Entrepreneurship is a lifelong journey - Why XPRENEURS is more than just a program, interview with Sascha Koberstaedt
Sascha, you already took part in XPRENEURS Batch #1 when you founded Evum Motors, mentored start-ups from the past batches yourself and now you're participating again with encosa in Batch #16 - what motivated you to join XPRENEURS once more and turned you into a “returning customer”?
Sascha: In Batch #1, XPRENEURS was a crash course for me on many relevant topics that you encounter as a founder. I probably didn't understand most of the topics at the time or didn't understand their relevance at all. After several years in the start-up industry, you realize the importance of the most diverse topics.
You never stop learning and entrepreneurship is always individual. At XPRENEURS, you have the opportunity to exchange ideas with different people from different stages, industries and backgrounds.
What are the most important lessons you took from your first experience with XPRENEURS that you’re now applying again?
Sascha: You meet an extremely large number of smart people with similar challenges in one place. Above all, you learn who to ask when a topic comes up.
In your opinion, how has the program evolved since Batch #1, and how does it support you today with encosa compared to Evum Motors?
Sascha: Everything has become bigger and even more professional. More networking opportunities, more specialized groups for various topics with experienced industry experts.
What specific challenges do you see in building a new company, and how does XPRENEURS help you tackle these?
Sascha: Every company is individual, yet there are the same or very similar problems that every founder has to overcome at different stages. This is exactly where the exchange with experienced people is extremely helpful.
How did the XPRENEURS network help you in the past, and what new contacts or opportunities are especially valuable for encosa?
Sascha: Thanks to my long-standing connection to the UTUM and XPRENEURS, I already knew many of the people involved. Nevertheless, I also got to know a lot of exciting new contacts, support opportunities and and areas.
How valuable is the feedback from mentors and other participants for you?
Sascha: I consider the exchange with people with similar challenges to be THE greatest advantage of all.
What advice would you give to other founders considering participating in Batch #17 of the XPRENEURS program?
Sascha: XPRENEURS should not be seen as a 3-month program that ends afterwards. It is much more a crash course on entrepreneurship, an exchange platform with like-minded people and, above all, a long-term access to the UTUM family with an almost infinite access to know-how and network.
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