His advice:

✅ Start small, pivot fast – success rarely comes from version 1.0
✅ Talk to customers and build what they actually need
✅ Proximity to talent matters – but so does market proximity
✅ Growth is built on trust: with customers, co-founders and partners
✅ Ultimately: “If you want to go far, go together.”

“In a world obsessed with AI, don’t forget the power of human relationships.”

1b:T4ef,

Redefining failure: scars that strengthen

One of the most honest sessions came from the Failure Panel with Tobias Gunzenhauser, Nicolas Hänny and investor Antonia Albert. Together, they unpacked what failure looks like behind the headlines – and why it mustn’t be taboo.

Tobias shared the moment Yamo shut down: “The night before the board meeting, I knew it was over.” What followed was a swift, respectful wind-down – and then, unexpectedly, an outpouring of support. “Over 100 people reached out. I thought I’d be finished in this ecosystem – but the opposite happened.”

For Nicolas, it was navigating layoffs under the watch of 4,000 crowdfunded shareholders. “Suddenly, every employee got messages asking if we were okay.” His focus: honest, human-centred leadership – even when painful.

Antonia offered the investor view: “In the US, failure earns you respect. In Switzerland, it still carries stigma. But we invest in people. Founders who’ve failed and come back stronger – they’re often the ones we trust most.”

The panellists called for a cultural shift: to normalise failure as a key part of growth. Resilience matters – and so does the courage to return.

SEF.Founder Conference 2025

Highlights & Takeaways

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed!

See you again soon?