LearnAI - Foodora and Flash (A & B): Copycats Made in Germany

In 2015, McKinsey consultant Boris Mittermüller is offered the opportunity to lead Foodora, a Rocket Internet venture replicating Deliveroo’s food-delivery model in continental Europe. Three years later, he faces a similar question: whether to co-found Flash, a European e-scooter venture inspired by Lime and Bird. The two moments appear alike. Capital is pouring in, the business model has been validated elsewhere, and competition in Europe remains limited. But are the two opportunities equally valuable?
In this LearnAI experience, learners interact directly with the protagonist. Two short video chapters introduce each decision, after which learners interview an AI Boris Mittermüller through text, audio, or video to uncover the opportunities and risks themselves. Each round is timed, so preparation matters. Instructors control the pacing from a dashboard and can provide personalized or team feedback after each stage, focusing on timing, moat, and the ability to scale. No pre-reading is required.

1. Evaluate innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities in fast-moving markets.
2. Distinguish value creation from value capture.
3. Assess timing and the window of opportunity within an industry life cycle.
4. Examine imitation and recombination as sources of innovation across geographies.
5. Judge when investor enthusiasm reflects a genuine opportunity and when it signals a bubble.