Philipps & Byrne

We at Philipps & Byrne are proud to join the #Zusammenland campaign! Launched by leading German media organizations, this initiative has united around 700 companies, foundations, associations, universities, and NGOs in a shared commitment to fostering diversity and democracy. #Zusammenland aims to challenge hatred and populism by demonstrating that diversity is not just a value but our strength. In today’s political climate, taking a definitive stance on these issues is more critical than ever. As a company genuinely committed to diversity, we believe it is important to stand for an open society and solidarity. But this is not only a moral obligation, it is beneficial to our industry: 20% of founders in Germany come from a diverse background related to migration. It is essential to cultivate an inclusive tech and startup ecosystem where these founders are encouraged to build amazing products and companies and contribute to more prosperity for all of us. Starting this week, you can find the #Zusammenland campaign featured in major media outlets, including DIE ZEIT, Handelsblatt, Verlag Der Tagesspiegel, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and Ströer SE & Co. KGaA. We are thrilled to be part of this and encourage you to join in too. Chris Philipps 🏳️🌈 David Asabina Bastian Buch Johannes Schmidt Katja Karpač Ihtisham Ahmad Taimur Ibrahim Na'aman Hirschfeld #Diversity #Democracy #Innovation #Startup

With the funding market still being rather slow and bridges running out, startup founders and CEOs are thinking about selling their company or merging. 🤝 The Tech and Product organization, and how it is set up, is important for every startup and (in part) determines the valuation sellers can achieve. But founders often underestimate the complexity of the exit process, especially when it comes to the due diligence streams. In our blog, we cover: ✅ What to expect from a Tech Due Diligence during an exit. 📈 The importance of aligning your Tech assets with the buyer’s interests. 👨💻 How you can prepare your tech stack for an exit. Link in comment. 👇 #exit #tech #mergers #acquisitions

Congratulations to Fortino Capital on acquiring a majority stake in SIMCON International. 👏 SIMCON International helps companies reach better results in plastic injection molding. They do these with simulation and optimization software, combined with consulting services. 📈 This deal marks Fortino Capital’s second Private Equity-Growth investment in Germany, after Symbioworld - which was acquired by Celonis in 2023. 🌍 After we’ve supported the Symbioworld deal back in 2022, we were happy to be back on board at Fortino Capital's latest M&A deal in Germany by providing the Product and Technology Due Diligence.🤝 We want to thank everyone involved for their trust. It was a pleasure working with you. #merger #acquisition #tech #techduediligence

Fortino Capital has recently announced their first Private Equity Growth investment in the Nordics: The acquisition of Danish software vendor ProMark. 🌍👏 ProMark offers workforce management-software for mid-sized to enterprise companies for time and attendance reporting, absence and task management, as well as scheduling.👩💻 We supported the M&A deal by providing the Product and Tech Due Diligence. Special thanks to Philipp R. and Torkel Olrik and your teams for your trust. It was a pleasure working for you.🤝 #merger #acquistion #tech #techdudiligence

In the current funding market, M&A is becoming is increasingly becoming an important option for SaaS Companies. 🌍 For the buyer side, an acquisition may provide a means to outpace competitors and expand their offering. Acquiring smaller firms can be smarter than developing new tools internally, which can be both costly and time-intensive.👩💻 For the seller, an acquisition can secure their economic and financial future and boost operational efficiency, while also expanding their market presence and profitability.📈 If you are a Founder, CEO or CTO of a SaaS Company and are thinking about selling to or merging with another company, then you should think about the role of Tech and Product and make sure they are an asset and not a risk to the deal.🤝 Our Cheat Sheet gives an overview of what to consider from a Tech perspective and the role of Tech Due Diligence in SaaS M&A. Link in comment.👇 #SaaS #Startup #Merger #Acquisition

Finally Tech Open Air Edition 10 (2024) is a wrap! 🥳 Thanks to the organisers Niko Woischnik and Pamela Pompas Oreiro for having me and organising/producing this event. Also a special thanks to all the speakers for being so gracious as I something annoyingly applied pressure to get them to finish their talks so we could stay within the bounds of the schedule and sometimes y'all even had to survive made mistakes that I made in the introductions. 🤦🏿♂️ Katia Yakovleva, thanks for being so understanding about the screw-up. DM coming about that reconciliation coffee. 🏳️ Now back to my day job of doing #TechDDs for #VC, #PE and #founders and automating how we do this work at Philipps & Byrne. Must say... I have a newfound respect for MCs everywhere. 🎤 This was pretty hard like a good workout where you feel the burn for days thereafter! 😅 So much learned. Definitely will do this again if folks will let me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am really looking forward to the next two days at HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds’ Family Day! Looking forward to meeting familiar and new faces (actually, I am a bit face-blind, so for the first three to thirty seconds unfortunately *all* faces look new to me). Would love to hear from you specifically about - the investment climate of the first months and your guess for the rest of 2024 (founders, investors, advisors) - what 2-year deep tech trends you’re looking into, and what your biggest challenges are in terms of assessing those (investors) - how you prep your (portfolio) company tech-wise for an M&A transaction (founders, investors, advisors) - Always: Best new coffee places in town! ☕️😻 See you in a bit! ✌️

