Digitalconomics Podcast (English Edition)

AI Startup Berlin: How Needle Raised 2.2M$ at 27 | Jan Heimes

He was the shy kid playing games on his calculator. Now he's 27, running an AI startup in Berlin, and just raised $2.2 million. This is Jan Heime's story, and it might change how you think about bold moves. 🚀 About This Episode AI Startup Berlin – what does it really take to build one from scratch? In this episode of the Digitalconomics Podcast, host Luis sits down with Jan Heimes, co-founder of Needle, a vibe automation platform that lets non-technical people build AI-powered workflows with a simple chat interface. Jan shares his journey from mechanical engineering student to raising a $2.2 million funding round in Berlin's competitive startup ecosystem. You'll hear how a random beer at a pool in Southeast Asia turned into a life-changing mentorship, why Reddit is one of the most underrated tools for startup idea validation, and what really happens inside a Y Combinator interview. Whether you're dreaming about launching your own company or already deep in the founder trenches, this conversation is packed with real, unfiltered lessons from someone who's living it every single day. That You'll Learn in This Episode: * Why most successful startup founders are 30–50 (not college dropouts) – and what the real data shows * How to find a co-founder who complements your skills without destroying the relationship * The exact process Jan used to validate Needle's idea on Reddit before writing a single line of code * Why LinkedIn outreach crushes email for user interviews – and how Needle automates it * How business angels work as scouts for VCs and why they're your best first funding step * What went wrong in Jan's two Y Combinator interviews – and the lesson every founder needs to hear Links & Resources 🔗 Check out Needle (Vibe Automation Platform) → https://needle.ai [https://needle.ai] 🔗 Connect with Jan Heimes on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-heimes/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-heimes/] 🔗 Connect with Luis on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisrieke/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisrieke/] 🔗 Digital Economics Podcast – all episodes → https://pod.link/1703728024 [https://pod.link/1703728024] About the Guest Jan Heimes is the co-founder of Needle, a Berlin-based vibe automation platform that makes AI workflows accessible to non-technical users. With dual bachelor's degrees in mechanical and industrial engineering, an AI master's from Denmark, and experience at a VC-backed startup in San Francisco and the climate tech scale-up Climeworks in Switzerland, Jan brings a rare mix of deep technical knowledge and entrepreneurial hustle. At 27, he's raised $2.2 million for Needle and is on a mission to make automation as easy as having a conversation. Enjoyed This Episode? Hit like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who's working on a startup idea right now! 💡 👇 What's the boldest career move you've ever made? Drop it in the comments, we read every single one!

Digitalconomics #28: Malthe Kringelholt Vinter on Scaling Goatsign: B2B Sales & SaaS Growth

Tactics for onboarding, agency-to-product transition, and selling digital signatures. In this episode of the Digitalconomics Podcast, I catch up with Malthe Kringelholt Vinter, the founder of Goatsign a digital signature tool from Denmark. It’s been a year since we last spoke, and it was great to hear how Goatsign has evolved, especially as it continues to grow from an agency model. We talk about what’s changed over the past year, dive into sales strategies for B2B startups, and explore how to bring new customers onto a digital platform. Malthe also gives a clear overview of how Goatsign works and shares some of the lessons he’s learned along the way. Malthe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malthe-kringelholt-vinter-2a8a45122/ Goatsign: https://goatsign.io/?grpk=M7dG&gruid=RV3N

Digitalconomics #27 ProductLab Community with Daniela Ronca

Update on ProductLab: Growing Community, Events & Momentum In this episode of Digitalconomics, I sit down again with Daniele Ronca to explore how they built one of Berlin’s most dynamic communities for product leaders from scratch. We talk about how ProductLab started (there was also a cool episode about this before) and evolved into a full-fledged legal entity—with monthly IRL gatherings, a growing online presence, and now a major conference planned for September 2025. Daniele shares how he navigated early challenges, from finding the right format and tools to balancing community building with financial sustainability. We dive deep into: * The behind-the-scenes of launching ProductLab Conf > 2025 with big-name speakers like Ravi Mehta (ex-CPO of Tinder) and former leaders from Typeform and Calendly * Choosing and experimenting with community tools like Circle, Slack, Tally, and Luma—and the trade-offs of each * How Daniele onboarded 500+ members with a Zapier-powered system and what worked in keeping 50–70% of them engaged monthly * What he learned from other major product conferences and why building an IRL-first community in Berlin made all the difference * His honest take on monetizing communities, pricing tiers, and why he’s rethinking platforms like Circle for pre-revenue stages Throughout the episode, Daniele shares candid reflections on product strategy, community engagement, and the reality of doing everything from content to ops in a small, scrappy team. Whether you’re a product manager, community builder, or thinking about launching your own event, this conversation is packed with actionable insights and relatable stories. 👉 More about Daniele & ProductLab Daniele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieleronca/ ProductLab Community: https://productlab.community Berlin Product Managers Events: https://linktr.ee/berlinproductmanagers Thanks to Appunite for sponsoring today episode: https://www.appunite.com/grow?utmsource=podcast&utmmedium=body&utm_campaign=digitalconomics

Digitalconomics #26 Davide Senigalliesi on UniRents: The Sustainable Solution for Exchange Students

Smart Living for International Students in Berlin In this episode, I speak with Davide Senigalliesi, the founder of UniRents, a rental service designed for students moving to Berlin for a semester or a year. Davide shares how his personal struggles with waste and logistics during his Erasmus exchange inspired the idea for UniRents. The platform offers bundles for kitchens, household essentials, and tech, which can be rented flexibly and picked up at the end of the semester — providing a sustainable and hassle-free solution for temporary living. Davide discusses his approach to bootstrapping, his growth strategies, and how he’s managed to build a successful business while minimizing waste. Tune in to discover how UniRents is simplifying life for students while promoting sustainability. More about Davide Senigalliesi and UniRents: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/urdavide/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/urdavide/] UniRents: https://www.unirents.de/ [https://www.unirents.de/]

Digitalconomics #25: Richard Nilsson on MyPetGo and the Future of Pet Health

Wearable Tech, AI and Longevity Programs for Dogs In this episode of the Digitalconomics Podcast, I sit down with Richard Nilsson, founder of MyPetGo. Richard shares his journey from growing up in Sweden to moving to Hong Kong, building and selling the digital lifestyle magazine Lifestyle Asia, and eventually starting MyPetGo in Barcelona. We discuss his path through entrepreneurship, his experiences in digital publishing, and how these shaped his approach to building businesses. MyPetGo focuses on extending the lifespan and improving the quality of life for pets through wearable technology and AI. The platform uses health markers to monitor dogs, providing actionable data to pet owners. Richard explains how MyPetGo combines wearables, neural image recognition, and a longevity program to address preventive care and offer insights into pet health. We also discuss the broader pet care market, trends in AI-driven health monitoring, and the unique challenges of scaling a pet tech business across international markets. Richard reflects on his previous ventures and how they informed his strategy for growing MyPetGo. Richard Nilsson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-nilsson-rpn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-nilsson-rpn/] MyPetGo: https://mypetgo.com/ [https://mypetgo.com/]