Beyond headlines and hype
Founders rarely get to pause. Between fundraising, hiring, and product sprints, reflection often becomes a luxury. Yet every founder reaches moments where they need to step back to make sense of what they're building, why it matters, and what it's costing them. That's the space Gründerszene x The Delta Campus was built to hold: a monthly fireside series where Berlin's most influential founders speak not from a stage, but from experience.
Created in partnership between Gründerszene (Axel Springer) and The Delta Campus, this event brings together Germany's leading voices in entrepreneurship for open, unscripted dialogue. The focus isn't metrics or valuation. It's meaning what drives founders once the funding rounds are done, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.
From conversation to catalyst
Each edition features a one-on-one conversation between Leo Ginsburg, editor-in-chief of Gründerszene and host of the podcast Business Class, and a founder whose story sits at the intersection of business and belief. Past guests have included Lawrence Leuschner (Tier Mobility, Capacity Foundation) and Anna Alex (Planetly, nala Earth), two entrepreneurs who have reshaped what leadership can mean when purpose drives growth.
The format is deliberately intimate. The Delta Campus Assembly becomes a theatre of honesty, a minimalist stage, low lighting, and an audience of 200 founders and operators sitting close enough to feel the emotion in every word. It's not a presentation; it's a conversation worth remembering.
The moment with Lawrence Leuschner
One evening in November 2025, the series reached a milestone: Lawrence Leuschner's final public appearance in Germany before leaving the country to continue his mission abroad. As the founder of Tier Mobility, Rebuy, and now Capacity, the world's first non-profit biodiversity venture studio, Lawrence shared a rare, personal reflection on success, sustainability, and the art of knowing when to move on.
For an hour, the room listened as he spoke about building companies that don't just scale, but serve. About the responsibility founders hold when their work impacts cities, people, and the planet. And about the moment he realized that purpose wasn't something to add later but it had to be the foundation from the start.
It wasn't a talk. It was a farewell and a challenge, a reminder that every founder must eventually decide not just what they want to build, but what kind of world they want their work to create.
Why this series matters
Berlin's startup ecosystem moves fast. There's always another funding announcement, another product launch, another headline. Gründerszene x The Delta Campus slows that tempo down. It asks better questions: What do we value? How do we lead with integrity? What does impact mean when growth is easy and when it isn't?
These conversations invite founders to be more than operators to think like stewards of systems that extend beyond themselves. And that's precisely what makes the series resonate: it reminds people that behind every headline is a human being trying to make sense of it all.
Partnership in philosophy
The collaboration between Gründerszene and The Delta Campus was never about co-branding. It was about shared intent. Both organizations believe that entrepreneurship deserves spaces that are intellectually honest and emotionally intelligent places where the next generation of founders can learn not just what to do, but how to think.
The result is an event that feels both journalistic and communal. Gründerszene brings narrative depth and access to Germany's top founders; The Delta Campus brings context, a setting designed for authenticity and proximity. Together, they've created a forum that balances professionalism with humanity.
From audience to participants
What makes these evenings unique is the atmosphere they create. The crowd isn't passive. Questions from the audience often turn into dialogue that continues long after the formal session ends. Founders challenge each other's assumptions. Investors listen instead of speak. There's a sense that everyone is learning together that even the most seasoned leaders are still figuring it out.
After the talks, conversations flow through the Atrium, a mix of reflection, connection, and sometimes quiet introspection. It's rare to find an event that ends not in applause, but in thoughtfulness. That's the kind of silence The Delta Campus strives to cultivate, the kind that signals impact.
A space for meaning
In a world saturated with startup events, Gründerszene x The Delta Campus has become something different: a cultural moment for Berlin's innovation community. It's where ideas meet ideals and where founders come not to promote, but to process. It's a reminder that the future of entrepreneurship isn't just about speed, but about substance.
For The Delta Campus, this partnership reflects its wider mission: to provide not just workspace, but a home for founders, one that nurtures both their companies and their convictions.
The next chapter
As the series continues, the lineup expands beyond Berlin, bringing voices from across Europe who are shaping industries and redefining what success means. The topics will evolve, but the intent will remain the same: honest conversations in an environment built on trust, curiosity, and community.
Because the future of entrepreneurship won't be built by those who talk the loudest but by those who listen the hardest.
Explore upcoming sessions of Gründerszene x The Delta Campus at The Delta Campus Events or join the Campus community to receive invitations to upcoming fireside evenings.
Written by Alexandra Matthews
Chief Operating Officer
