Author: Alicia Enenkel

As already promised, we were inspired by the kickoff of the #BayFiD-campaign: Now we have started our first own initiative and invited 30 participants* to develop concrete measures for “Female Entrepreneurship” in WERK1.

The topic of “Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship” is a frequent one – not just since yesterday. Let’s face it: There is a problem and WERK1 wants to do something about it! According to the German Startup Monitor 2018, only 15.1% of entrepreneurs are female – even WERK1 is no exception! Why is it like this and how can WERK1 – as the most startup-friendly place in Munich – take countermeasures? A clear objective: Not just another programme to promote women in digital professions, but a conclusive concept for relevant measures to promote and support women in setting up WERK1 and beyond. 30 participants faced this task at our kick-off workshop on “Female Entrepreneurship”.

The idea and concept came directly from the WERK1-Team, in this case represented by Marlene Eder, Vanessa Provenzano and Maike Wursthorn. Together, they have made it their goal to use their skills from various disciplines and in the new year to push forward topics in the area of “Female Entrepreneurship” in WERK1.

IDENTIFY PROBLEMS & LOWER BARRIERS TO ENTRY

Together with the participants selected on the basis of qualifications and suitable experience, the first step was to develop concrete ideas and concepts that really help women as founders in reality. Input was collected and current studies were used to determine where the actual problems and barriers to entry could lie. This was “matched” with the participants’ own experiences in order to ascertain as detailed a “status quo” as possible.

After the introductory words of the WERK1-Team and a round of introductions, negotiation expert Claudia Kimich opened the thematic part of the workshop and gave a short impulse lecture on how appearance and self-confidence influence the perception of women in the business environment. Afterwards it was time for brainstorming: In changing groups, ideas were collected on how best to master the “typical” challenges in “female entrepreneurship”. What are the problems? What really helps?

The topic boards ranged from improvements in financing options to ideas for better reconciling family and career and breaking with established social roles. At the end of the workshop, the various boards were presented, discussed again by the entire group and completed.

Now it is the turn of the WERK1-Team again to develop concrete measures in the new year with the overwhelming input and the many ideas – we will keep you up to date!

The dreamlike metropolis on the edge of the continent’s largest mountain range is a true hidden champ in terms of a strong startup scene. Not only the young and wild show their most successful side here. The old-established economic greats together make up the capital of the national stock index. This impressive intro could almost also stand for Munich. But what is meant is Santiago de Chile. The ProChile Innovation Summit was the only European event of its kind to be held in the Isar metropolis with good reason.

EXPORT PROMOTION WITH BAVARIAN SUPPORT

In order to position its own economy even more strongly on the export front, Chile has a long history of diplomatic and economic cooperation with its 56 international export promotion offices. Since the beginning of the year, Munich has once again been on the long list of interesting markets. In the opening speech of the ProChile director, Jorge O’Ryan, it became clear that it is his personal concern to reverse the short-term absence of a local branch. After the former ambassador of Chile had assumed his new office, it became clear to him that Munich, with its excellent B2B opportunities, is not only an absolute must on the list of commercial agencies, but is also ideally suited as a European venue for the authority’s most important networking event. It is not necessarily part of ProChile’s 45-year-old DNA to focus on the country’s start-ups. The list of past export hits is too long. But a solid entrepreneurial scene is the most important pillar of Chile’s Social Economic Development and therefore also for Jorge O’Ryan.

TWO-DAY SUMMIT AT WERK1

After events had already taken place in Beijing and Miami for the Asian and American continents, ProChile now wanted to network both the Bavarian and its own start-up scene with Munich’s politics and economy with the Innovation Summit. Accordingly, the guest list included speakers, high-ranking diplomats, politicians and investors. Workshops, panels, keynotes and social events were held at WERK1 for two days. Separately invited guests also had the opportunity to visit Microsoft Headquarter Germany and the BMW plant on a private tour. The second day ended with a two-hour Venture Capital & Pitch Session. Even though the 48-hour event meant a tight program for all participants, the necessary networking discussions in a convivial atmosphere at WERK1 were not neglected.

THE “HOMEBASE” OF THE STARTUPS

The fact that the first ProChile Innovation Summit took place on European soil at Munich’s most startup-friendly location was the logical consequence. WORK1 not only provided the right ecosystem of founding spirit and networking for the country’s economy and economic policy, but also the usual hospitality. Clemens Baumgärtner as a speaker for work and economy of the city of Munich (and Wiesn boss, so much time has to be) was just as happy to refer to the host attributes of Bavaria and Munich in particular during his opening speech. It is therefore quite clear to him that Chile not only has a strong trading partner to expect in the state capital, but also the right place to develop new business models. With its 17 universities, the city has, on the one hand, an extremely strong academic startup scene and, on the other hand, the corresponding companies of relevant size and market placement that are important for a vital B2B environment. Even the best business model needs customers who are willing to pay.

THE MUNICH MIXTURE MAKES IT!

In the end, Baumgärtner was also important to mention that the “Munich mixture” is not something that the city was put into its cradle. The balanced distribution of different economic and corporate structures is particularly close to Munich’s heart. Only if SMEs, corporate groups and micro-enterprises share the same field as the different industries and sectors, can a city walk stably through times of crisis. The year 2008 had simply shown how important a diverse economy such as the one we have in Munich is. In this respect, it was completely clear what position the Munich start-up culture also has. Only where new things grow can old things thrive.

INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

WERK1 CEO Dr. Florian Mann was no less satisfied during the ProChile Innovation Summit. For him, the question of Munich’s position as a startup spot did not arise in the first place anyway. After all, we have two elite universities, an extremely high talent density, headquarters in IT, automotive, aerospace, consulting and much more. Even if only a third of the VC’s are to be found here, that is in comparison to Berlin and Co. quite little, the city simply has an innovative ecosystem. All the better if WORK1 functions as a brand in such an environment and wants to network international entrepreneurship with us. Florian Mann is definitely planning his next trip to Santiago in November. There he will have to award a place in WORK1 as guest juror in a national pitch session. We can therefore remain curious to see what the typical national founding spirit will bring to WERK1 from so far away…

With the kick-off of the campaign “#BayFiD – Bavarian women in digital professions” the Minister of State for Digital Affairs Judith Gerlach wants to specifically support women on their way into digital professions. The initiative runs under the patronage of Bavaria’s Minister President Dr. Markus Söder. The programme was launched at WERK1 and Federal Minister Dorothee Bär also travelled from Berlin to support it.

A female quota of over 95% for an event: This is also a rarity among founders in WERK1 and generally the proportion of women in digital occupations is clearly too low at just under 20%. In any case, the Minister of State for Digital Affairs, Judith Gerlach, sees this as a great waste of potential in the course of the shortage of skilled workers in digital professions in Bavaria. The #BayFiD campaign she initiated is intended to change that. A 2-year program with expert support, exchange of experience and many networking opportunities is intended to make a start and produce many new “role models” for young women.

“I hope that women will have an enthusiasm for digital topics right from the start of their careers. Here we have to do the necessary preparatory work: To raise interest in digital topics at an early stage, to strengthen the proportion of women in research, to support women in training and further education for digital professions and to promote digital start-ups”.

Judith Gerlach Bavarian State Minister for Digital Affairs

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THE KICK-OFF AT WERK1 – AN INSPIRING START

The host Judith Gerlach invited the participants to the start in WORK1. A special guest was also Federal Minister Dorothee Bär, who also comes from Bavaria and made the long way from Berlin for the event. In her short speech she emphasized the signal effect of the initiative and invited all participants to bring their experiences to Berlin. For them, digitalisation would be a great opportunity for women to combine their career with their role in the family, as working “remotely” in digital professions is the order of the day. In addition, more women would have to play an active role in digitisation and set an example for others.

A role that both power women already like to play. However, they themselves would like to see many more that show how women successfully design companies and products. In the subsequent talk, further female role models were brought onto the stage who reported on their experiences and successes in digital professions.

THE WERK1 ALSO SEES THE POTENTIAL AND NECESSITY OF THE INITIATIVE

From WERK1 it was of course a great pleasure for us to host the kick-off event of the initiative and to take up the many creative impulses. We also welcome the content of the initiative. WERK1 Managing Director Dr. Florian Mann commented: “The entire team and I personally see the necessity for this initiative in order to get more diversity in digital professions and ultimately also in digital start-up teams, which we want to promote in particular.

In this way, it is quite possible that WERK1 will participate in the discourse with its own projects and initiatives on the topic of “Female Founders” over the next few years. For the current #BayFiD campaign, we wish you every success – the start arouses anticipation for more.

Pictures: www.joergkochfoto.de / copyright StMD / Jörg Koch

Two big celebrations have now firmly established themselves in the WERK1 calendar: The Christmas party at the end of the year is always a chance to pause for a moment, to review the year and to celebrate what we have achieved together. On the other hand, the summer party is rather the gathering of the entire community: We get to know each other better, friends, family, alumni, mentors and many others from the WERK1 environment come together and we start the second half of the year. On Thursday, July 11th, the time had come again. Under the motto WILD WILD WERK1, we invited almost 200 visitors from WERK1 to start a big summer party.

START FOR FUTURE STARTUP-FOUNDERS WITH CHILD MAKE-UP – THEN IT BECAME “WILD”.

The youngest start at 16 o’clock. Thanks to the great help of our WERK1-Startup Artmasters, the children and later the adults were dressed up for the rest of the evening. Short time later, in the early evening all cowboys and -girls could prove themselves at Bull Riding – the winner got a ride for two in the Ferris wheel High Sky here at the factory quarter with more than one minute later in the evening. At exactly 6 p.m. Sheriff & Managing Director Florian Mann entered the bar: After a few words of welcome the catering was opened and all guests were prepared for the rest of the evening with burgers, hot dogs or baked potatoes. At 9 p.m. the DJ rang in the loud part of the evening in the WERK1 Café and kept the mood going until the end.

A STAGE FOR REVELLERS

Startup’ler can not only work late into the night, also with the celebration some do not go one minute too early home. So it became a long night together with the WERK1 team and many guests from the community and together we start now into the second half of the year, in which surely still many further success stories wait for us all.

LATER IN THE EVENING IT GOT “HOT”.

In the meantime, there was a touch of Silicon Valley at the event: a flamethrower from “The Boring Company”, founded by Elon Musk, found his way to the guests thanks to our residents from Curiosity.ai and provided spectacular pictures – not a trace of “boring”.