Engage’s Post

Stage Two is gearing up for its next exciting chapter, and this year promises to be bigger than ever. 🔥 Proudly hosted under the patronage of the BMWK, Stage Two is returning to Berlin for the third consecutive year.   Stage Two stands as the premier pan-European competition dedicated to championing the most promising startups emerging from leading universities. The mission? To bring innovative solutions to the world, embodying the ethos of "For Our Beyond." ⚡   With the opportunity to take center stage and pitch their ideas in front of globally renowned investors, young startups not only have the chance to connect and grow but also to shape the future. 🚀 🌎   Stage Two is the ultimate platform for aspiring innovators and entrepreneurial-minded students to gain invaluable international exposure. It's a chance to engage with elite student teams, corporate partners, and top-tier investors who can provide genuine, long-lasting support. 🤝   By bridging founders across national boundaries, Stage Two provides access to international markets, fostering connections that will drive innovation forward. Join this remarkable journey to make a meaningful impact on the world stage. 🌐 If you want to follow the livestream on the 19th of October, you can register just here: https://lnkd.in/ezyZDerG 💻 #forourbeyond #jointhetribe #student #innovation #stagetwo #apply #competition

You're invited to participate in the "Sustainability" themed Techstars Startup Weekend taking place from November 17-19, 2023 in Durham, this event will be hosted by Knox St. Studios & foundit by Duke Engineering. Here is a link to a very short video on our last StartUp Weekends - it demonstrates the magic of the weekend! https://lnkd.in/gj-PtK9R How it Works - The Techstars Startup Weekend: Sustainability, at Duke University Karsh Alumni Center (November 17-19, 2023), represents a big push in our ongoing commitment to advancing Sustainability ideas & concepts. In 54 hours over this exciting weekend, participants will work alongside a diverse group of entrepreneurs, innovators, disruptors and experts to: Develop, test and refine their business ideas  Share innovative ways to ‘make it happen’  Catalyze actionable change in the field of Sustainability. To be clear - when we say "Sustainability", we are looking for folks/organizations that are interested in building/supporting/participating in the integration of: Environmental Health Social Equity Economic Vitality In order to create thriving, healthy, diverse and resilient communities for this generation and generations to come we must make topics relevant to thriving communications front & center within our community. Sustainable practices support: Ecological Human  And Economic Health and Vitality. We need one thing: Thing #1 - People to Sign Up and Participate (Individuals & Working Teams). Can you help us get the word out? We would love to have a team from your organization to participate. Here is the link to read more & sign-up. https://lnkd.in/gj-PtK9R

There are two things I love about attending tech events: the energy and the networking opportunities. But my journey to London Tech Week and the Scotch & Pitches event organised by Foras was anything but smooth. I was super excited to attend, but I almost got lost on my way to the venue. Therefore, I had to rely on my phone's Google Maps, which decided to act up at the worst possible time. When I finally arrived, I couldn't find my name on the registration list. But after a few tense moments, I realised I had registered under a different email. Therefore, I got in just in time for the pitches. The event was buzzing with energy and excitement, but what really stood out were the different pitching styles. Some startups were very technical, therefore focusing on data and metrics. But then, the founder of Generalist World, Milly Tamati took the stage and told an incredible story about her childhood. She shared how people always told her she couldn't be a generalist and be knowledgeable in different areas, therefore inspiring her to start her business. Her story resonated with me because I consider myself a generalist too. But it wasn't just her; many other founders like Janani Prabhakaran, Angela Prentner-Smith (FRSA), Eilidh Mutch used storytelling to connect with the investors, therefore making their pitches memorable. The Foras team Dec McLaughlin, Caro Melendez 🔜 Turing Fest / Slush, known for their work in supporting Scottish startups, outdid themselves with this event. But their dedication to fostering innovation was clear throughout. Therefore, it's no wonder they attracted such a diverse and talented group of founders and investors. Despite the initial hiccups, attending Scotch & Pitches was an inspiring experience. The energy, the innovative ideas, and the powerful stories made it all worthwhile. But wait a minute, I didn’t see Lawal O. and the Econome team at the event. I wonder why? It was great catching up with Calum Purdie and Beena Sharma at the event. Tag someone who was at the event. One last thing: which UK startup has been the most impressive for you? Please share in the comments. Edward Hogg, Onyinye Igbokwe (PMP)®, Pete Preston, SolvedBy.Ai, Neve Learning, ThermaFY Group, #tech #startup #eventmanagement #projectmanagement #programmemanagement #techecosystem #londontechweek

