Digital Transformers Kilian Karrasch

Learn the single best way to screen and validate 100s of ideas & launch multiple new revenue streams in just 1 year— without breaking the bank. This episode unveils how corporates can use "Innoventuring" to redefine the way they build new ventures. Plus, we discuss 2 travel ideas you should start now. 

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, how to build products and business models around them, and how to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 
Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.
Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest: 
Francesco Ferreri is the Director of Innovation at FUNKE ONE, one of Germany's leading media groups, and the former co-founder of two successful startups. Under Francesco's leadership, Funke One has incubated multiple new business models prone to contribute significantly to group profits in the coming years.
Follow Francesco's socials: LinkedIn

Timeline:
(01:59) - The Secret Sauce to Successful Corporate Venture Building
(08:24) - How to Set Up a Successful Corporate Venture Structure
(10:37) - Creating Deal Flow - and Choosing the Right Approach
(16:28) - How to be Scrappy - a Travel Industry Case Study
(23:00) - Optimizing Costs in the Innovation Process
(27:24) - Opening the Black-Box: Utilizing Consumer Data for 10x Innovation Results
(32:07) - The Importance of Accepting Innovation Failures
(37:54) - Danger! Disconnect Between Innovators and Business Units
(43:08) - Francesco's Pitch for a Conversational AI in Business Travel Planning.
(49:56) - Kilian's pitch for Next-Gen Personalization in Travel

Travel Idea to Steal:
Journey AI - Optimizing Business Travel with AI

Are you maximizing your corporate venture’s potential? Uncover the critical success factors that set corporate ventures apart from traditional startups, learn how to effectively incorporate existing startups to kickstart your venture’s success, and discover how to overcome cultural challenges in the process.

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, how to build products and business models around them, and how to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 
Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.
Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest:
Uwe Frers is a serial entrepreneur and CEO of ADAC’s camping platform PiNCAMP. After successfully building and scaling three travel companies to exit, Uwe started building PiNCAMP as a corporate startup of ADAC SEs into the number one camping vacation marketplace in Europe. Follow Uwe's socials: LinkedIn

Timeline:
(01:42) - The unique resources, networks, and branding challenges faced by corporate ventures
(06:26) - Crucial branding considerations for corporate ventures
(07:27) - Key success factors for corporate ventures
(10:34) - The importance of agility, customer focus, and scalability in corporate ventures - and how to make the shift
(14:02) - Operating approaches for startups in corporate environments
(17:16) - How to master strategic prioritization & resource allocation within corporate ventures
(20:41) - The role of leadership in bridging corporate and startup cultures.
(23:58) - Boosting corporate ventures through integration - and how to overcome its challenges
(28:14) - Building high-performance cultures across merged entities

Stuck in the innovation slow lane? Discover how corporate acquisition of startups can turbocharge your growth. Get first-hand advice on navigating the acquisition process, fostering a culture of innovation, and ensuring startups flourish post-acquisition.

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, how to build products and business models around them, and how to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 
Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.
Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest:
Hannes Blum went from building and scaling the European version of Amazon - JustBooks -, against the backdrop of the DotCom bubble to eventually selling it to Amazon for an estimated 100M+ Euro. These days, he’s a partner at Acton Capital where he invests in SaaS and consumer internet startups.
Follow Hannes' socials: LinkedIn

Timeline:
02:31 - The founding story of JustBooks
06:32 - Strategies for PR, online marketing, and engaging the first users
08:28 - Lessons on customer-centric product development and continuous iteration
15:08 - The strategy behind JustBooks' successful exits
20:26 - Why it's important to build sustainable business practices for potential acquisitions
24:11 - How to establish value-driven partnerships with potential acquirers
29:04 - How to leverage the acquirer's expertise for mutual growth - while maintaining business autonomy
33:18 - Navigating cultural integration post-integration
38:13 - Core leadership principles for successful growth

Curious about launching a successful HR tech B2B venture? Explore disruptive fields in the HR industry, gain insights on navigating regulatory challenges and implementing tech solutions that attract both businesses and top talent through best practices in sales, culture, and customer service. Plus, we discuss a business idea to steal - in the semiconductor industry.

