DN Capital Fireside Chat & Networking Evening with Cognigy: Lessons from Europe’s largest conversational AI exit made in NRW
We're excited to invite you to the DN Capital Fireside Chat and Networking Evening in Düsseldorf, co-hosted with Cognigy and supported by our partner Hengeler Mueller.
✨ Cognigy is a true NRW success story. Founded in Düsseldorf and built in less than ten years into a global category leader in enterprise conversational AI, the company was recently sold to NiCE in one of Europe's largest AI exits. Join us for an inspiring evening of meaningful exchange in good company, featuring a fireside chat with Cognigy founder Philipp Heltewig. Having led Cognigy through every stage of the journey, from founding to global scale to exit, Philipp brings a rare, unfiltered perspective on building category-defining companies in Europe and the realities behind one of the continent's largest AI exits.
📆 Date: June 2nd, 2026
🕑 Time: Doors open at 6:00pm (official program starting at 7:00pm)
📍 Location: Düsseldorf (Please register to see exact address)
👥 We will welcome founders, angels, and operators from the NRW ecosystem for an inspiring evening with meaningful conversations.
🎟️ Please confirm your attendance by May 29th, 2026. A waitlist will remain open for last joiners if spots become available.
📋 Agenda:
6:00pm: Doors open and welcome drinks
6:40pm: Welcome from DN Capital x Hengeler Mueller
6:45pm: Opening reflections on Cognigy's journey - from a speaking teddybear to a $1bn conversational AI success
7:00pm: Fireside chat with co-founder Philipp Heltewig - personal lessons from building Cognigy
7:40pm: Networking over drinks and snacks
10:00pm: Event close
🎤 Speaker
Philipp Heltewig Founder and CEO, Cognigy
Philipp has led Cognigy from an NRW startup to a global enterprise AI leader, navigating the full journey from founding through scaling to exit. He brings a rare, unfiltered perspective on building category-defining companies in Europe, the realities of working with enterprise customers at scale, and the dynamics behind one of the continent's largest AI exits.
🤝 Hosted by
DN Capital is a global early-stage venture capital firm investing in exceptional founders building category-defining companies. With offices in London, Berlin, and Menlo Park, DN has backed companies including Auto1 Group, Shazam, Purplebricks, Quandoo, and Cognigy across Series Seed and Series A. The firm has been a long-term partner to founders in the DACH region, with deep roots in the German tech ecosystem.
Cognigy is a global category leader in enterprise conversational AI, founded in NRW and built over less than ten years into one of the most successful AI companies to come out of Europe. The company was recently sold to NiCE in one of Europe's largest AI exits, advised by Hengeler Mueller.
Hengeler Mueller is one of Germany's leading law firms, advising on the country's most significant corporate transactions, including Cognigy's recent sale to NiCE. The firm works closely with founders, investors, and growth-stage companies across the DACH ecosystem, offering deep expertise in venture financing, M&A, and cross-border transactions.
Please note: Photos may be taken during the event. If you'd prefer not to be photographed, please let us know at check-in.
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