Event ‚Finanzierungswege für Gründer und Start-ups‘
Ulrike Timmler (bizeps, BUW) invited me to join a discussion panel with different entrepreneurs on a event at the University of Wuppertal about financing options for founders and startups. After a short key note by Patrick Sassmannshausen (Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovations Research – iENTRIE) Mehrdad Piroozram (iSteps) told the audience about his story from an entrepreneur to a business angel. One of his experiences is the speed in the markets, especially in the IT industry. And financing is one of the premises for a success company, but not the most important – you also need the right vision with the right product in the right market, It was a very interesting story about ups and downs in the life of an entrepreneur. And today he is a business angel with focus on widget business around social networks with 26 portfolio companies.
The second presentation by Nicolas Kirschner (High-Tech-Gründerfonds) was about financial interests. He spoke about the High-Tech-Gründerfonds and typical financing phases and money sources for startups. After the break Klaus Kessler (Sparkasse Wuppertal) spoke about subsidized loans and Stephan Bruns (NUK Neues Unternehmertum Rheinland e.V.) about their business plan contest and services for entrepreneurs. Back in 2002 Peperoni won in one of their business plan competitions. And at the end of the event we had the panel with Antje Lieser (Wirtschaftsförderung Wuppertal), Volker Hofmann (Rentapneu) and me (Peperoni). We spoke about experiences, challenges and expectation of young enterpreneurs. Afterwards I also had a chat with several students from the University of Wuppertal with the idea of starting their own business. Even some ambitious students from abroad joined the talks like the designer Nika Rams from the Academy of Fine Arts Maastricht.
Agenda:
10:00 – 10:05 Eröffnung & Moderation: Ulrike Timmler, bizeps – Die Gründungsinitiative der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal, BUW
10:05 – 10:15 Begrüßungsansprache: Patrick Sassmannshausen, Institut für Gründungs- und Innovationsforschung, Schumpeter School of Business und Economics, BUW
10:15 – 10:45 Vom Gründer zum Business Angel: Mehrdad Piroozram, iSteps
10:45 – 11:15 Kapitalbeteiligungen: Nicolas Kirschner, High-Tech-Gründerfonds
11:30 – 12:00 Förderkredite: Klaus Kessler, Sparkasse Wuppertal
12.:00 – 12:30 Businessplan-Wettbewerb: Stephan Bruns, NUK Neues Unternehmertum Rheinland e.V.
12:30 – 13:00 Talkrunde mit Volker Hofmann, Rentapneu; Maciej Kuszpa, Peperoni, Antje Lieser, Wirtschaftsförderung Wuppertal