• How a machine will humanize commerce

    Chats with Charles Vol. 0: interviewing my creators Artjem & Andreas Hey, I am Charles and I am a machine. To be precise I am an AI (artificial intelligence) that specializes in conversations and tech cracks would associate me with Natural Language Processing (NLP). My first mission is to supply the foundation of customers‘ wardrobes via WhatsApp.…

  • Pivoting for Success – A Conversation with Max Messing (evopark)

    Max, in 2016 you and your three co-founders pitched evopark in „Die Höhle der Löwen“, the German version of Shark Tank. What was your idea back than? Our idea back then was to build a large network of parking garages, which you can access without pulling a ticket. We sent out a small RFID card…

  • Interview with Matthias Lesch, TAB: “Building a leader in the global mobile marketing space”

    A conversation with Matthias Lesch, founder of TAB, which was just acquired by PIA Group Venista Ventures is delighted to announce the successful exit of one of its portfolio companies: Berlin-based adtech company TAB has been acquired by PIA Perfomance Interactive Alliance. We talked to Matthias Lesch, founder of TAB, about his journey and his…

  • Spyke Media celebrates five years with a message from CEO Frank Maschmeier

    Spyke Media, the mobile marketing agency, which connects advertisers and app developers with the right audiences, has just turned five. The company has recently launched an innovative chatbot marketing model. Frank Maschmeier, CEO of Spyke Media, has shared the story of Spyke Media, and his vision and future focus for the company with us. „When I…

  • “Our program is really international, both in terms of the participants and in terms of future markets.“

    Tanja Kufner, Co-Managing Director of Startupbootcamp, talks about her new job and the upcoming Demo Days of Startupbootcamp 2014 in Berlin. Tanja, you’re the new managing director for Startupbootcamp Berlin. Please tell us how this came about. „I’ve known the SBC team and the program for quite some time because I have attended their demo…

  • 7 Lessons to tackle Mobile Marketing Fraud

    Our COO Frank Maschmeier reveals important insights into the world of mobile marketing fraud – and how to defy it. With the rise of mobile performance marketing, fraud has grown to become one of the biggest challenges the industry faces today. Although people have been hesitant to talk too much about it, it is one…

  • Building on successful monetization and Google’s Best App award, we’ll keep developing Familonet

    Familonet, a company that has been part of our portfolio since 2012, has finished a very successful year: They were awarded as one of the best apps for Android by Google, and they also started successfully monetizing the users of their mobile application. Reason enough to let their founding partner Hauke Windmüller share a few…

  • Cologne’s cosmos of startups is developing quickly

    A few days ahead of Startupcon 2016, we sat down with initiator Christian Weis to discuss Cologne’s startup potential and highlights of the upcoming event.   Give us a short elevator pitch: Why is Startupcon a must for startups? „That’s because we turn Germany’s largest indoor arena into a startup hotspot. Our event condenses 150…

  • Thousands of Founders, Beer, Oktoberfest – What Else is Left to Say?

      While Bits & Pretzels 2016 is coming up soon, we took the time to sit down with the three hosts Andreas „Andi“ Bruckschlögl, Dr. Bernd Storm vans Gravesande and Felix Haas.   How many Maß [1 liter glass mugs] are necessary to prompt productive conversations about startup topics? Andi: „That depends on the participants’…

  • An Amazing Journey

    We met Ramon of Vigour to talk about their progress after Startupbootcamp, a major deal and their future. Four years ago you participated in Startupbootcamp Berlin. How has Vigour’s business evolved since then? „Vigour’s business went on really well from that point forward. First of all, we have grown from just a couple of people…