Dear hustlers, founders, operators and visionaries,

Building a $5.5bn Generative AI company would keep most people busy, but not Cohere’s Nick Frosst. The Co-Founder also fronts Indie band Good Kid, with 2.3m Spotify followers and a Lollapalooza gig under his belt. We would be keen to learn his secrets to juggling it all! This week is launch week! Our very first own podcast drops this Thursday, kicking off with an interview with one of Europe’s top startup reporters on how to get your startup in the headlines. Follow the Gradient and stay tuned.

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Your talk track for this week’s cocktail party

A fallen star: Entire 23andme board resigns

All seven independent Board members of genetic testing company 23andme have resigned, protesting founder Anne Wojcicki’s plan to take the company private. Big names like Sequoia Capital are out, as 23andMe, which went public in 2021, faces a 97% stock drop and mounting losses. Is this the next big bet gone wrong? We’ll keep you posted.

European Union: A commissioner for startups

Until not long ago, the term “start-up” was not too often heard in the corridors of the European Union. Now, the EU appointed its first-ever commissioner for startups, research and innovation. Following Mario Draghi’s urgent call for Europe to boost innovation and competitiveness, will this move attract more entrepreneurs or just increase bureaucracy?

A new chapter in the Wefox saga

Wefox has named Joachim Müller, former Allianz executive, as its new CEO following months of internal turmoil and clashes between founders, management, and the board. With big plans for scaling across Europe, all eyes are on Müller to steer the digital insurance company toward smoother waters.

What do you meme?

Food for thought

Chase your successes - no matter the odds

Inspiring comments from new FC Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany when being asked whether “Bayern is too big for him”. Watch here.

Are insane working hours a pre-requisite to success?

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt thinks so, linking Google’s AI missteps to a lack of startup hustle. But is nonstop grind culture truly the answer? With people like Nick Frosst balancing billion-dollar ventures and a music career, maybe success is more than just burning the midnight oil. Watch Schmidt’s take and decide for yourself here.

Innovation vs. efficiency: When to re-invent the wheel?

Biotech companies often claim uniqueness, but many share similar challenges like scaling, clinical trials, and funding. Instead of reinventing solutions, the most successful focus on their core innovation and leverage industry best practices. Read more in this insightful article.

Mark your calendar

Italy

Italian Tech Week in Turin, 23-27 September [Program]

Norway

Oslo Innovation Week in Oslo, 23-27 September [Program]

Switzerland

SEF Growth Event with UBS in Lausanne, 26 September [Register]
AlpsForum in Lenzerheide, 26-27 September [Program]
#WeTechTogether in Zurich, 27-28 September [Program]

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One good read

Interesting read for those of us following the e-commerce sector:

How China’s “Shein village” grabbed the fast fashion supply chain

Join the entrepreneurial journey

September typically brings more movement in the market, but if your search is taking longer than expected, you’re not alone. The tech job market currently one of the toughest in years, with even highly experienced professionals finding that it’s taking 2-3x longer to land a new role.

Below is a curated list of startup job openings across Europe for you to explore.

Internships

Founder Associate [📍Zurich or London], Climate Tech, Pexapark [Apply, Hiring manager]
Founders Associate [📍Munich], Industry, comstruct [Apply, Hiring manager]

Customer Success

Head of Customer Success [📍Remote], API services (Green Energy), Enode [Apply]
VP Customer Growth [📍Munich], Car Subscriptions, FINN [Apply]
Head of Customer Success EMEA [📍Zurich], B2B SaaS (Frontline management), Beekeeper [Apply]

HR & Ops

Chief of Staff to Executive Co-Chairmen [📍Zurich], Fashion, On [Apply]

Marketing & Comms

Community & Growth Lead - maternity cover [📍Berlin], AI, Merantix [Apply, Hiring manager]
Head of Growth Marketing [📍Remote], Content Management, Storyblok [Apply]

Product & Strategy

Product Management Lead [📍Remote], Marketplace, refurbed [Apply]
Product Design Lead [📍Munich], Supply Chain Management, Tacto [Apply]
Sr. Research Engineer Video [📍Zurich], AI Video Avatars, Synthesia [Apply]

Sales

Director of Sales EMEA [📍Remote], HealthTech, Founda Health [Apply]
B2B Account Executive DACH [📍Berlin], Marketplace, Grover [Apply]
Sales Manager Manufacturing/ Industrial [📍Berlin], AI, Merantix Momentum [Apply, Hiring manager]

Talk to you next week! In the meantime, we see you on LinkedIn, X, Insta and YouTube!

🫶 Melanie & Christian

Each week, a lot of work goes into the Follow the Gradient project to help you navigate this crazy jungle called entrepreneurship. Help us grow this community and we’ll make sure that you or your project gets a shoutout in the weekly newsletter!