Happy One-Year Anniversary to Founding Titans! 🎉🌐🚀 One year ago, we embarked on a journey with a bold vision: to redefine startup networking for founders worldwide by enriching their connections. Today, we stand incredibly proud of our strides on the platform we’re building. We are so close to finalizing our MVP - a place where Pre-seed to Series A startup founders can not only connect with other founders, mentors, investors, accelerators, and more but also grow together and learn together. We made a few pivots, but they have made us a better company overall, and I personally can't wait to show you all what we have been working on over the past few months. To every founder, mentor, investor, and partner who has joined our waitlist so far - thank you! Your insights, support, and collaboration have been invaluable. 🙌 To our early adopters, supporters, mentors, and every enthusiast within the startup landscape who has contributed to our journey thus far, your efforts have not gone unnoticed. 🙏 A huge shoutout to Ross, my co-founder, for being the bedrock of resilience and innovation from day one. Your unwavering dedication has been pivotal in our journey. 🤝 As we reflect on the past and look forward to the future, we are excited to announce the planned launch of our beta in mid-January. Though we are pre-launch, the anticipation is building, and the future is bright! A massive shoutout to the people who have been the most influential to our journey so far: Casey Davies-Bell, Cherie Werner, jon werner, Cory McKane, Paul Manivannan Global Tech ‘Rainmaker’ and Connector, Geoff Kolander, Jeevan Traboulay, YJ Lin, Colby Harvey, Kwame Boler, Chukwudi N., and Frank Estrada ?.. I appreciate all of you and the connections and advice you have provided during our company's journey. You can join our waitlist on FoundingTitans.com and join us in improving the startup ecosystem. Here's to many more years of connecting, learning, and growing together on Founding Titans! #FoundingTitansAnniversary #StartupConnections #startups #startupjourney #atx #socialnetworking #socialimpact #startupweek #BetaLaunchComingSoon 🎈

📢 Attention Startup Founders, Investors, Community Builders and Mentors 📢 We still have available spots on our waitlist for www.foundingtitans.com! 🎉 Join us on Founding Titans, the ultimate community-focused networking platform for startups, mentors, investors, partnerships, accelerators, and more! At Founding Titans, we believe that success is built on strong connections and support from the right people. That's why we're creating a centralized hub where startups can find everything they need to thrive. 🔍 Discover promising startups with innovative ideas. 💬 Find new relationships and nurture existing ones in the startup ecosystem with communities that cares about your success. ⚡️Connect with experienced mentors who can guide you on your entrepreneurial journey. 💼 Network with potential investors. 📅 Find events within the startup ecosystem with ease 🤝 Forge strategic partnerships to boost growth and reach new markets. 📈 Access top-notch accelerators to supercharge your startup's development. Join us now and be a part of a vibrant community that fosters collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and growth. 🔗 Sign up for our waitlist today at www.foundingtitans.com and be among the first to experience the power of Founding Titans. #FoundingTitans #ForgingMeaningfulConnections #StartupCommunity #NetworkingPlatform #Community #ProfessionalNetwork #Startup

If any startup founders in the North East are interested in giving a talk about their startup to 10TH GRADE STUDENTS in Trenton then please contact. Only the smartest founders understand what a rare opportunity this is to practice your pitch. Various organizations will sometimes host "Pitch to kids" events for this very reason. The founder is forced to explain their company in the simplest way, which can be incredibly challenging, especially for highly technical products. Are you up for the challenge? #TrentonMakesTheWorldTakes

