How do you turn millions of financial data points into faster, more objective investment decisions?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Deniz Schütz, CEO & Co-Founder of StrategyBridgeAI, a fintech startup automating data-driven business analysis for private equity funds, M&A advisors, and consultants. Before founding StrategyBridgeAI, Deniz worked at institutions like UniCredit and Amundi - exactly the environments where he experienced first-hand how slow, manual, and subjective financial analysis can become at scale.

In our conversation, we explore how StrategyBridgeAI uses AI to benchmark companies against peers, validate management forecasts, and support buy-side decisions across M&A and private credit, all while operating in an increasingly regulated environment.

We talk about:

• Deniz’s journey from large financial institutions to founding an AI-native fintech startup

• How StrategyBridgeAI processes millions of financial data points into objective analytical reports

• Real-world use cases in M&A and private credit, including identifying undervalued mid-market opportunities

• How AI is reshaping workflows in M&A — between efficiency gains and headcount implications

• The rebound in global M&A activity and the rise of private credit as a key growth engine

• What the EU AI Act means for financial AI tools, especially in deal screening and credit assessment

• Scaling StrategyBridgeAI after an oversubscribed seven-figure pre-seed round

• Building a high-performance team in Munich as an emerging European finance hub

• Key AI trends young professionals in finance should be paying attention to

A deep dive into the intersection of AI, M&A, private markets, and regulation.

Many thanks to Deniz for joining the conversation.

Now available on all major platforms.

The past years reshaped Europe more than any decade since the end of the Cold War: war returned, energy systems fractured, AI accelerated, and political extremes gained ground. We spoke with someone who stood at the center of these shifts: Robert Habeck, former German Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Recorded just months after leaving office, this conversation goes far beyond headlines.

We discuss Europe’s execution gap and regulatory identity, the tensions between short-term energy decisions and long-term climate goals, and whether real strategic autonomy in energy and technology is achievable. We explore Draghi’s competitiveness agenda, Europe’s response to the IRA and China, and what it would take to prevent a deep-tech exodus.

We also talk about the war in Ukraine and how it reshaped long-held Green ideas on pacifism; Europe’s role in a fragmenting global order; the rising electricity needs of AI and data centres; and the question of whether next-generation nuclear must return to Europe’s strategic debate.

Finally, Robert reflects on leadership under pressure, stepping out of the “corset” of Berlin politics, his message to Gen Z, and whether he could imagine returning to political office.

An unusually open conversation about power, responsibility, uncertainty & the future of Europe.

Now available on all major platforms.

How do you turn study stress into study success - for millions of students worldwide?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Kim Rants, Founder & CEO of Alice.tech, the Y Combinator-backed EdTech startup that’s redefining how students learn and teachers teach through generative AI. Kim began his career as one of the youngest Engagement Managers at McKinsey, taught for over a decade, and now leads one of Europe’s fastest-growing AI education companies.

Released just 1 day after the launch of Alice 2.0, this episode dives deep into the company’s next chapter and what the future of AI-driven education will look like.

We talk about:

• The journey from academia and consulting to building a YC-backed EdTech rocketship
• How Alice.tech is personalizing learning at scale - from ingesting raw course materials to generating tailored quizzes and flashcards
• The story behind Alice 2.0 and how it builds on hyper user growth and €4.2 million in recent funding
• The dual-market strategy of empowering both students and educators through one adaptive AI platform
• How user-generated content and tools like Superscale AI could reshape Marketing
• Navigating a post-pandemic EdTech landscape - and what that means for sustainable growth
• Why brand, trust, and design matter when building an AI-native education platform
• Lessons from Kim’s leadership journey and his advice for the next generation of tech entrepreneurs

Many thanks to Kim for joining us - we really enjoyed the very authentic conversation.

How do you decarbonize a country’s heat supply from the ground up?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Herbert Pohl, Founder & CEO of Deutsche Erdwärme and former Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, to explore how deep geothermal energy can become a scalable pillar of the energy transition.

We talk about:

- The full life cycle of a geothermal project – from site selection to drilling to operations

- How risk assessments work in multi-million-euro projects with geological uncertainty

- The economics of geothermal development: capital costs, funding models, and policy alignment

- What 16 years at McKinsey taught him about leadership, decision-making, and navigating complexity

- Building interdisciplinary teams that connect engineering, finance, and sustainability

- Lessons from transitioning from consulting to founding a clean energy company

A deep dive into the intersection of energy, finance, and technology and what it takes to make geothermal energy bankable at scale.

Many thanks to Herbert for joining the conversation!

Presented by our partner Timeless Investments.

How is technology reshaping the future of asset management?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Joseph Pinto, CEO of M&G Investment Management, to discuss how one of Europe’s leading investment firms navigates transformation across technology, sustainability, and leadership.

From his early career in at AXA Investment Managers to global executive roles at Natixis and now M&G, Joseph shares key insights on:

• How AI and automation are redefining investment processes and client engagement
• Integrating ESG across public and private markets while balancing performance and purpose
• The differences between public and private markets – and how multi-asset strategies connect both worlds
• Building trust and accountability in global teams
• The core skills and mindsets young professionals need to thrive in finance today

A conversation on innovation, integrity, and long-term thinking in a rapidly evolving financial world.

