Very interesting read. Could you please elaborate on the startup/VC/software scene in Germany (Berlin?). It sounds like you didn't have experienced friends that would have help you change your mind earlier (intervention)
You're right: We neither had the right connections nor an adequate track record at that time.
I must admit that as a VC guy, I wouldn't had been interested to invest in teamspir.it back then, too. As described in the essay, USP, concept and target group really were not clear enough.