🚀 What makes Silicon Valley tick? Day 1 of the high-flyer trip provided plenty of input and insights:

📍 German Hub
Sven Thorsten Potthoff gave an overview of the role of the Chamber of Foreign Trade as a political lobby for the German economy, the importance of venture capital (VC) and the development of large AI companies.

Zahar Barth-Manzooriwhich is responsible for the German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH) San Francisco who supports the networking of science and business, emphasized how important it is to hire people from different disciplines. Her tip: "Hire the Blank Spots." and gain as much experience abroad as you can.

🌐 Exchange with founders and input for network building
Lukas Maschmann currently works at Julius AI and talks about the unique and inspiring SF community. He has benefited greatly from this along the way and, as a founder, has also spent a lot of time in fundraising discussions.

Also Ludwig Schönack from Kyte shared his experience of financing. He explained why, in his view, VCs are not always the best choice and why it is essential to clarify mutual expectations. Depending on the business model, family offices could slip into the VC role. Another tip: If you want to think big, surround yourself with people who also think big.

Ben White has the BUILDERS LAB and gave insights into the PropTech scene. His tip: always keep developing.

Vera Maslova spoke about the importance of networking and sustainable investor relations. Her tip: Have at least 10 investor meetings per week and radiate a high level of energy and self-confidence.