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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:
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Links & Resources
🔗 Check out Needle (Vibe Automation Platform) → https://needle.ai
🔗 Connect with Jan Heimes on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-heimes/
🔗 Connect with Luis on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisrieke/
🔗 Digital Economics Podcast – all episodes → 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!
View all episodes
By Luis RiekeHe 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:
​
Links & Resources
🔗 Check out Needle (Vibe Automation Platform) → https://needle.ai
🔗 Connect with Jan Heimes on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-heimes/
🔗 Connect with Luis on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisrieke/
🔗 Digital Economics Podcast – all episodes → 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!