Not only is Oktoberfest already in the air in Munich, but so is the three-day Bits & Pretzels startup festival. From September 25th to 27th, the international startup scene will once again converge in Munich. Bernd Storm, Andreas Bruckschlögl, and Felix Haas shared with us in an interview how the preparations are currently progressing and what the personal highlights of the organizers are.
How are the preparations for this year's Bits & Pretzels going?
Bernd: Preparations are already in full swing! The team is already working seven days a week to ensure our participants have an unforgettable event. Their main responsibilities include ticket sales, speaker management, and detailed planning for the three conference days.
What are your personal highlights this year?
Andi: In addition to a sensational line-up of speakers and table captains, there are many new features this year:
The trade fair and presentations have been divided into six thematic clusters to help attendees better navigate. There's also a pitch stage where exciting startups will be pitching continuously. A new app helps attendees contact other attendees in advance and schedule appointments. Last but not least, this year's Startup Academy features 13 tracks covering topics ranging from "How to start a startup" to "How to choose an exit strategy."
Bits & Pretzels is already entering its fourth year in September – and has grown ever larger. What factors have been crucial in helping the startup festival develop so successfully?
Andi: As with any good product, it's crucial that there was a market or demand. With Bits & Pretzels in Munich, we identified a gap in the event industry and filled it. After the first two events, which we would call prototypes ;-), we redesigned the event based on feedback from our participants. What was originally a one-day event in a beer hall became a three-day event, with the first two days focusing on presentations and learning, and the last day focusing on networking. Based on the feedback from last year's event, we then developed a few new things (see above).
Where do you see Bits & Pretzels in 5 years?
Andi: That's a very difficult question. If we'd been asked "Where do you see yourselves in two years?" at the beginning of Bits & Pretzels, we certainly would never have predicted where we are now. Besides, the industry is moving very quickly. The most important thing is that we always stay on the cutting edge with Bits & Pretzels and implement the wishes of our participants. After this year's event, we'll survey our participants again and, based on their feedback, decide which screws we can tweak for 2017. This will bring us one step closer to our goal of being the coolest startup conference in the world.
Is there a speaker you've always wanted to get for the festival, but haven't been able to get hold of yet?
Felix: We have many speakers on our hot list. This year, we're once again hosting many international top names, such as the founders of Airbnb, Kayak, and King.com. We're especially proud that Sir Richard Branson, the well-known and successful founder of Virgin, is joining us in Munich this year. He'll be speaking for over an hour about his experiences as an entrepreneur and will also share some news.
How do you assess the Munich startup scene? What's good about it? What's missing or could be improved?
Bernd: Munich's startup scene is stronger than ever. More and more top talents are founding more and more startups here, just as investors are financing ever larger sums. Another important growth factor is the proactive involvement of large corporations and medium-sized companies in the startup ecosystem. What could be improved? Perhaps a little more of everything is needed! In particular, more high-potentials, especially in engineering, who choose to pursue a career in their own company rather than in a corporation.
Bits & Pretzels is bringing its participants to Oktoberfest again this year, specifically to the Schottenhamel. What other tent do you like to visit? And do you have a definitive tip for all Wiesn newbies?
Felix: As a true Munich native, I can only recommend: Try everything, go to the Oktoberfest in the morning, and be familiar with the dirndl rules (for men). The Schottenhamel is the classic among the tents, but you can also find me in the Schützenfest tent!
The day after Bits & Pretzels – what does it look like?
Bernd: First, we'll clean up and begin the most important phase of follow-up. This includes things like customer satisfaction surveys, debriefings with partners, and accounting issues. After the follow-up, we'll immediately begin preparing for 2017. We'll take a short break in November with a family vacation.
