Digitalconomics is a podcast about tech, startups, and the people building the future of the internet.
Hosted by Luis Rieke, Senior Product Manager at Finanzguru and indiemaker in the Berlin tech ecosystem, the show features candid conversations with founders, operators, and investors across Europe and beyond.
We go deep on:
• How great products are built
• Early traction and growth experiments
• Fundraising stories and mistakes
• AI tools and modern tech stacks
• Lessons from building in public
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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:
- Why most successful startup founders are 30–50 (not college dropouts) – and what the real data shows
- How to find a co-founder who complements your skills without destroying the relationship
- The exact process Jan used to validate Needle's idea on Reddit before writing a single line of code
- Why LinkedIn outreach crushes email for user interviews – and how Needle automates it
- How business angels work as scouts for VCs and why they're your best first funding step
- What went wrong in Jan's two Y Combinator interviews – and the lesson every founder needs to hear
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! 💡
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