STEP USA

Success Stories

Stuttgart based Porsche Ventures & California based NeueCapital Partners invest in STEP alumnus “Nitrobox”

Hamburg software start-up concludes financing round in the single-digit million range

Hamburg, 4 February, 2020 | The software start-up Nitrobox GmbH has concluded a financing round in the single-digit million euro range: The “NeueCapital Partners” fund from Silicon Valley and Porsche Ventures, the venture capital unit of the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer, took a stake in the Hamburg-based company. Nitrobox has developed a cloud platform which can be used for automatic monetization and billing of digital business models. The company intends to use the funds from the financing round primarily to further expand its market position in Germany and to prepare for its entry to the US market.

Click here to read more.

AI-enabled tech startup “Scoutbee” raises 60 million euros to bring the total investment to 76 million euros

STEP Alumnus Scoutbee collects $60 million!

The company, which was founded in 2015 by Gregor Stühler, Lee Galbraith, Christian Heinrich and Fabian Heinrich, creates transparent supplier networks and facilitates the search for suppliers in strategic purchasing with its AI-based technology. Companies such as Audi, Airbus, Caterpillar and Bosch, as well as over 75 other companies, already use Scoutbee for
their procurement.

Click here to read the original article in German.

STEP Alumni “Just Spices” raises a total of 13 million euros in its Series B funding round

Strikingly colorful tins are the trademark of Just Spices. The start-up sells spices and powder mixtures for ready meals. In order to roll out its business to North America and get on more supermarket shelves, Just Spices has concluded a financing round for 13 million euros.

The French food VC Five Season Ventures, Bitburger Ventures and the New York early-stage investor Coefficient Capital have financed the Series B. Previous investors included Döhler Ventures and Trivago shareholder Howzat Partners.

Düsseldorf-based Florian Falk, Ole Strohschnieder and Bela Seebach founded the spice start-up in 2014. Just Spices was profitable for the first time in 2017 and currently has more than 70 employees.

Click here to read the original article in German.

 

Kumpan übernimmt Scrooser und bekommt zweistelliges Millioneninvestment

Nachricht. Der E-Roller-Hersteller Kumpan Electric erhält eine Finanzierung und kauft die Firma Scrooser. Die Marke soll bestehen bleiben.

Die E-Bility GmbH, die Firma hinter Kumpan Electric, erhält in einer Finanzierungsrunde ein Investment im unteren zweistelligen Millionenbereich, wie Gründerszene von dem Unternehmen erfuhr. Außerdem hat E-Bility die Berliner E-Rollerfirma Scrooser übernommen. Zum genauen Kaufpreis möchten sich die Beteiligten nicht äußern. Weiterlesen.

STEP Alumnus SalesViewer® wins the GACC’s Newcomer of the Year Award

German
American Chamber of Commerce Names Top German Startups for 2019
SalesViewer® Crowned Winner at 5th Annual Newcomer of the Year
Event

New York, November 6, 2019 – SalesViewer®
was named winner at the 5th Annual Newcomer of the Year Award ceremony hosted
by the German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (GACC NY). The North Rhine
Westphalia-based company, launched by Benjamin Zaczek and Vivian Seidel, is
recognized for developing a digital marketing platform that quickly and
conveniently delivers sales-relevant information to companies by using unique
tracking algorithms.

The GACC bestows this prestigious award
to new companies that have developed novel approaches to improving the
operations of businesses in the US, while applying the highest standards of
quality and service.  In addition, these
“newcomer” companies are commended for their excellent contributions to enhancing
the strong ties between the US and Germany.

The Newcomer of the Year event is a highlight of the GACC’s annual Martinsgans / Goose Dinner gala, attended this year by more than 200 members of the German American business community in the metro New York City area.

All finalists were selected by a jury
of five experts representing academia and various organizations that foster
business innovation. The winner was named based on the level of market need
addressed, innovative business approach and execution of US market expansion.

“SalesViewer® stood out among the many
companies vying for the Newcomer of the Year title because of its creative
spirit and extremely clever approach to gathering and providing useful sales
data,” said Dietmar Rieg, President & CEO of the GACC NY.

“We are thrilled to receive this great
honor from the GACC,” said Benjamin Zaczek. “Our company already serves
customers in nearly half of the US. This past June, we updated our platform to
include a new design and new functions that make it even easier for companies
to acquire new customers.”

Click here to learn more about SalesViewer®.

MyPostcard secures 31st in Germany’s 50 top fastest-growing tech companies.

With a growth of 484.7%, STEP alumnus MyPostcard has scored 31st place in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 Competition 2019 which honors Germany’s fastest-growing technology companies.

Berlin, 8th November 2019 – MyPostcard has been honored with the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Award. The ranking is based on growth in sales percentage during the past four years (2015-2018). In this period of time, MyPostcard was able to reach a growth of 484.7%. A significant factor behind this sales growth was the technology the Berlin company developed inhouse. Click here to read more.