managing
startups

Venture capital is one of the most hyped, and most misunderstood funding sources in the startup world. Especially in Germany, the mythos of venture funding often overshadows the harsh reality: the overwhelming majority of startups that apply for venture capital are rejected. This article explores why that happens, and how founders can avoid the most common mistakes.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

AI buzz, big-name investors, and then… insolvency. In my latest post, I break down what went wrong at Builder.ai, and what founders, operators, and investors can learn from it. From blurred leadership lines to inflated revenue: here’s how to spot red flags before they cost you everything.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

Germany’s startup ecosystem is facing rising insolvencies amid economic headwinds. But where others see risk, I see opportunity. In this post, I explore the challenges startups face today - and how smart strategies can turn crisis into a launchpad for innovation and growth.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

In fast-moving startups, feedback is crucial. But is more always better? In this blogpost I try to discuss and conclude if 360-degree feedback is really helping or just adding noise. A must-read for founders, team leads, and anyone rethinking performance culture in fast-growing environments.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

When reading this article you will learn what sending white and black smoke from the Vatican has in common with startup finance, and why clarity in your startup financials has more to do with sending white smoke than you migth think. Stop to operate in black-smoke mode, now, and start sending white smoke instead. 

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

This article deals with the question of how startup entrepreneurs develop their strategies in order to lead their venture to the hoped-for success. An absolute must-read for all startup entrepreneurs and future founders whose core task is to take care of the strategic direction of their startup.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

Every investor holding equity in your startup will eventually expect returns - whether it’s in five years, seven years, or even ten years. At some point, selling your startup becomes inevitable. Learn how to navigate your exit strategy as a startup founder in this article.

By Wesam Iwas

For startups to be considered for venture capital funding at all, they must not only have the potential to grow very strongly, but must also have a clear exit perspective so that venture capital investors (VCs) can earn back their investment with an excess return. The following article will outline why this is the case.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke 

Startup management is a complex and demanding endeavor. To manage a startup successfully, you should be aware of the most common pitfalls in startup management as your startup grows into an established company.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

Read in this article which investment criteria are currently relevant for VCs and which role sustainability plays in their investment decisions.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

In this interesting article, you'll learn how to evaluate your startup in terms of its performance against the competition and leading industry standards, and why it's important to do so.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

A fast-growing startup needs growth capital and a pro-active management team that understands how to constantly adapt people, systems and processes to ever-changing conditions. Read why this is important in this article.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke

When startups die like a primrose, it is usually because they ran out of money. This is more than a good reason to take a closer look at some basic but very important cash metrics.

By Oliver-Philipp Radtke