Good morning,
I am typing this in the early morning while taking a short break away from Berlin. There are so many things to do, people to meet and places to see. What’s the best way to decide and how to proceed? I have absolutely no idea, but I do feel that the answer lies in doing as many things as possible with the highest possible intentionality.
Thanks for being on this journey with me.
💸 Funded in Germany
Dash0 | Solingen | OpenTelemetry observability software | $110M Series B | Careers.
Kupando | Schönefeld | Immuno-oncology and infectious disease therapies | €10M Series A | Careers.
Bounti | Berlin | AI operations for frontline workers | €4M | Careers.
Eternal.ag | Cologne | Autonomous greenhouse harvesting robots | €8M | Careers.
Logistikbude | Dortmund | AI load carrier management system | €5M Series A | Careers.
Interloom | Munich | Enterprise memory platform for AI | $16.5M Seed | Careers.
Pace Club | Munich | Performance boutique fitness studios | €5M Pre-seed | Careers.
Wellster Healthtech | Munich | Digital obesity therapy platform | €10M | Careers.
Kewazo | Munich | Automated construction site lifts | $16M Series A Extension | Careers.
📅 Events
From our partners
move_IT 2026 explores how AI is transforming business through real-world showcases, keynotes, and hands-on masterclasses. The WTG | T&N customer and partner event brings together experts and decision-makers in Berlin. Register here. | Thu, 16/04 13:30 | InterContinental Berlin
🚨 There are only a couple of spots left at our in-person Real AI Starts at the Terminal workshop, which I am running together with Phil Bennett. You will learn how to stay on the edge of AI in the terminal. Sounds scary, but it’s not. I did it myself. | Thu, 16 & 23/4 18:00 | Mindspace Ku’damm
Want to join a startup as a co-founder? Meet ambitious founders through structured matching, startup pitches, and curated networking in Berlin. | Wed, 15/04 18:00 | CIC
Our picks
tonight Trust as currency in communications – A Women@LinkedIn DACH x Openers event | Thu, 26/03 18:00 | LinkedIn
tonight Rocket Internet decoded - Panel talk with Rocket's legends | Thu, 26/03 18:00 | Factory Berlin Mitte
tonight We ship I.T.! - AI tools for talent | Thu, 26/03 18:30 | Taxfix
Polnische party - newonce newspaper Poznań/Berlin issue | Sun, 29/03 13:00 | Tylko Space Berlin
Berlin Consumers Social Day: Impact Founders & Conscious Culture | Tue, 31/03 18:00 | The Social Hub Berlin
AI agents x structured data | Tue, 31/03 18:00 | Merantix AI Campus
LUCID TRANSITIONS: From Noise to Resonance 🌑 → 🌕 | Tue, 31/03 18:00 | Impact Hub Berlin
Live Comedy with Naked Flamingos | Sat, 04/04 19:30 | ImprovWorks - Rudolfstr 14
Berlin Swapfest - Electronics flea market | Sun, 12/04 12:00 | c-base
Scaling the enterprise AI operating model | Tue, 14/04 18:00 | Merantix AI Campus
“I've been assigned to a project. Now what?” A hands-on workshop for talent acquisition professionals | Fri, 17/04 09:00 | Techspace Eisenwerk
Big Berlin hack: >300 builders & >50k in prizes | Sat, 25/04 10:00 | The Delta
☕️ Coffee Talk
Rob D. Willis is an expert storyteller. He is also a living example of how consistently chugging out great stuff on Instagram can explode your account. Here is what he prepared for you:
Pondji - My friend runs this Brazilian spot in Neukölln. They're famous for their pão de queijo or "cheese breads" which they serve with toppings ranging from tomato and cheese to dolce de leite. Weekends, they do feijoada that's genuinely one of the best in the city, and they make a mean caipirinha!
The Culture Map by Erin Meyer - I post about this book all the time because in Berlin you're constantly working with very international teams. It explains why a German CEO and British board can completely talk past each other, even when they're speaking the same language. After 16 years here, it's the only framework I've found that actually works for cross-cultural communication.
A trick for finding stories when you think you don't have any - Write down "Why do I X?" - why you live in Berlin, why you do your job, whatever. Then map backwards through every moment things CHANGED to get you there. Each change is a story. Most people think they don't have stories because they're looking at outcomes. Stories live in the transformations. Try it - you'll find 20 you forgot about.
Don't miss what Berlin's talking about
Thousands start their week with my Berlin weekly briefing. News, business, tech & culture you won't find elsewhere. Mondays, 7 AM. Free.
🌍 From the Community
Bolu is running Inner Circle: “Making real friends in Berlin is hard. Especially for expats. No group that has your back. That’s why we created Inner Circle. A curated group of expats, you meet the same people regularly and have deep conversations. You can rely on them. Apply now.”
Jen started The Hideout: A Summer Camp for Adults, which is a summer camp for adults outside Berlin. Three days of lake swims, campfires, creative workshops, storytelling nights, shared meals, and playful activities with a small group. Only 15 spots. The first Hideout pilot launches in May 2026.
You can join the Grace Berlin Accelerator, a program for early-stage founders (women and mixed teams) by one of Europe's leading start-up hubs. 8-month program, 20k equity-free funding, access to our mentor network, and a cohort of committed peers. Get more info here.
🧭 Career compass
I find this framing (and the underlying explanation) from Scott Alexander that LLM hallucinations are actually shameless guesses excellent. By the way of making his point, he also explains how the models work. An excellent writer.
Everyone heard it: don’t mess with your cost center. But what are the impacts of a romantic relationship with the boss? “Entering a relationship with a manager increases the subordinate's earnings by 6%, but breaking up triggers an abrupt 18% earnings decline. We also find that these relationships generate spillovers: retention of other workers declines by six percentage points, with effects concentrated in workplaces where subordinates experience greater earnings gains.” [paper] Interestingly, over 25% of U.S. workers have engaged in an office romance, with 18% dating a superior in their workplace!
Someone wants to leave tech/change careers and asked redditors for advice. Some useful tips, but what I think works best is to discuss it with a career coach. There are a couple in our directory.
Recent developments in AI can make us feel a serious FOMO or trigger fears of being left behind (especially on the LinkedIn bubble). But this makes no sense. Next time when you are in a crowded public space, just ask yourself: how many of these people are actively using Claude Code in the terminal or developing their skills/prompts and agents? Not many. This short post, “I’m OK being left behind, thanks!” brings the point home. A useful bubble.
Speaking of AI, Liz made this fun chart based on the Anthropic chart.
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