Date: 10.11.2025 (2025-11-10)
Shahin Dashti (10.11.2025)
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahin-dashti-14792ba4/
• VP of Finance @ Energy Robotics (60ppl on LI)
• Energy Robotics provides an end-to-end solution for autonomous inspections in various industries such as oil & gas, chemical, power and security. Our AI powered software platform enables asset owners to easily manage a fleet of robots and drones for autonomous inspection.
• His reply:
• Cool, gerne! Bitte hier einen Slot reinbuchen:
• Booked 30min via his link
• Per Du
Notes: • Notes: • Came from VC to join company • They do a lot via their Steuerberatung • Automation: • Biggest objections / challenges in his daily life? • Typical week: • Fundraising • Accounting • Monthly reporting • Top line: ausserhalb Datev • Rest in Datev • Take the data translate it to VC talk • He is the only one in finance in the team • Half a person does finance operations -> invoices to Datev; sends order confirmation • Tools: • Spendesk • Vendor management • Contract management • Führen Kostenstellen ein • SnipeIT for inventory • Laptops, test robots, Abschreibung • He thinks about introducing Rillet • They have contracted ARR and live ARR • Always discussion -> Sales, mgmt, board, investors • That is good at Rillet • ERP, Accounting -> relevant KPIs • Currently in ERP • Having that live is nice • Currently not a mega value add but when they grow further • Now he starts internal processes • They expand to USA and UAE -> also topics on side • Steuerberater international • He also owns the legal topics • New entity -> what is in this entity -> only employees, transfer pricing • Biggest challenges: • d • Customer are the large oil companies • Most valuable flows for him? • • Context: team setup? internal and external? • • Which tasks are the biggest pain? With magic wand -> what would he solve? • DATEV einpflegen directly • Do all the bookings (save 2 to 3k from Steuerberater) • Order kommt rein -> erkennt Elemente (article, Zahlungsziel) -> automatic AR creation • All KPIs -> on account level • -> top line Zahlen per account is relatively easy • But what goes into an account in terms of effort / costs (development, customer support, founder attention etc.) -> margin per account, per product, per product family etc. -> clustered per geography etc. • Easiest: Datev and bookings -> most likely to work • Analytical tasks are probably too complex • Which tasks would he focus on? • • Do they already have automations? Which ones? How well do they work? • • Which companies would he target? • • General feedback to pitch? • AP process -> Spendesk has such a flow but they did not get it because the AP flow is not a huge pain -> his answer is No • Maybe it is because the office manager does it • Supplier are not as relevant like customer • Supplier are the notwendige Übel • Supplier management: they have a feature of Spendesk • Start, end date, paid via Spendesk cards • Supplier negotiations? • Process: • Team needs something • Team has to negotiate • He does final negotiation • Optimisation: • Payment terms, free features, sometimes price • Sometime price guarantee for second year • Renegotiation • SaaS often related to employee number • No regular review of supplier contracts -> owner of tools should do it • New feature of Spendesk -> he has an overview what ends and where should he invest time • He does not like to have many tools • He is willing to help