Blankenburg Castle
Which tech accelerator is not based in a castle? That’s the question asked, reflecting after the first day at the Future Forest Initiative Validation sprint in the Harz region, Germany. We had a choice, either attend the massive Elmia Woods event literally up the road from where we are based in Sweden, or travel to Germany. Learning from our previous trip to the USA, rather spend intense time with a small group of focused individuals that have your interest at heart, then a large group that may not be that aligned.
Arriving rather early, I got to meet some of the organizers of the event. After weeks of seeing them on a screen for our weekly contact sessions, we finally got to meet in-person. The rest of the cohort arrived and the discussions eagerly began.
After the formal introductions it was time for a hike through the forest. We made various stops at key points in the forest, with very informative inputs, lead by Christoph zu Stolberg.
One notable point was the effect of the Spruce Bark Beetle attacks in the area a few years ago. The Harz region was the epicenter of the outbreak in Germany.
After the refreshing morning rain, the sun appeared. This courtyard is where we held the expert group interaction. Weaknesses and blind spots where pointed about and how to work on them going forward. Opportunities for co-operation and potential collaboration where discussed.
Next was the pitch session. I wasn’t really happy with my performance. After getting of to a low-energy start, it improved slightly.
What’s the point of being hosted at a castle, without a spooky tour (without lights) at sundown?
Trying to remember which key opens which door in the castle isn’t the easiest thing. I thought it was an appropriate time to tell those around me about the time last year when I went ghost hunting with a friend…and that cold breezes in a closed environment were normal.
Dr. Benjamin Kowalski had some ideas of smoke and lights appearing out of this hole
Not that sad that the spooky castle tour ended, a lovely BBQ dinner was prepared by our hosts.
A beautiful sunset on a summer’s day, overlooking the Saxony region
Feedback session was delivered by the one and only Konrad…the good, the bad and the ugly.
The major take away, your pitch is only as good as your internal mind-state.
A big thank you Lund Innovation for sponsoring our trip to Germany. We look forward attending the Summit back at the castle in September!