Organization · Event Organizer
IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference
IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference is an annual entrepreneurship congress organized by students at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallendar, Germany. The event connects startups, investors, and industry professionals, fostering innovation and networking.
Overview
What IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference does
What IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference is
IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference is an annual entrepreneurship congress organized by students at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallendar, Germany. The event connects startups, investors, and industry professionals, fostering innovation and networking.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports community and event host and publisher capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Event Organizer
- Founded
- Founded in 2001
- Approximate age
- About 25 years
- Structured capabilities
- Community · Event host · Publisher
- Last reviewed
- April 2, 2026
Official channels
Find IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference as a community
Community overview
IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference is an annual startup conference organized by students from WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management. The conference aims to connect students, startups, and investors, providing a platform for networking and learning. It was founded in 2001 and is based in Vallendar, Germany.
Community focus
The conference focuses on early-stage startups, particularly those in the pre-seed, seed, and Series A funding stages. It aims to facilitate connections between startups and investors, offering opportunities for pitching and networking.
Member value
Participants gain access to networking opportunities, workshops, and insights from notable speakers in the startup ecosystem.
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
- Next recorded event
- September 25, 2026
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Investors · Students
- Benefits
- network-access and mentorship
- Program types
- community
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Series A
- Regions
- Europe
Community activity
- Annual events
- 1
Events and activity
The IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference is held annually, featuring workshops, networking opportunities, and a gala dinner. The next event is scheduled for September 25th and 26th, 2026, at the WHU campus in Vallendar, Germany.
Notable members
The conference has hosted numerous notable speakers and partners, including Dr. Tamaz Georgadze, René Adler, Frank Köhler, Dr. Anna Christmann, Benedict Kurz, Sophia Nabil, Dr. Annika von Mutius, and Nicole Büttner.
Capability profile
IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference as an event host
Event focus
The conference focuses on early-stage startups, particularly those in the pre-seed, seed, and Series A funding stages. It aims to facilitate connections between startups and investors, offering opportunities for pitching and networking.
Format narrative
The conference includes various workshops and networking events, providing a platform for learning and interaction among participants.
Format and cadence
- Event types
- conference
- Recurrence
- annual
- Modality
- in-person
- Startups can present
- Yes
Availability
- Registration state
- Accepting
- Next recorded event
- September 25, 2026
- Next event location
- WHU campus, Vallendar, Germany
Audience and fit
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Series A
- Audience
- Founders · Investors · Students
- Regions
- Europe
Speakers and past editions
Speakers
Notable speakers have included Dr. Tamaz Georgadze, Co-Founder & CEO of Raisin; René Adler, Founder & Former Professional Soccer Player; Frank Köhler, CMO at Enpal; Dr. Anna Christmann, Founder & CEO of SAI Europe; Benedict Kurz, Co-Founder & CEO of Knowunity; Sophia Nabil, Community & Growth at Lovable; Dr. Annika von Mutius, Co-Founder & CEO at Empion; and Nicole Büttner, Founder & CEO of Merantix Momentum, Secretary General FDP.
Capability profile
IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference as a publisher
Editorial focus
IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference focuses on early-stage startups, particularly those in the pre-seed, seed, and Series A funding stages. The conference aims to facilitate connections between startups and investors, offering opportunities for pitching and networking.
Audience value
The conference provides a platform for networking and learning, connecting students with startups and investors to foster growth and collaboration.
Format and cadence
- Content formats
- podcast
- Primary platform
- YouTube
Availability
- Guest pitch state
- Not currently accepting
Audience and focus
- Audience
- Founders · Investors · Students
- Regions
- Europe
Flagship work and coverage
Flagship properties
The conference features various workshops, networking events, and a podcast available on YouTube that discusses insights related to startups and entrepreneurship.
Notable coverage
The conference has hosted notable speakers such as Dr. Tamaz Georgadze, René Adler, and Dr. Anna Christmann, among others.
Common questions
What to know about IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference
Upseed classifies IdeaLab! - WHU Founders' Conference under the Event Organizer organization type. Its current public profile includes community, event host, and publisher capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
April 2, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.