Speaker
Keynotes, panels, moderation and workshops on open innovation, venture clienting and how established companies and startups can work together. In English or German.
Upcoming · 2–5 February 2027 · Barcelona
ISE 2027 – Innovation & Startup Matchmaking
At Integrated Systems Europe, Ambivation organises the matchmaking and speed dating in the Innovation Park, where startups meet buyers, partners and investors.
“Innovation Park gives startups and new companies a focused place at the heart of ISE, where buyers, partners and investors can find them. Our matchmaking and speed dating create more targeted, personal connections. To me, that's where new business starts.”
What I talk about
- Open innovation and venture clientingHow corporates and SMEs find, test and scale startup solutions
- Corporate–startup collaborationCooperation formats, pitfalls and what makes pilots succeed
- Startup scouting and matchmakingFrom a business challenge to the right partner
- Entrepreneurship and lean startupFor students, founders and intrapreneurs
Formats: keynote, panel, moderation, workshop, lecture · Languages: English, German
Talks and appearances
2027
- Matchmaking
ISE 2027, Barcelona · Innovation Park
Innovation & Startup Matchmaking and speed dating, organised by Ambivation.
- Matchmaking
BAU 2027, Munich
Innovation & Startup Matchmaking: curated 1-to-1 meetings between innovation managers, investors and startups at the world’s leading construction fair.
2026
- Workshop
RKW IMPULSE 2026, Berlin
Workshop “Mittelstand and start-ups – ways to work together”, with founders, SME leaders and the RKW team.
- Startup tour
VivaTech 2026, Paris
Own booth, three guided startup tours (sustainable industry & smart building, AI for operations & supply chain, climate tech & circular economy), startup matchmaking and an innovation manager dinner.
- Pitch event
CWIEME Berlin 2026
Organised the startup pitches at the trade fair for coil winding, electric motors and transformers.
- Workshop
Deep Tech Week Berlin
Startup cooperation & scouting masterclass at Impact Hub Berlin.
- Matchmaking
Hannover Messe 2026
Industrial Startup Matchmaking with VDMA Startup-Machine: structured 1-to-1 meetings between machine builders and startups.
2025
- Talk
“Rückenwind für Innovation” · Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Berlin
Speaker on open innovation in the Mittelstand, in the ministry’s workshop series for more innovation in SMEs.
- Matchmaking
EMO Hannover 2025
Startup matchmaking in the startup area, for VDW and VDMA Startup-Machine.
- Talk
BAU 2025, Munich
Talk in “Shaping the Future: Innovation & Investments”, plus startup tours and Innovation & Startup Matchmaking in the start-up area.
2024
- Matchmaking
digitalBAU 2024, Cologne
Startup matchmaking in the digitalLAB start-up area of the trade fair for digital construction.
2023
- Podcast
RKW “Gründungsupdate”, episode 18
Mittelstand meets startup: out of the niche?
2022
2021
- Talk
GINSEP – German Indian Startup Exchange Program
Business development between startups and medium-sized companies. Organised by the German Startups Association for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
- Talk
Industry meets Startups · Berlin Partner
How companies and startups can collaborate better.
- Workshop
Startup pitch training
Pitch training for cleantech, energy and proptech startups, for a client.
- Talk
New Mittelstand Summit
Startup matchmaking and startup scouting.
- Talk
RKW Frankfurt
Mittelstand and startups – better together.
- Lecture
TU Berlin Startup Crashcourse
Entrepreneurship and lean startup methods.
- Talk
EIT Food
Collaboration of startups with agriculture and food companies.
- Lecture
Seedstars
Online lecture on lean startup principles.
2020
- Interview
Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG)
Interview for a study on cooperation between startups and the Mittelstand.
- Interview
Video interview with Zackes Brustik
What makes startup–Mittelstand cooperation work: success factors and how to find the right partner.
- Guest article
BASIC thinking · three-part series with Carsten Lexa
Innovation partnerships and customer relationships between startups and SMEs.
- Podcast
“Marketing From Zero To One”, season 3, episode 8
From founderio to Ambivation: founding story, B2B sales and why pilots matter.
- Moderation
Video interview series with PropTech and ConTech startups
Host of cooperation interviews with Visoplan, Wohnungshelden, EverReal and Capmo, together with immobilienmanager.
- Talk
digitalBAU 2020, Cologne
Collaboration of ConTech startups and the construction industry.
- Lecture
TH Brandenburg
Entrepreneurship and lean startup methods.
2017
- Moderation
Startup speed dating at the Berlin universities’ demo day
Moderated matchmaking between corporates and university startups.
- Moderation
Startup matching tour with four chief HR officers
Startup tour through Berlin in the field of human resources.
- Matchmaking
Hannover Messe · Young Tech Enterprises
Startup guide and matchmaker at the industrial fair.
Event
- Moderation
Startup workshop with a works council, Berlin
Moderated workshop on working with startups.
- Talk
Expert conference on startup cooperation in automotive & mobility
Forms of cooperation with startups, their advantages and disadvantages.
- Guest article
Haufe
Collaboration of companies and startups from an HR perspective.
2016
- TV
TV.Berlin · Standort Berlin
“Das Start-Up für Start-Ups” – feature on matching startups and companies.
- Talk
IHK Berlin · Cooperate – Partnering in Berlin
Elephant vs. mouse: how established companies and startups work together.
- Panel
IHK Köln · Digital Talk
Startups and the Mittelstand: a flash in the pan or a good approach to digitalisation?
- Workshop
RKW Frankfurt · Startup meets Mittelstand
Founder ecosystem workshop, 13 July 2016.
Event
- Talk
Unternehmerverbände Berlin-Brandenburg (UVB)
Fertigung 4.0 – innovations from the 3D printer.
- Guest article
deutsche-startups.de
Startups and companies: how collaboration works.
- Lecture
HTW Berlin with Prof. Kawohl
The collaboration of startups and companies.
2015
Hosts, media and partners
Trade fairs & conferences
- EMO Hannover
Ministries, associations & chambers
- Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs
- IHK Berlin
- IHK Köln
Universities, research & programmes
Media & podcasts
- Gründerszene
- immobilienmanager
- Marketing From Zero To One