Knowledge

The step towards your own start-up usually begins with a crucial question: Which business idea suits me - and also has potential on the market?
Many founders start out full of energy, but do not know how to develop a viable concept from their interests, experience and skills.

A business plan is more than just a document for the bank or investors - it is your roadmap to self-employment. It helps you to structure your idea, recognise risks and convince investors or funding bodies. But how do you actually write a business plan?

One of the most frequently asked questions when starting a business is: "What do I actually pay myself?" The founder's salary is a sensitive issue - too high and it jeopardises your liquidity, too low and it can threaten your motivation and even your private existence in the long term.

In digital product development, sooner or later every tech team is faced with a decision: Build vs. buy - in other words, whether to develop a software solution in-house (build) or use an existing product (buy). The decision is often more complex than it seems at first glance.

If you are founding a start-up or investing in one at an early stage, there is one topic that is often underestimated but can make the difference between success and failure in the long term: cap table hygiene. This refers to the conscious and structured handling of the distribution of company shares - from founding to subsequent financing.

Imagine you have a great business idea - perhaps an app, a platform or a tool - but you don't know how to programme. No problem! Many successful tech founders didn't have any technical expertise to begin with. The key is to build a strong development team that you can trust to realise your vision. But how do you do that if you're not a "techie"?

Founding a start-up is like a relationship. Euphoria, shared dreams, long nights - and at some point: conflicts. It's completely normal for co-founders to clash. The question is not if, but when it happens - and how you deal with it.

Starting a company is an exciting adventure - full of ideas, energy and challenges. At the latest when the workload increases and growth picks up speed, founders are faced with one of the most important decisions: hiring their first employees. But especially in this early phase, recruiting is much more than just filling positions - it is a strategic milestone.

The dream of having your own startup often begins with a brilliant idea - but without the right funding, it usually remains a vision. Especially in the early stages, the question quickly arises: Which funding programmes will really help you - and how do you find your way through the jungle of possibilities?