Wunder
Venture advice and expert capital
for tech startups from founding to exit
About
A Lifelong Passion for Leveraging Technology to drive Transformative Change
Throughout my life I have been interested in the transformative power of technology and its ability to drive meaningful improvements in our world. With a background spanning an engineering Ph.D., strategy consulting, senior executive and member of the management board, executive advisory, and venture investing, I have developed a unique perspective on how to harness the potential of emerging technologies and translate them into tangible value.
The foundation of my expertise lies in a multifaceted understanding – from the technical building blocks of innovative solutions to the real-world use cases and their practical application. I have also honed my skills in identifying and financing promising new ventures to bring new technologies to market, and in the financing of new ventures to bring new technologies to market. I have particular expertise in software and its applications.
My journey has taken me across the globe, with experiences ranging from establishing a $60 million ARR B2C telco business in just three years to advising executive boards of leading B2B software companies on maximizing the value of their technology portfolios. Importantly, I have also invested in and advised over 40 tech startups, with a particular focus on the ecosystems of Silicon Valley and Germany.
Silicon Valley, the epicenter of startup innovation, serves as my primary base of operations. My life and career have spanned the US and Germany, with professional experience extending across the United States, several European countries, China, and other parts of Asia. My investment focus is directed toward startups in the US and Europe, with a particular emphasis on Silicon Valley and Germany.
Manifesto
The Power of Progress, Science & Tech, and Entrepreneurs
Progress
Human progress is continuously shaping our world. We stand witness to an era where ever faster advancements have moved us forward, improving the lives of people worldwide. Progress is made possible by the combination of innovation, entrepreneurship and finance.
Application of science and technology
The application of science and technology is the driving force behind human progress. The pace of technological advancement and the dissemination of knowledge have accelerated through continuous cycles of innovation. Software has emerged as a powerful tool, enabling us to replicate and augment human behavior, offering solutions to both business and technical challenges, and making technological progress democratic and participatory.
Entrepreneurs as change agents
Entrepreneurs are the catalysts for progress. They are the heroes of our time, pushing boundaries and paving the way for a brighter future. They challenge the status quo, refusing to conform to conventional thinking. They are visionary in their pursuits, unafraid of failure, and collaborate with others to achieve their goals. Their motivation stems from the quest to make the world a better place and to leave a lasting impact. Financial capital enables entrepreneurs to access the necessary resources to realize their innovative visions.
They are rewarded by earning profits from their groundbreaking ideas.
My Values
Empathy and Humility
It is the founder who is fighting the good fight and who is in the arena. The founder journey can be hard and lonely, and the entrepreneur deserves all the support.
Hunger
The startup journey is only worth it if the aim is high. And then higher. And then beyond. Don’t settle early.
Honesty
Time is the enemy, and there is no time for niceties. Get the biggest risks out of the way first.
Contributions
Expert Advice
I know the SaaS industry best practices. I surface and communicate the latest tools and methods and developments from fast growing startups. I am fluent with standard metrics and templates
Duty of loyalty
I am fully committed to what is best for the company and independent of other interest. I help mediate between CEO and VCs and act as a go-between. I can represent the company and CEO interests in outside board meetings.
Coaching and mentoring
I build 1-1 relations with the CEO and the executive team in regular conversations and deliver value through that relationship. I act as an advisor and not a consultant. I use the Socratic method. I challenge on strategy and executive hiring.
Portfolio
RetailNext
San Jose, California, United States
Analytics, Big Data, Data Visualization, Retail
RetailNext enables retailers and manufacturers to collect, analyze, and visualize data about in-store customer engagement.
Wandelbots
Dresden, Sachsen, Germany
Human Computer Interaction, Industrial Automation, Machine Learning, Robotics, Software, Wearables
Wandelbots is a robotic software company. It enables the programming free and uniform operation of robots.
Oomnitza
San Francisco, California, United States
Enterprise Software, Information Technology, SaaS, Software
Oomnitza is an Enterprise Technology Management solution providing a single source of truth for endpoints, applications, Cloud & networking.
HireArt
New York, New York, United States
Enterprise Software, Human Resources, Recruiting
HireArt is a single platform to hire, employ, and manage a contract workforce.
Turbine
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
Artificial Intelligence, Biopharma, Biotechnology
Turbine's platform understands the inner mechanisms of cancer enabling the discovery of novel targets & precision medicinal therapies.
Bliq
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Delivery Service, Information Technology, Same Day Delivery, Sharing Economy, Transportation
Bliq empowers gig workers in the transport industry to manage their workflow across multiple platform jobs.
Venturing Into New Markets
The Business of Sports
Team sports. Women. New competition.
Innovation and Technology in Defense
History has not ended. Freedom cannot be granted. Equality is unevenly distributed. Dual use technologies
Space
Declining launch cost. New applications.
Consumer Goods
Increasing wealth. Changing behaviors. New and old tastes. Longer lives and healthier foods.
Attractors and Repellers
Attractors
- Missionaries Teams Underrepresented founders STEM
- B2B software
- New, disruptive technology New buying centers, users & categories Free markets Horizontal, global markets
Repellers
- Mercenaries PosersNon technical teams
- B2C, HW Only, Fintech
- Business model innovation FOMO Regulated marketsConcentrated, local markets
Content
Christian Dahlen
Christian is an accomplished angel investor with a portfolio of over 40 investments. He focuses on contrarian B2B startups in the software and technology industries in Silicon Valley and in Europe. Christian serves as an advisory board member at Deepspin, a startup that leverages artificial intelligence to revolutionize MRI technology.
In addition to his work with startups, Christian has held executive positions at SAP and Kabel Deutschland. At SAP, he served as Vice President of Portfolio, M&A and Special Projects, working with acquired companies such as Signavio, Qualtrics, SuccessFactors and Ariba, and with strategic partners such as Google Cloud. At Kabel Deutschland, Christian was Vice President and founding General Manager of the Internet and Phone business, laying the foundation for the eventual IPO. He was a Director at Excite@Home and an Engagement Manager with McKinsey Co in the US and in Europe.
Christian earned a Ph.D. from Stanford University and a Dipl.-Ing. Degree from RWTH Technical University Aachen, Germany.
He is an open water swimmer and is an avid fan of Stanford University’s women’s basketball and soccer teams. Christian is a member of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and splits his time between Palo Alto, California, and Berlin, Germany.
Contact
I have strong perspectives and a unique set of skills.
If you are an attractor and are venturing into new space, you can find me here: