Скачать или смотреть The Man Who Built Europe’s Most Powerful Startup Hub - Helmut Schönenberger

He built Europe’s most successful startup hub.

In this episode, I sit down with Helmut Schönenberger, the quiet force behind UnternehmerTUM — the engine that powers Germany’s most iconic startups. From helping student founders take their first steps to advising politicians and securing millions in funding, Helmut is the man behind the curtain.

He doesn't chase headlines. He builds legacies.

We unpack his journey — from aerospace engineering student to co-founder of a 500-person powerhouse that has launched startups worth billions. But we also go deeper: into the mindset, the doubts, the politics, and the relentless energy it takes to drive change in Europe’s innovation ecosystem.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:
Why the excuses people make for not starting are often rooted in fear
What it really takes to build a startup ecosystem that works
How Helmut built trust with top investors, founders, and politicians
The surprising reason he still wakes up excited every single day

00:00 - Intro
01:05 - Helmut’s typical day
03:33 - The turning point for him
05:01 - The Artistic Side of Space
06:59 - The mission of UnternehmerTUM
0:22:12 - Why do young people not think about entrepreneurship?
0:23:25 - Is it impossible to be a successful and trustworthy founder if you were young?
0:28:42 - Why Germany is a good place to start a company
0:35:06 - I can do it later, I will be more experienced then. What’s your take on that?
0:36:32 - The skepticism of entrepreneurship in Germany
0:40:44 - The lack of a centralized system for entrepreneurship education
0:45:52 - Why did you switch to founding UnternehmerTUM?
0:47:11 - Overcoming Fears
0:49:21 - What UnternehmerTUM offers
0:52:01 - What would be your dream company?

🎧 Whether you're an entrepreneur, operator, investor, or just someone who wants to build something meaningful — this is an episode you won’t forget.

Sparc is proudly presented by Ripplefilm - Storytelling for Tech, B2B and Beyond.

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