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May 15, 2025 | Berlin | Doors open at 13:00 - Program starts at 13:50 CET

PERSPECTIVES SUMMIT: THE EUROPEAN NARRATIVE

Geopolitical tensions, trade barriers, and market volatility are reshaping the global landscape.

How can Europe’s tech ecosystem stay competitive amid rising protectionism? How can bold founders continue to drive global impact through transformative innovation? Now more than ever, Europe’s role in tech depends on courageous ideas and a shared long-term vision.

Claim your Ticket

As HV Capital marks 25 years, we're not just reflecting on the past—we're bringing together key voices from across politics, technology, and society to shape the future. Together, we’ll explore the ideas and innovations that will drive the next chapter of European tech.

EUROPE AT THE FOREFRONT OF GLOBAL INNOVATION

As we count down to HV’s Annual Founder & Investor Summit, one thing is clear: the past six months have brought major shifts: geopolitical, macroeconomic, and regulatory. Tensions are rising across industries and regions, with political conflict, trade barriers, and market volatility reshaping the landscape and sending stock markets tumbling.

So, where does that leave Europe and our tech ecosystem?

How can visionary founders continue to push boundaries and continue to shape Europe and the world through bold innovation? How are some of today’s most critical and complex challenges being tackled with efficient, tech solutions?

We would like to find out.

PROGRAM

Hear from Europe’s leading founders across verticals and company stages building innovative startups that are attempting to change the world. Click or tap the panel name to see who is speaking.

9:00

Doors Open
10:00

Welcome & Agenda
- Host: Alexander Joel-Carbonell, HV
10:05

Can European Tech Crack It: A Bullish View on Successful Global Expanders
- Jochen Engert, Co-founder @ Flix
- Emmanuel Thomassin, CFO @ Delivery Hero
- Host: Alexander Joel-Carbonell, HV
10:25

Arm Aber Sexy - How Can Berlin Remain Competitive - Political Views from the Broader Ecosystem
- Dr. Jörg Kukies, State Secretary @ German Chancellory
- Host: Dr. Christian Saller, HV
10:45

Big Public Money Pools Fueling the Ecosystem – a Conversation with Europe's Financier
- Nadya Petrova, Investment Manager @ EIF
- Host: Rainer Märkle, HV
11:00

Secret Sauce for a Successful Exit: A Late-Stage, Buy-out and IPO Perspective
- Sascha Günther, MD and Head of DACH @ General Atlantic
- Thomas Thurner, MD and Head of DACH ECM @ Morgan Stanley
- Host: Alexander Joel-Carbonell, HV
11:20

Coffee Break
11:40

Beautiful Pain: The Journey from $5m to $50m in ARR
- Robert Göbel, Co-founder @ Spread
- Dr. David Schneider, Cofounder & CEO @ Qualifyze
- Dominik Angerer, Co-founder & CEO @ Storyblok
- Host: Felix Klühr, HV
12:00

Consumer Is Back('ish) - Why Not Being the Most Popular Among VCs Has Helped Towards Profitability
- Moritz Kreppel, Co-founder & CEO @ Urban Sports Club
- Florian Schwenkert, CEO @Koro
- Host: David Kuczek, HV
12:20

Net Zero, Net Profit? - Assessing Focus in a Return-Oriented World
- Dr. Carla Woydt, Co-founder & Chief Impact Officer @ Ceezer
- Simon Haldrup, CEO @ Agreena
- Host: Manal Belaouane, HV
12:35

Europe 2030 – Big Tech Trends Shaping Our Lives
- Markus Berger-de Leon, Partner @ McKinsey
- Host: Barbod Namini, HV
12:50

Lunch break
13:45

Building Brand Identity Through Creative Innovation
- Yousef Hammoudah, Executive Director @ Fotografiska
- Host: Kasey Davies, HV
13:55

Leveraging ESG for strategic business wins
- René Bretschneider, Co-founder @ Thermondo
- Johann Jones, Head of Travel Operations, Sustainability & Travel @ Tourlane
- Hannah Leach, Co-founder @ VentureESG
- Host: Marie Bos, HV
14:15

From Lab to Launch: Building Successful Deep Tech Startups
- Tobias Grab, Co-founder @ Kipu Quantum
- Maximilian Kufner, Co-founder @ again
- Host: Jan Miczaika, HV
14:35

Navigating the Storm: Building a Resilient Culture in Unpredictable Times
- Malou-Anne Wahn, Director of People & Organisation @ Plan A
- Alexandra Joos, VP People & Organization @ Alasco
- Host: Anna Ott, HV
14:55

Rockets & Robots: Shaping our Future with Innovation
- Daniel Metzler, Co-Founder & CEO @ Isar Aerospace
- David Reger, Founder & CEO @ Neura Robotics
- Host: Fabian Gruner, HV
15:10 - 18:00

Networking

PORTFOLIO PITCH SESSIONS

Register now for Pitch Sessions by HV's Portfolio companies in Consumer, DeepTech, and SaaS. Spots are limited per session - RSVP to secure yours.

