Strategic Funding Bootcamp 2024
FUNDRAISING ESSENTIALS - OUR BOOTCAMP INSIGHTS
Dive into our key takeaways of the latest MotionLab.Berlin Strategic Funding Bootcamp, where experts shared essential fundraising insights for startups, covering everything from navigating investment terrains to mastering investment essentials and unlocking opportunities in the grant landscape.
Dive into our key takeaways of the latest MotionLab.Berlin Strategic Funding Bootcamp, where experts shared essential fundraising insights for startups, covering everything from navigating investment terrains to mastering investment essentials and unlocking opportunities in the grant landscape.
MotionLab.Berlin has been supporting startups on their journeys for seven years now (time really flies!). Our main aim has always been to create a place where collaboration and working together is super important. Every time we welcome startups for a new batch of our accelerator program or see one graduate from our prototyping space, it tells us that we are doing things right.
We were thrilled to see a dream come true at our partner dinner two weeks ago. We’ve always had this vision of bringing together people and various stakeholders—from politicians and industry leaders to startups just starting out. But it’s not just about connecting people, we’re also passionate about sharing knowledge from our community and providing support along the way.
For this, we are constantly working on organizing events and giving the experts from our community and network a stage. Our last event was all about fundraising for startups. MotionLab.Berlin organized a Strategic Funding Bootcamp in partnership with BACB, 1.5 Ventures, Dimler&Karcher and Bearcover – two weeks full of a series of expert-led classes. The topics covered everything from angel investment to startup grant opportunities, strategic fundraising, and startup valuation. The event was for everyone who wanted to learn the essentials about capital raising, connect with entrepreneurs and of course: Network (here we are back with our specialty: Networking over pizza and beer).
ALL ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS & MASTERCLASSES
Within a period of two weeks and during seven different masterclasses, we were able to gain many valuable insights into the relevant areas of strategic funding for startups. The workshops with Sebastian Schwenke, Daniel Flynn, Dr. Boris Karcher, and Jeff Katz, experts out of our network, provided comprehensive knowledge, focusing on building trust in fundraising, optimizing approaches, navigating grant landscapes, and mastering investment essentials. Let’s wrap up the workshop topics and highlights of the last two weeks!
MASTERING THE FUNDRAISING PROCESS FOR BA MONEY
From start to finish: Our participants got to know the whole Process of raising BA money, led by Sebastian Schwenke. How does it work and what to consider? Here are the main takeaways out of this workshop.
From start to finish: Our participants got to know the whole Process of raising BA money, led by Sebastian Schwenke.
About Sebastian: As managing director of BACB e.V. he runs the association’s operations and connects startups with business angels daily. In his 5+ years within the industry, he has facilitated over 70 startup investments with a volume >10M€, held 40+ startup workshops and helped over 30 “virgin-angels” to successfully invest their first venture capital. You can find more information about his work here.
Sebastian focused his session on getting angel investment. Participants learned how to raise Business Angel money, including creating good business plans, presenting to investors, and discussing deal terms. It also covered different types of angel investors and how they work, giving a complete view of the angel investment journey. One important focus: The important parts of a good business plan, how to pitch well to different angel investors, and how to negotiate deal terms for better conditions for their projects.
KEY TAKESAWAYS FORM SEBASTIAN'S WORKSHOP
Trust is key
- Build your network early because funding relies on trust, and trust is built through relationships.
Fundraising is Sales
- Actively engage in fundraising efforts, get out there and establish connections. “Fundraising from your desk won’t work – you need to get out there.”
- Address the emotional return on investment, as business angels value more than just financial returns. “You are selling yourself and the company, not only the product.”
STRATEGIC FUNDRAISING MASTERY
The second workshop led by Daniel Flynn was all about successful fundraising. Here are the most important tips on attracting investors, building connections, and executing precise strategies.
The second workshop led by Daniel Flynn was all about successful fundraising. Here are the most important tips on attracting investors, building connections, and executing precise strategies.
About Daniel: Daniel Flynn is founder & CEO from Bearcover and with this also responsible for any fundraising activities. Bearcover addresses staffing shortages in healthcare facilities with human-robot teams.
This workshop was all about learning how to successfully raise money for your projects. Daniel Flynn, the founder of Bearcover, shared important steps to get ready for funding: What makes projects appealing to investors? What is the best way to build a good connection with them? The session also covered organizing and prioritizing leads to make fundraising more effective, and it gave helpful tips for creating a strong presentation.
DIRECT TIPS FORM DANIEL'S WORKSHOP
Optimize Your Approach:
- Most important aspect of creating a product: “Get back to building things that people want.”
- Then: Identify the fundraising strategy with the highest chances of success (for you) tailored to your needs.
- Plan and execute your chosen strategy with precision.
- Effective Fundraising Management: Utilize tools for managing various forms of fundraising.
Targeted Investor Engagement:
- Identify and target the right investors for your venture.
- “Run a professional and continuous process until you achieve your funding goal.”
