Simon Schmincke is a former multi-time operator turned venture capitalist at Creandum who led companies like Foodpanda across eight Asian countries and HelloFresh's North American launch before becoming one of Europe's most visible fintech investors, backing companies like N26, Klarna, and Trade Republic. He openly challenges fintech hype cycles by questioning unsustainable business models while positioning himself as founders' "first call" partner through detailed board guidance and a philosophy that VCs should stay off-stage and let founders be the heroes.

• Strong focus on the fintech sector with a deep appreciation for its history and future innovation. He frequently highlights major developments in this space, such as sharing a retrospective on fifteen years of financial technology investments at his firm and celebrating a strategic partnership between portfolio companies Billie and Klarna.
• Active championing of portfolio companies and their milestones, regularly publicly celebrating funding rounds and growth achievements. He highlights teams like SEON for raising a massive Series B to fight fraud and showcases a high level of personal dedication, such as flying the Amie team to Iceland for an offsite.
• Engagement with the broader venture ecosystem through podcasts and media appearances. He shares his participation in discussions on shows like Unicorn Bakery and FinanceFWD where he explores industry trends and the German startup landscape, suggesting he values founders who engage with current venture dialogues.
• Pride in team expansion and talent acquisition within his own firm. He expresses genuine excitement about bringing on new colleagues, such as welcoming Peter Ramsey from Built for Mars to the team, and announces significant organizational milestones like the launch of the Creandum VI fund to back future founders.