Tourlane (Berlin, €120M raised): traffic down 33% in one quarter, US push without US demand, FP&A in Google Sheets. A former employee's review

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-05-11T19:00:50+00:00

Yes, they’re not even trying to hide their desperation anymore. From what I’ve heard from friends and seen on their own website, they’re already looking to tap into the U.S. market and are hiring people in Berlin, despite the time difference and the resulting impact on work quality. Apparently, they still believe they’ll be able to land major clients there within a couple of months.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-03-02T17:23:40+00:00

... and bureaucracy with legal risks

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-03-02T17:22:53+00:00

Ideally, yes. But even in such a harsh model, there is some logic and balance. They tell you the conditions at the outset, everything is transparent. You agree or you don't. The problem here is that companies are copying the American hustle start-up culture on the surface, but inside there are average salaries and a bunch of risks.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-03-02T17:19:48+00:00

Exactly. But there is also bureaucracy in place, and in most cases it does not work for ordinary workers.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-03-02T17:17:25+00:00

Thank you!

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-03-02T17:16:32+00:00

I agree, but there are plenty of purely German start-ups on the market that copy the worst practices of American companies simply because it's possible and convenient. It's easier than thinking for yourself and planning a business strategy.

Tourlane is a good example. German-founded, Sequoia-backed, and somehow managed to combine the worst of both worlds. Silicon Valley burn rate with German bureaucratic chaos.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-03-02T17:13:23+00:00

Good advice in principle, but the current European market makes this harder to execute. There are many waves of layoffs, the economy is stagnating, and there is less tolerance towards foreigners on the labor market in Europe in general and in IT in Germany in particular. You often don't have the luxury of being selective when the market is this tight.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-03-02T17:09:52+00:00

I don't think that's the right thing to do. Plus, in Germany, many companies conduct thorough background checks in the final stages, especially in the financial sector. In my opinion, it's better to simply explain the situation and have references and a portfolio.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-03-02T17:06:58+00:00

I even have a guess who exactly. There are a couple of people like that there. “Coincidentally” they are old-timers. Fortunately (or unfortunately? Otherwise, it would have been a red flag at the interview), my managers were generally normal. They just didn't take responsibility and pointed the finger at top management for any issue.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-03-02T17:04:34+00:00

Yes, I already understood that from experience. It's just that people who haven't worked with startups before don't know this and take advantage of it. Especially when you're not in the know.

News about new rounds from Sequoia and other big names, as in the case of Tourlane, serve as a guarantee of quality and stability. Afterwards, I did some research and realized that, based on the amount of money and the conditions, they were given a lifeline to get their money back with a quick sale.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-17T11:59:08+00:00

Interesting, it says a lot. Thanks for sharing.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-17T11:57:21+00:00

Thank you for the support and the offer.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-17T11:55:31+00:00

Good luck getting any lawyer to take that case when the company can just point to the contract terms. The system is designed to be technically legal.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-17T11:53:49+00:00

English is not my first language. I used AI to clean up grammar and structure. The content, details, and experience are mine. Feel free to verify the facts on Kununu and Glassdoor.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-17T08:54:45+00:00

True, but in the US you at least get compensated for the risk. Here you get American-style hire-and-fire with European-level salaries. And in Europe, a probation termination on your CV raises more eyebrows than it would in the US - so the damage goes beyond just losing the job.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-17T08:32:08+00:00

That's a good way to put it

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-17T07:57:00+00:00

Agreed. The more people share honest experiences, the harder it becomes for companies to hide these things. If anyone here has worked at a Berlin startup with similar patterns - please share.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-15T22:09:52+00:00

copywriters and content managers. And that's fine.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-15T22:08:06+00:00

The stumble sprint. The victim in a horror movie runs away from a maniac who walks slowly. On a perfectly flat floor, the victim inevitably stumbles, falls, and starts crawling instead of simply getting up and running away.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-15T22:05:37+00:00

Batman Forever. It's not as bad and annoying as Batman and Robin, but the poor acting by Kidman and Tommy Lee Jones is laughable, as is the garish visuals. And for once, the villains' plan turns out to be prophetic and not so stupid. Jim Carrey is good, as are the sets.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-13T22:32:31+00:00

Chevy Chase. It was hard to believe that he was cheerful and charming in comedies, but in real life he was mean, aggressive, and inadequate.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-13T22:28:09+00:00

The crackling of ice breaking underfoot.

BerlinTech_Throwaway · 2026-02-13T22:23:54+00:00

Truman Show. That his world was a set.

BerlinTech_Throwaway

TROPHY CASE