Some brilliant pitches last night at Tech Nation's Rising Stars event at Engine Shed, and a good opportunity to meet new people, catch up with, bump into (and run for trains!) with some friendly faces I've not seen in a little while! Dominic Honmong, Marina Traversari, Michael Ukaoma, Freya Pearce, Ben Shorrock, Charly Patrick, Elly Rowley, Edward Tellwright, Ben Cooper, Tim Edwards FRSA, David Maher Roberts Beyond the pitches, it was interesting to see some common themes arise among conversations, somewhat focused on a) the seemingly relative level of ambition of regions vs. the capital and b) the chicken:egg equation of the capital available and the risk appetite of it, to back those visions. Personally, I think that Bristol as a city, and we as a region, bat below our weight. We could and should think bigger but – on behalf of frustrated founders out there – we're limited by the low-risk nature of much of the capital and the lack of consciousness around delivering this in line with socio-economic ideals. Founders are often told they must focus. And this is true. It's something that has plagued my ADHD brain many times and as an advisor of founders for almost a decade now, I've seen it in countless others. However, it's quite ironic to think that one of the greatest entrepreneurs we celebrate in this city built a rather famous bridge, boat, and railway (along with many more projects) through his career. Yet if someone pitched that career projection at an event today, they'd likely raise at least a few eyebrows (or worse, be laughed out of the room). I'm a realist though, I understand practicalities vs. ideals. All I'm asking for is a little more aggression. A little more push for greater, for more. What could we do if we let loose the reigns on our ambition a little bit more? What would happen if we stopped being apologetic about what we were trying to achieve? Beyond this, I think Bristol is missing a trick in branding itself around a central theme. We often discuss whether our theme is science, or fintech, or professional services, or engineering (etc). But what if there's a common theme at large between much of that? I think there is. Impact. Given the huge number of B Corps here now, and the potential marketing to come from the alliteration of Bristol + B Corps (B City??), there's an opportunity to put us on the map for something that defines much of our culture now: helping others. The bottom line? How much impact could we have, how much talent could we attract, and how many more incredible companies could we see if we challenged founders, investors, and the city as a whole to be a little more ...rebellious?

"I don't believe in moats". by Peak XV Partners, Surge, and Glean Agreed. Indeed, having groundbreaking technology in the early stages startup doesn't ensure success if Giant tech like GAFAM decides to deploy their vast resources, which could swiftly overshadow your efforts. So real competitive power, I believe, lies in "exceptional" customer engagement “for” developing high-quality products. These are the true "moats" that safeguard a startup's position. Otherwise, I need to give up most of investment opportunities for Indian startups who aim for the overseas markets💧 Arvind Jain in conversation with Rajan Anandan at our US immersion week. [Statement from one of my portfolios] One major goal is to continue to build moats which come from “Products”. Need to always keep offering tools that clients need, in a far more efficient manner. This will take a significant amount of time, energy, and capital to realize. Otherwise, we can only build it slowly with its existing balance sheet while balancing the shorter term needs from its customer base…

Lean, Agile, Systems Thinking (LAST) Conference Brisbane - Innovating with Humanity! A grassroots mini-conference for people involved in digital product development. The schedule encourages participation and interaction via talks, workshops, and activities. LAST is designed to be a platform for cross-discipline collaboration and the development of professional skills and knowledge. The conference is rooted in the lean and agile movements but has a broader remit than just those domains. We are here to help people level up in their professional capabilities. When: 29 September For more information and to get your tickets -> https://lnkd.in/gDtJz-62 #QueenslandChiefEntrepreneur #Queensland #OQCE #entrepreneurship #innovation #opportunities2023 #startups #socialenterprises #Business #socialimpact

In our first month of building Alma.Me, we only hit 50% of our goal. Here's why we're celebrating: 1️⃣ Loads of learnings that are allowing us to rapidly improve our offering The biggest learning is that relationships matter and automation doesn't bridge the gap. We started off the month with a series of email campaigns and quickly realized we were losing the personalization that drew people to us. How we're applying it: We're now reaching out and building 1-1 relationships with the people who connect and are interested in what we're doing. It's A LOT of work, but the trust and network its building is incredible. I had someone turn down a discount on our product because the value that we'd already provided in the relationship was "worth way more than $299." 2️⃣ A ton of green shoots Building a business from a standing start is like warming up a car. It's not going to happen all at once. You have to build the foundation and our foundation looks strong. In the past month, we've: - Grown our audience by 20%+ - Grown our mailing list by nearly 60% - Nearly doubled the attendance at our weekly seminars What we're learning from it: Leading indicators are important in our tracking. They help us understand where we're at and give us early insights on how we need to pivot and adjust. 3️⃣ We're dialing in the needs of our customers The power of our network goes beyond just job seekers; it spans into employers, as well. In the past month, we've multiple introductions between #phd job seekers, industry professionals, and hiring managers. 20+ years in industry goes a long way in helping PhDs network and create inroads to potential employers. How we're adapting: It's not just the preparation we provide through our course, it's the network connections we can help people make in industry. By connecting people to what we're doing, we've identified an opportunity to extend our product in a way that will exponentially increase our customers' ability to land a job in industry. More to come on this soon! 😁 TLDR; We're capturing lots of learnings from our ongoing experiments. They're helping Elena Hoffer, PhD and I learn and evolve how we can best help the most people in their transition from academia to industry. #startups #entrepreneurship #phd #jobseekers #deeplearning