Decision Intelligence

Introduction

It was a warm day in Heidelberg, Germany, back in 2020, when we – Ilhan and Thorsten, two startup CEOs – found ourselves deep in conversation about our challenges. We were drinking a cappuccino and an Americano in Café Nomad, exchanging stories, experiences, and insights, coaching each other through the uncertainties ahead.

Ilhan, the founder of fable+, had successfully scaled the company over the years, transforming the way businesses approach team dynamics, data-driven change, and psychological safety with AI-driven decision engines. However, the unforeseen consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic introduced unpredictable and significant challenges to the consulting industry, which slowed the momentum of scaling.

Thorsten, on the other hand, had just come out of a corporate startup manager role with a suitcase full of exciting experiences. In light of the challenges he had seen, he was in the process of starting paretos, a pioneering company specializing in AI-fueled, data-driven decision-making (still rather an unknown field at the time), and faced the massive task of raising money for the new company against the backdrop of the pandemic. As we coached each other through the challenges of leadership, strategy, and decision-making, it became increasingly clear that Decision Intelligence was an area that warranted more attention, especially during these uncertain times. The ability to harness the power of data and human psychology to make informed decisions was a ...