In this September 2025 wrap-up, hosts Jörn “Joe” Menninger and Chris Fahrenbach break down the signals that actually matter for B2B operators: where capital is flowing, how deep tech is commercializing, and what shifting regulatory winds mean for product, go-to-market, and hiring. Expect fast, factual coverage of German startups, Swiss and Austrian scaleups, and the European cross-currents driving strategy in AI, climate, fintech, and SaaS.

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What you’ll learn in this episode:

• VC & leadership: New funds in Germany and leadership changes at HTGF—what it telegraphs for seed/early stage in DACH.

• Deep tech momentum: Germany’s first brain-inspired AI chip (testing abroad), plus quantum comms from QT Labs hitting a NASA spacecraft—why this matters for dual-use and AI hardware roadmaps.

• Green tech storage: Austria’s salt-based, long-duration energy storage initiative and how it ties into grid integration economics.

• Fintech shifts: Bitpanda revenue surge and Gen-Z finance via Bling + Finstep—who gains share next.

• Market & regulation: Uber consolidates in Germany; Doctolib faces scrutiny—platform power, patient data, and policy risk in practice.

• Deals & fundings: A slate of €10M–€100M+ rounds (Talon One, Q.ANT, MakerSite, Buena, and more), plus M&A (Scanbot SDK; Lemon Markets pending BaFin). SeptNews02_sound

🎙 Hosted by Jörn “Joe” Menninger (Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Startuprad.io) and Chris Fahrenbach (Co-Founder).

Enjoy the show? Follow, review, and share this episode with your team.

Blog Post: https://www.startuprad.io/post/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-startups-september-2025-deep-dive

Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/liuKkoOKy6c

✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io

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1. Primary keywords: German startups; DACH startup news; venture capital Germany; deep tech Europe; AI chip Germany; funding rounds Europe; B2B SaaS Europe.

2. Secondary keywords: quantum communications; green tech storage; fintech Europe; autonomous driving EU; ESG compliance EU; startup exits Germany; mobility startups Germany.

Berlin’s AI unicorn skyrocketed from $350M to $2.3B in valuation in just months.
Meanwhile, fintech giant N26 faces its most severe governance crisis yet, as its co-founder CEO steps down after regulatory pressure. And Europe’s climate tech sector is booming with mega-funding rounds, including a record €825M hydrogen allocation.

This is your September 2025 Startup News from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland — the most important startup, VC, and tech developments you need to know as a founder, investor, or executive.

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What you’ll learn in this episode:
– How Berlin’s N8N AI startup became a $2.3B unicorn in record time
– Why N26 is in turmoil after a BaFin audit revealed compliance gaps
– Europe’s hydrogen and climate tech surge led by Climeworks & Orange Bat
– Insights on German recession signals and founder cost advantages in Dresden, Leipzig, Bremen
– Policy shifts: remote driving pilots, defense innovation funding, and Bavaria unlocking VC capital
– Why Austria is experiencing a founder wave and how Pinterest chose Zurich for its new AI hub

🎙 Hosted by Jörn “Joe” Menninger (Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Startuprad.io) and Chris Fahrenbach (Co-Founder).

👉 Whether you’re a startup founder, VC, or ecosystem builder, this episode gives you the context, numbers, and insights shaping Europe’s innovation economy.

Blog Post: https://www.startuprad.io/post/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-startups-september-2025-top-news

Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/KVt4N-OpGw8

✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io

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💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger

1. Primary keywords: German startup news, AI startups, venture capital Germany, climate tech Europe, startup news DACH, SaaS Germany.

2. Secondary keywords: fintech crisis, German recession, European innovation council, autonomous driving Germany.

Dashboards don’t decide. Agents do.

In this episode of Startuprad.io, we sit down with Jennifer Grün, Senior Specialist for Generative AI & ML at AWS, to explore how agentic AI is rewriting the rules of SaaS.

Instead of static dashboards and brittle automations, SaaS is moving toward agents that reason, plan, and act—delivering outcomes like churn prevention, dynamic pricing, and ticket resolution.

