The Venture Wiesn’s fifth anniversary was a great celebration: In keeping with the Oktoberfest kickoff, startups and investors appeared in traditional costume. The program and buffet were equally Bavarian: After Obatzdn (traditional Bavarian sausage), Kutschergulasch (horse-drawn carriage goulash), and apple strudel, around ten investors, including Seventure, Early Bird, and NFQ, presented their work in two-minute pitches—with the requirement to include Bavarian terms like O'bandln (a kind of beer), Bierfuizl (a kind of beer), and Schmarrn (a kind of slush). It was all the more surprising that one of the investors didn't know the word "Diredare," meaning "money" in High German.
Investor acquisition – O'bandln made easy
After the pitches, the networking between startups and investors went quite well – in a relaxed atmosphere, founders presented their concepts to potential investors over a glass of beer. Some were chasing millions, others were looking for strategic capital.
What the investors in attendance had to offer was also incredibly good. International scaling, B2B or B2C, software or hardware – at least in theory, there were suitable investors for the startups' diverse business ideas and next steps. Whether the discussions will be successful remains to be seen in the medium term.
And in the financing challenge—known as "Maßkrugstemmen" in startup jargon—the participants could only win. After all, even the losers were allowed to drink their beer.
It became clear: The Venture Wiesn is a wonderful event where startups and investors can interact in a relaxed and informal way. We're already looking forward to next year. Because, as the saying goes, after the Oktoberfest is before the Oktoberfest.
(Image credit: Venture Wiesn)
