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He Backed Europe's Most Valuable AI Startup From a Random WhatsApp Text | Christian Miele

He Backed Europe's Most Valuable AI Startup From a Random WhatsApp Text | Christian Miele

The ICONS Show vor 1 Monat

0:00

1:12:44

Christian Miele grew up carrying one of Germany's most
recognizable names, without ever being a shareholder in the
family company. That tension shaped everything that came next:
building his own startup, becoming a VC, and backing the highest
valued private company in Europe.

In this episode, Christian explains how a random WhatsApp from a
friend working in the French government led him to Mistral, now
valued at $21B, and why he believes the smartest career advice
for young people right now is to become an electrician, given
Germany's 250,000-person shortage. He also breaks down why he
thinks "the math ain't mathing" on Germany's budget, and makes
the case for Europe's shot at staying relevant through robotics,
AI, and energy.

Guest: Christian Miele Host: Roman Kirsch

Timestamps: 0:00 – Cold Open 1:08 – Growing Up With the Miele
Name 8:36 – The Chip on His Shoulder 9:42 – The Builders Network
Origin Story 23:48 – The Mistral Deal — From WhatsApp to $21B
26:38 – Europe's AI Sovereignty Thesis 34:54 – Going On Shark
Tank Germany 40:15 – "Germans Are Terrible Entertainers" 1:02:23
– What We're Underestimating: Become an Electrician 1:04:34 –
Germany's Budget: "The Math Ain't Mathing" 1:07:13 – The
Optimistic Case: Anthropic, Nvidia & Europe's Shot