In an extensive report worth reading, WirtschaftWoche sheds light on the background to the deal and unearths explosive details. According to the report, the Komoot founders together held 52 percent of the company shares. One week after the million-euro deal, they were still present, then suddenly gone. "Komoot is like a family. We helped the six founders - some of them for years - to build up this company. But there wasn't even a farewell," one employee is quoted as saying. The founders merely offered to contact their colleagues by private email in future - nothing more.

Employee involvement? Not a chance.

In contrast to the usual practice at many start-ups, according to WirtschaftWoche, the workforce was not involved in the company - although they had repeatedly demanded this. This makes it all the more bitter that the company founders, of all people, who always preached family values and transparency, made off with their pockets full after the deal.

Particularly piquant: Komoot had always defined itself by the values it lived by - impact, responsibility, communication, curiosity, excellence. Within just a few days, these values apparently no longer played a role. "We feel betrayed," is how one employee summed up the feeling of many colleagues to WirtschaftWoche. It was like being in a relationship and suddenly being betrayed.

Instead of participation, there was dismissal

But that was not all. Just one week after the sale was completed, around three quarters of the 150-strong team were made redundant, according to research by WirtschaftWoche. Particularly affected: Departments outside of sales, which are now only working with minimal staffing. The Italian Komoot buyer Bending Spoons denies this claim.

Further information on the Komoot sale and the resulting internal displeasure:

• The entire WirtschaftsWoche article can be found at: wiwo.de
• Interview with Tobias Hallermann in Manager Magazin: manager-magazin.de
• Podcast with Tobias Hallermann at WirtschaftsWoche: wiwo.de (the interview took place immediately before the company was sold and is particularly explosive in light of the allegations)