VC Voices: ‘The real challenge is distinguishing between what’s real innovation and what’s just hype’ with tech, says Visionaries Club’s Jäckle

Visionaries Club is a different type of VC firm – it was founded in 2019 by entrepreneurs with the aim of creating a fund they wish they had had access to when they were founders.

The aim of the European early stage VC firm is to “to bridge the asymmetry that exists between ‘what’s possible’ in the startup world and ‘what’s actually needed’ in the industrial space”, Bobby Jäckle, Partner at Visionaries Club, tells UNLEASH.

Bobby Jäckle, Partner, Visionaries Club.

Jäckle has been at the Visionaries Club since day one – over the past five years, he has co-led several seed and growth investments including the world of HR.

The reason why the HR space is such an interest area for Visionaries Club and Jäckle is because it is “one of the few universal functions in business – every company, no matter the industry, has to manage people”. This gives the HR tech market massive potential.

He adds that HR is also “one of the most important levers a business can use to unlock potential”, and “the right HR tech can streamline processes, improve engagement and ultimately boost productivity”.

Some of these promising HR tech startups that Visionaries Club has invested in include Personio, Leapsome and WorkFlex.

UNLEASH is thrilled to welcome Jäckle as our October ‘VC Voice’.

This is the fifteenth edition of or exclusive interview series with leading HR tech investors. Jäckle follows in the footsteps of 776’s Katelin Holloway, HR tech angel Stefan Menden and Emma Phillips from LocalGlobe.

Find out Jäckle’s perspective on the world of HR technology, and how HR leaders can figure the difference between real innovation and just hype.

Allie Nawrat: How did you get into investing? What advice would you give to your younger self?

Bobby Jäckle: I didn’t originally plan to become an investor. My background is entrepreneurial, and my shift into VC happened organically.

I met Sebastian (Pollok) [Founding Partner of Visionaries Club] while working at a startup in Berlin. We sat down for coffee, which turned into hours of conversation, and I was privileged to end up joining Visionaries Club from day one.

Looking back, I’d advise my younger self to take more entrepreneurial risks and not always follow the safest path.

Joining Visionaries was a risk due to the high failure rate of many new funds but believing in something and taking a chance on it is incredibly valuable – I’m glad I took that risk!

I’d also tell myself to have more conversations with founders and operators from day one. There’s so much to learn from people who are actively building things.

Lastly, I’d say trust your instincts. It’s easy to rely on others’ opinions, but trusting your own is powerful.

AN: What makes a great founder? What are the common mistakes you see when startups are growing and building their teams?

BJ: A great founder is obsessed with solving a problem. They have relentless passion and a drive to execute, and they’re able to communicate their vision and inspire others.

Storytelling is key; founders who can bring their idea to life and get people excited about it stand out.

In terms of common mistakes, the first is perfectionism.

Some founders spend too long trying to perfect their product before testing it in the market.

Getting it out to a core set of users helps you reiterate and build something better – but perfection isn’t necessary at the beginning. Another is complacency.

After hitting certain milestones, some founders lose the intensity that’s needed to push forward, especially in competitive markets.

And finally, when it comes to building teams, many founders focus excessively on hiring for seniority and experience – poaching people with impressive CVs – rather than passion and drive. But startups need people who have founder-level energy, particularly in the early stages.

AN: What gets you up in the morning, and what keeps you up at night?

BJ: What gets me up in the morning is my curiosity about the businesses we work with.

It’s exciting to dive into what our founders are building and explore the impact their ideas could have. We’re not just focused on returns; we’re invested in their vision.

Frankly not much keeps me up at night because there’s always a level of uncertainty when you are building companies.

That feeling of potential just out of reach can be frustrating, but it’s also what makes the victories so rewarding.

AN: One of the sectors you and Visionaries Club invest in is HR. What is your advice to the HR teams when they are buying HR technology?

BJ: HR leaders should focus on genuine organizational impact.

We see a lot of HR tools that are ‘nice to have’ rather than products that solve a real pain point. In many organizations we see ‘tool fatigue’ and people don’t want to adopt new tools all the time.

That being said it would be a mistake not to be curious and to test new software solutions frequently and in constrained pilots.

There are many exciting solutions out there that allow for an increase in automation on the admin side, faster and more precise hiring processes and much improved people management.

AN: We know that the HR tech market is booming – what are some of the most exciting innovations on the horizon for HR technology?

BJ: AI and software automation are undoubtedly the most exciting innovations in HR tech. We anticipate these tools will transform processes like recruitment and engagement, allowing HR managers to focus on more strategic and in-person tasks.

That said, we’re in the middle of an AI ‘hype’ bubble. While AI holds a lot of promise, many companies are jumping on the bandwagon without delivering long-term results. As an industry, we need to be a little bit more critical about what AI tools promise and what they can actually deliver today.

As investors, we look for businesses that are sustainably differentiated. It’s not enough to leverage AI – you need a clear, practical application that solves real pain points, especially in areas like HR where compliance and productivity are critical.

So while AI and automation are game-changers, the real challenge is distinguishing between what’s real innovation and what’s just hype.