In mid-March this year, selected start-up teams in Karlsruhe had the opportunity to present their startup to business angels and venture capitalists at the big Venture Day and to establish contacts with potential lenders. The tenth Venture Day was also organized by the business network CyberForum e.V. together with the investment company Kizoo Technology Capital GmbH. The top-rated teams – Matchory at No. 3, Considerly at No. 2 and Corefihub at No. 1 – were honored after the event.
Startups from the IT, web and software sectors
At this year’s Venture Day, selected startups from the IT, web and software sectors again met well-known business angels and venture capitalists. In the approved meet’n’speed format, 16 teams had the opportunity to present their business model to a total of 35 investors in just seven minutes, and to persuade investors to seek in-depth discussion. Within 30 seconds, the next table was changed.
How did startups prepare?
To prepare the startups for their pitches, there was the workshop “The optimal pitch” from the presentation agency Explain in the run-up to the Venture Day. There, the founding teams were made fit for a successful self-presentation. A small effort that could have paid for the teams, as some voices in the investor environment suggest.
Niklas Hebborn, junior partner at Freigeist Capital (Frank Thelen) was impressed by the quality of the pitching startups: “Karlsruhe, with the CyberForum and the KIT, are in my view one of the strongest innovation hubs of the republic, with which we definitely long term want to work together. That confirmed the event once again today. Also, one to two startups, which I got to know today, could be interesting for a cooperation”.
What you need to be: Young and excited
Also for Matthias Hornberger, CEO of CyberForum and CFO of Kizoo Mitveranstalter, the Venture Day is a highlight: “Every year I look forward to meeting young, exciting teams with their business ideas at the Venture Day. The event format allows for quick contact building and networking in the highest concentration – which is well received by both investors and startups who get to know venture capitalists specializing in the tech scene at Venture Day”.
Investment Manager Dr. Maurice Kügler of High-Tech Gründerfonds drew a positive conclusion at the end of the day: “I am always impressed by the depth of technology that the startups have at CyberForum in such events. For me, as a KIT alumni and early-stage investor, these events are the best way to see how the tech scene in and around Karlsruhe is evolving”.
In a live evaluation, the three winners, Matchory, Considerly and Corefihub, were finally announced in the late afternoon. Investors rated the pitching startup teams in the business model, customer value and team areas. Consultations and coaching worth more than 5,000 euros were praised as profits.