If your legal, financial and funding setup is unclear, it will cost you time, money – and credibility
Especially in Germany, early mistakes don’t stay small. They compound. Incorporation decisions, shareholder structures, bank onboarding, funding positioning – once done incorrectly, they become expensive to reverse.
I help international tech founders build a company that is fundable, bankable and ready for growth – with clear decisions, the right sequence of steps, and practical guidance from someone who has built companies herself. This is private advisory – not a program, not an incubator, and not generic coaching.
You’re not “behind”. You’re facing the real Germany challenge.
Building a technology-driven company in Berlin and Germany requires far more than a strong idea or a convincing pitch deck. Germany offers strong opportunities, whereas Berlin is one of Europe’s most dynamic startup ecosystems – but the system is unforgiving if you move in the wrong order.
International founders typically run into problems like:
- choosing a legal structure that later blocks investors or funding,
- paying for fragmented tax or legal advice before understanding priorities,
- losing weeks navigating notary processes, registrations and banking,
- missing funding requirements because no one explained the evaluation logic,
- correcting preventable early mistakes at a high financial cost.
These are not intelligence problems. They are sequence problems. Building in Germany requires clarity about what matters now – and what can wait.
That is where focused advisory makes the difference.
HOW EXPERIENCED STARTUP ADVISORY CHANGES THE OUTCOME
Instead of reacting to problems, you anticipate them. Instead of hiring multiple advisors without context, you understand when and why each specialist is necessary.
Instead of guessing what funding bodies or banks expect, you position yourself correctly from the start.
My advisory helps you:
- structure your company in a way that investors and funding institutions understand,
- align your financial planning with realistic funding pathways,
- prepare properly for notary, bank and administrative steps,
- navigate Berlin’s startup and funding ecosystem efficiently,
- avoid unnecessary costs and structural mistakes.
This is not about theory. It is about building a fundable company in practice.
WHO THIS IS FOR
This advisory is designed for founders who are serious about building in Germany and want clarity before complexity.
- an international or English-speaking tech founder,
- preparing incorporation within the next 0–8 weeks,
- recently incorporated and navigating early-stage decisions,
- building a technology-driven business,
- seeking funding in Berlin, Germany or at EU level.
- you are still exploring ideas without commitment,
- you are looking for voucher-based mass programs,
- you expect execution without taking strategic decisions.
Selectivity protects the quality of the work.
STARTUP ADVISORY SERVICES: TWO CLEAR WAYS TO START
Pre-Founding Readiness Advisory
Designed for founders preparing incorporation in Germany who want clarity before committing to structural decisions.
This advisory consists of two focused sessions structured to prevent the most common early-stage mistakes – particularly those that become expensive or restrictive once the company is incorporated.
We address:
- the appropriate company structure within the German legal framework,
- funding and banking logic aligned with your intended growth path,
- critical considerations before notary and bank onboarding,
- sequencing of decisions to avoid structural inefficiencies,
- realistic timelines and defined next steps.
For founders receiving ALG I and intending to apply for the German Gründungszuschuss, the advisory may include structured review of the business plan and, where applicable, issuance of the required fachkundige Stellungnahme.
The purpose is straightforward:
YOU LEAVE WITH CLARITY, STRUCTURAL CONFIDENCE AND A WELL-DEFINED DECISION FRAMEWORK BEFORE INCORPORATING.
Investment: €450
Practical bonus:
Founders who proceed to incorporation may benefit from access to modern business banking conditions, including up to 12 months without account fees, subject to eligibility and successful onboarding.
Post-Incorporation Advisory (Individual Mandate)
Once your company is incorporated, the questions become more specific – and often more strategic. At this stage, advisory is structured individually.
Typical focus areas include:
- business planning and financial modeling
- funding and grant strategy (Berlin, Germany, EU)
- investor readiness and financing logic
- preparation of expert opinions and structured documentation
- strategic sparring for founders and CEOs
Depending on eligibility and timing, parts of advisory services may be covered through public funding programs (e.g., BAFA-related schemes). This is assessed individually and discussed transparently. There are no standard packages. Each mandate is defined based on your company’s actual needs.
WHY WORK WITH AN EXPERIENCED STARTUP ADVISOR IN BERLIN
Building a company in Germany – especially in Berlin – is not only strategic. It is bureaucratic.
