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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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
5 tips to impress with your next presentation at the Henkel dx Ventures Hackathon, in front of partners or investors.
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!
Review 2019 & 2020
HIGHLIGHTS (PHYSICAL AND ONLINE EVENT FORMAT)
Host
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 (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.
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