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DeepL is such a poster child for German sw startups. They truly had something unique when they started - but instead of polishing the product with enough VC ru
by lobochrome 2y ago
DeepL is such a poster child for German sw startups.
They truly had something unique when they started - but instead of polishing the product with enough VC runway to either find an exit or grow into a real consumer driven utility like Grammarly - they tried their hand at a B2B play.
From then on, their software integration sucked (browser plugins, etc.), their file translation sucked, and their “sass” shenanigans reached adobe levels.
Why can’t Germans do software?
- coreyh14444 2y agoI hate to have to agree. Also, I signed up for a Pro account but then found out that using the API is an entirely different service that seemed almost completely disconnected from the main one with separate billing. It was so confusing and felt like it was built by a company the size of SAP or something.
- tormeh 2y agoFinancing. Germany doesn't have financiers with a "we'll figure out how to monetize it later" mindset. B2B is seen as safer that way than B2C.
- fvdessen 2y agoThere's no VC money in Europe, you have to be profitable early on
- deadbabe 2y agoThere’s no VC money in Europe because companies like this execute poorly.
- carlosjobim 2y agoThere's plenty of VC money in Europe, and it's invested into the better market, which is the United States.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- kmmlng 2y agoWould it have mattered in this case? The advent of LLMs would have endangered their position just the same, no?
- brnt 2y ago> Why can’t Germans do software? Sounds like they can do software just fine. It's the business side that needs work.