Many international founders overpay for early legal or tax advice without understanding what truly matters at their stage. Others make structural decisions that later limit funding options.
As an entrepreneur, investor and EU-certified advisor with over 25 years of experience, I understand both sides:
- how founders think
- how funding bodies evaluate
- how banks assess risk
- how investors look at structure
My work is grounded in hands-on experience across startups, technology-focused SMEs and large-scale international projects totaling over €1.5 billion.
Based in Berlin, I am deeply familiar with the local startup, funding and innovation ecosystem and understand how decisions are made in practice.
THIS IS EXPERIENCE YOU CANNOT DOWNLOAD FROM A TEMPLATE
Als führender deutscher Anbieter von Programmierdienstleistungen für die Industrie 4.0 stehen wir oft vor der Frage, wie wir unsere Entwicklungen priorisieren und vorantreiben. Durch die Zusammenarbeit mit der QRAI Innovation GmbH haben wir vor drei Jahren einen hochkompetenten und vor allem lösungsorientierten Ansprechpartner für genau diese Fragestellung gewonnen. Seitdem haben wir zwei Projekte erfolgreich umgesetzt. Ich persönlich mag am Team von QRAI die positive Grundstimmung, das ausgeprägte Durchhaltevermögen gepaart mit einem internationalen Netzwerk sowie sehr hoher Professionalität.
Robofunktion GmbH
Dr. Thomas Werner, Geschäftsführer
Als Berliner KI-Startup im Bereich Predictive Maintenance konnten wir vom Coaching Bonus Berlin profitieren und haben in Frau Kourakina-Lattner eine Ansprechpartnerin gefunden, die ein tiefes Verständnis für die Robotik-Branche hat. Dank des Coachings konnten wir wertvolle Einblicke und Ratschläge speziell für unsere Branche erhalten, unser Geschäftsmodell analysieren und eine umfassende Strategie entwickeln. Am Ende des Coachings erhielten wir eine Fördermittelanalyse, die sicherstellte, dass wir keine finanzielle Unterstützung verpassen würden.
utpatti GmbH
Dr. Tejo Chalasani, Geschäftsführer
HOW IT WORKS
The process below applies to individual advisory mandates. If you are booking the Pre-Founding Readiness Session, you may schedule the first session directly via Calendly.
APPLICATION & INITIAL REVIEW
You submit a short application outlining your company, stage and current challenges. Every request is reviewed personally to assess whether there is a meaningful strategic fit in terms of timing, scope and expectations. If your situation aligns with my advisory focus, you will receive an invitation for an initial conversation.
This ensures that our time together is intentional and well-invested from the outset.
INITIAL CONVERSATION – MUTUAL FIT & FOCUS
The initial conversation is structured and focused. We clarify your current position, decision points and near-term priorities. This is not a sales call. It is a strategic assessment of whether advisory support would create measurable value at your stage. If alignment is confirmed – in terms of ambition, expectations and working style – we define the appropriate next step.
If the chemistry and expectations align, we move forward with clarity.
INDIVIDUAL ADVISORY MANDATE
There are no predefined programs or standardized packages. Each collaboration is structured individually, based on your company’s stage, complexity and objectives. Some founders require a small number of focused sessions. Others benefit from ongoing strategic advisory over a defined period. Scope, format and timeline are agreed transparently and documented clearly.
The advisory structure follows your company’s reality – not a template.
CONFIDENTIAL, HANDS-ON COLLABORATION
Once the mandate is defined, advisory begins. I work closely with founders as an independent sparring partner — providing strategic orientation, funding-related guidance and practical context for high-impact decisions. The work is direct, focused and execution-aware.
All collaboration is confidential, hands-on and designed to help you avoid costly structural mistakes while building a fundable and scalable company in Berlin and Germany.
To ensure a productive exchange, I work with a limited number of companies at any given time. As an active entrepreneur leading my own companies, I deliberately keep advisory mandates selective to guarantee focus and quality.
Private advisory for technology-driven founders in Berlin and Germany, with a focus on incorporation strategy, funding architecture and early-stage growth.
Backed by 25+ years of entrepreneurial experience and active engagement in the German and EU innovation ecosystem.
