Saxony: Start-up Congress: Saxony's founders need more courage

Leipzig (dpa/sn) - Founders and investors from all over Germany came to Leipzig on Saturday to take part in the German Business Angels Day.

Saxony: Start-up Congress: Saxony's founders need more courage

Leipzig (dpa/sn) - Founders and investors from all over Germany came to Leipzig on Saturday to take part in the German Business Angels Day. The congress, which opened on Saturday, is intended to give founders of innovative start-ups the opportunity to exchange ideas with potential financiers until Monday (November 28). "The multiple crisis situation is not easy for start-ups because the ratings are different and they cannot find investors," said Ute Günther, Chair of the Business Angels Network Germany. The congress has been held every two years since 2001. This year is the first time he has been a guest in Saxony since it was founded.

Despite the difficult situation of newly founded companies, Günther does not expect that a feeling of resignation or heaviness will dominate the event: "Our angel investors are doers," she said. Rather, Günther expects that topics such as the proportion of women in the scene and the possibilities for shaping the coming months will be discussed with great seriousness. "Lamenting doesn't help. The situation demands that we do something."

The fact that the congress is now being held in Saxony for the first time is also thanks to the work of the state government, says Günther. "She has done a lot to ensure that we are here from today." The Free State has a great university landscape, which, however, still produces too few spin-offs. "Especially in high technology, there are hidden champions in Saxony who have to have the courage to bring something new to the market."

The organizers are expecting a total of around 700 participants, including around 200 start-ups. Investors in the business angel network, the so-called business angels, spend around 2.5 billion euros a year on young, innovative companies in Germany.