Mistakes, a narrowly avoided bankruptcy and untapped potential in the startup scene

Dave Kellog (Balderton Capital): The Top 5 mistakes European technology startups make in US expansion

International expansion is hard. Expanding internationally means managing differences not only in language and time zone – but in culture, business norms, law, taxation, labor, employment, compensation, and competition. It’s no small undertaking and it’s not for the faint of heart.

This is the first in a six-post series that discusses what Dave Kellog sees as the top five mistakes European startups make in approaching USA expansion. While he wrote in the first person to reflect that the content is ultimately his opinion, those opinions have been informed not only by his own experience working with and at European startups for the past 25 years, but also by the collective experience of the Balderton team, who have worked with scores of European startups on US expansion.

The ppl.Kickstarter: Dark side of being an entrepreneur with Laurent Decru (Movu, Bexio, Holycode) - Video 

The ppl.Kickstarter: People & Culture Stories Ep. 07

This is a very personal and deep conversation with Laurent Decrue of Holycode, where we delve into the seldom-discussed realities of startup life, including the personal challenges of burnout and balancing family responsibilities. Laurent opens up about his journey through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, offering candid insights into managing the ‘hustle’, the importance of support systems and rigorous rituals, and strategies for maintaining your health while driving a startup to success.

TOP TALK: Chopfab - Wie es zur Rettung der Winterthurer Brauerei kam

Mitte März 2024 kam die erlösende Meldung. Die Appenzeller Locher-Brauerei steigt per sofort bei der Winterthurer Chopfab-Boxer Brauerei ein. Ende 2023 hatte die Brauerei bekanntgegeben, dass sie eine Sanierung und einen Rettungsplan braucht, sonst drohe das Aus. Wie liefen die Verhandlungen ab und was ist seither passiert?

Gäste:
Philip Bucher, Gründer Geschäftsführer Chopfab Boxer AG
Andy Schwarzenbach, Gründer Fast-Food-Kette Hitzberger und Startup-Experte

Pascale Vonmont & Roger Wüthrich-Hasenböhler: Why Swiss Innovation Isn’t Living Up to Its Full Potential

The conversation revolves around the question of why Switzerland is still struggling to successfully commercialise innovations. In addition to frequently discussed weaknesses such as the lack of growth capital, Pascale Vonmont and Roger Wüthrich-Hasenböhler also talk about the large number of small support initiatives. Closer cooperation or even a merger of initiatives would be more effective here.

⁠Pascale Vonmont⁠ is the director of the ⁠Gebert Rüf Stiftung⁠, and ⁠Roger Wüthrich-Hasenböhler⁠ is the non-executive vice-president at ⁠Swisscom⁠, and a former member of its Group Executive Board. 

This Swisspreneur episode was produced in collaboration with the Startup Days. 

(Stefan Kyora)