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, how to build products and business models around them, and how to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 
Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.
Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest:
Frederik Fahning is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Zenjob and a member of the Board of Directors at Bitkom. Frederik went from founding Zenjob straight out of university to scaling the company into a young-talent staffing platform that has disrupted the industry and has received more than 100M€ in funding to almost reach unicorn status. Follow Frederik's socials: LinkedIn

Timeline:
(01:44) - How to Assemble a Winning Team: Lessons on recruiting smarter and more experienced people.(03:30) - Crafting a Dual-Focused Business Model: Balancing B2C and B2B needs effectively.(04:33) - How to approach and convince first customers about a new HR platform.(06:50) - Cultivating Company Culture: Strategies for embedding strong cultural values.(10:48) - Strategies for Scaling Your Business: Expanding from a small user base to larger markets.(13:01) - Quick Deployment HR Solutions: Offering rapid-response services to gain a competitive edge.(15:33) - Building Strong B2B Networks: Leveraging referrals and networking for sales growth.(19:20) - Navigating Regulatory Landscapes: Addressing challenges in the gig economy to identify new opportunities(26:20) - How to Choose Customer Service Tools That Enhance User Experience(35:16) - Business Idea to Steal: Amazon for Semiconductors
Business Idea to Steal: Amazon for Semiconductors 

Struggling to bridge the gap between corporate innovation and startup agility? Discover the secrets of successful corporate venture building from Christian Lüdtke, a pioneer who transformed the landscape of corporate Germany with the Lean Startup Principle. Learn firsthand about the challenges and triumphs of creating ventures within a corporate structure, the importance of selecting the right team, and how to effectively engage with venture builders.

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, how to build products and business models around them, and how to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.


About the host: 
Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.
Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest:
Christian Lüdtke is co-founder & CEO of the innovation hub BRYCK which empowers startups to build a livable future. Before he co-founded etventure, one of the largest corporate venture builders in Germany that was eventually acquired by EY. He went from building up corporate innovation departments and ventures at Bertelsmann and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - the largest education publisher at the time - to importing the lean startup principle to Germany and helping hundreds of organizations build innovation units and ventures. These days, he helps entrepreneurs develop the skills they need to successfully build their ventures.
Follow Christian's socials: LinkedIn


Timeline:
(10:35) - From corporate to startup mentality: how to make the mindset shift happen
(16:32) - The importance of CEO support and the right mindset in corporate venture success
(20:23) - When is the right time to pursue corporate venture building?
(23:47) - How to overcome C-level objections on new business investments
(29:39) - Internal development vs. partnering up
(32:09) - The critical role of internal IT departments - and how to engage them in your innovation projects
(33:09) - How to build the right founding team
(36:26) - Sales strategy and customer engagement: Picking up the phone and the importance of direct communication
(39:04) - The significance of investor readiness and how to prepare for fundraising rounds

Facing hurdles in transforming your innovative ideas into successful corporate ventures? Here's the blueprint for crafting ventures responsible for over $5 billion in equity value. Learn the secrets to fine-tuning incentive structures, selecting lucrative new business opportunities, and assembling the dream team for your venture.

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, how to build products and business models around them, and how to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.


About the host: 
Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.
Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest:
Jordan Schlipf is the founder and CEO of Rainmaking and Rainmaking Venture Studio. Jordan went from founding several small startups, over launching Startupbootcamp - the world's largest industry-focused startup accelerator network, to building Rainmaking into one of the leading corporate venture builders in the world that has built companies with a total equity valuation of $5B+ to date.
Follow Jordan's socials: LinkedIn


Timeline:
(03:52) - Shift your focus: empowering talented founders for venture success.
(07:48) - Why corporates struggle with generating new business ideas - and how to change that
(14:07) - The ideal adjacency for new business models
(18:01) - The pivotal role of incentives in driving entrepreneurial behavior within ventures
(22:48) - The ideal structure of a venture board
(29:17) - Why few corporate ventures build successful new businesses.
(36:13) - How to balance the investment portfolio and select the right business ventures
(39:46) - Entrepreneurial ambitions? A reality check for corporate employees