Working Together to Empower Europe's Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

Guest Article: Gründungsmagnet — In September 2026, the IdeaLab! will bring together founders, investors, and students in Vallendar to shape Europe’s entrepreneurial and technological future under the motto “The European Opportunity.” Gründungsmagnet will be there to support student startup initiatives in particular.

Europe’s Startup Scene Gathers in Vallendar

On September 25 and 26, 2026, the 26th edition of the IdeaLab! Founders’ Conference will take place on the campus of WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallendar. The conference has been a fixture of the European startup scene since 2000 and will once again bring together over 700 founders, investors, and students from across Europe this year. The 2026 conference will center on the theme “The European Opportunity,” which highlights Europe’s technological and economic future.

Over the course of two days, participants can expect a packed program featuring speeches, panel discussions, workshops, a pitch battle, and a variety of networking opportunities. Over the years, some of the scene’s most influential figures have taken the stage, from Oliver Samwer (Rocket Internet) to Zalando founders David Schneider and Robert Gentz, and Florian Heinemann (Project A), who will be back again in 2026.

In 2026, the conference will once again bring a new generation of founders to the stage. Among them is Jan Kraume, founder of the sportswear brand OACE, which has grown into one of Germany’s fastest-growing D2C brands in just a few years. Also joining us: Ferdinand Dabitz, co-founder and CEO of Augustus, whose fintech company just closed a Series B round of $180 million in July at a valuation of $1 billion.

By Students, for the Startup World

What makes IdeaLab! special is not only who is on stage, but also who is behind the scenes: The conference is organized entirely by 13 WHU students, who operate as a registered association independently and alongside their full-time studies. From selecting speakers and establishing partnerships to on-site organization, the entire responsibility lies in the hands of the student team. This makes IdeaLab! one of the most exclusive student-organized startup conferences in Europe.

Guided by the motto “We are on a mission to unite the startup world,” IdeaLab! has pursued a clear goal for over 25 years: to bring together people from across the European startup ecosystem. What began in 2000 as a student initiative has evolved into one of Europe’s most renowned student-organized startup conferences and continues to this day to create a space where founders, investors, and talented individuals can shape the future of entrepreneurship together.

The fact that a conference of this magnitude is organized by students year after year also demonstrates the impact that student engagement can have. IdeaLab! thus exemplifies a generation that isn’t waiting to become part of the startup world, but is actively helping to shape it. 

Working Together for the Next Generation of Founders

As a network for student startup initiatives, this hub brings together exactly the people who are already working today on the ideas and companies of tomorrow. We are therefore all the more delighted to be part of the 26th edition of the IdeaLab! Founders’ Conference—an event that showcases the power that emerges when student engagement, entrepreneurship, and strong networks come together.

For Gründungsmagnet, the partnership with IdeaLab! means one thing above all: empowering the younger generation in student startup initiatives and startups, giving them greater visibility, and thereby contributing to the future of Germany and Europe as hubs for startups.

Let’s strengthen these initiatives together. Because together, we are stronger. Tickets and information are available at: https://idealab.inno-com.org

Join us on September 25 and 26 at the 26th edition of the IdeaLab! Founders’ Conference in Vallendar!