Enactus Germany at the Entrepreneurship Summit in Berlin

From Knowledge to Action: How Student Ideas Become Responsible Startups

Alongside our regional training weekends, the Entrepreneurship Summit took place in Berlin. The session “From Knowledge to Action - How Student Ideas Become Responsible Startups” brought together different perspectives from the Enactus network and the entrepreneurship network. Oliver Faber, Managing Director of Enactus Germany, Maximilian Bauer from Enactus Berlin, Carmen Ludwig from the Körber Foundation, and Dominik Nitsch, an Enactus alumnus, discussed how student ideas can create tangible social impact.

The discussion focused on four key ingredients for building an impact startup: funding, an idea, partners and a team as well as the right skills. Participants were invited to position themselves in the room according to the topics that interested them most. One thing quickly became clear: the exchange around partners and teams attracted the greatest interest. The conversation continued long after the session ended.

The panel highlighted the many different paths from an initial idea to implementation. Maximilian Bauer shared his experiences with ZweiMahl, his own Enactus startup, while Carmen Ludwig spoke about her work at the Körber Foundation. She is leading its new Entrepreneurship division and, through the Körber Start-Hub in Hamburg, supports young people in turning their ideas into reality. Dominik Nitsch also shared his experiences: in 2013, he won the Enactus World Cup with Enactus Munich and the One Dollar Glasses project. Today, he is pursuing his own entrepreneurial ventures.

One key takeaway from the session was that good ideas alone are not enough. What matters is building connections early on, embracing different perspectives, and knowing whom to turn to for support and expertise. This is precisely where Enactus Germany comes in: supporting students in developing entrepreneurial solutions to social challenges as a team and turning knowledge into action. 

The session demonstrated the importance of strong networks, mutual support, and collaboration between different stakeholders in fostering responsible entrepreneurship. It also highlighted Enactus Germany's contribution to the national entrepreneurship ecosystem and its role in supporting the next generation of impact entrepreneurs.

We would like to thank the Entrepreneurship Foundation for the invitation and for organizing a successful summit, as well as all the panelists and participants for the inspiring insights and conversations. We look forward to staying connected and continuing to work together to turn good ideas into impactful solutions.