,’ there’s still much to do, such as overcoming regulatory challenges and channeling more growth funding into promising startups. My advice for those navigating the Central European startup landscape: Leverage government-backed funding, connect with business angels, and build relationships with established companies. Do not wait to build a global network early on. Together we can strengthen this ecosystem so that one day it can truly live up to its nickname. Read more by Sofia Chesnokova here: https://bit.ly/404yyXr Cc: Dr. Hendrik Brandis, Paula Wehmeyer, Mario Kohle, Filip Lukac, Benjamin Berényi, Elisheva Marcus #Innovation #DeepTech #VentureCapital #GermanyTech

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📰 My Cofounder is featured in two leading newspapers this morning!👏👏 My cofounder at Footprint Technologies, Carolin Kleinert, gave two interviews for #Sueddeutsche and #Tagesspiegel about a recent study of Startup-Verband that investigated the socio demographic background of #startup founders. It clearly proofs founders typically are originating from families with academic backgrounds or from parents who are entrepreneurs themselves. The majority - but not all of them. Carolin is a great example of this minority who also made it without academic parents or without entrepreneurial role-models within their core families. I am sharing a similar family background, both of my parents do neither have an academic education, nor are they entrepreneurs themselves. It is possible, but it needs more visibility and sharing of such positive examples, so that more and more #Arbeiterkinder are considering becoming entrepreneurs as a career option. This would be a benefit for themselves as well as for our society and economy! For that reason I am celebrating the two articles about Carolin's personal story! 😍 👏 👉 Please check the articles and share them! 🙏

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Is the digitalization of Germany finally getting the catalyst it so genuinely needs? It might. At least the administration is getting fundamental technology and legislation ready. I just spent a day in Berlin in the company of the EUDI wallet infrastructure project by SPRIND - Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen. As it says on the project site, "Germany must be bold in its digitalization." And after today, they are undoubtedly off to an ambitious start. The key takeaway is that there is a willingness and ability to actually adopt and implement the new EU #eIDAS legislation. The ambitious "Funke" wallet competition is a clear indication of that. The more mundane observation is that Germany has a vast bootstrapping challenge to gain the necessary wallet uptake just a few years from now. 83 million people in 11,000 municipalities must get their ID cards ready for online use. Today, only 20% of the population has used their ID card online once or more. The rest must go through a convoluted process that, in most cases, will lead to a visit to a municipal office! And don't forget the only motivation that counts: The Germans need private and public services that accept the new wallet and its credentials. Will Germany finally get there? Your guess is as good as mine. But at Criipto, we are ready to board the German digitalization - gravy(?) - train!

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𝗜𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗖? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂. Michael Treskow from Eight Roads Ventures said recently on #startupland powered by deutsche-startups.de that we're already playing in the big leagues. But are we? Let's dive into some numbers. Germany's venture capital scene is booming, but how do we compare globally? 1. In 2022, Germany attracted €11.3 billion in VC investments. Impressive, right? 2. Yet, the US still leads with €150 billion. The gap is significant. 3. But here's a twist: Germany is closing the distance fast. Growth rates are higher than many expect. So, what's behind this momentum? → A strong startup ecosystem that fosters innovation. → Government initiatives supporting tech ventures. → A cultural shift towards embracing entrepreneurship. But challenges remain. The focus is now on creating an inclusive environment where diverse voices, especially from the HR sector, can thrive. To truly lead, we must leverage untapped potential, like the 50+ generation and women in STEM. Germany's VC landscape is evolving, and the future looks promising. Yet, we must continue pushing boundaries to maintain our upward trajectory. What are your thoughts on Germany's VC potential? Are we ready to lead globally?

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🔍 AI – Climate Savior or Destroyer? Artificial intelligence and its impact on climate has been on my mind for some time. Handelsblatt recently wrote about it and I thought there were some interesting take-aways worth sharing: 🔷 The rapid growth of AI is putting significant pressure on global energy systems. Data centers consume about 4.5 gigawatts, projected to increase more than 4x within four years – equivalent to the output of almost 14 nuclear power plants. 🔷 If Google searches become AI-driven in the future they would consume ten times more energy than now, illustrating the escalating demand. 🔷 Efforts are being made to reduce the environmental burden of AI, such as innovations in "Clean IT" focusing on using more efficient hardware, optimizing energy storage, and reducing energy consumption. Additionally, IT systems themselves could become more efficient by addressing overly complex programming and poor IT system design. Using smaller or more efficient AI models, which don’t require total calculation accuracy, can also save energy. For example, calculations for AI can be performed with much lower numerical precision and tolerable rounding errors. 🔷 Luckily, AI’s negative footprint is vastly outpaced by its potential for positive climate impact. eSmart Systems and Jungle AI are just two examples of companies scaling AI solutions for intentional, scalable and substantial climate benefits. At Future Energy Ventures we are constantly looking for more, so if you are scaling such solutions, please do reach out! AI has the potential to do more good for the climate than harm, I firmly believe that. By investing in energy-efficient AI, and promoting sustainable practices, we can harness this climate action power. Thanks for a thought-provoking article Katharina Kort, Kathrin Witsch and Luisa Bomke! #FutureEnergyVentures #AI #ClimateChange #Sustainability #CleanIT #EnergyEfficiency

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#notoptional is likely the most impactful startup policy initiative in Europe so far. Germany on par with US in stock option policy was unthinkable a few years ago. 1. Exposed the problem: Created global rankings that showed just how ridiculously bad Germany's policies were. 📊 2. United the tech community: Got top founders on board to demand change. 🤝 3. Offered solutions: Showed policymakers exactly how to fix the mess. 💡 Great work by Vojtech Horna and Index Ventures.

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Germany’s Investor Drop – Why Climate Tech is Bucking the Trend A recent article by Nadine Schimroszik in Handelsblatt today mentioned that the number of active investors in Germany has dropped by 40% this year. Based on PitchBook data, the conclusion is that venture capital in Germany has become significantly more challenging, particularly in early-stage and growth-stage investments. However, for Climate Tech, the story is different. Despite the overall decline in venture capital, the sector continues to attract attention, with a 16.2% increase in pre-seed and seed investments. Indeed, we have seen some positive developments recently: 1. Growing Commitment to Addressing the Climate Crisis 🌱 2. Long-term Investment Horizon ⏳ 3. Robust Capital Availability for Scalable Solutions 💰 Big thanks to Nadine Schimroszik for raising awareness on this important issue. As investors, how can we ensure we're not just reacting to trends, but actively driving the transformation needed for a sustainable future? 🌍🔋 #ClimateTech #SustainableInvestment #VentureCapital  

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