Samuel Casha

6+1 months in: first learnings being at willhaben..and what a ride! The time flies and I have caught myself working at Willhaben for nearly 7 months. Some reflections and personal learnings: → willhaben: this company has so much to offer, both to its users and clients. Even though the business is well established, teams are always looking for more opportunities to do something new: being this an innovative data-driven approach with the #CleanRoom with IKEA or a new business direction for people who want to find the best mortgage option. And so much more in the making! → #Leadership: joining a new senior team who has been in business for years as their Lead is not an easy task, however I see it as an opportunity for both sides: we can all learn, see things from different angles and, most importantly, contribute. My go-to-approach: keep an open mind, be curious and listen! People are the hardest but the most rewarding material to work with. → #Prioritisation: At first I was about to learn everything and become an expert yesterday. Obviously, it did not work. The realities show that you simply cannot grasp all of the things, it takes time. Learnings - force yourself to take this time and go one step at a time! → Numbers vs. Context: I would recommend everyone who is starting a similar role to understand and prioritise your business numbers first: revenue, sales targets, YoY growth, churn, retention, clients segmentation, etc.…this is something you can understand relatively fast, it will give you control and stable feet to stand on; business context and the “why is it this way” come later and will become a nice add-on. → Your support board: your peers and colleagues are your assets. Be hungry (and proactive) to grasp their wisdom and experience! → New language: working in a language you never worked in (in my case German) is extremely challenging. I simply had situations when I sweated hard and did not understand what people were saying. But time has a unique power - it normalises things that are not initially normal. Be ok with this but do take actions to improve yourself: I got back to the weekly German classes with a specific focus on leadership, DACH professional culture, presentation and business communication. Purposeful training always helps. For anyone in the same situation my advice would be - find a good teacher and prioritise it on a regular basis! For emails - use #ChatGPT and learn from it. Small consistent steps forward with the help of technology, patience and humour will climb any mountain. Quoting my beautiful colleague Sandra Mayr: “das wird schon!” :)  → Assess your other knowledge gaps and prioritise it: it could be a product deep-dive pitch to your clients, or a budget planning for the next 5 years. Have your plan ready, learn from your team and get their feedback.    It's just a few thoughts, I am sure I will have so much more in the time onwards! The ride has been great so far, I am very grateful!

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Struggling to Find Local German and English-Speaking IT Experts in Austria? I hear this concern daily from managers in Austria who find it challenging to identify local talent. With a decade of experience working in the Austrian market and helping 50+ companies find freelance and permanent talent, I can relate to these difficulties. Finding the right people isn't just about knowing where to look—it's about having the right network and expertise. Many companies have small HR/recruiting departments or rely on local agencies that aren't specialized in their needs. This can make the search for skilled professionals even more challenging. If sounds relatable and you're looking for insights on how and where to find local German and English speaking experts, let's connect. I'm happy to offer some free advice and tackle the challenge with you! #austria #hiring #ITtalent #HiringChallenges #GermanSpeakingExperts

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"Investing in top VC funds is like getting into Berghain." 🚀 Key Takeaways from the 2024 VC Report for DACH 👇 ✅Germany saw $6.9 billion VC funding in 2023, led by sectors like #robotics and #climate tech. ✅Despite a global downturn, the #DACH region VC market remained resilient. ✅#Cleantech and #AI received significant attention, notably through major funding rounds like Atlas Agro and Aleph Alpha. ✅IPOs may re-emerge in 2024, offering potential exits. The report provides detailed insights and trends for navigating Germany in 2024 successfully. 📈 🌐 For a deeper dive into these insights check out the full Report by Startup Insider: https://lnkd.in/gE-EgjFv #Tech #Investment #VC #Startup #VentureCapital #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Germany #Austria #Switzerland #StartupInsider sparksense

