Mobility.Pioneers will once again be the ultimate meeting point for tech innovators, where OEMs, manufacturers and mobility providers meet the 120 most promising seed and Series A Startups working on truly game changing technologies. But, as with the first edition earlier this year, it’s the volunteers that will go a long way to making it so special once again in 2018.
There’s just something about volunteering for Pioneers events that keeps people coming back for more. Only last week we invited our past and future helpers to our office for our traditional evening of punsch and glühwein drinking, and we were pleasantly surprised that some of our alumnis traveled as many as three hours to be with us in Vienna!
And why do people come from so far away? It surely wasn’t just because the glühwein was great (though it was indeed as tasty as anything I’ve tried in a Christmas market) and the vibe homely as ever, but because of the lasting connections we make with our volunteers.
Indeed, we even have a few ex-volunteers now working on our staff. For example Lorela Blakcori, who joined our flagship event as part of the Media Team in 2016 and the Event Management Team in 2017, now has a job as a Research Assistant on Pioneers Discover.
“For me volunteering was a great opportunity to gain first insights into the startup world and the newest technologies out there,” reflects Lorela. “I was able to get to know new interesting fields, which helped me to get an idea of where and how I I want to work in my future career. Actually it kind of awoke my inner entrepreneur!”
And then there’s Antonia Egli, six months ago an Event Management Team volunteer at Pioneers’17, but now responsible for our Social Media & Communications.
“I mainly helped the guests at Pioneers’17 find their way around and make the best of their time at the Hofburg,” says Antonia. “I liked the fact that people were completely open, as well as the spirit we all showed. The volunteer team’s motivation will definitely be hard to beat next year! Now that I’m working for Pioneers full-time, I can’t wait to see the volunteers do what they do best at Mobility.Pioneers and Pioneers’18.”
Aurelia Hummelbrunner is yet another former volunteer who now works with us. Having worked as Lead Volunteer for the Speakers Team at our flagship event in 2016, she’s now an Analyst at our investment arm, Pioneers Ventures.
“We made sure that all the speakers experienced a great festival and a smooth stay in Vienna,” recalls Aurelia. “It was so much fun, working with so many different, cool volunteers while really meeting opinion and technology leaders from all around the world. All of them were so kind and truly inspiring.
“Now that I’m with Pioneers, I think back on the volunteering as a pretty important moment in my career – and those connections and lessons are still helpful for my work today.”
Essentials for anyone thinking about volunteering at Mobility.Pioneers are an interest in the startup scene, a good level of spoken English, a cheerful personality and availability to be in Munich on February 8th. More information can be viewed here – and remember applications close on January 26th.
And fir those who can be in Vienna on May 23rd-25th next year, see more details on volunteering at GovTech.Pioneers and Pioneers’18 here!