Making informed, data-driven investment decisions is crucial in the competitive Private Equity landscape. The latest Private Equity Trend Report by PwC / PwC Deutschland highlights how advanced data analytics, AI, and rigorous health checks will revolutionize due diligence processes and drive superior returns. I've been quite active in that market since last year and have seen many subjective, superficial approaches to DDs. With Philipps & Byrne, we follow data and metric-driven procedures and standard frameworks, and we cover not just tech but also many other operational and strategic aspects of Product and Tech. Here are some trends covered in the report mentioned above which we believe are crucial: Enhanced Due Diligence with Data Analytics: A substantial 87% of PE firms are utilizing data analytics for precise due diligence and target identification. This refines valuation models and uncovers commercial opportunities and risks. Operational Improvements: With debt becoming costlier, 71% of firms prioritize operational improvements as a key factor influencing returns. This shift towards operational excellence ensures that investments are financially sound and operationally robust. Digital Transformation and AI Integration: Looking to the future, leading PE firms are investing heavily in digital capabilities, with 73% focusing on data analytics to drive efficiency and enhance value. The potential of AI to predict outcomes and identify potential risks is making companies more appealing to prospective buyers, painting an optimistic picture of the future of PE investment. Market Leadership: Reassuringly, Germany stands out as the most attractive PE investment destination over the next five years, with 65% of respondents favoring it over other regions. This data-backed trend should provide confidence in the potential of PE investments in Germany. Data-driven due diligence and comprehensive health checks mitigate risks and uncover hidden value, enabling PE firms to make smarter, more profitable investments. Investors can drive significant value creation and achieve superior returns by leveraging advanced analytics and focusing on operational improvements. Investing in technology and rigorous due diligence processes is necessary for staying ahead in the private equity market. As competition intensifies, the firms that harness these tools will be better positioned to thrive and deliver exceptional results. With David Asabina, Chris Philipps, Katja Karpač, Na'aman Hirschfeld myself, and dozens of other experts and tech thought leaders, we aim to be the best partner for these endeavors. Let's shape innovative organizations, and disruptive tech products together. The image is an AI-generated version of myself 🤣

🚀 Excited for Upstream Festival? 🚀 If you're attending, don't miss the chance to meet David. He'll be at the main conference and joining various side events throughout the festival. Whether you're looking to chat about (Deep) Tech or simply share insights over a good cup of coffee, David is your go-to guy. See you in Rotterdam! David Asabina Chris Philipps 🏳️🌈 Simon Brendel Bastian Buch Philipp Clauss Katja Karpač Johannes Schmidt Ihtisham Ahmad Taimur Ibrahim Na'aman Hirschfeld #Upstream2024 #Startup #VC #Tech

A few people asked me what I am actually doing at Philipps & Byrne and why I decided to work as a consultant. So let me recap the last 10 months: Transitioning from a senior manager role in tech to a consultant has been quite a journey. In that new role, I do the same things from a quite different angle and with much more impact. Besides our core focus on Tech Due Diligence and internal Health Checks, I also act as a sparring partner for CTOs and CPOs on their strategic initiatives. My work involves supporting management teams in building scalable product engineering organizations and operating models, creating and implementing post-merger integration plans, enhancing architecture, and improving engineering and product practices. The diversity of companies I can engage with is truly inspiring - and something that is definitely the biggest difference from my former job as an Engineering Director. From med tech and climate tech to a prominent German travel company, a leading UK hospital software provider, a cloud governance venture on its way to unicorn status, and one of Europe’s largest SaaS conglomerates, the variety gives me a lot of energy. Despite the economic challenges, the feedback we receive after each project makes it all worthwhile. Clients appreciate our human-centered and solution-oriented approach, which genuinely makes a difference and sets organizations on the path to success. Those who have worked with me know my passion lies in bringing people together (like in my "little" side project Mentoring Club), fostering growth, and eliminating toxic culture and leadership. At Philipps & Byrne, we primarily work with people and teams; technology is second - and in most cases, technology choices and the quality of software architecture is a direct reflection of how well a team is organized and if all team members understand the purpose and strategy of the organization. Together with the startups we work with, we aim to find the most pragmatic solutions, avoiding process-heavy, bureaucratic approaches. We strive to make teams work together seamlessly and enjoyably, all while applying empathy and fostering a sense of togetherness. This is the impact we strive to achieve in every project, making a tangible difference in the organizations we work with. If you have questions about our services and projects, send me a direct message. I'll be happy to meet and chat. Philipp Clauss David Asabina Chris Philipps Katja Karpač Ihtisham Ahmad Simon Brendel Johannes Schmidt Taimur Ibrahim Na'aman Hirschfeld