NAVIGATING THE STARTUP GRANT LANDSCAPE
The third workshop with Dr. Boris Karcher was all about public funding and Berlin's grant landscape. Get to know the key takeaways on topics like eligibility criteria, funding needs, and successful grant acquisition.
The third workshop with expert Dr. Boris Karcher was all about public funding and Berlin’s grant landscape. Get to know the key takeaways on topics like eligibility criteria, funding needs, and successful grant acquisition.
About: Boris Karcher is a partner at Dimler&Karcher management consultancy, which has been successfully advising startups in the area of public funding programs for over ten years. Boris offers a free initial consultation in which you can find out which programs might be suitable and whether it is worth it for you to work with Dimler&Karcher. So feel free to get in touch and unlock the power of public funding for startups.
Boris’s workshop was about exploring Berlin’s grant landscape including the most attractive public funding programs for startups, recent adjustments and changes, insights into eligibility criteria and application processes. The workshop provided a comprehensive exploration of requirements, processes, and content crucial for accessing grants and public fundraising, along with an interactive Q&A session offering personalized insights and answers to specific questions about different grant programs.
INSIGHTS & TIPS FORM BORIS'S WORKSHOP
Be Clear about Milestones
- Clearly outline potential funded steps in your milestone plan, such as building an initial MVP.
- “Use experts for the topic of public funding. It’s better to focus on what you do best and use the expertise of experts in their fields.”
Think About Funding Needs
- Consider diverse needs for achieving milestones, including additional staff, outsourcing, investments, and R&D.
Check Eligibility Carefully
- “Check carefully whether you or your planned project is eligible for funding.” Evaluation is a complex process.
Remember Funding Realities
- Keep in mind that funding covers only a percentage of project costs, and public funding operates on a reimbursement principle.
MASTERING INVESTMENT ESSENTIALS SERIES
Explore Jeff Katz's workshop series on how to master investments, unraveling fundraising complexities, delving into due diligence, and decoding legal jargon, while offering key insights on stakeholder motivations and strategic business approaches for your startup growth.
Explore Jeff Katz’s workshop series on how to master investments, unraveling fundraising complexities, delving into due diligence, and decoding legal jargon.
About Jeff: Jeff is a Partner at 1.5° Ventures, a Berlin-based venture builder focused on cutting CO2 through hyper-scalable climate tech startups. His expertise lies in embedded electronics, data-driven systems, and entrepreneurship, and he has spoken, mentored, and built communities globally. In his role with 1.5°, Jeff supports portfolio founders in overcoming challenges and building scalable and effective development teams. You can find more about his work here.
NAVIGATING THE INVESTMENT TERRAIN: A DEEP DIVE
Workshop number one was about unraveling the intricacies of investment. The participants learned about the roles and strategies of angel investors, venture capitalists, and strategic investors, as well as navigating seed funding and subsequent investment stages.
IN-DEPTH INSIGHTS INTO INVESTMENT ESSENTIALS
The second part of the series delved deeper into successful fundraising through investments. It was all about due diligence, exploring its significance and understanding the key documents required. Jeff also covered the importance of Capitalization (CAP) tables in investments and provided insights into creating a compelling pitch deck. This event was designed for those actively seeking investment, refining business strategy, or keen on understanding the details of due diligence and investor communication.
INVESTMENT JARGON: LEGAL AND INVESTMENT TERMS
Understanding legal and investment terminology, demystifying concepts like convertible loans, term sheets, and general legal considerations – this was the focus of workshop number three. Everyone who attended learned about the mechanics of convertible loans, the intricacies of term sheets, and the legal landscape of investments.
KEY TAKESAWAYS FORM JEFF'S WORKSHOP
Understanding Stakeholder Motivations:
- Jeff highlights that “part of your job as founder is to understand the motivations and the reasoning underlying all of your stakeholders.” Stakeholders extend beyond potential customers including cofounders, employees, and investors.
Addressing Information Asymmetry:
- To ensure that founders grasp the value they bring to the table and can effectively negotiate the fundraising process with the prospective investor, Jeff emphasises the significance of tackling the financial information asymmetry of the company. “No matter how groundbreaking or amazing your technology is, if your business strategy is unable to bring it to the world, it will never see the light of day.”
Strategic Business Approach:
- Even the most groundbreaking technology needs a strategic business strategy for successful market entry, emphasizing the necessity of thinking exponentially when aiming to build a company valued at least a billion Euro in five to seven years.
- “If you’re five people today, what needs to happen so that you will be 50 in six months and 500 in two years?”
THE BOTTOM LINE & THANK YOU
All in all you can say funding is vital for startup success. The workshops in our two-weeks Strategic Funding Bootcamp emphasized building early trust in fundraising, tailoring strategies to needs and grasping grant eligibility. It is important to understand that successful investment goes beyond technology: a strong strategy, good relationships and long-term thinking are also crucial aspects of it.
Thank you, Daniel, Jeff, Boris and Sebastian for being part of our expert community and constantly sharing your knowledge!
If you want to stay up-to-date and don’t miss our next bootcamp, check out our event calendar or subscribe to our newsletter!