Jennifer explains:
– The difference between automation and agentic AI
– The 3 ways to ship agents: feature, enabler, or product
– High-ROI use cases: pricing optimization, BI anomaly detection, support triage
– Why multi-agent marketplaces demand governance and guardrails
– How the EU AI Act can be your competitive edge in enterprise sales
– Culture-first adoption: AI literacy, AI whisperers, and playgrounds

Guest Spotlight:
Jennifer Grün, AWS – helping startups navigate the next wave of AI adoption, balancing compliance, scale, and growth.

By 2028, Gartner predicts 15% of business decisions will run fully on autopilot. Founders who adapt now will own the SaaS future.

AWS Startups is a proud sponsor of this week’s episode of Startuprad.io. Visit to find out how AWS can help you prove what’s possible in your industry: https://aws.amazon.com/startups?trk=ef3fc285-093c-49eb-b3df-eb3247352b67&sc_channel=el

• Full Blog Post: https://www.startuprad.io/post/agentic-ai-for-saas-workflows

• Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/27E6N4j2bYY

If this episode gave you a new lens on AI pricing, share it with a founder who needs to hear it. Follow Startuprad.io on Spotify, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and join our blog + newsletter for full breakdowns.

• ✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io

• Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio

• 💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8

• 💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger

• Primary: agentic AI for SaaS, multi-agent systems, pricing optimization agent, startup founders Europe, B2B SaaS growth, EU AI Act compliance

• Secondary: churn prevention agent, BI & data agents, AI literacy, SaaS outcome ownership

POC is dead. Proof of Value is the new standard for AI startups. In this episode, AWS’s Jennifer Grün reveals the AI monetization strategy that separates demos from businesses.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

– Why hybrid pricing models (subscriptions + credits) outperform per-seat SaaS in AI
– How to replace Proof of Concept with Proof of Value frameworks that deliver ROI fast
– The ROI storytelling metrics (CLV, CAC, churn, ARR) that boards and VCs actually believe
– The infra levers (batch vs provisioned throughput) that protect GenAI unit economics
– How to package compliance features (SSO, audit logs, privacy tiers) for enterprise upsell

AWS Startups is a proud sponsor of this week’s episode of Startuprad.io. Visit to find out how AWS can help you prove what’s possible in your industry: https://aws.amazon.com/startups?trk=25cdbfe4-8d2e-4b0b-926e-3fe5ef6323cb&sc_channel=el

Jennifer Grün, Senior Specialist for Generative AI & Machine Learning at AWS, works with founders across Europe to monetize AI responsibly. She brings tactical insight from the field: how to price GenAI, validate ROI, and scale without losing margins.

• Full Blog Post: https://www.startuprad.io/post/ai-monetization-strategy-proof-of-value-hybrid-pricing

• Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/NoTFqAcRc2c

If this episode gave you a new lens on AI pricing, share it with a founder who needs to hear it. Follow Startuprad.io on Spotify, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and join our blog + newsletter for full breakdowns.

• ✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io

• Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio

• 💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8

• 💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger

• Primary: AI monetization strategy, Proof of Value, hybrid AI pricing, AI ROI metrics

• Secondary: GenAI unit economics, enterprise AI packaging, startup funding Europe, B2B SaaS growth, founder playbook

What if the next billion-dollar startup was brewing in Berlin, Munich, or Vienna right now? In this episode, we cover the game-changing deals, deep tech breakthroughs, and green innovation stories shaping the DACH startup scene in September 2025. Whether you’re a founder, VC, or ecosystem insider, this is your shortcut to staying ahead in Europe’s most dynamic market.

What You’ll Learn

• 🚀 The biggest venture capital raises across Germany, Austria & Switzerland

• 🧠 How neuromorphic AI chips and quantum comms are reshaping Europe’s deep tech frontier

• 💳 Fintech consolidation: Bitpanda’s growth and Bling’s youth finance push

• 🌱 Green tech milestones from Austria’s salt-based storage to EV wiring solutions

• ⚕️ Biotech breakthroughs and M&A exits shaping the next health tech wave

• 📊 Why AI-driven search analytics could disrupt marketing and SEO forever

From startup funding in Germany and European venture capital to deep tech AI hardware, fintech M&A, and green tech innovation, this episode is designed to rank high on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for founders and investors looking for cutting-edge insights.

