Greg Kahn’s Post

10 personal but super-random Slush takeaways: #1 It’s still Europe's best „big“ tech conference. Amazing organization. Somehow, it still felt less commercial than most other big conferences. #2 Thomas Otter and Jason Corsello are refreshingly non-usual VCs with enormous industry expertise and depth in the Future of Work and HR Tech, much beyond the hype. We need more of this investor profile in Europe. #3 Future of Work and Learning startups complain about how hard it is to sell to HR. I’m afraid most models are fundamentally broken and not set up for success, as they are based on selling nice-to-haves to people who don’t regard them as urgent and have no budgets. #4 Mario Barosevcic is more than a cool guy to have a Negroni with while philosophizing about the Future of Work, culture, religion, and life. #5 An executive of one of the biggest German corporations told me about their cultural AI adaptation challenges. For example, people who do not trust AI meeting summaries are afraid that AI could summarize decisions wrongly, which could also influence how people act and speak in meetings. #6 I realized Jan Borgstädt was the first senior VC I ever knew personally after Thomas Preuss (Thomas actually doesn't count as he is the beginning of everything for me). #7 Slush = 2 parallel universes: While startups pitch to VCs, VC Partners pitch to LPs, quite disconnected from each other. #8 Max Laemmle is still telling everybody how his team of founders smashed my team of VCs at the football game at the Adidas court in Berlin many, many years ago. Sad, he has nothing better to brag about.  #9 The guy's creativity from the video below deserved a spot on this list. #10 Contrary to #9, putting on your t-shirt that you’re looking for investors is like putting on your t-shirt that you’re looking for a man/woman. Okay, okay – we should discuss this separately.

Earlier this December, Tomy and I brought the Enlightenment Movement to Geneva—with the fabulous Sabrina Cohen Dumani, Founder and CEO of Nomads Foundation #SystemThinking superstar. We dove into this juicy question: How do we make large-scale cooperation as personal as a handshake? Sharing our #CollectiveCognition in the below short video, and here’s the TL;DR: ✨ Purpose Matters – In a world of constant scrolling, staying grounded in why keeps things real. 🤝 Break Silos – Arts, finance, food, tech—magic happens when these worlds collide. 🌍 Human > Tech – AI can be a tool for connection, not just another buzzword. 🚀 Dare to Lead – Bold ideas. Big risks. (And yes, plenty of snacks.) Huge thanks to our stellar attendees - here are some of them: Adrian Monck: Senior Advisor, MBZUAI (Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence), who reminded us that AI leadership needs crisp and engaging storytelling to inspire action. Anne Headon: CEO and Founder, @InnovationHub UNIL, championing the next wave of innovation and inclusion. Catarina Amon: CEO and Founder, Classeek, reshaping the arts world with bold digital transformation. Charles Pictet: Architect with a purpose - designing spaces that foster genuine human connection. Clea Kaske-Kuck: Director and Board Member, WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development, advocating for sustainable and collaborative leadership across industries. Connie Kuang: Lead, Generative AI & Metaverse Value Creation, World Economic Forum (WEF), connecting the multi-dimensional and cross-sectoral application of ai by building diverse cognition knowledge maps. Jean-Luc Favre: President of the Board, Nomads Foundation, pushing the boundaries of what community innovation can achieve. Jonathan Eckart: Senior Manager, Breakthrough Energy , on a mission to solve humanity's energy challenges, aligning market giants elephants with disruptive innovators. Kenneth L. White: Institutional Governance, World Economic Forum, guiding accountability and responsibility in how we govern global and local institutions. Oliver Yorke: Investor Community Lead, World Economic Forum, weaving partnerships to drive impact across philanthropies, VCs, Family Offices, and LPs. Risto Väyrynen: Founder, The Impact Office (TIO), propelling intentionality and collaboration into next gen capital mobilization. Stanislas Lubomirski: COO, Climate Capital, leading climate finance with precision and purpose. 🙌 #AI #Leadership #SystemThinking #GenevaVibes #BigIdeas

The #EUeic USA Soft-landing week kicks off today bringing together 14 EIC-backed #cleantech companies for an immersive week in Silicon Valley. This programme will feature the European Union Delegation to the United States and top US partners including INSEAD SF Hub, Stanford University School of Sustainability, Bay Area Council and Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. The week will emphasise on: ✨ Tailored workshops to refine US market strategies 🎯 Exclusive matchmaking and pitching opportunities 🤝 Mentorship and expert guidance to accelerate growth Don't miss their journey! Meet the 14 innovative companies 👉 https://lnkd.in/eMQT6A38 Jean-David Malo FibriTech

✨ Creating impactful events is all about the intangibles. I had a great chat with Leslie Hitchcock, Co-Founder of the Resilience Conference, where she shared insights from her time scaling TechCrunch Disrupt, the global startup conference that draws up to 10,000 participants across global tech hubs. 🎙She now produces the AI Fringe series and serves as Executive Director of Next Economy Trust, continuing to innovate in the tech and media space. We explored (See more here:https://lnkd.in/gtDuzdXx)  🔹 The unseen yet essential elements that make events resonate on a deeper level 🔹 How to manage global event production while maintaining high standards of excellence 🔹 Crafting environments that make attendees feel truly present and connected Access the full insights by joining our exclusive community of event leaders which offers exclusive talks, peer connections, and content designed to elevate your event game. 🎯 Join Here 👇 https://lnkd.in/gtDuzdXx #EventStrategy #TechEvents #GlobalConferences #AnswerBite

