What It Really Takes to Be a Startup Founder in Europe: 16 Years of Building from Berlin

By Madeleine Gummer v. Mohl, Co-founder of betahaus

Sixteen years ago, I co-founded betahaus in Berlin - when coworking wasn’t a word, “startup” felt more like a gamble than a job title, and Europe’s tech scene was still a quiet murmur. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of helping shape what became one of the continent’s most vibrant startup ecosystems - through betahaus, our pan-European competition betapitch, and countless conversations, collisions, and co-creations with founders across Europe.

So what does it really take to be a founder here? Not in theory - but in the trenches?

Here’s what I’ve learned.

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1. Community Before Capital!

When we launched betahaus, we didn’t start with investors. We started with community - a space for curious minds, problem-solvers, creatives, and coders who wanted to work on something that mattered.

That community ended up being more than a backdrop - it became the foundation. Over the years, I’ve watched countless founders build enduring companies not because they chased capital - but because they built relationships rooted in trust, care, and shared risk.

Lesson: In Europe, community is not a nice-to-have. It’s your first investor, your first customer, your lifeline.

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2. Complexity Is the Terrain. Not the Obstacle!

Scaling in Europe is not linear. You’re not just building a business - you’re navigating tax codes, languages, hiring laws, and shifting cultural expectations. I’ve seen brilliant startups fumble when they assumed what worked in Berlin would work in Madrid.

But I’ve also seen others embrace that complexity - learning to adapt messaging, build modular structures, and lead with empathy across cultures.

Lesson: In Europe, the game isn’t just “growth.” It’s orchestration. Win by listening better and learning faster.

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3. Transparency Starts at the Top. Boards Need to Make Room for Truth!

Alongside my work as a founder, I also serve on the boards of both a large NGO and a small startup. These experiences constantly remind me how fragile honesty can be - especially when pressure builds, cash gets tight, or optics matter more than truth.

In both settings, I’ve seen how transformational it can be when the board creates a safe, non-punitive space where founders and operators can be radically transparent about what’s really going on - whether that’s product delays, team tension, or self-doubt.

Founders don’t need more performance reviews. They need rooms where truth is welcomed, not penalized, and where they can admit uncertainty without fear.

Lesson: If you want to support founders - don’t just ask for metrics. Ask what’s heavy. Ask what’s unclear. Make space for what’s hard to say.

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4. You Need a Safe Space. Especially as a Female Founder!

Here’s a truth that still needs saying: being a female founder is harder. The scrutiny is sharper. The access is narrower. The expectations are murkier. And the emotional labor is heavier—whether in the pitch room, on stage, or behind the scenes.

Over the years, I’ve learned that you must build your own circle of safety. A space to ask the hard questions, to cry without shame, to recharge without guilt. Mine has included close friends, a coach, fellow female founders, and spaces where I can drop the armor.

Lesson: Don’t wait until you break to ask for support. Your strength is directly tied to your sense of safety.

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5. Resilience Is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait

I used to think resilience meant pushing through. Grinding harder. Being unshakable.

But now I know: resilience is not endurance - it’s regeneration. It’s learning to pause. To soften when needed. To hold space for uncertainty without collapsing into fear.

I've had years where everything felt like it was working - and others where I questioned whether I still had what it takes. What got me through wasn’t willpower. It was having systems of recovery: space to breathe, people who reminded me why I started, and the courage to start again.

Lesson: In Europe’s slower-moving, regulation-heavy, emotionally restrained startup world, resilience is your quiet superpower. And you don’t build it alone.

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6. Define Success on Your Own Terms

In the beginning, success felt like scale. Users. Revenue. Funding.

But now? I’ve come to see that real success is building something that reflects your values. It’s creating jobs that feel good to come to. It’s being able to sleep at night knowing you made decisions you’re proud of. It’s showing younger founders - especially women - that there’s more than one way to lead.

Success might look like a 10x return, or it might look like a company that survives the decade and still feels human. Both count. You get to choose.

Lesson: The more authentic your definition of success, the more resilient your company will be.

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Final Words: Keep Going, But Keep Checking In

Sixteen years in, what I know for sure is this: European founders are some of the most thoughtful, determined, and quietly brave people I’ve ever met. They don’t just chase hype - they navigate complexity with heart.

The founder path here isn’t flashy. It’s layered, sometimes slow, and often lonely. But when done well, it creates companies that last - and communities that matter.

So wherever you are in the journey: protect your energy. Stay curious. Find your people. Lead on your terms. And remember - resilience isn’t summoned in a crisis. It’s built in the everyday honesty of teams, boards, and spaces that let us be real.

And if you need a place to begin again - or just to breathe - there’s always a chair for you at betahaus.