Janina Clahsen

Group Lead Operations & Strategy

WERK1

Janina leads the operations team at the Munich startup hub WERK1, helping founders focus on growing their business. She also shapes the organization’s vision and expands its partner network. Previously, she spent seven years in consulting, supporting corporates in digital transformation and supply chain strategies.

Darius Göttert

Co-Founder of Spreadly & inGemeinschaft

Young Founders Network

Darius is passionate about a new generation of socially conscious entrepreneurs. As a co-founder of Spreadly and inGemeinschaft, and co-founder of the Young Founders Network, he actively promotes innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship. He has also served as board member of Gründungsmagnet and venture scout at EWOR.

Silko Barth

Co-Founder & CTO

Blue Skies Minerals

Silko is a physicist, maker, and passionate connector. With his startup Blue Skies Minerals, he’s transforming mining waste into long-term CO₂ storage. He loves beach volleyball, fishing, and learning – and thrives on helping the right people find each other.

Hergen Wöbken

Strategist & Managing Director

Institute for Strategy Development (IFSE)

Hergen is a strategist with deep roots in Berlin’s startup scene, to which he has been closely connected since the late 1990s. As founder and managing director of the Institute for Strategy Development (IFSE), he has analyzed the ecosystem more extensively than almost anyone else. His study Booming Berlin (2016) gained international recognition. More recently, he authored key reports on Berlin’s startup landscape for the Berlin Senate, forming the foundation of the Berlin Startup Agenda.

Sebastian Johnston

Entrepreneur,

Advisor & VC

Sebastian is a business angel, VC, and company builder with expertise in online marketing and digital sales. He combines hands-on experience as founder (Regiondo, Amaze, Vivere, Hey Honey, SCAILE, CITO) with fund management (Founding Partner at La Famiglia, Venture Partner at Armira Growth). In the Bits & Pretzels Community, he’s eager to share his network, spark new ideas, and support ambitious founders.

Leon Brunner

Chief of Staff & Entrepreneur in Residence

CITO

Leon is working on multiple stealth-mode venture cases at CITO, bringing strong experience in business development and venture building. As a former Founders Associate at hansetherm, he led technical scaling and established strategic partnerships with companies like enter, toom, and OBI. As a Community Lead, he’s passionate about fostering exchange, strategic growth, and strong founder teams.