Deutschland here I come!

Fingers crossed, this time next week I’ll be heading to Berlin. Why shout about it, I travel to Berlin many times a year…..Usually. This will be my first trip anywhere since the start of March, and I will be following all precautions and wearing a face mask where required (it doesn’t infringe my freedoms, or civil rights, funnily enough). Berlin of course is one of the world’s leading cleantech start-up hubs. A great city of collaboration, passion, and energy, and one of my favourite cities in the world. Another is Munich, where the Hyperion Executive Search DACH team is based. Hopefully, I’ll get there to meet the team again soon too, I’ve not visited Munich since January, and like most of us, missed Intersolar and that festival of renewables and clean energy, and pretzels and beer.

One of the highlights in what has for all of us been a challenging year, has been the performance of our German team, lead by Wolfgang Kick. Which reflects not just the excellence of his team, but the resilience, entrepreneurial spirit, and ‘get shit done’ attitude of the cleantech community in the country. I find it funny when I speak to people who trot out some of the old stereotypes about doing business in Germany, I’ve never had anything but enjoyment, and success there, and consider so many of the great cleantech heroes in Germany to be personal friends.  That said, my visit to the Munich Notary, with Wolfgang, to sign the documents creating our GmbH, has gone into Hyperion folklore and was one of the most amusing, bewildering, and important meetings I’ve ever had!

Sadly, I won’t get much time to network whilst in Berlin, just a few meetings lined up, with a couple of cleantech legends, and a beer I expect. And a few days away from a Zoom meeting! What I will be discussing is how I, and the Hyperion DACH team can support and work more closely with our network of VCs, investors, cleantech hubs, and founders to do all that we can to play our part in the acceleration of the cleantech sector, to help create jobs, find extraordinary talent, and grow businesses that are changing the world.

A trip to Berlin to save the world and enjoy beer and sausage. What could be better? Ich Kann zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen!!