Leave behind, or get left behind?
That isn't decided by "AI" – it's decided by structure and processes that put AI to effective use.
At Big Handshake 2026, our "Deal Flow Reloaded" panel with Sven Zimmermann of the PURE Group wasn't about buzzwords. It was about a concrete, real-world case: what happens when deal flow keeps running on Excel, email chains, and folders right through a growth phase?
Why in the hottest phase of all?
The PURE Group was in exactly such a phase: listing, larger capital rounds, strong growth – under heavy operational load. And yet, or precisely because of that, they tackled the problem.
Because growth amplifies everything: volume, speed, complexity – and with it the cost of every broken handoff between tools. When the foundations aren't solid, scaling eats capacity instead of creating value.
The goal was never "new software", but professionalising processes in time, so resources flow back into the genuinely operational and strategic work.
"Especially with a view to further growth, it was crucial for us to professionalise processes and data structures early, in order to set the organisation up efficiently for the long term." Sven Zimmermann, PURE Group
And without that step? You keep moving with a structure that won't hold for the next phase: more operational overhead, tied-up capacity, limited scalability. Decisions get slower and messier – exactly when you need to be faster and sharper.
Turnkey, or a lean start?
Another central point from the panel: PURE didn't want a mammoth implementation. They wanted to start fast and improve iteratively along real requirements. That was possible because the solution was already mature, yet flexible enough to develop pragmatically – with short feedback loops and genuine process understanding.
The implementation effort, too, was far less dramatic than often feared – when you approach it the right way and are supported operationally: existing Excel lists, for example, are read in and structured directly, instead of being migrated manually over months.
"Working with the AssetOS team was very positive. We particularly valued the fast pace at which the software evolved, as well as how smoothly feedback and new requirements were implemented." Sven Zimmermann, PURE Group
Our takeaway
AI is not an add-on. The real lever is a clean process and data structure that makes AI productive in the first place. Anyone who can work their deal flow end to end – structured and AI-supported – moves faster, makes better decisions, and spots risks earlier: at higher speed and higher quality.
This isn't a case from the future – it's proven in practice.
Where does your team lose the most time in the transaction process today – at intake and screening, data maintenance, alignment, or getting IC-ready?