“Fail fast, learn faster” - this is not only a common mantra in the startup cosmos, but also a bitter reality in many cases. The road to a successful startup is rocky, full of setbacks and failed ideas. But what if the reason for failure is not the product or the market, but the founder themselves?

Eric Weber, CEO and founder of SpinLab – The HHL Accelerator, shares his analysis of the global venture capital landscape. Covering international, national, and regional developments, his insights reveal the shifting dynamics of startup financing in 2024 and what founders and investors need to pay attention to.

As a founder, staying informed and inspired is essential for growth. From the latest trends to tried-and-true best practices, there’s always something new to explore. But let’s face it: as a busy entrepreneur, finding the time to sit down with a book or article isn’t always possible.

A family office is a private wealth management advisory firm created by high-net-worth families to manage their financial affairs. These offices provide a range of services beyond simple investment management, including estate planning, tax optimization, philanthropic efforts, and more. The family office is typically founded by founders or wealthy families who require specialized, personalized management of their assets.

Startups operate in environments characterized by extreme uncertainty, rapid change, and intense pressure. Traditional hierarchical leadership models often fall short.  Astudy by Startup Genome found that leadership is one of the top three reasons for startup success or failure.  In contrast, Modern Leadership—focusing on empathy, emotional intelligence, and resilience, has proven to be particularly effective in meeting the needs of startup teams.

Venture debt has long been widespread in the U.S. and Israel, but it only started gaining traction in Germany in 2018, when Silicon Valley Bank established its European branch. This marked the introduction of tailored loan products specifically designed for startups in the region.

In the world of startups, women are proving to be strong innovators and leaders. The balancing act between the demands of entrepreneurship and personal life, especially motherhood, adds an extraordinary dimension to their journey. As a proud project partner of Womenture, an innovative pre-acceleration programme dedicated to empowering female founders in Europe, we have conducted interviews with inspiring female founders to shed light on their unique experiences, challenges, and successes, providing valuable insights and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

At this year’s HHL SpinLab Investors Day #15, more than 200 guests, including venture capital funds, business angels, and corporates from all over Europe – France, Belgium, Tallinn, Poland, and Italy – came to Leipzig. One of this year's topics was shifting from software to hardware startups. 

If one were to draw a comparison between startups and established companies, the metaphor of a newborn versus an adult might come to mind. Just as newborns go through an incubation phase and eventually face puberty before stepping out into the world, startups embark on a similar journey. They often start in an incubator or accelerator, undergoing a period of growth, and then emerge to either organically expand or be acquired.

Applying for grants has the potential to significantly impact startups by providing essential funds and resources for their growth. However, the application process is often intricate, demanding, and time-consuming, requiring startups to create compelling narratives, meet specific criteria, and present accurate financial projections.