With a heavy heart, we announce that after 11 successful years, one of the capital's largest and most significant startup events, the annual Startupnight (SUN), will no longer take place. The event had recently attracted over 5,000 visitors per edition on multiple days and locations. The SUN sets.
The reasons for this decision are manifold and reflect a changing landscape in the startup and event industry.
A key factor is the unfortunate sale of Deutsche Telekom's main representatives office, which has been a pillar of the event. Deutsche Telekom and Tim Höttges as well as formerly René Obermann supported the
event from day one. It has been a great pleasure working with you and we were
really proud. Other supporting members of Telekom were Raphael Kübler, Heinrich Arnold, Johannes Winkelhage and Nadine Neuber. Without them
this all would not have been possible.
The new Deutsche Telekom representatives office, Magenta Mitte (MaMi), unfortunately does not have the space to continue Startupnight in its previous capacity.
Despite continued and amazing support from long-term sponsors and partners such as Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) and Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH, this gap could not be filled.
COVID and the lack of support of Berlin's government didn't make it easier.
We look back with great gratitude on a decade of collaboration and networking. We express our deepest thanks to the venture capital community. Renowned investment firms such as IBBbet, Earlybird Venture Capital, Cherry Ventures, HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds, Schenker Ventures, Seven Ventures, APX, GP Bullhound, WLOUNGE, and many more who offered valuable advice and practical help to startups. Their expertise and commitment were crucial for the success of many young companies that took their first steps at Startupnight.
Special thanks to all our institutional and industrial partners over the years, including Volkswagen Group, E.ON, Commerzbank AG, Lufthansa, Deutsche Bank, Microsoft, DSGV - Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband, and many more, especially IBB, Berlin Partner, and Deutsche Telekom.
Lastly, we thank ON THE ROCK GROUP. Without their event expertise, we would hardly have been able to conduct this complex event.
It has been a time full of innovation, exchange, and progress. Startupnight has offered countless founders, investors, and enthusiasts a platform to network, learn, and grow. Although this chapter is ending, we are convinced that the spirit of Startupnight will live on in the many projects and startups that had their
beginnings here. Already today, we see many formats developed with us as the
standard in the startup event world. This makes us proud to have done many
things right.
It is time to evolve and face new challenges. We are excited about what the future holds for Berlin's startup community and how the landscape will continue to develop dynamically.
We bow before you!
