Politics and Startups

• Fridtjof Detzner, Co-Founder @ Planet A Ventures
• Anne Lamp, Co-Founder & CEO @ traceless
• Dr Fabian Mehring, State Minister of Digital Affairs of Bavaria

The US dominates hardware development and startup investment, while Europe lags due to cautious banking and limited political support. To compete globally, the EU must foster a risk-friendly environment, improve infrastructure, and encourage bold entrepreneurship. Bavaria’s startup policies and Tampere’s Platform6 show that political backing can make a difference. A shift in mindset—where founders pitch early and investors take more risks—is crucial. Europe has the potential, but it must act globally.

Financing Startups

• Fridtjof Detzner, Co-Founder @ Planet A Ventures
• Anne Lamp, Co-Founder & CEO @ traceless
• Thomas Dübendorfer, Founder & President @ SICTIC
• Colin Hanna, Partner @ Balderton
• Carolin Wais, Partner @ Plug and Play
• Matt Cohler, Partner @ Benchmark
• Florian Schweitzer, Partner @ b2venture

Debt financing is a smart early-stage option, offering equity-free funding. Building strong relationships with banks reduces risk, as seen with Traceless, which scaled from a garage to an industrial site with state-backed loans. Business Angels provide funding, mentorship, and credibility, making transparency key. Meanwhile, VCs prioritize rapid growth but often avoid deep tech due to long ROI cycles. A strong network, an improved pitch deck, and online presence attract investors naturally—capital follows value, not the other way around.

AI

• Matt Cohler, Partner @ Benchmark
• Eric Schmidt, Former CEO & Chairman @ Google
• Ralph Haupter, President Global SME and Channel @ Microsoft

AI is revolutionizing startups, accelerating growth like no other technology before. Its adoption has outpaced cloud computing, with companies like Microsoft seeing improved efficiency and cost reductions. However, ethical boundaries must be respected, as AI’s power comes with risks. The key is to integrate AI strategically—specializing it as an expert agent within the business model. A global mindset and responsible use will determine whether AI truly enhances lives or becomes a challenge to control.

Startup Growth and Development

• Thomas Dübendorfer, Founder & President @ SICTIC
• Paulina Grnarova, Co-Founder & CEO @ DeepJudge
• Julian Liniger, Co-Founder & CEO @ Relai
• Colin Hanna, Partner @ Balderton
• Carolin Wais, Partner @ Plug and Play
• Yaël Meier, Co-Founder @ ZEAM

Successful startup growth requires alignment between founders, teams, and stakeholders. Instead of constantly launching new ventures, companies should innovate within and refine acquisition channels. Deep market research and customer understanding drive sustainable growth, while differentiation matters more than direct competition. Building a strong team from the start is crucial—A-Players attract other A-Players, shaping a culture of ownership and responsibility. To thrive globally, startups must blend mindset and skillset, thinking beyond borders.

Personal Mindset and Boundaries

• Michael Baum, Founder & CEO @ Splunk and The Yope Foundation
• Carsten Koerl, Founder & CEO @ Sportradar
• Yaël Meier, Co-Founder @ ZEAM
• Melanie Gabriel, Co-Founder @ Yokoy & Follow the Gradient
• Fabian Thylmann, Founder @ Pornhub

Success relies on personal engagement, competition, hard work, and a bit of luck. However, maintaining focus requires setting clear boundaries—saying no to distractions and non-productive tasks. Time is valuable, and protecting it ensures meaningful progress.

Strict time limits, such as avoiding work on weekends, help prevent burnout. In partnerships, transparency and aligned expectations are crucial for long-term collaboration. The best ideas come from curiosity, not pressure—trust the journey, stay persistent, and surround yourself with like-minded people.

Community

• Yaël Meier, Co-Founder @ ZEAM
• Frederick Jost, Founder @ Holy

Creating a successful community begins with being human and kind to your customers. After attending START Summit, I reached out to Frederick to dive deeper into the concept of communities and how they can be built effectively.

To set up a community, follow these steps:

1. Find a topic - Identify what value you can offer to your audience.
2. Create content – Develop engaging content around this topic to draw people in.
3. Engage with the community – Foster discussions and interactions to build trust and let the community shape itself.
4.  Introduce your product – Gradually link your product to the topic as the community forms.
5. Bring them into your world – Make the transition from external interest to loyal followers.
6. Iterate – Keep improving content and engagement based on feedback.

The key word here is HUMAN. Never forget that the customer is at the center of everything you do—without them, your business wouldn’t exist. Establishing multiple touchpoints, such as Discord, Facebook groups, WhatsApp, and newsletters, helps maintain strong connections with your community.