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Ep.17 Drop #20Angel 🎙 The one & only Philipp Moehring, Co-Founder of Tiny Supercomputer Investment Company, joined me in the hot seat for a rare public appearance 🔥 👉 Introducing Tiny Supercomputer Investment Company FUND III ✍ 👉 Higher valuations = higher expectations 💣 👉 Giving Founders the freedom to be extreme 🤪 👉 Your access gives you your price 💰 Some Founder References on Philipp: dennis müller (Amie): "More than most, pmoe is a cheerleader. The journey is already hard enough, some VC's make it harder by sending unsolicited articles with "seen this?". He's the opposite. always fun to brainstorm ideas with him. Differentiated intros relative to others." David Budde (trawa): “He‘s been a great sparring partner and has a ton of experience. I remember, the night before our Pre-Seed closing, we found a minor but important error in our cap table. Unsure what to do, we called Phil late that evening for guidance. To me, it‘s super important to know that I can reach my investors, if it actually matters, and that they‘ll be able to help! + he’s just a really nice guy.” Milos Rusic (deepset): “Phil is amazing! He was actively involved in assembling each of our funding rounds - even in the first round where he committed before we had settled for a lead investor. He actively helped to construct our favourite setup of lead investors for that initial round. He knows everyone and his support is not limited to great intros - he really helps founders to assess and identify which investor could be a right fit for them. 100% reliable, massive value for every company. What they do is really unique.” This was a special one to do, hope you enjoy 🍿 https://lnkd.in/gTRT_SmJ 20VC, #AngelInvesting, #technology, #podcast, #entrepreneurship, #VC, #Founder, #Investing

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We at Dr. Hauschka and many other entrepreneurs are waiting for the #neuerechtsform. Who else? Economy should serve people, profit should not be an end in itself. This is one of the principles at Dr. Hauschka, as founder Dr. Rudolf Hauschka was convinced that entrepreneurship is always linked to responsibility. Hence, Dr. Hauschka / WALA was transferred to a non-profit corporate foundation more than 35 years ago. Dr. Hauschka / WALA has been member of Stiftung Verantwortungseigentum (Foundation of Steward Ownership) since the beginning, supporting entrepreneurs in order to be able to secure the long-term independence of their companies without bureaucracy. 📃 There are proposals from the scientific community to the government on how this legal form could be implemented simply, without bureaucracy, and in an entrepreneurial manner – that's why we want to support and share the #neuerechtsform together with others. The #neuerechtsform provides a suitable legal basis for companies in 'steward-ownership' or 'trust ownership'. This means it... 👉guarantees a legally binding commitment of assets (profits remain within the company and are used for business development),   👉ensures entrepreneurial independence without bureaucracy, and   👉enables the transfer of ownership rights to capable successors, regardless of their financial strength and beyond the immediate family circle. ✏️ If you, as an entrepreneur, are also waiting for the #neuerechtsform support the initiative by adding your name to the waiting list: https://lnkd.in/dx2qjys5 #spreadtheword #warteliste #wirwarten #neuerechtsform #nachfolge #mittelstand #wirtschaftswende #diezukunftistjetzt #wennnichtjetztwanndann

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The Berlin Fintech Event of the year is coming this week! 🚀 Who will be at FIBE Berlin this week? Sent me a DM and we'll meet for a coffee. ☕ Looking forward to a great Agenda with Ali Niknam Sana Marin Roger Berger Marc-Alexander Christ Eric Demuth Jennifer Adam Maja Göpel and many more. But why attend in general? #Networking holds immense importance in the #startup ecosystem for several reasons. Firstly, it provides access to vital resources such as funding, mentorship, skilled talent, and strategic partnerships. These connections can offer invaluable support and guidance, crucial for navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. Secondly, networking facilitates #learning and #knowledge exchange. Engaging with fellow entrepreneurs and industry experts allows startups to gain insights, share experiences, and learn from each other's successes and failures. This collective wisdom accelerates growth and innovation. Lastly, networking opens doors to #newopportunities and #marketinsights. By connecting with potential customers, collaborators, and investors, startups can uncover market trends, validate their ideas, and explore potential #partnerships or distribution channels. So happy networking! #cleverpaid #berlin #fibe24

