FAQ — André Beyer

Question 1

Are you a consultant?

Accepted Answer

Selectively, yes — and it's the exception, not the model. I take on a small number of paid advisory engagements: AI strategy, architecture, and operating advice for founders and companies. No funnels, no agencies, no retainers for the sake of retainers. The rule remains partnerships with a shared stake in the outcome.

Question 2

What exactly do you do?

Accepted Answer

Four things, and they all live at the same point: where AI stops being a demo and becomes something an organization can win with.

I build — co-founding AI-native ventures with technical partners.
    I back — angel investing in founders with conviction and technical depth.
    I advise — paid advisory on AI strategy, architecture, and operating questions.
    I step in — as interim CEO/CTO, only where the vision, team, and chemistry genuinely fit.

Question 3

Who are you looking to work with?

Accepted Answer

Technical co-founders and operators who want to build something real. AI founders at pre-seed/seed stage in Berlin and internationally. And founded teams that need a counterweight at the top. In all three cases: people building something worth owning — not people shopping for a vendor.

Question 4

So who isn't the right fit?

Accepted Answer

If you're looking for an agency or a services retainer as a way to outsource your roadmap, I'm not your person. Advisory engagements stay selective and project-based. And if the work wouldn't be something I'd want to own or stand behind myself, I don't take it on. Selectivity isn't arrogance — it's what makes the engagements that do happen serious.

Question 5

Do you invest in anything, or are you selective?

Accepted Answer

Selective. I invest in people first, slides second. I care about conviction, real technical depth, and a founder who clearly owns the problem. Vertical AI, agentic systems, and automation infrastructure are the spaces I understand best.

Question 6

How do first conversations actually work?

Accepted Answer

There's no sales process and no deck requirement. You send a short honest note about what you're building or where you're stuck. If the energy and the fit are mutual, we talk. A few honest lines beat a polished deck every time.

Question 7

What do you bring as a co-founder?

Accepted Answer

Deep technical architecture in AI/LLM and agentic systems, a builder's instinct for shipping, entrepreneurship experience, and my network and capital. I build from the inside — I don't advise from the sidelines unless advising is the engagement.

Question 8

What does advisory look like?

Accepted Answer

A small number of paid engagements — AI strategy deep-dives, architecture and evaluation reviews, and operating advice for founders and their teams. Project-based or a short retainer, always selective, always aimed at a real decision. If you need a steady stream of hours, an agency is the better fit.

Question 9

What does interim CEO/CTO work look like?

Accepted Answer

I step into the seat a founding team needs, operate with skin in the game, and prefer equity over fees. I stay as long as the story needs me — sometimes that becomes permanent. Not as a service; as an operator who wants to own the outcome.

Question 10

Do I need a pitch deck to reach out?

Accepted Answer

No. While I'm happy to look at a product or a deck if you have one, the thing that actually earns my attention is signal in the work — something shipped, real traction, or genuine depth. Warm introductions and a shared obsession matter more than formatting.

Question 11

How should I get in touch?

Accepted Answer

Warm introductions from people I trust are the strongest signal. Otherwise, the note form on this site — or the contact form if it's an advisory enquiry. If this feels like a pitch for agency services, it's probably not the right fit — but if you're genuinely building something worth owning, it always is.

Question 12

Are you based in Berlin?

Accepted Answer

Born and raised in Berlin. My network, my deals, and much of my building are anchored here and internationally — Berlin is home, not just a base.

Question 13

What is Out of Band?

Accepted Answer

My biweekly newsletter: AI agents, building, and the Berlin ecosystem. It's the depth-extension of my writing — the signal channel, outside the noise. No fluff, no spam. If you're building an AI-native thing, it's a good place to start.

Question 14

Do you coach or mentor people 1:1?

Accepted Answer

No. I don't sell my time as content, and I don't run a coaching practice. Advisory engagements are about real decisions inside real companies — not ongoing mentorship. My time goes into building, backing, advising selectively, and operating — the partnerships are what carry real weight.

Frequently asked questions.