Is Luxembourg too risk-averse to foster a true startup culture, or can a shift in mindset help entrepreneurs embrace failure as a stepping stone to success?

When Pascal Wiscour-Conter got invited to speak at an event in the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, and then at 'Fuckup Nights' (link below), he realised there was an issue about the fear of failure in Luxembourg. This is an issue more broadly across Europe and is one factor as to why Europe doesn’t seem to be as entrepreneurial as some other countries. 

https://fuckupnights.lu/en/our-speakers/

Is it possible to develop a true start-up spirit in Luxembourg or is it too difficult to pierce the current model of continuity and minimal risk taking? How does all of this fit the exponential age of technological change around us? These are some of the questions we consider. 

Attila Lengyel is an expert in organizational culture and change management, and spent a large part of his career at Amazon. Attila talks about how an individual and an organisation can learn to deal with risk; real versus perceived risk, and how failures can be celebrated.  

One-way and two-way doors are a thought experiment we explore, showing that many decisions are not necessarily permanent. The culture of a company is a tangible blueprint for behaviour and decision making. Getting this right is key to ensuring the company’s voice is disseminated through all employees, and that employees can fit the feel of a company. 

Attila currently leads innovation and business development at Edugamitec, a groundbreaking EdTech startup hoping to revolutionize corporate learning through game-based nano-learning.

Daniel Tesch is head of ULESS, Union Luxembourgeoise de l’Economie Sociale et Solidaire. He spent eight years living in Brazil working for Arbed steel group, now Arcelor-Mittal. A lawyer by training he now helps social impact entrepreneurship in Luxembourg. 

Veerle Dierick is the  Fundraising coordinator and corporate relations at Fondatioun Kriibskrank Kanner, the Childhood Cancer Foundation in Luxembourg. 

15 February is International Childhood Cancer Day, a global collaborative campaign to raise awareness about childhood cancer. 

In Europe, every day 100 children are diagnosed with cancer. It’s a rare disease that kills 6000 children per year. In Luxembourg, 180 children and their families are helped by the foundation, with about 30 new children every year. You can find out much more information on their new website here. www.fondatioun.lu 

You can also raise money on the Lëtz Go Gold charity run which takes place on 27 September each year.  www.letzgogold.lu