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MAKE IT IN SAXONY ❗ ❗ ❗ 35% more start-ups in Saxony compared to the previous year 🚀 According to a report by the data service Startupdetector and Hightech Gründerfonds, the number of startups founded in Germany rose by 17% in the first quarter of 2024, indicating a recovery in the sector. Saxony recorded particularly strong growth with an increase of 35%, highlighted by innovative start-ups in cities such as Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz. As LaunchHub42, we are happy to be part of this innovative start-up ecosystem and to help innovative teams in the field of cutting edge communication technologies and robotics to achieve greater visibility and feasibility of their solutions. This is never possible alone, but only with committed partners such as e.g. the Smart Systems Hub, HighTech Startbahn GmbH or Robot Valley Saxony. Let's continue on this path together. Find out more about launchhub42 at https://launchhub42.com/ The report is available at https://lnkd.in/evKg25JE

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📰 🎉 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀: #𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 Startup Insider'𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 The report presents the German #VC #investor scene at one glance, and we are honored to be a part of this and to introduce ourselves and our work in an exclusive interview with our management team. Our managing directors Florian Hirschberger, Florian Weber, and Maximilian Jochim share, for instance, some valuable insights into their decision-making criteria when signing a #deal with ambitious #startups: ✅ Green flags: ·      Passionate founders who truly believe in their product ·      Focus on delivering added value to consumers ·      Openness to questioning own decisions ·      Heterogeneous teams with diverse professional experience and expertise 🚩 Red flags: ·      Unrealistic business goals ·      A lack of transparency regarding current obstacles and past mistakes ·      Insufficient support from current shareholders If you’re curious to learn more about us and what sets us apart as a media investor, which industries we can support and how we build our networks, don’t miss out on the Investors Report by #StartupInsider. You can find the link to download the report (in German) in the comments below. 

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😍 "The best thing about the program is the exchange with other startups." We wanna know: How are our startups from the current Summer Batch 2024 experiencing the AI.STARTUP.HUB Hamburg program? 🤝 Our AI Ideation Program participant Dr. Laura Karim addresses a key factor of our program: Collaboration. Her most valuable input so far is being able to interact with other startups in our community and learn from each other. Knowledge is always in flux with us! Our co-working space does the rest. This is where our teams come together for workshops and to make progress. 🫶 A big thank you to Laura from XIVR for taking the time to give feedback on a busy workshop day. Appreciate it! 👉 Do you also want to turn an AI idea into a startup? Apply now for the Winter Batch 24/25! ⏰ Deadline: August 18, 2024 💡 Info & application: https://lnkd.in/es4W3Dih 👉 Already have an AI startup and want to take it to the next level? Apply for our AI Accelerator Program:https://lnkd.in/enJs3CXP We are looking forward to your application! #AIStartupHub #WinterBatch2024 #StartupHamburg #IdeationProgram #AcceleratorProgram #Hamburg #StartupSuccess #StartupSupport #StartupFunding #Startups #AI #Gründer #Gründerinnen #Gründen #Founder #Founding #Gründerszene #StartupSzene #Accelerator #Pitch #AICommunity #TurningVisionsIntoReality #ApplyNow

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I want to hear what the startup ecosystem has to say When we stand together as startups we can be heard more clearly. The German Startup Monitor from Startup-Verband is online and we want to hear your opinion. The German startup ecosystem has achieved so much already, so many impressive people are building companies and creating solutions for our future. As startup association, we want to give visibility to your topics. We want to hear from all startups, from Kiel to Karlsruhe, from Dresden to Aachen and understand your needs. Help me, help us give your issues a voice! Link to the survey is in the comments

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  𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀... ⏳   It's been 5 months at roosi GmbH and what a fantastic journey it's been so far! A big thank you to all my colleagues for the warm welcome!   What have I been up to these past few months? After onboarding and writing my first articles and white papers, I've mainly been focusing on a new project called smart data worx - a collaboration between Oldenburgisch-Ostfriesischer Wasserverband (OOWV), AKDB, NIEDERSACHSEN WASSER Kooperations- und Dienstleistungsgesellschaft mbH and us at roosi GmbH. smart data worx targets key areas such as Water Resources Management, Climate Impact Adaptation, Geo Intelligence, Data Science and AI, Data Management and Analytics, as well as Smart City and IoT technologies. 🌍💡 There are 3 tools being developed currently: 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝟯𝟲𝟬: This tool transforms raw data into actionable insights using advanced technology and IoT sensors. It enables proactive, data-driven decisions for efficient water management and resource allocation. 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿: A comprehensive solution for advanced geological analysis and modelling. The latest version introduces semi-automated modelling and an expanded database for more accurate geological assessments. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿: Helps communities, public services and businesses develop climate action plans. It connects and processes data for effective communication, contributing to economic development, social cohesion and quality of life.   For more information visit 👉 smartdataworx.com   At the moment, all our content is published in German, but we plan to publish English content in the future.   We appreciate every follow on LinkedIn: smart data worx 🙌