Interesting fact: Andy Warhol's exhibition primarily featured photographs—a technology that dramatically transformed the cultural landscape roughly 150 years ago. Contrary to the fears of that era, photography didn’t stifle creativity—it expanded it. Artists were no longer confined to merely replicating reality, allowing them to explore more abstract forms of art. This shift gave rise to what we now call contemporary art. Photography itself became a new art form, offering endless opportunities for experimentation. Fast forward to today, and we’re witnessing a similar transformation with artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality. As we move forward, it’s an exciting time to be part of the technological advancements shaping the cultural and creative industries. 🤖 🎨

The Consul General de France, Bertrand POUS, just launched the La French Tech Toronto annual event at Casa Loma, Toronto. La French Tech Toronto plays a crucial role in strengthening the French technology and startup ecosystem by fostering business collaborations between France and Canada. Discussions at the event are centered around AI, reflecting the significance of innovation in today's digital transformation landscape. #aiinnovation #digitaltransformation #experiencedesing Toronto Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc Business France Avanade North America

As a founder, whenever I am stuck on a problem, I seek inspiration in divergent thinking. Almost always, I go in search of the people whose thought processes are so very different from my own that only they can shine a light on truly unfamiliar paths ... allowing me to explore my curiosity and walk toward destinations I would never have gone, where there might just live something novel that might just help inform the answer to my problem. 🤩 Art. Film. Literature. Music. Technology. Innovation. ❤️ If you believe, as I do, that the next decade of innovation will be the most transformative the world has ever witnessed and that solving the world's most wicked problems, and building the businesses of the future, will require divergent thinking, I know the perfect place. 😜 If you want to pitch at SXSW Sydney 2024 or exhibit in the Startup Village, submissions are now open. The SXSW Sydney Pitch will again receive the incredible opportunity to pitch at the Winner Ceremony at SXSW Austin 2025 (including flights, badges and a host of other prizes) while exhibitors get valuable networking opportunities with potential investors, as well as the chance to meet new customers. For more info and to apply check out: Pitch - https://lnkd.in/gAv8ynDR Exhibit - https://lnkd.in/gJC9A8xR

Hey everyone! I attended the Viva Technology event in Paris and - as someone living between France and Germany - have been interested in the comparison of the startup ecosystems in the two countries. That's why I was happy to attend the talk: "Decoding French-German Investment Trends" with Julien-David Nitlech and Jan-Soeren Zinke from IRIS in the pavilion of the AHK Frankreich / Chambre Franco-Allemande de Commerce et d'Industrie (CFACI). Key take-aways: ᛫ Most important trends in Germany: AI, SaaS and Sustainability ᛫ Most important trends in France: AI, Energy/Sustainability, Fintech ᛫ Funding in Germany: More private US capital ᛫ Funding in France: More state capital ᛫ Start-up hubs in Germany: Multiple centers with local networks and Venture Capital ᛫ Start-up hubs in France: Paris ᛫ Founder's careers: Compared to Germany, founders in France tend to return from a position at FAANG+ in the US

In 2019, I came to Berlin to speak at the AsiaBerlin Summit about an idea met with curiosity: that technology’s next frontier isn’t just solving customer pain points but addressing “fear points.” It felt bold to suggest that tech’s future lay in tackling the fears hidden beneath daily decisions. But I sensed even then that this shift was coming. I argued that solving pain points has a downside. They offer quick fixes that foster dependence, as we crave ease. But beneath this pursuit lies a layer of unresolved needs—often tied to deeper fears. It reminded me of storytelling, where a character’s journey is shaped not by their wants but by their underlying needs. The “want” drives the story, but the “need” transforms it. Tech companies have focused on wants because they’re measurable and scalable. They provide what people think they want—more convenience and speed. But the deeper needs, rooted in unconscious fears, are harder to address and require introspection. In 2019, these ideas felt abstract. But less than a year later, COVID-19 forced us to confront isolation, uncertainty, and loss, exposing our vulnerabilities. It highlighted the need for a different kind of innovation—one that addresses what truly matters. Today, when I ask audiences how many feel anxious about the future, nearly 80 percent of hands go up. This trend aligns with rising levels of anxiety worldwide. In an age where AI is advancing rapidly, we must ask not just what we want to make easier but who we are and what we need to confront. This realization became the seed for Myhejo. Our mission is to create a story-driven platform that doesn’t just calm anxieties but transforms fear into fuel for growth. Myhejo’s proprietary method empowers people to recognize and explore their fears, turning them into actionable goals. Myhejo helps people see their fears not as obstacles but as catalysts for self-discovery and change. When I first began this work with multinational companies, the concept was niche. But now, in a world defined by uncertainty, people are more willing than ever to dig deeper and to ask themselves not only what they want but what they’re willing to confront and grow from. My journey to Berlin in 2019 was unknowingly the first step toward a mission I’d only begun to grasp. At the time, I thought I was here to introduce a new idea. Now, as a finalist for the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award in 2024, I realize my purpose has evolved. Myhejo isn’t just an idea—it’s a call to action for those willing to face the fears that hold us back and to use them as a foundation for innovation. As we face an unpredictable future, I am reminded of the power stories have to guide us. Myhejo’s journey is just beginning, but it carries the wisdom that transformation is possible, not by avoiding fear but by embracing it. In Berlin, where this vision first took root, I feel a sense of coming full circle.

Are you an innovative startup or scaleup with a promising product and global aspirations? KPMG is searching for the very best, for the DutchTech Innovator Competition. 🚀 If you are an investor who knows of a (portfolio) company that should be involved, share this message or let me know! ✨ Please read message below for more info! #KPMG #DutchTech #Innovation #dutchtechinnovator #globaltechinnovator