​Entrepreneurship Festival 2025

​Reality Check > Founding Teams

​Welcome to the Entrepreneurship Festival 2025, hosted by ESCP Blue Factory in partnership with HPI Engine. Enjoy a full afternoon dedicated to the real stories, lessons, and chemistry behind founding teams.

​If you’ve ever asked yourself, "Should I go solo, find a co-founder, or just give up and join a startup?” — this is your reality check. Hear from investors, founders, and operators who’ve lived through the highs and lows (breakups) of co-founding life, and discover what really makes or breaks a team.

​Event Agenda:

​13:30 - 14:00 Check-in
Open Doors and networking

​14:00 – 14:45 | How to Choose a Co-Founder, Panel
The ultimate compatibility test: where to find co-founders, how to assess fit, and what investors like Antler and Carbon13 look for.
🎤 Speaker: Simon Dierks Germany Country Lead at Carbon 13
🪩 Moderator: Livia Zimmermann

​15:00 – 15:20 | Going Solo, Keynote
Considering Going solo? This one is for you. The Power of One: Why Europe’s next Unicorns will be Solo Founded
🎤 Speaker: Dani Valkova, Founder at GOGIA

​15:30 – 16:15 | Co-Founder Breakups, Panel
Not all partnerships last forever. Founders who went through tough splits share what they wish they’d known before signing that shareholders’ agreement.
🎤 Speakers: Stephan Schmolling, Founder of Veda Naturals, Kajo Kratzenstein, Founder of KugelAudio & Manuel Nikoleyczik, Partner at MÖHRLE HAPP LUTHER
🪩 Moderator: Sarah Luna Mongin

​16:30 – 17:00 | How VCs Evaluate Founding Teams, Keynote
Ever wondered how investors really judge co-founder chemistry? Hear it straight from the VCs.
🎤 Speaker: Elisabeth Ziv, Investor at HTGF

​17:00 – 18:00 | Happy Hour & Check-In for Co-Founder Matching
Grab a drink, network, and get ready for the next part of the evening the Co-Founder Matching Night! 🍸

​18:00 – 21:00 | Co-Founder Matching Night

​Hosted by ESCP Blue Factory in partnership with START Berlin and HPI Engine, this session is where the festival turns into action. Forget awkward intros, we’ll guide you through 2–3 interactive networking rounds designed to help you find your next co-founder. Register here: https://luma.com/pvds2uys

​Event Details

​Hosted by: ESCP Blue Factory Incubator
Partners: HPI Engine
Location: ESCP Business School Berlin Campus, Forum
Format: In-person
Date: 18 November 2025
Time: 14:00 – 18:00

​Why Join?

​Because building a startup is hard but doing it with the wrong team is harder. Get inspired, learn from real founders and VCs, and maybe even find the co-founder who’ll help you build something extraordinary.

​And yes, pizza and drinks are on us! 🍕
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