Venture Leaders Mobile 2024: Captains Blog by Clara Moldovan, CEO of Swistor, and Jason Corkill, CEO of Rapidata
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In late February, the ten Venture Leaders Mobile 2024 set off to Barcelona to connect with investors and learn from industry experts at the Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry. We asked Venture Leaders Mobile Team Captains Clara Moldovan and Jason Corkill to share their experience and take us behind the scenes of the week-long roadshow.
"We dreamed big about where
we'll stand '4 years from now' — or even sooner."
Jason Corkill
Sunday
We set out strong with a sailing and networking day, laying the groundwork for the week ahead. Beginning with breakfast hosted by Venturelab, we headed to the marina for the highly anticipated annual Venturelab sailing race at the Real Club Nautico in Barcelona. Despite the strong winds of up to 25 knots, the regatta served as a fitting metaphor for the startup journey, highlighting the importance of preparation and agility. It was a day of engaging conversations, making connections, and pitching ventures to investors, capped off with a networking aperitif, setting a dynamic tone for the days ahead.
We set out strong with a sailing and networking day, laying the groundwork for the week ahead. Beginning with breakfast hosted by Venturelab, we headed to the marina for the highly anticipated annual Venturelab sailing race at the Real Club Nautico in Barcelona. Despite the strong winds of up to 25 knots, the regatta served as a fitting metaphor for the startup journey, highlighting the importance of preparation and agility. It was a day of engaging conversations, making connections, and pitching ventures to investors, capped off with a networking aperitif, setting a dynamic tone for the days ahead.
Monday
Our first day at 4YFN (4 Years From Now), the startup event at the heart of the Mobile World Congress (MWC), marked our debut in tech. Excited, we introduced innovations at the Venturelab pavilion, engaging with potential partners and investors. We explored other pavilions, discovering trends like AI, 5G, IoT, and connectivity advancements. Notable devices included Ai Pin for AI interactions, a T-phone for app-free concepts, smart glasses for language translation, and wearable health monitors. We were thrilled to be part of all of this! Inspired by industry leaders, we ended the daydreaming big about where we'll stand '4 years from now' — or even sooner...
Tuesday
On our second day, we started with a breakfast at Swisscom Ventures featuring insights from Bitmovin's Co-founder Stefan Lederer. We then participated in booth activities and attended a legal session by VISCHER. Presenting our work to Swiss Ambassador Hanspeter Mock Bosques and Consul Othmar Hardegger was a highlight, emphasizing our global impact. Visiting the Alinghi Red Bull Racing team provided insights into teamwork and innovation. The day ended with a dinner hosted by Swiss Business Hub Spain at Real Club Nautico, strengthening connections in the tech community.
Wednesday
After a great night's sleep at La Casa de Antonio, we headed back to MWC. We toured Huawei's massive booth showcasing smartphones, cloud tech, and antenna equipment. Back at our booths, we welcomed guests while the Venturelab team prepped the main booth for the next big event: The International Mobile Pitchfest. We competed against Spanish startups in front of investors and executives. Winners Ancora.ai, onocoy, and Rapidata earned champagne and got the opportunity to go sailing once again on Thursday. Afterwards, we networked with investors and other audiences until MWC closed.
Thursday
The final day started to wind down, the crew manned the booths one last time, but also found some time to explore the other halls individually. Towards the afternoon, the winners of the pitching competition and the Venture Leaders Team headed out to the harbor for a last sailing trip in Barcelona with the unique opportunity to watch some of America's Cup teams' training. This was a great closing of an unforgettable experience, great connections, and new friendships.
Become the next Venture Leader and check the roadshow review for more highlights.
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