Success story: From Pioneer Lab to investment — how cNode reached the next milestone with Fresenius Ventures

Introduction: a journey that began with a recommendation

Sometimes personal recommendations open the decisive doors. For cNode, it started when a former partner — Andreas Rätzel — introduced us to the Pioneer Lab of the Fresenius Group. That first connection led not only to a pilot, but to a shared path culminating in today’s success: the commitment from Fresenius Ventures as our first six-figure convertible investor.

The first contact: from idea to pilot

Through the introduction, we had the chance to present cNode at the Pioneer Lab. Together with the team around Prof. Dr. Dennis Lotter and Maximilian Faust, we launched an initial pilot — aiming to validate our cluster logic and goal-model strategy in a real-world context.

The outcome: cNode demonstrated that explainable, modular forecasting models deliver more than classic BI. They provide the foundation for intelligent enterprise steering that integrates Finance, ESG and Compliance.

Reunion at Bits & Pretzels 2024

A year later, at Bits & Pretzels 2024, we reconnected with Ariane Storbeck, Programme Manager of the Pioneer Lab. That reunion strengthened the relationship and marked the next step: an invitation to pitch before the Fresenius Group Investment Committee — with Mr. Fresenius himself in attendance.

The pitch to Fresenius Ventures

Presenting to the committee was pivotal. It was the moment to showcase our technological substance — and how cNode, as a decision layer, can make organisations more resilient, sustainable and controllable.

The response was clear: Fresenius Ventures chose to back us as the first convertible loan investor — a strong vote of confidence and a strategic bridge towards our Q1 2026 seed round.

What the investment enables

With the bridge financing we can now:

• develop and validate additional goal models,

• continue research closely with the Pioneer Lab,

• accelerate the transition from prototype to MVP,

• prepare purposefully for the Q1 2026 seed.

This commitment is not just a financial milestone — it’s a strategic foundation for sustainable growth.

Conclusion: success through partnership

The path from a recommendation, via the Pioneer Lab, to a successful convertible loan shows: innovation emerges where research, practice and trust meet.

We’re proud to walk this path with Fresenius Ventures, Dennis Lotter, Maximilian Faust and Ariane Storbeck — and we look forward to the next rounds of validation and modelling with the Pioneer Lab.

👉 Call to action: If you’d like to shape the future of decision intelligence with us — as a research partner, pilot customer or investor — we’d love to talk.