Crowdfunding has come a long way. What started with pioneer Kickstarter a little over a decade ago, has become a booming and crowded space with many stories of record-breaking success.

And, of course, failures that have kicked off more sh*tstorms than anyone can keep track of, and sometimes even lawsuits, by disappointed backers. Along the way the market has diversified into basically any vertical one could imagine (e.g. Experiment.com enables scientists to crowdfund their research) and the first platforms have come and gone.

As a spin-off of the Technische Universität Dresden which participated in the EXIST Research Transfer Program, the Energiekoppler team applied to the SpinLab to develop their entrepreneurial skills and expand their network. The team developed a standardized and automated flexibility tool that is used for remote diagnosis and control of decentralized energy generators, storage devices and consumers of small power classes. The "swarmBOX" processes power, heat and mobility requirements in the building per connected system and forecasts the system operation locally. Coordinator "swarmHUB" records further restrictions at grid level or from energy trading and plans the deployment of the networked energy systems in order to help stabilize the energy supply or to realize the sales of excess capacity. 

While you’re busy building your business, expanding quickly and working on your products, HR can often take a backseat at first. For sure you have already created your value proposition and buyer personas. Now it’s all about your startup as an employer, not as a corporate brand.

As you know, a highly motivated and skilled team is the key to success. It’s nearly impossible to overstate the importance of having the right employees working for your startup. Growing a business is for sure a team effort. But how can you create a buzz around your startup, attract motivated talent and keep your existing workforce to stay with your company and stay happy?

There is only one right answer to this question: Employer branding.

Since its inception in 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has thrown many companies, consumers, and individuals into a bit of a confused frenzy.

It’s understandable too - suddenly there was talk of huge fines being imposed, rules of non-EU companies also being effected, what was still allowed regarding data collection, and what no longer was - I can say from my own experience here in the SpinLab, that getting ready for the GDPR was no simple task.

What indicators do investors look for when they talk about sustainable investing? Are there any standard criteria taken into account? How do VCs make sure that their startups are serious about their impact? Is sustainable investment = impact investing? The fifth edition of SpinLab’s and HHL’s Investors Day was all about ESG, sustainability issues  and the future of the German investment market.

Together with top-notch speakers, participants could learn from their experiences in leading towards meaningful strategies, discuss concerns and get insights on best practices. Accompanied by 14 startup pitches and personal as well as hybrid networking sessions, the event was one of the first in-person experiences after a long time for many investors that joined the event.

How would you feel when you were the  customer of a startup, that seems to have some trouble going on – and not knowing what’s happening with your order? 

Have you ever bought something and received the message that the package has been sent, but has not been delivered in over a week?

The fact is: In Germany, health insurance is compulsory. In this article I will explain the different types of health insurances, their advantages and disadvantages and how you can find out which of the insurance models suits your life situation, profession and income best.

Press releases have been a highly debated topic for a while now. Some PR professionals swear they are the best tools to get coverage, others think they are overrated. Depending on the topic and the media outlets you are pitching to, it might make sense to write a press release though. Especially when pitching towards journalists that cover a variety of topics, having a press release with all relevant information, material and contact details is very helpful and spares them a lot of research time. Also, for highly official announcements such as strategic decisions or crisis communication, (wait for our next blog on that topic!) a press release is a good choice.

Despite a different trigger, the current period of unusual turbulences and its impact on the economic situation has many similarities to former large crises of the past few decades (e.g. burst of the dotcom bubble, global financial crisis, European sovereign crisis): in general a high degree of uncertainty, financial distress & large volatility in publicly traded markets followed by a global economic downturn of unknown severity and length.

Product market fit is one of those things that is very much its own unicorn inside of the startup world. A lot of people hear about it, a lot of people talk about it, but not very many people have achieved it.