Hangout No. 26

Let’s Hangout!

Hangout is a monthly event bring #innovations, #startups, #technology and #IT people from Krakow together. It’s a space to talk about plans, common initiatives and trends in IT industry segments in an informal & casual surrounding of top Krakow bars and pubs.

So far, we’ve organized over 20 meetings for 1000+ attendees and visited MAK, FORUM Przestrzenie, Taras, Hevre, The Temple, NEON, Alchemia, F:LaTO, Busz, PAON, Weźże Krafta, Stakkato Art Space, Pacura Studios and Targowa2.

We live in the city of a lot of opportunities, top talents and companies of the future. Take advantage of it! Join us, make new connections, expand your projects and help us build a world-class innovation ecosystem in Krakow!

Registration for the event in mandatory. We offer welcome drinks to the first 25 registered attendees?

Who can attend?

OMGKRK members and other registered representatives of local tech and innovation ecosystem

#WHEN?

Monday, 25th March, 6:30 PM -10PM

#WHERE?

Targowa2, Kraków

Our special Guest

Michael Kotow – Founder of Urbanika Farms

Michael is a co-founder of Urbanika Farms – a producer of next-generation food and a market leader in technology-efficient food production in Poland. Forbes has dubbed the company as a pioneer of Polish vertical farming. In building Urbanika, Michael has leveraged his knowledge of technology and business development to promote concepts such as innovation, sustainable development, social responsibility, and integration, while transforming the challenges of the emerging industry into opportunities. As a co-founder, Michael brings not only a passion for innovation to Urbanika Farms but also a love for food and a great desire to change a world heading towards ecological disaster.

After obtaining a degree in finance from DePaul University in Chicago, Michael spent 15 years in the financial market and securities trading worldwide: in the USA, Western Europe, and emerging markets before changing careers and committing to entrepreneurship

Navigating uncertainty in an emerging industry: Lessons from Urbanika Farms’ Journey

Join us for a candid exploration of the journey of Urbanika Farms, a pioneering venture in the field of innovative food production and vertical farming.

Despite its futuristic vision, groundbreaking efforts, and the creation of disruptive technology, Urbanika ultimately faced substantial challenges – the market forced founders to pivot, which led to the revision of the company’s business model several times.

In this fireside chat, we’ll reflect on the lessons learned from Urbanika’s journey, offering valuable insights for the aspiring entrepreneurs not only in the AgriFood Tech sector, but also across different industries.

While Urbanika’s evolution may not be the one envisioned by the founders at the start of the venture, the journey provides invaluable lessons on resilience, adaptability, and the realities of navigating uncertainty in the startup world.

Key discussion topics:

1. Understanding the Realities of Startup Life: Delve into the challenges faced by Urbanika Farms and the harsh realities of entrepreneurship, including financial constraints, adverse market dynamics, and force majeure situations, and how these challenges are universal across industries.
2. Navigating Uncharted Waters: Explore how Urbanika attempted to pivot and adapt its business model in response to changing circumstances, and the factors that ultimately led to the change of its business model – several times, and how these strategies can be applied to startups in diverse sectors.
3. Lessons in Resilience: Reflect on the resilience demonstrated by the Urbanika team in the face of adversity, and the importance of perseverance and determination in the startup journey, which are applicable to startups regardless of the industry.
4. Identifying Red Flags: Discuss warning signs and critical moments that signaled challenges for Urbanika, and the lessons that aspiring entrepreneurs can glean from these experiences, emphasizing their relevance to startups operating in different industries.
5. Honoring the Legacy: Pay tribute to the vision and passion of the Urbanika team, celebrating their contributions to innovation and disruption of the food supply chain and acknowledging the bittersweet reality of entrepreneurial endeavors, while highlighting the transferability of their lessons to startups in various sectors.

This fireside chat offers a candid and introspective examination of Urbanika Farms’ journey, providing aspiring entrepreneurs with valuable insights and lessons learned from the highs and lows of a startup life, with a focus on their applicability to startups operating in diverse industries. Join us as we honor the legacy of Urbanika and collect precious wisdom from its increadible story.