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❗ EDIT: the event will be postponed to autumn 2024 Startup Destination Austria: Unveiling Opportunities 🕓 When: May 3rd, 3:00 pm 📍 Where: Startup Village Amsterdam, Science Park 608, 1089 XH Amsterdam Learn about the resources and support available for startups in #Austria. Whether you're a newcomer or seasoned entrepreneur, this event offers valuable insights and networking opportunities. Don't miss out on uncovering the potential of Austria's dynamic #startup landscape: - Facts & Figures about Austria: with Verena Gruber and Michael Spalek - Interactive Presentation by ABA – Invest in Austria "Introducing the Startup Destination Austria" with Verena Gruber - Coffee break ☕ - Key Note - ‘From Amsterdam to Vienna : the vastly growing AI ecosystem in mainland Europe with Johannes Brandstetter - Panel Discussion - ‘Founding, Funding & Flourishing in Austria" with Verena Gruber, Fabian Gems, Johannes Brandstetter and Michael Spalek - Networking & Drinks 💬 Secure your spot now and be part of this journey towards innovation and collaboration. See you there! Link in the comments ⏬ ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA I Johannes Kepler Universität Linz I NXAI I SUPASO GmbH

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𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. One of the biggest challenges faced by a young company is to be seen. That’s exactly why over time we experimented with a lot of different marketing ideas. Our craziest idea so far? To scale OUTFITTERY offline. The thought behind it was perfectly logical: we would open pop-up stores in strategic locations and scale our business not only online, but also offline. No sooner said than done. In 2015, we opened our very first (and so far, the only) OUTFITTERY pop-up store at Hamburg airport. 🛫 Even though we got a huge response and very positive feedback from customers, we decided to close our pop-up store after three months and haven’t opened any more stores since. What we realized is that offline isn’t our strength at all! While some retailers are very strong in stationary retailing, we had to admit that the operationalization of a physical store is a totally different ballgame to our purely online business model. It was clear to us that we wanted to continue to focus on our core competence as online players. But I don’t regret taking that step. This step showed us how strong we are in our online business. And to be quite honest, I still find the idea of OUTFITTERY stores pretty cool! 😎 What so-called ‘mistake’ taught you the most? 💬 #store #business #marketing #team #success

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Beirat für Startups #34 Ein Beirat kann grundsätzlich für Startups von großem Vorteil sein. Wie immer, ist es eine Entscheidung, in der es auf den Einzelfall ankommt. 🛣 Einige Gründe hierzu behandele ich wöchentlich in meiner Beitragsreihe : Zum letzten Post der Reihe: https://lnkd.in/dfQsdEuf The Benefits of a Biotech Advisory Board 🧪🔬 As a leader in the biotech industry, I'm excited to share the advantages of having a strong advisory board with expertise in biotechnology. 💡 Cutting-Edge Insights 🔍 An advisory board composed of seasoned biotech professionals can provide invaluable, up-to-date insights into the latest industry trends, technological advancements, and regulatory changes. Their deep knowledge and experience can help guide your strategic decision-making and ensure your company stays ahead of the curve. 🧠 Specialized Expertise 🔬 Biotech advisory board members bring a wealth of specialized expertise across various disciplines, such as drug development, clinical trials, regulatory affairs, and commercialization. Their diverse backgrounds can help you navigate the complex and ever-evolving biotech landscape more effectively, ultimately driving your company's success. 🧪 Networking and Connections 🤝 A well-connected biotech advisory board can open doors to new partnerships, collaborations, and funding opportunities. Their extensive industry networks can introduce you to key stakeholders, potential investors, and strategic partners, expanding your reach and unlocking new avenues for growth. 🌐 Credibility and Validation 👍 Having respected biotech experts on your advisory board can significantly boost your company's credibility and validation in the eyes of investors, regulatory bodies, and potential partners. This can be particularly valuable when seeking funding, navigating the regulatory landscape, or engaging with industry leaders. 🏆 Objective Guidance 🧭 An advisory board provides an outside perspective and objective guidance, which can be invaluable in navigating complex business decisions. Their impartial insights can help you identify blind spots, mitigate risks, and make more informed choices that align with your company's long-term goals. 🧠 By leveraging the expertise and experience of a biotech advisory board, you can unlock a competitive edge, drive innovation, and accelerate your company's growth in the dynamic biotech industry. 🚀 #advisoryboard #board #scaleup

