From AI Startup to B2B Leader: Reimagining Procurement - with Tacto Co-founder André Petry live from Bits & Pretzels

About this episode

André Petry, co-founder of Tacto, has traveled an impressive journey: from a university AI project at TU München to becoming a leading provider for industrial procurement with 100 employees and 50 million euros in funding. In this episode, recorded live at Bits & Pretzels, he shares the key insights from this growth process.

From 20 to 100 Employees: The Scaling Challenge

Growing from a small team to 100 employees brings entirely new challenges. Petry explains how important it is to find the right balance between young talents and experienced leaders. Tacto deliberately employs a "sandwich strategy" in hiring: experienced experts in key positions, combined with motivated junior talents.

Authentic leadership becomes the decisive factor. Especially in turbulent times, founders must communicate clearly and provide direction without losing their authenticity.

The Industrial Market in Transformation: Cost vs. Value

Industrial procurement is currently undergoing a fundamental transformation. While previously only costs were often in focus, today it's increasingly about total value – Value over Cost. This shift plays into Tacto's hands, as their AI-based solution enables precisely this holistic view.

Especially in the German Mittelstand, ROI is crucial. Companies only invest in new technologies when the added value is clearly measurable. Tacto has understood that they're not just selling software, but solving real business problems.

AI as Enabler, Not Replacement

A fascinating aspect of Tacto's approach is the balance between human and machine. While AI fundamentally changes the organization, it doesn't replace human expertise. Instead, it functions as an enabler that allows people to make more strategic decisions.

It's important to think "AI-Native" – integrating AI into processes and company culture from the beginning, rather than retrofitting it later.

Talent Strategy: Combining Young and Experienced

Tacto's success is also based on a thoughtful talent strategy. The company deliberately focuses on young talents whom they develop internally. At the same time, they bring experienced experts into critical positions.

Internal development is a key element: employees who grow with the company often understand the culture and products better than external candidates. This combination of internal growth and strategic senior hires has proven to be a successful recipe.

Future Vision: Internationalization and USA

Tacto has big plans for the future. The next major hypotheses revolve around international expansion, particularly into the USA. The challenge lies in finding the right balance between growth and profitability.

Tacto cleverly uses the current market situation to their advantage: while other companies are acting more cautiously, Tacto continues to invest in growth and innovation. This counter-cyclical strategy could prove to be a competitive advantage.

Lessons Learned for Other Founders

Several important insights can be derived from Petry's experiences: First, authentic leadership is crucial, especially when scaling. Second, you should find the right balance between different experience levels in the team early on. And third, it's important not to see AI as a panacea, but as a tool for improving existing processes.

Tacto's path from university project to B2B leader shows that with the right strategy, the right team, and a clear vision, impressive growth is possible even in challenging markets.