JOIN AS A FEMALEFOUNDERApply before 31 of July

You are ready to accept the challenge and accelerate your digital start-up? Your early-stage start-up comes with at least a prototype or live MVP? Your start-up operates in the sector Sustainable Innovation, Enterprise Tech, Health-Tech, Fintech, AI, AR/VR, EdTech, Social Impact or E-Commerce?


Apply to Xathon in Berlin and bring your start-up to the next level: Expand your professional network, work on your business model with experts and other successful founders, meet like-minded founders, meet VCs, and – seize the chance of winning 25k EUR in prize money.

xathon-apply-stage

100

FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS

40+

EXPERTS & MENTORS

25+

SPEAKERS

∞

PARTICIPANTS

CALLING ALL FEMALE TALENTS!

Xathon by Henkel dx Ventures: The ideation hackathon for female entrepreneurs is gearing up for its third edition. From November 12th to 14th, 2021, we bring together female talents in Berlin. Our goal is not only to empower 100 female talents to develop and shape their entrepreneurial mindset and ideas but also give them chance to win 25.000 EUR.

The application period starts on the 6th of September and ends on the 10th October 2021.

 

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Xathon

Nov 12th-14th, 2021

hybrid

 

 


Why Xathon?

Only 15.7 %1 of all founders in Germany are female. This is partly due to insufficient role models, a lack of confidence and an unfavorable ecosystem. That’s what we want to change. Therefore, we created a platform for female talents to unlock their potential and free their entrepreneurial spirit.

Our mission is to create opportunities for female entrepreneurs, to raise awareness and to promote digitization, female empowerment, diversity and visibility.

1 Female Founder Monitor 2020: Homepage | Female Founders Monitor ‏(FFM)


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What is Xathon?

Xathon is a 2,5 day ideation hackathon that provides 100 early stage female founders with unparalleled access to leading entrepreneurs, inspirational role models and sector experts. With high-octane panel discussions, single-speaker addresses, stimulating workshops and mind-flexing masterclasses, this groundbreaking event celebrates entrepreneurial endeavors while empowering female talent and driving diversity.  

We strive to be Germany’s leading female ideation hackathon. We created a unique hybrid event and implemented live studios and workshop hubs in Berlin*. Live speakers will be broadcast from the studios to the other hubs. 

*depending on C-19, otherwise switch to full virtual event similar to November 2020.


Click here for the interview with Delia Goos, Lead Events at Henkel dx and organizer of the Xathon. Learn about the mission behind the Xathon, Delia's personal motivation, and reveals how the pandemic gave the event an unexpected boost.

Learn more


Agenda

On Friday, November 12th, it’s all about empowerment and inspirational talks by game-changing digital leaders & entrepreneurs. On Saturday, November 13th, female founders will work in groups on their business model/startup with their dedicated mentors. They will run through different sprints ranging from user understanding, prototyping, validation to storytelling and pitch preparation. On Sunday, November 14th, the finalists will pitch their proposals, followed by the award ceremony.

How to deliver a winning pitch

5 tips to impress with your next presentation at the Henkel dx Ventures Hackathon, in front of partners or investors.

Learn more

How to join?

We want to give ideas a chance to fly. How? By bringing together amazing talents with awesome experts to mentor them. Even if you’re not ready to participate, you can be part of the event by attending the Inspirational Talks on Friday, November 12th, and the final pitches on Sunday, November 14th. Join this exciting journey and #beXpowered.

What's in it for me?

In addition to support, connections, mentorship, inspiration and fun, the winner of the Xathon 2021 will receive prize money to realize and scale their ideas.

Xathon 2021 winner will receive prize money 25.000 EUR!

 
 

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99 % made valuable connections during Xathon

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100 % would attend another Xathon

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86 % will arrange further meetings with connections made during Xathon

Speakers 2021

View speakers 2020



 

Jury 2021

 

Review 2019 & 2020

HIGHLIGHTS ‏(PHYSICAL AND ONLINE EVENT FORMAT)

 

Host

Henkel dx Ventures

Henkel dx Ventures is an open innovation and collaboration platform. Our strength lies in our vibrant ecosystem of diverse, inspiring people who share knowledge and ideas to rethink the future, advancing innovation across the board. The spirit of entrepreneurship is at our core and guides us in everything we do. Henkel dx Ventures organizes interactive ecosystem events to spark new ideas, share best practices and explore new ways of working – like our annual Xathon, enabling women founders to showcase their innovations and solutions.  At Henkel dx Ventures, we are proud to be part of Henkel’s digital unit, Henkel dx, as we create the next together.

