What sparks a startup? For these founders, inspiration came from unexpected places. 

Beixi had her lightbulb moment during a meditation session. Disillusioned with existing apps, she fused traditional tea rituals with mindfulness to create Mind Vacations – a startup rooted in wellness and cultural experience. 

Javier had his ‘now or never’ moment after becoming a father (for the second time!). Swapping a stable corporate job for a hackathon, he built what eventually became Torch, a company addressing big-city problems around mobility, safety and sustainability. 

Karin, a chemist at heart, turned her passion for science and sustainability Vienna Textile Lab, where she’s reinventing how dyes are made – with bacteria, not pollution. 

All speakers agreed: learning doesn’t stop after launch. In fact, it’s just the beginning. Luisa gave a shout-out to EIT Campus – a platform designed to help people at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey build key skills. Whether you’re a student, researcher or startup founder, there’s something for you. 

Beixi talked about the Start for Future programme as a game-changer – six months of weekly mentoring, strategy sessions and interacting with a community of like-minded entrepreneurs. She stressed how being surrounded by other passionate founders kept her inspired and accountable. 

Karin emphasised how important it is to have leadership and mentoring opportunities especially for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Her vision? A startup culture where equality is the standard, not the exception. 

And Javier reminded us that setting clear goals and learning through real-life experience are the best teachers you’ll ever have. 

Startups are never smooth sailing, and our speakers weren’t shy about sharing the bumps in the road. 

For Beixi, the biggest hurdle was introducing tea meditation to a European audience who didn’t really ‘get it’ at first. Her strategy was to build awareness through events, storytelling and trusted partnerships. 

Karin is navigating the double challenge of fundraising and hiring top talent in a niche market. This isn’t easy in a sector like sustainable textiles, where things are constantly evolving. 

Javier is juggling partnerships across city governments, manufacturers and service operators – not exactly an easy group to align. But he’s learned that building trust goes a long way. 

Missed the live event? 

Don’t worry! 📺 Watch the recording now: Eit-Urban-Mobility-Webinar-June25.mp4 | Media Center and soak up all the advice, stories and behind-the-scenes tips from these awesome founders.