Episode: DACH Startup News – Summer Wrap-Up 2025
Host: Joern Menninger, Editor-in-Chief Startuprad.io

Blog Post: https://www.startuprad.io/post/dach-startup-news-july-and-august-2025-unicorn-surge-825m-hydrogen-win-fintech-shakeups

Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/cLO_niJ6wok

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – VC News (€30M+ funds)

• 02:30 – Deep Tech: brain chips & quantum comms

• 05:00 – Green Tech: energy storage & EV wiring

• 06:00 – Fintech: Bitpanda & Bling M&A

• 09:00 – AI & SaaS analytics

• 11:30 – Mobility & Auto1 Group

• 15:00 – Biotech & Health Tech

• 18:00 – Major fundraising deals (€100M+)

• 23:00 – M&A: Nect, Scanbot, Lemon Markets

• 25:30 – Ecosystem trivia + closing notes

✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io

Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio

💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger

Primary (in title + description): startup funding, German startups, venture capital Europe, deep tech startups, fintech Europe, green tech, AI search disruption.

Secondary (in body + show notes): AI in business, biotech Germany, startup exits.

Berlin’s AI just rocketed from $350M to $2.3B.
At the same time, Switzerland locked in €825M hydrogen funding, and N26 faced its toughest governance test yet.

This is not Silicon Valley news. This is the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) reshaping startup dynamics — and it’s moving fast.

In this Startuprad.io Summer Wrap-Up 2025, we unpack:

– How Berlin’s open-source workflow AI became a unicorn and why enterprises are buying in now
– Why EU hydrogen funding marks a generational climate infrastructure play for startups
– What N26’s leadership shake-up under BaFin reveals about fintech governance in Europe
– How dual-use pivots (like Lilium’s defense strategy) are becoming survival moves in tough funding markets
– Why German tele-driving pilots and Bavarian endowment unlocks are more than policy headlines — they’re startup railways
– The rise of Europe’s Stan index (Qwant + Ecosia) and Pinterest’s Zurich AI hub

🎙 Why listen?
Because the future of European startups will be shaped at the intersection of technology, regulation, and capital flows. If you’re a founder, operator, or investor, this episode shows where the rails are being laid.

What you’ll learn:
– The DACH edge in AI: community + open-source + enterprise focus
– The real impact of hydrogen billions on startup runway
– Fintech’s compliance-first reality check
– The overlooked opportunity of dual-use & defense procurement
– How to spot policy-driven founder opportunities in Europe

👉 If you learned something here, share this episode with a founder who needs it. Follow us on Spotify, subscribe on Apple, and check the blog for a full breakdown.

Episode: DACH Startup News – Summer Wrap-Up 2025
Host: Joern Menninger, Editor-in-Chief Startuprad.io

Blog Post: https://www.startuprad.io/post/dach-startup-news-july-and-august-2025-unicorn-surge-825m-hydrogen-win-fintech-shakeups

Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/iV1Gzz0zy_k

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro & why the roundup is split in 2 parts
05:26 – Berlin AI rockets to $2.3B
09:57 – Switzerland’s €825M hydrogen allocation
11:23 – EIC selects 40 startups & Stan index launch
14:27 – German economy dips into recession
15:15 – Defense pivots & tele-driving pilots
17:49 – Bavarian endowment unlock + Austrian founder wave
20:11 – Pinterest opens Zurich AI hub & wrap-up

✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io

Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio

💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger

Primary (title, early description, timestamps): DACH startup news, Berlin AI automation, EU hydrogen funding, German startup ecosystem

Secondary (description + show notes): N26 governance, defense tech Europe, tele-driving Germany, Stan index, European AI hub, EIC startup funding

Greenwashing is everywhere — from supermarket shelves to corporate ESG reports. But are those “eco-friendly” claims worth anything without data to back them up?

In this episode of Startuprad.io, host Jörn “Joe” Menninger speaks with Irene Rosique-Conesa, CEO & Co-Founder of Nuvio Planet, a climate tech SaaS spun out of BASF. Irene believes the solution to greenwashing isn’t more PR — it’s better data.

