Last week, we brought the Vanagon community together in the Bavarian Alps: a hike through the forest, a mountain hut, and a day of open conversations between founders and investors. And we started the day with a heavy thought on our minds:
Where is this rapid transformation taking us - and who decides?
AI is a brutal accelerant. In both directions.
→ It can work as a tool of massive destruction: accelerating the destruction of resources, of cultural diversity, of values — and those values are under massive attack right now.
→ Or it can be a super-tool: defending those very values, building competitiveness within the boundaries of our planet, driving progress that serves the common good.
It depends on how we use it. And on where we want to go on the road to mass AI adoption.
The day belonged to the founders.
We spent the afternoon in the Kräutergarten to listen to 11 of Vanagon portfolio founders about what they are building - examples of what the constructive side looks like: from re-shoring circular composite manufacturing back to Europe, AI-driven materials discovery and industrial quality & robotics, to nature as resilience infrastructure, data storage for eternity, and the fight against disinformation:
Alexander from Tentris.io
Barbara from ExoMatter
Elise, Stealth Founder
Axel, GP Vanagon
Djamel from senken.io
Bosse from Holy Technologies.
Frank Thieser, CFO of Quantum Systems (2020–2025), on scaling in Europe
Frank shared his insights from building Quantum Systems from a startup into one of Europe's leading defense-tech companies - and what stayed the same along the way: the spirit, the DNA, the ambition, still as sharp as in the early days. Few companies anywhere have sustained outperformance on the Rule of 40 for as many consecutive years.
As founders, we're all doing 250 km/h on the highway. When you see an exit, you can take it and drive a new route — or you can keep stepping on the gas. What you must never do is brake, or you'll crash.
Frank Thieser, Quantum Systems
The key takeaway from the conversation: the willingness to risk big leaps forward even in times of uncertainty, fear, and doubt, a place many younger companies find themselves in. Quantum Systems is proof that Europe can build and scale in Europe, and still attract investment from all over the world.
Afterwards, we spent the evening at a perfect spot for sundowners and enjoyed a multi-course dinner prepared with ingredients sourced largely from the 2,500-hectare area surrounding our accommodation, the Frasdorfer Hütte.
Thank you to everyone who made this day so special. We are proud to have such a strong group of changemakers in our Vanagon Community.
Yours
Sandro, Susanne and Axel