***Please note, if you do not have a Summit ticket, you will not be able to enter the pitch sessions.

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FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Learn from industry leaders as they share their journey through the peaks and valleys of entrepreneurship. And perhaps, meet your next investor.

FOR INVESTORS

Connect with Europe's top founders, from the venture phase to growth stages. Seize the chance to network with fellow investors and gain valuable industry insights from the experts.

FOR LIMITED PARTNERS

Get to know the HV Capital portfolio, discover the latest technologies and solutions addressing some of the world's most critical challenges and network with fellow investors.

FOR THE VC ECOSYSTEM

Connect with pioneering founders revolutionizing industries, network with investors, and gain valuable insights from experts on the latest trends in the venture capital industry.

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KRAFTWERK BERLIN: POWERING THE NEXT WAVE OF INNOVATION

There’s no better place to celebrate 25 years of European venture capital, and to look ahead to the future, than Kraftwerk in Berlin. Once a coal-fired power station fueling the city, Kraftwerk has been transformed into a striking industrial space that now powers bold ideas, creative energy, and radical innovation. It’s a place where the past and future meet, making it the ideal backdrop for HV Capital’s annual Investor & Founder Summit.

At a time when Europe needs the energy to act, on climate, on technology, on transformation, Kraftwerk is more than a venue. It’s a symbol of reinvention and resilience, and a reminder of what’s possible when ambition turns into action.

GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS

2024 Program Recap

Last year, we were privileged to welcome some of Europe’s most influential founders and investors who built and backed innovative startups that have changed the world we live in on stage.

10:00 BALLROOM

Welcome
- Rainer Märkle, HV Capital
10:05 BALLROOM

Can European Tech Crack It: A Bullish View on Successful Global Expanders
- Jochen Engert, Co-founder @ Flix
- Emmanuel Thomassin, CFO @ Delivery Hero
- Alexander Joel-Carbonell, HV Capital
10:25 BALLROOM

Big Public Money Pools Fueling the Ecosystem – a Conversation with Europe's Financier
- Nadya Petrova, Investment Manager @ EIF
- Rainer Märkte, HV Capital
10:40 BALLROOM

Europe 2030 – Big Tech Trends Shaping Our Lives
- Markus Berger-de Leon, Partner @ McKinsey & Company
- Barbod Namini, HV Capital
10:55 BALLROOM

Secret Sauce for a Successful Exit: A Late-Stage, Buy-out and IPO Perspective
- Sascha Günther, MD @ General Atlantic
- Thomas Turner, MD @ Morgan Stanley
- Alexander Joel-Carbonell, HV Capital
11:15

Coffee Break
11:35 BALLROOM

Beautiful Pain: The Journey from $5m to $50m in ARR
- Robert Göbel, Co-founder @ Spread
- Dr. David Schneider, Cofounder & CEO @ Qualifyze
- Dominik Angerer, Co-founder & CEO @ Storyblok
- Felix Khluer, HV Capital
11:55 BALLROOM

Consumer Is Back('ish) - Why Not Being the Most Popular Among VCs Has Helped Towards Profitability
- Moritz, Co-founder & CEO @ Urban Sports Club
- Florian Schwenkert, CEO @Koro
- David Kuczek, HV Capital
12:15 BALLROOM

Net Zero, Net Profit? - Assessing Focus in a Return-Oriented World
- Dr. Carla Woydt, Co-founder & Chief Impact Officer @ Ceezer
- Simon Haldrup, CEO @ Agreena
- Manal Belaouane, HV Capital
12:35 BALLROOM

Arm Aber Sexy - How Can Berlin Remain Competitive - Political Views from the Broader Ecosystem
- Dr. Jörg Kukies, German State Secretary
- Dr. Christian Saller, HV Capital
12:55

Lunch break
13:50 BALLROOM

Building Brand Identity Through Creative Innovation
- Yousef Hammoudah, Founding Executive Director @ Fotografiska Berlin
- Kasey Davies, HV Capital
14:00 BALLROOM

Navigating the Storm: Building a Resilient Culture in Unpredictable Times
- Malou-Anne Wahn, Director of People & Organisation @ Plan A
- Alexandra Joos, VP People & Organization @ Alasco
- Ann Ott, HV Capital
14:20 BALLROOM

Leveraging ESG for strategic business wins
- René Bretschneider, Co-founder @ Thermondo
- Johann Jones, Head of Travel Operations, Sustainability & Travel @ Tourlane
- Hannah Leach, Co-founder @ VentureESG
- Marie Bos, HV Capital
14:40 BALLROOM

From Lab to Launch: Building Successful Deep Tech Startups
- Tobias Grab, Co-founder @ Kipu Quantam
- Maximilian Kufner, Co-founder @ Again
- Jan Miczaika, HV Capital
15:00 BALLROOM

Beyond the Horizon: How European Deeptech is Reaching for the Stars and Transforming Industries
- Daniel Metzler, Co-Founder & CEO @ Isar Aerospace
- David Reger, Founder & CEO @ Neura Robotics
- Fabian Gruner, HV Capital
15:15

