A "near-deal" with Jan Marsalek in the south of Moscow, pitching 80 times and still being left without funding, or being offered €50 twice after a successful investor meeting. The founders' experiences at Bits & Pretzels are both exciting and instructive. We asked around at the startup fair and, in addition to a 60-second pitch, had our interviewees talk about their experiences in a question-and-answer session. Brief and concise. Just like the concept of Startup match, a new platform that connects founders and business angels more smartly.
Pitch & People Episodes
PITCH & PEOPLE: Special Edition of Bits & Pretzels
Spotlight – One minute, one chance
With Spotlight, StartupMatch relies on a radically simple format: Each startup has exactly 60 seconds to introduce itself via video pitch. No long slides, no travel stress—just one minute of full attention. A jury of 15 experienced founders and prominent figures from the startup ecosystem selects the best teams, which then present themselves to 30 of Germany's most active business angels.
"We developed StartupMatch in Munich because the ecosystem there is particularly strong and interconnected. Our goal, however, is to solve the problem of inefficient fundraising throughout Germany,"
explains StartupMatch founder Daniel Schmitt-Haverkamp.
Also co-founder Sascha Bever emphasizes the approach:
"With Foundersphere, I saw how great the need is for fast and transparent matching formats. I also saw the constant challenge of fundraising for startups. StartupMatch is the perfect fit, and Spotlight is the logical first step."
The application period for Spotlight runs until October 31, 2025. Early-stage B2B startups (pre-seed to seed) are eligible to participate, as are startups that are not actively fundraising.
Further information and registration: www.startupmatch.de/spotlight
