Head of Finance @ Google • Posts on how to increase profits, improve cash flow, and leverage technology in your business • 48K+ followers on X (formerly Twitter) • 1,100+ people read my newsletter • Microsoft & GE Alum

I'm a high-energy finance executive with more than 15 years in Fortune 500 companies. Currently, I'm a Group Vice President at PVH (one of the company's top 400 positions out of 28,000 employees), and serve as the Chief Financial Officer for the South West European region. I'm responsible for leading financial strategy and operational excellence throughout the entire 2,000+ organization.

I have been fortunate enough to work in the fashion, technology, and industrial sectors in the past two decades, leading big teams (30+) in high-stakes environments around the world (10+ countries). 

I've had the pleasure of working in the most iconic companies in the world: Google, Microsoft, GE, and now PVH.

I speak English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese fluently, and have a passion for developing talent. 

I love writing about business, technology, and sports.

Antonio Reza

Financial Analyst at Microsoft | Early-Stage Startups and VC insights at Explore podcast

🌊 Hey, I’m Hugo. 

Ex-Microsoft, now I’m the host of New Wave, Europe’s leading podcast on climate and deep tech investing and a VC Investor at Climate Club where we invest €100k tickets in pre-seed to series A companies.

On LinkedIn, I share climate-tech insights, analysis, VC lists, and startup maps. 

If you’re building, investing, or backing impact startups, hit follow to stay on board. 
- Hugo

Hugo Rauch

The path to profitability is a real fight! 🤕🥊


In 2021, the saying was 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁.
In 2024, the word in VC's mouth is 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 

This shift requires a different approach for founders.
The transition is usually very difficult to manage. 
As represented by this meme below. 🥊

However, I've read a great article by Brian Raphael.
It's called "Strategies to Move to Profitability". 
I highly recommend a read through! 

I hope this meme brought some fun to your weekend.
I'll be back tomorrow for more startup content! 📈

*****
🔔 Enjoy this? Follow me (Hugo Rauch) subscribe to my newsletter at the link below my name

The Deep Tech VC framework. 💸

For deep tech founders and investors, this framework from HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds's provides a clear view on VCs expectations at each stage.

🌱 Pre-seed
(TRL 4 | Round size 1-5M€ | Pre-Money 3-10M€)

→ Unique science
→ IP strategy initiated
→ Clear disruption potential
→ Scientific expertise in the founding team

🌿 Seed
(TRL 5 | Round size 3-10M€ | Pre-Money 5-30M€)

→ First IP granted
→ Functional demo
→ Market validated
→ First key hires
→ €0–0.5M revenue

🌳 Series A
(TRL 5/6 | Round size >10M€ | Pre-Money 12-80M€)

→ MVP ready for product engineering
→ PMF understood and measurable
→ Paid PoC > €100k
→ Org built for execution

🌲 Series B
(TRL 8/9 - Round size >20M€ | Pre-Money >100M€)

→ Product ready to scale
→ Proven PMF
→ Defined GTM & expansion strategy
→ Org ready for scaling
→ €5M+ revenue

Let's go! 

---

📍 Want to stay in the loop for all things EU Climate Tech? Follow me @Hugo Rauch for daily updates.

EU climate startups that just raised (actively hiring) 🌿

All 22 of these startups are now growing headcount:

1. ekko (GB) - Carbon tracking for financial services
2. refinq (AT) - Climate & biodiversity data platform
3. metiundo GmbH (DE) - Smart energy & water metering
4. baCta (FR) - Carbon-negative biosynthetic production
5. Recupere Metals (FR) - Recycled copper wire manufacturing
6. Optimems (GR) - Smart microgrid energy management
7. AirForestry (SE) - Drone-based sustainable forest thinning
8. PlantSea (GB) - Seaweed-based biodegradable plastic 
9. The Pennycress Company (FR) - Oilseeds for SAF
10. Involve Space (IT) - Zero-emission stratospheric Earth observation
11. Insutex (DK) - Insulation from recycled textiles
12. noriware (CH) - Seaweed-based packaging materials
13. xWatts (GB) - Building energy management software
14. Verretex (CH) - Recycled glass fiber textiles
15. Carbonaide (FI) - CO₂ mineralization in concrete
16. Ionech (GB) - Clean power from ambient energy
17. SpotmyEnergy (DE) - Home energy management system
18. Uplift360 (GB) - Carbon fiber recycling technology
19. Relement (NL) - Bio-based chemicals from biomass
20. nuuEnergy (DE) - Heat pump installation and maintenance
21. Polaron (UK) - AI materials characterization platform.
22. Einklang (DE) - SME renewable energy integration

Did I miss one?
Tag them in the comment 👇

Big thanks to Harmonic for the data 🙌

---

📍 Want Europe’s climate-tech and VC moves in your feed? Follow me @Hugo Rauch or subscribe to my newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/e7FkaVwz

Meet Jared O'Leary, co-founder & CEO at SirenOpt, building the sensing layer for advanced manufacturing. ⚙️

Even the best factories are far less efficient than most people think.

In early pilot production, scrap rates can reach up to 90%.
And waste is only part of the problem.

Factories also suffer from:

→ product variability
→ invisible process drift
→ overly conservative operating margins

All of which quietly destroy yield and profitability.

That’s why Jared builds plasma-based sensors that capture real-time data from inside industrial processes, enabling factories to detect problems early and continuously optimize production.

In this episode, we unpack:

🔥 The probabilistic nature of advanced manufacturing
🔥 How variability quietly destroys yield and margins
🔥 Why factories operate far more conservatively than necessary
🔥 How real-time sensing unlocks self-optimizing factories

Very few founders think about advanced manufacturing from first principles the way Jared does.

Listen on Spotify here: https://lnkd.in/eYuyPcWN

(also available on Apple Podcast, search New Wave - SirenOpt)

If you’re investing or building in advanced manufacturing,
You need to meet with Jared.

taplio

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