Co-Host

Global Digital Women

Global Digital Women ‏(GDW) is the leading diversity company in Germany. What started as a small networking meeting in Berlin in 2017 has grown into a company with a community of over 50,000 people from the digital industry. Our goal is to accelerate gender equality, increase the proportion of women in leadership and digital professions, and last but not least, make women with a digital focus visible and connected across industries.

Our work ranges from hosting the Digital Female Leader Award and the FemBizSwiss Award (Switzerland) to conceptualizing and executing events for women around the topics of digitalization, empowerment and diversity. With over 300 events since our founding in 2017, we have been able to reach more than 50,000 women. In addition, we run the programs "Bavarian Women in Digital Professions ‏(BayFiD)" and "Women in Digital Areas ‏(WIDA) for Schleswig-Holstein", as well as the diversity consultancy ACI, with which we actively advise companies on the implementation of diversity measures.

Meet and follow us on LinkedIn

Partners

FAQ

  • What is so special about the Xathon?

  • Age

  • Gender

  • Do I have to pay for the Xathon?

  • When will I receive feedback regarding my application? 

  • Is it necessary to have coding skills?

  • How should I prepare myself?

  • Event-Concept under COVID-19

  • Is it necessary that my idea was already founded and established as a business/start-up?

  • Is it necessary that my idea is related to consumer goods?

  • What if I have unanswered questions?

We will be supporting female talents who want to become shakers, shapers and entrepreneurs.

Please note that this event is only for people 18+.

This event is primarily designed for female entrepreneurs. Male applicants who have ideas that support topics close to female interests such as fem tech etc., can also apply.

No, there are no fees linked to the Xathon event. However, if a real-world event is possible, each attendee needs to take care of travel and accommodation costs. We will inform all participants well in advance whether the Xathon will be conducted virtually or as a real-world event.

You are already registered as a guest and must identify yourself to the staff at gate 8 with your ID card or passport. Your identification will be checked against the guest list and you will be admitted to the Henkel site.

No, it is not necessary to have coding skills. This event is for female talents to strengthen their entrepreneurialism and shape their digital early-stage startups – whether it involves coding or not.

You don’t need to make any extra preparations, just keep accepting new challenges, growing your business, and changing the world. But don’t forget to bring your laptop and charger, comfortable clothes, and a high degree of motivation to take your business one step further at Xathon.

Right now, we are planning to execute the Xathon 2021 as a hybrid event in Berlin. Should a physical event be possible, we will create four mini-events. Each Mini-Event will host ~20 participants. This means there won’t be any physical contact between groups. In attending and participating in the physical event scenario each participant agrees to abide by the local Covid-19 rules which are in place in the respective city of the hub, which include social distancing measures ‏‏(1.5m), hygiene rules and wearing a medical or FFP2 face mask. Each venue will have positioned tables and infrastructure to allow the event to take place safely. All participants need to ensure that they follow our staff’s guidance and information and refer to relevant signage. The room layout and tables and chairs will be arranged to facilitate a ‏‏(net)working environment whilst keeping the participants safe and adhering to the local rules regarding coronavirus. The venues will have staff on hand to ensure that hygiene measures and a thorough cleaning routine are implemented during the event. There will also be complimentary hand sanitizer available throughout the venue. 

We will monitor the situation over the next few weeks and make a final decision about the physical or virtual character of the event closer to the event’s date ‏(no later than October 12th 2021).  

As we already carried out a successful full virtual Xathon in 2020, we are already well experienced and can assure you that we will deliver an interesting, stimulating and worthwhile event. Our integrated event app creates an authentic experience for every attendee. Besides integrated live-streaming it works seamlessly with all the interactive event app components you love, including: breakout rooms, agenda, up-voting Q&A, activity feed, polling, gaming and networking.

No. All early-stage female founders can apply no matter if their business has been already founded or not.

No. All female founders with any digital early-stage start-up can apply. Vertical could be e.g., D2C, AI, ed tech, sustainable innovation, fem tech, e-commerce, social impact, health or maybe you get a wild card?

Please drop us an email at xathon@henkel.com if you have any questions. We’d love to help!