Startup Insider

Solution Engineering; "I get bored very fast": Work in Progress - with Annie Wachsmuth (Taktile)

Episode Summary

Annie Wachsmuth explains Solution Engineering in B2B SaaS: From technical demos to customer success - how Taktile masters complex sales processes and makes customers successful.

Episode Notes

How do you successfully sell complex B2B software while combining both technical expertise and sales talent? Annie Wachsmuth is Head of Customer Solutions at Taktile, leading a 30-person team that manages the entire customer journey from initial demo to long-term success. In conversation with Helena Meyer-Schönherr (Director at Ten More In) and Paula Hübner Wehmeyer (Partner at General Catalyst), Annie explains how Solution Engineering works, why pre-sales demos are crucial, and how her team at Taktile guides customers through complex implementations. The Berlin-based fintech startup Taktile helps companies make data-driven decisions and recently made headlines with AI agents. In this Work in Progress episode, Annie also shares her experience transitioning from consulting to startups and explains why mathematical foundations are worth their weight in gold in tech sales.

About the Guest:

• Annie Wachsmuth is Head of Customer Solutions at Taktile, a Berlin-based fintech startup for data-driven decision platforms. After studying mathematics at LMU Munich and TU Munich, she gained experience at McKinsey Quantum Black.
• Starting as a Forward Deployed Engineer, she now leads the entire post-sales organization including Solution Engineering, Customer Success, and Support teams.

About the Hosts:

• Helena Meyer-Schönherr is an experienced leader in venture building, organizational strategy, and scaling high-growth startups. As Managing Director at Ten More In, she focuses on launching and growing new ventures, leveraging her expertise in company building and strategic development.
• Paula Hübner Wehmeyer (Partner at General Catalyst) invests in technology companies that enable or rethink large industries. Paula's focus is on startups in the areas of commerce tech, i.e. digital support for trade, as well as purchasing and logistics. Previously, Paula was a consultant in the Berlin office of McKinsey, where she supported well-known consumer goods and retail companies in matters relating to e-commerce, purchasing, and internal process optimization.