ITIDO

In today’s competitive landscape, partnerships are vital for transforming innovative ideas into thriving businesses. This case study delves into the fruitful cooperation between ITIDO and Claas H. Nieraad, a visionary venture capitalist and business angel hailing from Germany. Together, we have forged an alliance that embodies the essence of success in the tech industry.

A true digital enthusiast, Claas has been an early stage VC investor in Hamburg for more than two decades. His particular focus is on supply chain and logistics projects. Another of his passions is advising entrepreneurs and innovation teams in companies of various sizes (more biography details in the adjoining text box). Armed with a keen eye for opportunities and an impressive track record, Claas possesses all key ingredients for success: access to resources, domain knowledge, ability to execute, and a wide range of connections.

Complementary excellence

As with other investors, Claas H. Nieraad regularly meets founders with great ideas. Some don’t have the expertise to implement the software at the heart of their product. Others are tech-savvy but unwilling to get drowned in engineering details. They keep the focus on the product-market fit. The challenge is to find the right software company that can walk side by side with the founding team on their product journey.

Recognizing this need, in 2018 Claas was shortlisting candidates and came to ITIDO which at that point was establishing itself in the Nordics and Germany. Our partnership is still ongoing. “I’ve used ITIDO’s services for most of the technology companies I’ve invested in. We’ve spent between $100,000–$200,000”, says the investor. “The team of ITIDO delivers the projects in a timely and sound manner, and the products work efficiently”, he adds.

Some notable projects with the Hamburg-based investor include OURZ (app for supply chain transparency), SynopticCon (medical events app), and bam! interactive (solution for mobile ads). Beyond development, ITIDO has provided tech consultancy for other portfolio firms like Sponsoo (marketplace for sports sponsorships) and Covessa (remote COVID-19 testing).

Empowering startups and VCs alike

The collaboration is a win-win situation for all parties involved. With Claas’ innovative concepts, coupled with ITIDO’s technical prowess and agile practices, the stage is set for groundbreaking digital ventures.

One of the standout features of ITIDO is its experience in working with VC funds and other investors. Prior to providing software development and product management, the company is open to undergo rigorous vetting by investment organizations.

Having successfully passed due diligence for VC funding rounds starting from $200,000, ITIDO boasts a certified team equipped to deliver top-notch software solutions. We also offer strategic advice in marketing and product positioning.

What’s in for the investors, you might ask. Here are some of the key benefits:

• First, establishing a trusted go-to development partner eases the stress of shortlisting tech suppliers. It also allows startups to jump-start software planning and development.
• Second, it helps startup founders cross-check their product assumptions (remember: it’s important to build the right thing as much as building it the right way). Working with the mindset of a product SaaS team, ITIDO as a the tech supplier recognizes the red flags indicating an MVP could fail.
• Third, ITIDO’s management is familiar with the VC industry’s ins and outs. We understand what investors are interested in, e.g. startup team, addressable market, key metrics, etc. We also know what constraints startup founders are faced with.

Last but not least, a vetted long-term partner offers predictability and better commercial conditions. It’s important because funding needs to be spent responsibly.

A recipe for success

The ultimate beneficiaries of this collaborative effort are the end users. By combining the investor’s visionary ideas with ITIDO’s technical acumen, the partnership creates innovative, user-centric products that address pressing needs in the market. Through seamless product management and strategic guidance, the joint effort ensures that the developed software solutions hit the right user needs.

Our partnership with Claas Nieraad showcases the tremendous value of collaboration in the tech ecosystem. By harnessing the investor’s financial resources, domain knowledge, and connections, alongside ITIDO’s software development and product management expertise, startups get the engineering and business care they need. This case study exemplifies the power of synergy between visionary investors and experienced technology partners, ultimately driving digital ventures forward while delivering exceptional solutions to end users.

About Claas H. Nieraad

Claas H. Nieraad has been active as an early stage VC investor in Hamburg since 2001 and was most recently responsible for the multi-corporate venture fund of the Next Logistics Accelerator, where he invested in 16 international start-ups from the supply chain and logistics environment. Since the launch of High Tech Gründerfonds, he has been active as a scout, mentor and partner in the North and now has over two decades of experience as an angel investor at Halo Fund, Angels Forum (both Silicon Valley) and BtoV, among others. From this background, he also provided significant impetus for the founding of the Baltic Business Angel Network, which he actively supports as a board member and screening officer. As a faculty member of the European think tank Futur.io, he is also concerned with technologies and strategies for sustainable future topics – which also form his hypothesis for his own early stage investment portfolio. He furthermore advises corporates on their venture strategies and is active as a venture partner, supervisory board member and mentor for Airbus BizLab, Philips Health Innovation Port, Founder Institute and many more.

Claas lives with his wife and two children in Hamburg, is a passionate musician with the Soul Lounge Connection, loves to cook and travel.