Networking
18:00

End of Perspectives Summit

PERSPECTIVES SUMMIT 2025

PROGRAM

13:00

DOORS OPEN
14:00

WELCOME TO PERSPECTIVES SUMMIT: THE EUROPEAN NARRATIVE
- Alexander Joël-Carbonell, HV Capital
14:05

25 YEARS OF HV IN VENTURE CAPITAL
- Rainer Märkle, HV Capital
14:10

TECH-DRIVEN DEFENSE: EUROPE'S ANSWER TO GEOPOLITICAL CHALLENGES
- Sven Kruck, Co-CEO @ Quantum Systems
- Marc Wietfeld, CEO & Co-Founder @ ARX
- Fabian Gruner, HV Capital
14:30

STARTUPS AND INNOVATION AS DRIVERS OF EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGICAL SOVEREIGNTY
- Thomas Jarzombek, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and State Modernization
- Dr. Christian Saller, HV Capital
14:45

HOW LARGE ORGANIZATIONS ARE LEVERAGING AI AGENTS TO CREATE HYPER-EFFICIENT TEAMS
- Max Tkacz, Senior Developer Advocate @ n8n
- Patrick Haede, Co-Founder & Managing Director @ Superscale
- Lina Chong, HV Capital
15:00

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS THROUGH AI
- Fabio Schmidberger, Co-Founder & CEO @ Voize
- Lennart van der Smissen, Founder & CEO @ Entyre
- Felix Klühr, HV Capital
15:20

COFFEE BREAK
15:35

INSIGHTS FROM FAST-GROWING, COMMUNITY-BUILDING SUCCESS STORIES
- Moritz Kreppel, Co-Founder & CEO @ Urban Sports Club
- Lucas Teuchner, Founder & CEO @ Icon League
- David Kuczek, HV Capital
15:55

HYPERSCALING THROUGH BRAND LOVE - CONSUMER IS GOING STRONG
- Steffani Busch, COO @ KoRo
- Mathias Horsch, Founder & Co-CEO @ HOLY
- David Fischer, HV Capital
- Ann-Christin Stiehl, HV Capital
16:10

FROM BARISTA TO MY FACE BEING ON BILLIONS OF MILK BOXES - AND GETTING MILKED BY THE MARKETS: MY OATLY REFLECTIONS
- Toni Petersson, ex CEO & Co-Chairman @ Oatly
16:25

B2B SOFTWARE IN THE AI ERA
- Stefano Vaccino, Founder & CEO @ Yapily
- Christoph Hartmann, Co-Founder & CTO @ Mondoo
- Charlotte Rothert, CEO & Co-Founder @ Doinstruct
- Barbod Namini, HV Capital
16:45

COFFEE BREAK
17:00

ISAR AEROSPACE LAUNCH: A TRUE FIRST FOR EUROPE
- Josef Fleischmann, Co-Founder & CTO @ Isar Aerospace
- Kasey Davies, HV Capital
17:10

WHY EUROPE NEEDS DEEPSCIENCE STARTUPS TO SOLVE OUR GENERATION'S MOST PRESSING ISSUES
- Heike Freund, COO @ Marvel Fusion
- Simon Haldrup, CEO @ Agreena
- Jannis Fett, HV Capital
17:30

AGENTIC QUANTUM COMPUTING & QUANTUM SUPERINTELLIGENCE
- Prof. Enrique Solano, Co-CEO & Co-Founder @ Kipu Quantum
- Maxi Pethö-Schram, HV Capital
17:40

TRUMP, TARIFFS, TURMOIL? – AN EXPERT'S VIEW ON WHERE MARKETS COULD END IN 2025
- Jens Eisenschmidt, Chief Europe Economist, Morgan Stanley
- Jan Miczaika, HV Capital
17:50

START OF THE 25TH YEAR CELEBRATION
- Rainer Märkle, HV Capital

Past speakers

We've had the honor of hearing from some of Europe's leading founders and industry thought leaders.

Your FAQs, answered

WHEN DOES IT START?

May 15, 2025

13:00: Doors open and badge collection/accreditation starts
13:50: Program starts
17:30 until late: Join us in celebrating 25 years of HV Capital with a toast, networking, and flying dinner

WHERE IS THE VENUE?

The Summit will take place at Kraftwerk Berlin. Access the directions via Google Maps. The entrance is on the opposite side to Tresor Nightclub - please look out for the HV Capital banner for guidance.

HOW DO I GET THERE?

We advise that you do not drive to the venue as there is limited street parking. The venue is easy to get to via public transport or via Uber/Bolt/Taxi.

CAN I BRING A PLUS 1?

This is an invite-only event for HV Capital Portfolio Founders, Investors, and select guests. If you think someone should attend and they're not on the guest list, please email our events team on events@hvcapital.com with the subject line "HV Summit plus 1".

WHERE SHOULD I BOOK MY HOTEL?

We recommend staying in central Berlin, specifically the "Mitte" district, as it offers convenient access to the event venue and is likely close to many of your other meetings.