Many thanks to Joseph for joining the conversation!

Ever wondered how venture capital can scale smarter with technology and community?
In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Bastian R. Larsen, Founder & CEO of BlackWood Ventures, to unpack how AI, data, and a strong angel community are reshaping early-stage investing in Europe.
From working on the globally fastest growing hedge fund at BlackRock to launching his own VC fund, Bastian shares the operator lessons and contrarian lens behind building BlackWood.

We talk about:
• The founder’s lens: what it takes to launch a first-time fund in a cold market
• AI in venture: separating noise from signal in thousands of startups
• When conviction beats the algorithm – and why it matters
• Designing a community-driven portfolio strategy at scale
• Where contrarian alpha is hiding across European venture markets
• Lessons from Oxford, HEC & Inhouse Research
• Career advice for students and young professionals entering VC

A conversation on rethinking venture capital – powered by intelligence, strengthened by community, built for Europe’s next generation of founders.

Many thanks to Bastian for joining the conversation!

Ever wondered how to scale real-world innovation without the hype?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Laurits Bach Sørensen, Co-Founder of Nordic Alpha Partners, to unpack economic sustainability and the operator playbook behind Europe’s industrial reboot.

From BCSA (Better, Cheaper, Simpler, Available) to GP/CoE, Laurits shows how fundamentals - not buzzwords - drive adoption, profitability, and impact.

We talk about:

• ​The operator lens: why execution beats slideware
• ​Changing the Math: practical models for engineered hypergrowth
• ​BCSA model & how to apply it tomorrow
• ​Value creation beyond topline: ROIC, efficiency, and defensible moats
• ​Europe’s edge in hard-tech: recycling, advanced manufacturing, hydrogen
• ​Talent, capital stacks, policy - what Europe really needs next
• ​Career advice for students who want to be builders, not just analysts

A conversation on turning hard-tech into market leaders - grounded in fundamentals, built for scale.

Many thanks to Laurits for joining the conversation!

NAP: https://www.nordicalpha.com/

Changing The Math: https://www.changing-the-math.com/

Did you ever wonder how interspecies communication really works?

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we speak with Fiona Korwin-Pawlowski, Chief Strategy & Programs Officer at Project CETI - a research initiative that uses cutting-edge AI to decode the communication system of sperm whales.

Fiona shares insights from a career spanning humanitarian work at UNICEF and Global Citizen to leading strategy at CETI, where science, technology, and ethics meet.

We talk about:

- How AI is applied in large-scale ocean research

- What studying whales teaches us about language, empathy, and intelligence

- Why oceans deserve more attention in the climate and tech debate

- The challenges of measuring success in research beyond KPIs

- Advice for students interested in working at the intersection of tech, research, and global impact

An episode that shows how AI can expand our understanding of communication - not only between humans, but across species.

Many thanks to Fiona for joining the conversation!

Presented by our partner Timeless Investments.

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Andreas Schwarzenbrunner – General Partner at Speedinvest and one of Europe’s leading voices in early-stage venture capital.

But this conversation goes far beyond term sheets and cap tables.
With a background in politics and a deep focus on industrial and climate tech, Andreas shares what it truly takes to build globally competitive startups in Europe.

We talk about:

• What politics can learn from venture capital – and vice versa

• The role of AI-powered robotics, simulation, and predictive maintenance

• Europe’s urgent need for smarter capital, talent mobility, and visa reforms

• The story behind Speedinvest’s “Build in Europe” initiative

• Where we are in the AI hype cycle

• Where AI can drive real value in industrial sector

This episode is a deep dive into Europe’s innovation landscape – and what it takes to lead the next frontier of tech.

Many thanks to Andreas for joining the conversation – and for sharing his vision for Europe’s tech future.

Presented by our partner Timeless Investments.

In this episode of Campus To Capital, we sit down with Ruben Benjamin – a German visual artist whose sculptural, three-dimensional works are collected and exhibited from Seoul to Los Angeles.

But this conversation goes far beyond aesthetics.

Recorded on-site at Ruben’s studio in Munich, this episode captures not only his voice but also the atmosphere of his creative environment – from raw materials to finished pieces.

Ruben shares how he built a successful, international artist brand without ever attending art school – drawing instead on his background in mechanical engineering, technology, and business.

We talk about:

• What it means to “become” an artist in 2025

• Why Ruben calls his works sculptures for walls, not paintings

• The business side of art: pricing, scaling, and commercial influence

• How brand collaborations (e.g. Vacheron Constantin) work behind the scenes

• Navigating the fine line between content and creation in the age of Instagram

• His views on AI, NFTs, and new materials reshaping the art world

• And what it takes to stand out – without selling out

This episode is a deep dive into creative autonomy, brand building, and the power of visual storytelling.Many thanks to Ruben for sharing his journey – and for welcoming us into his studio.

Presented by Timeless Investments.