Review

“Do not let the nay-sayers win!”: This message by Hasso Plattner delivered via video greeted the participants of this year’s Hasso Plattner Ventures Forum. 300 interested entrepreneurs, managers, scientists, scholars, top-athletes (and even dancers) met in Potsdam-Babelsberg on Tuesday to discuss the topic:  “Crisis? Don’t miss the Chance!”

Next to overcoming an exceptional economic situation, the focus of interest lay on dealing with personal crisis. Speakers like Britta Steffen, Josef Ackermann or the much applauded Ketan Patel shared their views on the subject. “I had to learn that strength can only grow when I take breaks,” said world-record swimmer Britta Steffen describing her remarkable return. “I gain courage from not having to win anymore.” In the early days of her career only winning or losing would define her sense of self-worth, nowadays it’s all about enjoying the sport itself. 

Dr. Josef Ackermann, CEO Deutsche Bank, described a new path into the future. The current crisis allows especially young people to prove themselves and it accelerates careers. Ackermann urged that one must take a holistic approach towards the economy. One cause for the crisis was looking only at numbers.  

A very special highlight was the intervention of Sasha Waltz & Guests during the lunch break. Amidst the chatting participants an initially disturbing and yet very poetic performance took place, showing a way of overcoming the crisis of the individual through a process of coming together.

During the forum “The most promising company launched in 2009 Award” was given to Thomas Klein's young company Cytolon. In close coordination with transplantation clinics and cord blood banks, Cytolon developed a highly professional IT-platform which guarantees an effective and smooth cooperation between transplantation clinics, donor-registries, cord blood banks as well as affiliated industries.

“Everybody in this room is actually an expert on crises,” said Eran Davidson, CEO of Hasso Plattner Ventures.  Everybody was able to take some new insights and thoughts with him and expressed their anticipation of the Hasso Plattner Ventures Forum in 2010! Hope to see you there!