Money, reach, network: Which strategies make start-ups successful? What mistakes can be avoided? What types of start-up support are there – and which suits your own start-up?
The Learning Expedition for International Entrepreneurs, or LEXIE for short, is taking place for the second time this year.
Prof. Dr. Fabrice Periac from the Paris School of Business and Prof. Dr. Arthur Hofer from Macromedia University initiated the start-up support program last year. It is open to students from both universities who are planning start-ups.
LEXIE includes four intensive workshop days each at the Paris School of Business campus and the Munich campus of Macromedia University. During this time, students work with entrepreneurship luminaries from each university, meet successful startup founders and receive advice from industry partners.
“After last year’s experience, we were able to tailor the program even more specifically to the needs of the Gründer:innen this year. Our experience is that the students would like even more concrete information and recommendations for action. The international perspective we are aiming for is a natural result of the diversity of the group and the variety of industries,” says Fabrice Periac.
Sessions on these topics have already been held at the Munich campus:
Female Entrepreneurship and Inclusion in Entrepreneurship
For the first time this year, the topic of Female Entrepreneurship and Inclusion was discussed. Management Professor Dr. Eva-Yasmine Kaiser from the Stuttgart Campus emphasized the social significance of female entrepreneurship. Female founders are economically and socially successful in the long term, said Kaiser, referring to numerous international statistics.
A second favorite topic of hers: Future Skills. Kaiser showed how Future Skills and Entrepreneurial Skills overlap, insofar as Entrepreneurship asks for a broad spectrum of skills. And even if an entrepreneurial idea does not lead to success: Future Skills will remain and increase one’s attractiveness in the professional world, Kaiser explains.
Anabel Romero, co-founder of PEEKUStories and startup guest at Macromedia, knows another side of female founder stories. During presentations in front of investors and in startup support sessions, she says she has definitely been confronted with traditional gender roles and latent sexism.
“It’s great that you’re two women, because that’s en vogue right now – but it would be even better if you had a man with you who was responsible for the numbers,” Romero quotes the well-meaning advice of a male representative.
Her hairstyle and cultural background were also commented on, she says: “Your name is Spanish. It’s a good thing you have a German co-founder, whereas Spanish might actually help with that specific product.”
Would comparable comments be conceivable for male candidates? Romero is skeptical.
The “specific product” of Anabel Romero and her co-founder Nicole Gruber is a website where people can subscribe to erotic literature about female pleasure.
“Erotic content on the net has so far been dominated by a male perspective. Peekustories wants to de-taboo female pleasure. The user-generated content is an invitation to subscribers to share their fantasies and discover their desires,” Romero said.
“I took away a lot of insights from Anabel’s report,” said Kade Shippy, a PSB and University of Pennsylvania student.
“I always recognized that gender imbalance was a big issue in the corporate world, and now I realize the same challenges are present in the startup context. I was deeply inspired by Anabel, because my startup in the health care segment similarly aims to improve equity and fairness for women and others.”
Learning Expedition for International Entrepreneurs: to be continued
Prof. Hofer, co-initiator also of the Macromedia Start-up Community, is very satisfied with the first part of the LEXIE initiative and is already looking forward to the continuation in Paris.
“I am very impressed with the students. Those were intense, lively days in Munich. A huge thank you goes to our fantastic experts. Their expertise was the turbo for the joint work,” says Arthur Hofer, pleased with the successful first part of LEXIE 2023.
For further details about Macromedia’s startup-focus check here.
(IMH)