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Discover the enigma of China in the latest issue of Business Spotlight! 🇨🇳 Delve into the dynamic world of high-tech innovation, booming industries, and powerful corporations, while unraveling the mysteries that shroud this captivating land. Explore China's renewable energy sector, meet visionaries reshaping the food industry, and uncover the reasons behind the youth exodus. Elevate your professional prowess with tips on contributing to workplace discussions, defending your ideas, and enriching your career vocabulary in English. Don't miss out on unlocking the secrets of success in China and beyond! #BusinessSpotlight #ChinaInsights #BusinessEnglish

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🇩🇪 Funding Rounds in Germany - June 24-28 🇩🇪 It's July 1st. H2 begins! Q3 begins! But first, let's look back at what happened last week across Germany's tech space... 📹 Clypp - Video-based Knowledge Transfer - Berlin - €1M (Seed) Participating Investors: Secways; and allygatr 📚 LOST iN - City Guide Curated by Locals - Berlin - €3.7M (Seed) Lead Investors: MaC Venture Capital 🧠 CUREosity GmbH - Virtual Reality Therapy - Düsseldorf - €3.8M (Growth Financing) Participating Investors: TVF | TechVision Fonds; NOMAINVEST; ADVANT Beiten; and Forvis Mazars 🗣️ Synthflow AI - Customisable No-Code AI Voice Assistants - Berlin - €7M (Seed) Lead Investors: Singular 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Bling - Educational Super App for Families - Berlin - €11.2M (Series A) Lead Investors: Owl Ventures 🚗 COMPREDICT - Automotive and Fleet Solutions - Darmstadt - €14M (Series B) Lead Investors: Woven Capital, Toyota's Growth Fund 🌿 Sanity Group - Cannabis Pharmaceuticals and Well-being Products - Berlin - €14M (Convertible Loan) Lead Investors: Organigram Inc 🛰️ LiveEO - Earth Observation Technologies - Berlin - €25M (Series B) Lead Investors: DTCF | DeepTech & Climate Fonds; and NordicNinja VC 🏢 Hive - Commerce Operations for Brands - Berlin - €28.2M (Series A) Lead Investors: Earlybird Venture Capital As always, congrats to everyone involved. Have a great start to your week, month, quarter and half, everyone! (P.s. how are you feeling about the tech space in the second half of the year? Positive? Negative? Or so-so?) LP ✌️ Pack GTM | SaaS Sales Recruitment in Germany #sales #hiring #careers #startups #recruitment

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🤔 C02 neutral company?! What's that supposed to be? ✔️ Boris & I asked all this and much more in our latest podcast episode aaaand - spoiler alert - we learned a lot! ✨ Listen to our episode with Lubomila Jordanova now 👇 https://lnkd.in/eN3KFE5g

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⏰ 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗬! ⏰ At #WECONOMY, founders win what money can't buy: The competition brings founders together with experts and managers right up to the executive boards of the German economy. Are you a tech start-up and want to take your business to the next level?  This is your chance! ✔️ 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆? Start-ups in the early stage / pre-seed phase as well as start-ups that have not yet been founded with proof of concept or pilots. ✔️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀? We are looking for startups with a focus on STEM and technology. MedTech, FinTech, AgriTech ... the possibilities are endless! ✔️ 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺? Not a must, but all the better. After all, it has long been known: More diverse teams are more successful. Any questions? Message Christine Heuwing or comment below! ⏰ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟰! WECONOMY is an initiative of Wissensfabrik - Unternehmen für Deutschland e.V. in cooperation with UnternehmerTUM and Handelsblatt.

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