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Inside the Future Banking Bootcamp

Why Svenja Weith is returning to Amsterdam for the Future Festival Bootcamp 2018! 

Svenja Weith, product manager at TeamBank AG in Germany, and currently taking her Masters in Economics at the University of Beyreuth, was a participant at last year’s Future Banking Bootcamp – an initiative by collaborating partners ACE, MoneYou and Info Support. In this year’s Bootcamp, we’ll focus entirely on reinventing payment solutions for the festival scene, collaborate with DGTL Festival, AND we’re adding an extra day to the program!

Below, Svenja shares her experience from last year and explains why she will be back at Startup Village Amsterdam on 13-15 April for the Future Festival Bootcamp. Applications are open until April 1st – apply now.

Day 1 – first glimpse

I arrived from Germany one day before the Bootcamp officially started. It was my first time in Amsterdam and I was soon in love with the beauty of the city and the kindness of its inhabitants. I met the other participants at Startup Village Amsterdam where we had our first encounter with the startup scene and were introduced to the organizers from MoneYou, ACE and Info Support who would accompany and guide us over the next few days. This first glimpse into the startup world was very exciting and at the end of the evening, I couldn’t wait for the Bootcamp to officially kick-off the next day.

Day 2 – developing ideas

The first day of the official program started with a nice breakfast at Startup Village to get to know each other. We were introduced to the topic that we would work at for the next couple of days. Shortly after, we formed groups and started brainstorming first ideas. At first, it was challenging for everyone to find his/her place and position in the team and for the dynamic of the group to be established. Once we figured that out, we could focus on developing our idea and start thinking about the prototype. We motivated each other to work fast and efficiently until midnight, to be best prepared for the next and final day. At the end of that first long day, we were all pretty worn out and exhausted, but also happy and satisfied with ourselves and the work we had done so far. The idea of creating something totally new and building something from the ground up together as a team was a great sensation. 

Day 3 – time’s ticking!

On the second day, we dived further into advancing our idea and now we could definitely feel the time ticking as we wanted to end up with a great prototype in the end. Experts gave us useful advice on how to make innovative ideas into successful concepts, and how to prepare the perfect pitch! It helped us stay on the right path while following through with our idea, and to provide the final touches to our presentation. When it was time for the final pitch, we did our best to impress. But even though our group didn’t win, the overall experience was exceptional and taught us a lot, helped us grow as individuals, and to make new friends and go home with unforgettable memories! When I got back on the plane, I knew that if I got the chance I would definitely participate in the next future Bootcamp and so, I will be back this year. I hope to see you all soon to start the next big hack together!

More info at www.futurefestivalbootcamp.com.

 

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