Why go to the mountains just to relax and unwind? Why not develop a business idea there and meet like-minded people and mentors? That's what Kim and Jonas from Startup Weekend We also thought of this and created the "Die Alm" weekend. This year, from October 28th to 30th, 2016, we're heading to the mountains again, specifically to Schwangau. We spoke with the two organizers to find out what you can expect there and who this weekend is perfect for.
1. Starting a business in the mountains – how did the idea for the Startup Weekend on the mountain come about?
We love the mountains and we love the Startup Weekend concept because participants experience all phases from idea to startup in a very short time and return highly motivated. We wanted to combine these two passions and also incorporate an overnight stay into the concept. When we have participated in Startup Weekends ourselves, we have noticed that there is a disconnect in the evening when the participants go home or to the hotel. You are pulled away from the topic and the start as a team the next morning is often missing. The experience and feedback from the Alm show us that the participants love the aspect of spending the entire weekend at the event location and therefore have a much better opportunity to get to know the participants outside of their own team – because there, too, numerous potential co-founders for later ideas can be found there. By combining the aspects of a Startup Weekend including an overnight stay in a beautiful Bavarian location in the greater Munich area, the concept of the "Startup Alm" was born.
2. Who will I meet at the mountain pasture? And am I in the right place there even without my own business idea?
Many different personalities from a wide variety of backgrounds come together at the Alm. Whether it's a student who wants to motivate themselves to start a business during their studies and is looking for co-founders, or a professional who is already in the workforce and either wants to quit or apply Lean Startup methods to their daily work. Entrepreneurs and freelancers who are already working on their own companies and are also looking for new ideas, co-founders, and employees also regularly come to the Alm. Ultimately, anyone can participate: we're always happy to hear about fresh ideas being pitched, but it's definitely not a prerequisite. Likewise, no previous experience as an entrepreneur or in the startup world is necessary. This is what the Startup Weekend is all about. Our experienced mentors, whom you'll naturally also meet at the Alm, will help the participants.
3. What is the theme of this year’s Startup Weekend?
The main theme this year is Connected LifestyleThe digital generation, which is currently growing ever faster, has high expectations of convenience and flexibility in their daily lives. They expect an increasing integration of digital services into their everyday lives, making their lifestyle easier, more enjoyable, faster, or more affordable. At the same time, access to modern technologies is becoming easier and cheaper, enabling a broader audience to use them for innovative ideas. This offers numerous opportunities to rethink our everyday lives, for example in the areas of fitness and healthcare, mobility and transport, smart home and education, as well as leisure and travel. Great examples from Munich for us include: evaluate (Fitness), Kaia Health (Healthcare), scoo.me (Mobility) and tado (Smart Home).
Fun and networking are important components
4. And how does the weekend go?
On Friday, the participants are taken by bus from Munich to Schwangau, where they pitch their ideas and form teams, which then take the first steps towards implementing their idea on Friday evening. They are supported by our mentors. On Saturday, the experts arrive and rotate between the teams throughout the day, supporting the participants with their expertise in implementing their ideas by providing tips and asking valuable questions. On Sunday, the final presentation of the business ideas takes place in front of the expert jury, which not only selects the winners but also provides the teams with valuable feedback. In addition to the actual process, the main focus is on networking, exchange among the participants and, of course, having fun on the inspiring weekend together.
5. What advantage do you see in meeting somewhere away from civilization/everyday life?
When we need peace and quiet and a clear head to start or develop new topics, we regularly head out of the city to a nice café by the lake or into the mountains. Therefore, we can speak from our own experience about how the choice of work location affects creativity and productivity. Only when you consciously leave everyday life behind can you devote yourself to new ideas and thoughts. To do this, you need to completely forget the structures and mental barriers that limit your creative thinking. These are most present in your familiar surroundings, and that's why an "escape" to the mountains is exactly what you need.
6. Can you tell us about any success stories that started on the mountain pasture?
Our goal is to raise awareness of the startup scene in Germany, bring many new ideas to the startup community, and show prospective founders the possibilities of the startup building blocks and available technologies. Of the total nine teams at the Startup Alm 2015 went to three foundations which represents a huge success for us. For example, the members of one team quit their jobs at renowned automobile manufacturers and moved to Silicon Valley for a few months to implement their 'Connected Car' idea. Another team moved into the coworking space of Deutsche Bahn's d.labs and further developed the idea together with the major corporation. In addition, existing startups of our mentors found new employees in the participants. Our video of the Startup Weekend Die Alm 2015 provides a good impression. Last October, over 60 people developed ideas on the topic of future mobility and have continued to work on them to this day.
https://youtu.be/j4TETuXE_-c
You don’t want to miss the alpine pasture? Then get your ticket now! And with the discount code “AlmMUCstartup” You even save 15%.
