ON STAGE: Is your Tech/Ai Startup Ready?

We have founders who have built and scaled businesses, venture investors who make early-stage investment decisions, capital allocators, senior operators and specialists in strategy, commercialization and markets. Their job on the 7th of October is not to be polite and it is not to find faults for the sake of finding faults. Their desire is to understand the 10 companies, challenge its assumptions and identify what is unclear, what is missing, what may prevent it from being fundable or scalable. The most important answer being, what the founder can actually do next. Each startup gets 10–15 minutes live on stage with direct feedback from experienced operators, investors, and founders who help identify execution gaps and practical next steps. Agenda: ROUND 1 4:30 PM – 4:45 PM | Welcome & Introduction Welcome remarks · ON STAGE format · Introduction of the 5 startups 4:45 PM – 6:00 PM | ON STAGE — Round 1 5 Startups × 15 Minutes Each 6 Judges · Live Challenge & Feedback 6:00 PM – 6:15 PM | Startup & Panel Rotation Round 1 concludes · Round 2 founders and judges prepare 6:15 PM – 6:30 PM | Networking & Transition ROUND 2 6:30 PM – 6:45 PM | Welcome & Introduction Round 2 introduction · Introduction of the 5 startups 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM | ON STAGE — Round 2 5 Startups × 15 Minutes Each 6 Judges · Live Challenge & Feedback 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Drinks & Networking Continue the conversations with founders, judges, investors, operators and the entrepreneurship community. One important implication: Round 1 and Round 2 can effectively be sold as two independent entry points. Someone who cannot arrive at 4:30 can attend Round 2 from 6:30, while people attending Round 1 can stay through networking. That could materially increase attendance and make the two-round concept feel intentional rather than simply a four-hour startup event.