Congratulations on TechBBQ’s upcoming 10th (X) event! Will TechBBQ 2022 be offering any special activities during this “eXtraordinary” event to celebrate this milestone?
Our main focus this year is to celebrate our 10th year of bringing the community together. We have a new location, we are opening our doors to more people, and more international companies and delegations are joining us.
Our theme for the stage program is “Discovery”, which is focused on how we are embracing developments from our past and present that are provoking questions about our future.
TechBBQ puts an emphasis on the strengthening of the Nordic ecosystem for both startups and scaleups. What are some of the issues facing the Nordic Tech community and how
is North Star Pitch helping to fix them?
The startups and scaleups in the Nordics are facing several major challenges. For example, limited access to series B capital is an issue, as well as attracting talents, due to the low unemployment rate in the region. Additionally, many startups and scaleups are looking for opportunities to scale up internationally.
TechBBQ helps by attracting the best of the best when it comes to international investors with large funds. We also have a dedicated showcasing area for startups, as well as various pitching competitions and matchmaking activities, which can help in terms of finding the next investor, employee, colleague, or supplier.
We also help startups get more recognition and we help them with finding the investment or scaling internationally. A great example is Comply Cloud, last year’s winner of the North Star Pitch competition: they got an investment of 33.5 million DKK (approximately 4.5M€) from SEED Capital shortly after their win.
In addition to the North Star Pitch competition, there’s a multitude of other challenges for startups and scaleups in which to participate. Can you give us a quick rundown of these other events and what they can offer applicants?
Of course. This year’s program is very eXciting! Tim Draper (a huge investor, who invested in Tesla, Coinbase, and many more), is bringing his global investor pitching show – Meet the Drapers – to our main stage.
We will also feature garden sessions focused on various topics in the tents outside of the main venue, program stages, a networking corner, and much more! In addition to the North Star Pitch competition, we are also hosting the Playground for Hardware Startups pitching competition, showcasing area for startups, and more.
Now that IRL events are back on the map, how is TechBBQ planning to improve networking experiences for attendees this year?
As in previous years, our attendees will have access to our networking app, Brella, before the event, which will allow them to match with people with similar interests and meet in an allocated meeting area.
TechBBQ introduced new stages this year to address sustainability, the building blocks of startup life, industry movement, and the pioneers of the field. Which of these are you most excited to attend and why?
Our main stages are divided into four sub-categories – One World, Business of Building, Techno Sapiens, and Movers and Shakers.
Some of the most exciting talks will be: A Fireside chat with Erika Cheung (Theranos Whistleblower) & Robin Wauters (Founder of Tech.eu), Caroline Farberger (Partner & Chairwomen at Wellstreet and the first senior business leader in the Nordics to speak openly about her gender transition) will be interviewed by Larry Madowo (International Correspondent at CNN), and we will host a Mental Health Open Forum panel, where selected panelists will answer questions from our audience, that they will submit anonymously.
Finally, TechBBQ has recently updated the venue of the event to Lokomotivværkstedet (AKA the Train Workshop), a cultural building in Copenhagen. What new features does this setting bring and how does it reflect TechBBQ’s ambiance?
TechBBQ is a place where tech and hygge align. You can meet your next co-founder, employee, or investor while sipping a beer. And even with a growing number of participants each year, our aim is always to maintain that special cozy vibe.