In April 2025, DACH startups raised over €1.3 billion—while one of Europe’s top fintechs spiraled into crisis. This isn’t just another news roundup. This is your investor-grade, startup-founder-relevant, executive-level briefing from the DACH region’s leading podcast.

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What You'll Learn:

• The real story behind Trade Republic’s outages and financial trust issues

• How Amboss, Noxtua, and n8n are defining applied AI in health and devops

• Where VCs are betting big in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

• Why Germany’s economy is stagnating, yet startup funding is booming

Guest Spotlight:
This episode is hosted by Jörn “Joe” Menninger, the voice behind Startuprad.io and one of Europe’s leading startup podcasters. He breaks down news from Berlin, Munich, Vienna, and Zurich — so you don’t miss a beat.

We Love to Hear from You:
Love data-backed startup insights? Then subscribe to Startuprad.io on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with your co-founder or VC. We break the noise so you don’t have to.

Host: Jörn Menninger, Editor-in-Chief at Startuprad.io
Blog Post: https://www.startuprad.io/post/april-2025-dach-startup-wrapup
Relevant Resources:

• Amboss Funding: Silicon Canals

• Noxtua's AI push: TechCrunch

• Trade Republic Trouble: Business Insider

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Intro + Sponsor

• 03:10 – €1.3B Funding Summary

• 10:25 – Amboss, Noxtua, n8n: Applied AI Highlights

• 19:40 – Trade Republic Crisis Breakdown

• 27:50 – DACH VC Trends: First Momentum, Revent, Oakley

• 35:30 – Germany’s Economy: IFO + Forecasts

• 42:00 – Closing + What’s Coming in May

Are you a founder, investor, scaleup exec, or tech enthusiast looking to decode Europe's billion-euro startup engines? You’ve landed in the right place. Startuprad.io brings you the ultimate Unicorn Tracker for Spring 2025, offering you front-row insight into the most dynamic startups and scaleups across the DACH region—Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

🎯 Prefer the full analysis, data, and links? Dive deeper here:
👉 https://www.startuprad.io/post/dach-unicorn-tracker-2025-trends-funding-and-opportunities-startuprad-io

⏱️ [00:02:20] What is DACH?
We explain the region, its strengths, and why it’s critical for innovation-driven founders and investors alike.

⏱️ [00:03:30] Quantum Systems & New Unicorns
Germany’s AI drone unicorn is leading the charge. Is deep tech the next big frontier?

⏱️ [00:04:20] Logistics Titans: Forto & Sennder
We uncover why DACH is still Europe's logistics superpower.

⏱️ [00:05:53] Mobility Mavericks: Flix, Tier, Volocopter
From record revenues to flameouts—we decode the truth behind urban mobility in 2025.

⏱️ [00:06:40] AI & Defense Tech: Agile Robots & Helsing
Robotics meets military innovation. Will Europe lead the AI revolution?

⏱️ [00:07:30] Consumer Tech Giants: Check24 & AutoDoc
Quiet billion-euro monsters transforming e-commerce and consumer platforms.

⏱️ [00:09:10] Biotech’s Highs & Heartbreaks
Why ADC Therapeutics’ rollercoaster reflects the volatile biotech landscape.

⏱️ [00:10:10] Climate Tech’s Gold Rush
Enpal, Climeworks, and 1.5 Degrees are building climate unicorns. Is it time to invest?

⏱️ [00:12:30] Fintech & Insurtech Battles
From N26 to Trade Republic, the DACH region remains a fierce battleground for finance innovation.

⏱️ [00:14:00] SaaS & Enterprise Software
Celonis is now a decacorn—what’s fueling DACH’s dominance in B2B SaaS?

⏱️ [00:24:55] The Unicorn Graveyard
Wefox, Grover, Infarm, Solaris. What founders can learn from once-high-flying unicorns that fell hard.

This is your unfair advantage in understanding how the DACH region creates, scales, and sometimes loses billion-dollar startups. Whether you're:

• 🚀 A founder looking for inspiration

• 💸 An investor scanning for your next deal

• 🧠 A strategist decoding market shifts

...you’ll walk away with actionable insights, real stories, and trend-defining strategies.

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📌 Full Show Notes + Transcript + Links:
https://www.startuprad.io/post/dach-unicorn-tracker-2025-trends-funding-and-opportunities-startuprad-io

🎧 Subscribe to Startuprad.io wherever you get your podcasts

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Are you a biotech founder ready to scale in Europe—or an investor scouting your next unicorn? Then don’t miss this masterclass with Annick Verween, Head of Biotope, one of Europe’s top biotech startup hubs (Financial Times-ranked).

Hosted by Joe Menninger of Startuprad.io, this candid conversation explores Annick’s unique path from “derailed marine biologist” to biotech investor and community builder.

This isn’t just another interview—it’s a strategic deep dive packed with biotech startup insights, founder advice, and real-world funding tactics:

🧬 Biotech Startup Ecosystems

How hubs like Biotope are bridging the gap between innovation and investment, fostering next-gen biotech ventures.

📈 Scaling Biotech Ventures

From regulatory minefields to IP protection and operational excellence—learn what it really takes to scale.

🧠 What Investors Really Look For

Annick unpacks her selection formula: People. Science. IP. And why listening is the #1 founder trait.

• 💥 Love the problem—not the tech.

• 🤝 It’s a people business.

• 🏗️ Operational excellence is non-negotiable.

• 🧾 Combine investment and grants for a winning strategy.

Annick shares how Biotope scouts and selects biotech startups using:

• 🔍 Deep due diligence on science & IP

• 🧗 A hands-on "base camp" selection process

• ⚖️ Balancing bold innovation with calculated risk

• Annick’s journey from BASF factory to biotech leader

• How EIT Food's Rising Foodstars shaped Europe's agri-food scene

• Biotope’s impact in planetary health, sustainable materials & more

• Why Zymofix is a biotech success story to watch

• Annick’s top productivity hack (and why it’s so effective)

“Don’t just focus on VC. Combine grants and investments into a smart, hybrid funding model.” – Annick Verween

#biotech #biotechstartup #biotechfunding #scalingbiotech #biotechhub #planetaryhealth #agrifoodtech #founderadvice #startupeurope #venturecapital #seedround #EITFood #innovation #IPstrategy #startups #VCfunding

• 🌐 Startuprad.io

• 🌐 Blog Post

• 👤 Annick Verween on LinkedIn