Who has the best poker face? This question will be asked on December 16, 2016 in WERK1, when founders, investors, and other entrepreneurship gamblers gather at the gaming tables to network, exchange ideas, and, of course, play. After its premiere as a side event at Bits&Pretzels, Gründerpokern—already popular and successful throughout Germany—wants to build on the successful event from September. We spoke with organizer Sascha Bever.
Sascha, tell us what Founder Poker is and how did you get into it?
Founder Poker is an exclusive networking event by and for founders, held several times a year nationwide. In a large poker tournament, 100 invited guests compete for sponsored prizes and engage in relaxed, informal discussions. That's exactly what Founder Poker is all about: meeting exciting contacts while having fun. I was invited to Founder Poker in Cologne two years ago and was immediately impressed by the concept: no "sit at a bar with people you already know" event. No "every second person is a consultant, lawyer, or real estate agent" atmosphere. It was fantastic. I recently moved from North Rhine-Westphalia to beautiful Munich and realized that the last Founder Poker event on the Isar River had been quite a while ago. After a few conversations with the organizers, it quickly became clear: Let's tackle this together.
You've already gained some experience in Munich, hosting Founder Poker as a side event for Bits&Pretzels. What were your first experiences in the state capital like?
About two weeks before Bits&Pretzels launched, Andi Bruckschlögl asked me if we wanted to host Founders' Poker as an official side event. It was, of course, very short notice, but together with WERK1, we put together a truly fantastic event in no time. That was Pokernight@BitsandPretzels. The experience has been fantastic in other ways too: Many doors have been opened for us, and we've noticed a lot of interest in the event. Certainly because of the poker, but especially because of the relaxed opportunity to engage in conversations with interesting people.
What can I expect as a participant? Who will I meet at Founder's Poker?
You'll be randomly assigned to a table with nine other players and one professional dealer. You'll chat with the people around you, increase your chip stack, and hand out some business cards. If you're thirsty, simply grab something from the fridges or the bar. During the break, you'll have something to refresh you. Afterwards, return to the table and fight for a place at the final table. Then, you'll play for one of the sponsored prizes. At the table or at the bar, you'll meet Felix Haas, Ibrahim Evsan, Jan Heitmann, and many more.
So how do I get my seat at the poker table?
Founder Poker is exclusive. This means that participants are invited by us, recommended by existing participants, or you can apply and be selected. You can do this here or by email to me.
What if I'm not really interested in poker?
Basically, everyone from beginners to pros is represented. And even those who lose gain contacts. Otherwise, there are also tickets purely for networking. That's the great thing about poker: You don't play continuously anyway, and at some point you'll probably be out, giving you even more opportunities to network. So even those who aren't interested in poker and don't just want to play for fun won't have to stand alone at the bar table.
Is this a one-off story or what are the future plans for Gründerpokern?
Founder Poker is meant to be something special, which is why it won't be a weekly event. But I'm not giving too much away if I say you should like us on Facebook to find out what's next in 2017. With that in mind, Heads Up Munich!
About Sascha Bever
Sascha Bever took his first entrepreneurial steps at a young age and, after a brief career in IT, devoted himself entirely to the adventure of entrepreneurship. Sascha loves implementing ideas, connecting people, and never stops learning. He is currently building a startup for personalized children's books, is co-author of a journal, and is bringing the startup networking format GRÜNDERPOKERN to Munich (www.gruenderpokern.de).
