Startupnews KW 50 - 2023

MYNE expands its offering to Sweden. LIQID lowers entry threshold for private equity to 10,000 euros. Munich special education center supports pupils with its own supermarket project and Knuspr partnership. Sleepwave developer receives patent for motion monitoring technology. Søren Westh Lonning joins Pleo as CFO.

MYNE expands its offering to Sweden

MYNE, a managed co-ownership company for vacation properties, has expanded its offering to Sweden, allowing German investors to acquire shares in vacation homes in the country. The platform initially offers four properties in the Stockholm area and the main ski resorts. With the appointment of Ola Mattisson as Country Manager for Sweden, MYNE is aiming to gain a foothold in this market, which is known for its affinity with sharing models. Nikolaus Thomales, the founder, emphasizes the attractiveness of Sweden as a year-round destination. This expansion reflects the trend that traditional full ownership of vacation properties is becoming less attractive due to increased maintenance costs and limited use. Platforms such as MYNE, which digitally broker shared ownership, are therefore gaining in popularity. The company is experiencing solid growth and currently offers around 40 properties in six countries. Last year, turnover increased by almost 50% to a mid double-digit million figure.

Munich special education center supports pupils with its own supermarket project and Knuspr partnership

The Munich Mitte 4 special education center follows the principle of offering pupils practical learning opportunities, not just for school, but for real life. Over 250 children and young people benefit from individual lessons, particularly in years 7 to 9, where the focus is on career guidance and workshops to develop their own business ideas. One result of these efforts is Supermarket 2.0, which has been in operation since 2019 and is run by pupils and offers a range of over 80 regional, plastic- and packaging-free products. A new feature is the support provided by the online supermarket Knuspr, which gives students an insight into areas such as production, marketing, logistics and sales. Stephan Huber, head of the supermarket project, and Prof. Dr. Peter F.-J. Steinhoff from the University of Applied Management emphasize the importance of such partnerships, as internal resources are limited and external support is crucial for such projects that promote both students and companies.

Sleepwave developer receives patent for motion monitoring technology

Reviva Softworks, the company behind the Sleepwave app for sleep analysis and smart alarm systems, has recently been awarded a patent for a motion detection technology called "PureTone Motion". This technology uses inaudible sound waves emitted through cell phone speakers to track movement during sleep. Compared to conventional sound detection systems, this patented method offers more accurate motion detection, both for larger body movements and more subtle breathing patterns. This development promises more precise sleep analysis via mobile devices and holds potential for future applications in various areas, including relaxation apps and possible safety functions for various devices, without the need for additional hardware.

LIQID lowers entry hurdle for private equity to 10,000 euros

The German wealth tech company LIQID has announced a new development in the private equity market. From 2024, the company will enable private investors to co-invest with private equity funds such as KKR, Blackstone and Carlyle from an entry amount of 10,000 euros. This launch is called LIQID Private Equity NXT. Through an innovative and digital investment process, the option of a savings plan and the earlier availability of investment shares compared to traditional private equity, LIQID promises a new type of investment opportunity. This initiative marks a step towards the democratization of highly exclusive asset classes, putting LIQID at the forefront of the private equity business. It is emphasized that this innovation facilitates access to high-quality private equity investment solutions and can diversify and stabilize investors' portfolios. The launch of LIQID Private Equity NXT is expected to open up a broader part of the company to investment options that were previously difficult to access.

Søren Westh Lonning joins Pleo as CFO

European fintech company Pleo has appointed Søren Westh Lonning as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) from 2024. With over 20 years of experience in finance, including roles at companies such as Danish Endurance, WS Audiology and Chr. Hansen, Lonning brings extensive expertise to the role. His appointment comes at a time when Pleo is increasingly investing in the acquisition of mid-market customers to expand its presence in 16 European markets. CEO Jeppe Rindom was positive about the appointment and emphasized Lonning's potential influence on the future design of innovative spend management solutions. Lonning himself expressed confidence in Pleo's ability to promote financial excellence and help companies save time and resources. Pleo, a pioneer in corporate spending in Europe, offers small and medium-sized companies the opportunity to modernize their financial processes through intelligent company cards and automated expense reports, with over 30,000 customers worldwide.

Zenjob now operates as a European public limited company (SE)

Zenjob has recently changed its legal form to a European Company SE in order to continue its steady growth. Despite the current market conditions, the company is exploring various growth options. A key focus is to further develop the recruitment technology platform, in particular the matching algorithms, to improve flexibility and service. Zenjob works with over 1,200 corporate clients and has more than 40,000 users per month booking jobs through the platform. The platform provides a way for companies to find workers quickly, while employees benefit from flexible work opportunities and faster paychecks. Planned enhancements to the job categories and platform architecture will further strengthen the offering.