Aleph Alpha represents the courage to make big bets for me. An innovative AI company from Heidelberg deserves a serious, fair discussion.
“If we don’t make big bets, we will never win big.” This statement from Jonas Andrulis of Aleph Alpha really inspires me!
I am delighted to see such an innovative AI start-up from my home city of #Heidelberg competing on the global AI stage. Start-ups regularly recalibrating and making strategic adjustments is nothing new to me. You formulate a hypothesis, test it in the market and adapt your actions. That is how both small and “big bets” work.
Over recent weeks and months, many media outlets have published what feels like an obituary for our AI hope, Aleph Alpha. Reading it has surprised and disappointed me. Headlines such as “How Germany’s AI hope stumbled” or “Problems mount at Aleph Alpha / managers are leaving” create a distorted picture.
I welcome pointing out potential risks and debating business models; both are important. But speaking badly about a company without well-founded background information is not constructive criticism. That includes understanding what the company has learned in the meantime. If we take the courage away from our bold founders, we really do risk no longer winning any “big bets”.
So, for all of us and for our region as a business location, I hope Aleph Alpha’s bet pays off. 💪
At the most recent Dinner im Schloss, Jonas Andrulis took part in a panel discussion. Joining him were Michael Kleinemeier, a former SAP Executive Board member, and Emily J. Ryan from Google. He certainly gave me the impression that he is working hard to make it happen!
Originally published on LinkedIn on 31 October 2024. Time references and event details relate to that date.
