Entrepreneurship

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WORKING GROUP DATES 2026

The “Entrepreneurship” working group will meet one more time this year on the following date*:

• November 2, 2026, in Chemnitz
• 16.11.2026

* Subject to change without notice

November 16, 2026 – Next working group meeting

Navigating Through the Fog: Balancing Volatility and Technological Disruption

Today, business leaders face a twofold challenge: economic uncertainty on the one hand, and rapid technological developments—particularly those driven by artificial intelligence—on the other. Strategic planning is becoming more difficult, traditional forecasts are becoming less reliable, and many decisions must be made based on incomplete information.

In the Entrepreneurship Working Group, we want to discuss how entrepreneurs manage their organizations in such situations. The focus will be on concrete, real-world experiences from companies —ranging from initial approaches to dealing with uncertainty to the most important lessons learned from ongoing transformation processes.

Together, we’ll structure the evening around key practical questions:

• Status Quo: What is the current situation in companies?
• Options: What strategic courses of action are available?
• Getting Started: How do you initiate change when so much is still unclear?
• Leadership: What challenges arise within a team?
• Pace: When is speed crucial, and when is it wiser to wait and see?
• Assessment: Where do companies currently stand in terms of implementation?
• Lessons Learned: Looking back, which insights have proven to be particularly important?
• Discussion: What strategies can actually work in uncertain times?

As always, the working group focuses on open dialogue among equals —practical, honest, and with room for discussion and different perspectives.

January 2026 in Review

Dinner & Disruption: Agentic AI as a Driver of New Business Models

With the exclusive format “Dinner & Disruption: Agentic AI as a Driver for Your Next Business Model,” , Silicon Saxony’s Entrepreneurship Working Group has created a space for open, practical exchange.

The evening was hosted by Matthias Walter (fastbreak.one), who provided insights into the use of Agentic AI based on real-world client projects and structured the discussion around specific business questions. The focus was not on the technology itself, but rather on its impact on organizations, business models, and business decisions.

The diversity of the participants was particularly valuable: In addition to representatives from the IT and software sectors, entrepreneurs from the manufacturing industry also shared their perspectives. This made it clear that artificial intelligence affects all industries—albeit with very different implications and challenges.

One of the evening’s key highlights prompted a deliberate shift in perspective:
What would a company do if it suddenly had over 100 additional employees—for the price of just one?
This conceptual framework shifted the focus away from pure efficiency toward fundamental questions of value creation, organization, and business model development.

It became clear during the discussions that agentic AI is not just another tool. When AI agents are viewed as virtual employees, their use affects not only processes but also leadership issues, organizational structures, and strategic decisions—with very different consequences depending on the industry.

The format itself was also typical of the Entrepreneurship Working Group: no lecture-style presentation, no sales pitch, but rather a small, intimate circle of peers. The focus was on exchange, mutual support, and collaboratively exploring entrepreneurial issues.

The evening demonstrated once again how important safe spaces are for thoughtful dialogue—especially when it comes to topics that have the potential to fundamentally transform business models.

Review of the working group on March 24, 2025

EU AI Act: Between regulation and practice – exchange in the Entrepreneurship Working Group

The Silicon Saxony Entrepreneurship Working Group met again for a confidential exchange – this time on the topic of the EU AI Act. The evening was initiated by Hendrik Kampwho first explained the objectives of the legislator and pointed out the numerous points of contact with other areas of law: from GDPR and copyright law to the protection of trade secrets up to the labor law.

Particularly exciting: the discussion about when work supported by AI is still considered “highly personal” – and what obligations this entails for companies. The aspect of skills transfer was also discussed: training is not mandatory, but in case of doubt it is the easiest way to demonstrate risk awareness and AI competence in the team.

In the subsequent exchange of experiences, the participants openly shared their best practices – such as risk assessment when using AI in recruiting or the development of internal company AI guidelines. There was a consensus that the AI Act should not be seen as a brake on innovation, but as an opportunity to deal with AI in a conscious and structured way.

ConclusionIf you want to shape change, you don’t just need technology – you also need a good understanding of the framework conditions. The evening showed once again how valuable an open exchange within the network is.

Successful start for the “Entrepreneurship” working group: review of the first “Entrepreneurship Connect” events in 2024

The newly founded “Entrepreneurship” working group (AK) can look back on a successful first year. With the “Entrepreneurship Connect” format, a platform was created that is specifically tailored to the needs of entrepreneurs. The first two events offered a successful mix of professional exchange, networking and an exclusive atmosphere.

“Entrepreneurship Connect”: A platform for future topics

The aim of “Entrepreneurship Connect” is to offer entrepreneurs a space to discuss current and forward-looking topics. In addition to professional impulses, the focus is also on making personal contacts. The format combines inspiration, professionalism and culinary delights to create a unique experience.

Kick-off event: Visions for the company of the future

The first event was dedicated to the topic “What does the ideal company of the future look like?” Keynote speaker Ronny Siegel, Managing Director of Conversion Junkies 2.0 GmbH, presented an innovative organizational model without a fixed office location. His practical insights stimulated a lively discussion among the participants, which focused on strategic visions and modern working concepts.

Artificial intelligence as the focus of the second event The second event focused on the topic of artificial intelligence. Alexander Bresk from WAKU Robotics led the participants through an in-depth discussion on the opportunities and challenges of AI. Strategic, technological and organizational aspects were examined in depth. The participants benefited from a valuable exchange and practical impulses.

Positive response and outlook

The two events met with a consistently positive response and underline the need for high-quality formats such as “Entrepreneurship Connect”. The “Entrepreneurship” working group plans to continue and expand the series. The next events are already being planned for 2025.

The format of “Entrepreneurship Connect” is a confidential group of 10-12 members who meet at least twice a year to exchange ideas. Interested entrepreneurs should contact the heads of the working group.

For further information, please contact the working group leaders Corina Weidmann and Thomas Fleck.