Today, a good networking event is about far more than just presentations, panels, and small talk. The real value usually happens in between sessions — over coffee, during spontaneous conversations, or in discussions that were never planned in the first place.
That is exactly why we enjoy attending networking events.
As an external HR department for startups and SMEs, we support companies with recruiting, HR structures, and team development during growth phases. We work with founders, teams, and businesses that are scaling, hiring new employees, and building structures designed to work long-term.
And that is precisely why networking events are so valuable to us:
Because they provide direct insight into what companies are truly dealing with right now.
Many challenges cannot be fully understood through calls, reports, or LinkedIn posts alone. The most honest insights usually come from personal conversations. When founders talk about how difficult it currently is to find great talent. When companies share how rapid growth can suddenly create chaos. Or when teams realize that recruiting alone is not enough if the right internal structures are missing.
These are exactly the conversations that make networking events valuable for us.
For us, it is not about collecting as many contacts as possible or exchanging business cards. What matters far more are questions like:
Which topics keep coming up again and again?
Where are companies currently standing?
And what challenges are startups and SMEs facing, regardless of industry or product?
Because surprisingly often, the problems are very similar.
At some point, many companies reach a stage where growth no longer happens naturally but has to be actively managed. Teams become larger, processes more complex, and suddenly new questions arise that never seemed relevant before.
How do you scale teams quickly without losing company culture?
How do you create structures that provide clarity while still remaining flexible?
And how does recruiting work during phases when everything seems to happen at once?
Networking events provide a strong sense of these realities because people openly talk about their experiences — including the things that are not going perfectly.
Berlin in May: HTGF Family Day
In May, we attended the event hosted by the High-Tech Gründerfonds in Berlin once again.
What we particularly enjoy about these events is the dynamic atmosphere. Different companies, investors, and founders come together in one place, creating conversations that could never have been planned in advance.
Especially in the startup environment, it quickly becomes clear how differently growth can look.
Some companies aim to scale extremely fast and need to hire many new employees within a short period of time. Others intentionally focus early on building stable processes and sustainable team structures.
Both approaches are valid. And this exchange between different ways of thinking is exactly what makes networking events so interesting.
What is especially exciting is how openly many of these conversations are conducted today. Challenges in recruiting and team development are discussed far more honestly than they were just a few years ago.
Perhaps because many companies now realize:
Almost every business faces similar challenges during periods of growth.
Networking Event in Leipzig: MACHN Festival
In June, we will also be attending the MACHN Festival for the first time.
We are particularly looking forward to it because it brings together very different worlds: startups, SMEs, the creative industry, and technology companies.
This mix is exactly what makes a great networking event.
Because the most interesting conversations often happen not with people from your own industry, but with those who bring completely different perspectives.
Compared to traditional conferences, formats like MACHN often feel more relaxed and approachable. The focus is less on polished presentations and more on genuine exchange.
And that is exactly what makes networking events so valuable.
The most interesting discussions usually happen spontaneously:
between program sessions, outside in the sun, or somewhere on the edge of a panel.
Often, these unplanned conversations are the ones that later lead to deeper exchanges, new connections, or shared ideas.
Why Networking Events Matter More Than Ever Today
Especially in the startup and growth environment, things are changing incredibly fast right now. Companies need to react quickly, build teams, and at the same time create structures that will work sustainably in the long run.
That is why exchange and collaboration are becoming increasingly important.
For us, networking events are not simply business events — they are a way to stay close to real-world challenges.
They help us to:
- identify new developments early
- better understand what companies currently need
- gain insight into different perspectives
- build long-term relationships
- and gain real insights into recruiting, growth, and team development
Because strong collaboration rarely develops from a single conversation.
It grows through honest exchange over time.
Conclusion
Whether in Berlin or Leipzig:
The most interesting things at networking events usually do not happen on stage.
They happen in the conversations in between.
That is exactly why we attend these events — to listen, gain new perspectives, and better understand what companies are truly dealing with today.
Because great HR work is not built solely on processes or recruiting strategies, but above all on understanding how companies grow and what challenges people genuinely face along the way.
Maybe we’ll see each other at the next networking event — or connect beforehand to exchange ideas on recruiting, growth, and team buildin