You’ll learn:

• Why half of sustainability labels lack verifiable evidence

• How lifecycle assessment (LCA) software makes compliance repeatable and affordable

• The hidden flaws in ESG reporting and why CSRD will change the rules

• A case study: reducing milk’s carbon footprint by 8% = 1M Berlin–NY flights

• Irene’s founder journey: leaving BASF corporate life for startup uncertainty

• Her bold 2030 prediction: environmental data will matter as much as price

Guest Spotlight:
Irene Rosique-Conesa, CEO & Co-Founder of Nuvio Planet. With over a decade of LCA expertise and a corporate career at BASF, Irene is building a SaaS platform that transforms sustainability compliance into growth.

If you’ve ever wondered how startups can win in regulated markets, or how founders transition from corporate to climate tech, this episode is for you.

💡 Don’t just follow green labels — follow the data.

Blog Post: https://www.startuprad.io/post/climate-tech-saas-how-nuvio-planet-ends-greenwashing

Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/LHK7BNjjul0

Timestamps:

00:00 – What is greenwashing in 2025?
05:30 – Why sustainability claims collapse without data
09:45 – Lifecycle assessment vs. averages
14:20 – From compliance cost to growth driver
20:00 – Case study: Milk carbon footprint cut by 8%
24:30 – CSRD and supply chain transparency
29:07 – Irene’s bold 2030 prediction

✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.io

Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio

💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger

Primary keywords (“climate tech SaaS”, “greenwashing”, “lifecycle assessment”, “CSRD compliance”) used in title, description opening, and early show notes.

Secondary keywords (“supply chain transparency”, “founder journey”, “BASF spinout”) sprinkled naturally in description + notes.

What if your money app actually reduced your anxiety instead of triggering it?In this episode, Laura Cornely shares how she walked away from private equity to build Count — a fintech that’s deeply personal, empathy-led, and built for millennial mental clarity.

What You'll Learn:

How money anxiety is the unspoken epidemic of our generation — and how Count tackles it

Why sales psychology is baked into the onboarding of personal finance tools

How Laura conducted 100+ user interviews before writing a single line of code

What bootstrapping a fintech with your co-founder husband really looks like

Why female fintech founders often see pain points that others miss

The startup advantage of designing for emotion, not just metrics

How Count prioritizes trust, transparency, and mental ease in their UX

Why VCs misunderstand tools built for mental health + money

Guest Spotlight: Laura Cornely, founder of Count Finance, is a former private equity executive who turned to fintech after realizing the deep emotional disconnect in traditional financial tools. She bootstrapped Count alongside her husband, driven by a mission to solve real user anxiety with radical transparency and calm tech.

If you’ve ever opened five apps to see how broke you are — this is the episode for you.Follow Startuprad.io, subscribe on Spotify & Apple Podcasts, and leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review if it helped you think differently.Don’t forget to share this with fellow founders, UX designers, and fintech product leads.Guest Name: Laura Cornely | CEO and co-founder of Count App

Blog Post: https://www.startuprad.io/post/from-stress-to-confidence-the-financial-anxiety-app-built-for-real-life

Youtube Full Video: https://youtu.be/DQajoeLWeSURelevant Resources:https://www.count-finance.com/https://www.startuprad.io/post/fintech-review-2024-navigating-trends-and-innovations-in-startups

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: Money Anxiety Meets Product Design

02:15 – Laura’s Leap from Private Equity to Purpose

06:40 – 100+ User Interviews: Groundwork for Fintech Clarity

10:50 – What Millennials Really Feel About Finances

13:00 – Bootstrapping a Calm Tech Fintech with Your Partner

16:00 – UX Design That Reduces Financial Panic

19:30 – Sales Psychology Meets Emotional Transparency

25:00 – Advice for Founders Building Emotionally Sensitive Tech

✉️ Work with us: partnerships@startuprad.ioSubscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio💬 Feedback: https://forms.gle/Qp53eVuc9P1RMqWj8💼 Follow Jörn on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=joernmenninger

Subscribe across platforms: https://linktr.ee/startupradio

money anxiety, startups, sales psychology, tech entrepreneurs, german startups, startup scene, fintech innovation, female founder fintech, eco innovation, startup insights, startup growth, startup leadership, financial wellness tools, digital mental health, startup UX design