Luuz Bielars is the new Event Manager at GTEC, the German Tech Entrepreneurship Center. The collaboration GTEC has with Leapfunder lets her co-organize the Investor Readiness Sessions every Wednesday and the Investor Round Table every second Friday of the month. Find out more about her background, what’s the main focus for the future events and how the Berlin startup scene reacts to Leapfunder’s presence.

An Interview with Luuz Bielars

1. Hi Luuz, thank you for agreeing to do the interview. Tell us a bit about your background and your role at Leapfunder.

Of course, I’m happy to do so! I’m 37 years old and originally from the Netherlands. After working as an event manager in early 2000, I started my own business in the Netherlands in 2008: an art gallery, event space and fashion store. We moved the business to Berlin in 2011 and ran it successfully until 2015. Besides being the managing director, I curated and managed all of the events we hosted. From 2015 till 2018 I was managing 2 successful Berlin restaurants. In freelance assignments, I worked for TOA and the London based Collective, which pulled me into the startup tech world. This led me to become the new event manager for GTEC, the German Tech Entrepreneurship Center where I take care of all the events in Berlin and Frankfurt. The collaboration GTEC has with Leapfunder, lets me co-organize the Investor Readiness Sessions every week and the Investor Round Table every second Friday of the month.  

2. Since last year Leapfunder is live in Germany. Anya Klyukanova introduced us to the startup community in Berlin. How will you proceed? What is your main focus for the future Investor Round Table events?

Organising GTEC events in Berlin and in Frankfurt puts me in touch with a huge network of interesting startups. I aim to bring the innovative startups from Berlin and Frankfurt together with our network of passionate investors. We strive to take the Investor Round Table to Frankfurt and even go beyond the German network and make it a globally reachable event.  

3. How does the Berlin startup scene react to Leapfunder’s presence? Are the Investor Readiness Sessions and the Investor Round Table at GTEC making a difference?

Definitely! The Investor Readiness Sessions give startups the perfect base for a first pitch. Although it’s hard sometimes, they get honest and constructive feedback that can help them improve their pitch and build a more realistic business model. Leapfunder’s CEO, Tienko Rasker, gives a great workshop and we can easily reach our network of startups through GTEC and give them the opportunity to expand their knowledge. 

4. When do you feel that your journey with Leapfunder is a success?

When we match great startups and visionary investors.

5. Tell us about the upcoming Investor Round Table in Berlin. When? Where? The best way to RSVP? What to expect?

The next Investor Round Table is on December 14th at GTEC Berlin. Startups can sign up here and find more information here. If you’d like to join the Investor Readiness Session sign up here.

Thanks a lot, Luuz! We wish you the best of luck in connecting awesome startups with awesome investors!

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