Whether young or old, everyone brings their own experiences and perspectives to starting a company. At the same time, however, the conditions for founding a business vary greatly. What challenges did founders face at different stages of life? What was the state of support and funding structures for startups? And why did younger and older founders in particular receive less attention?
The 26-year-old Elif Zhour, co-founder of Andalusia, and 66-year-old Dirk Müller-Remus of auticon GmbH and Diversicon GmbH shared their personal founding experiences and presented their business ideas to the audience.
In the subsequent discussion with business angel and SEND board member Sidonie Fernau, Professor of Marketing and Media at the University of Hamburg Michel Clement, and startup expert Manouchehr Shamsrizi, the participants discussed the framework conditions, challenges, and requirements for founding a company.
Startup profiles at a glance
Dirk Müller-Remus is a business information systems specialist and an experienced “senior social entrepreneur” several times over. Through auticon GmbH and Diversicon GmbH, the Berlin-based founder primarily supports autistic people in entering the labor market. In 2021, Müller-Remus was awarded the Körber Foundation’s Zugabe Prize for his entrepreneurial work.
Elif Zhour, born in 1995, studied Educational Science and Education Studies (Master of Arts) at the University of Hamburg and the University of Klagenfurt. As a student assistant, she worked for organizations including Stiftung Das Rauhe Haus, the Hamburg State Agency for Civic Education, and Jugendbildung Hamburg gGmbH. Since autumn 2023, Elif Zhour has been part of the Körber Foundation’s Start-Hub “Next Generation Inkubator” program, which supports her in the founding process of Andalusia, an interreligious daycare center in Hamburg.
Impressions
Elif Zhour, Amouna 
Dirk Müller-Remus, Diversicon 
Niklas Rathsmann, Moderator 
Manouchehr Shamsrizi, RetroBrain 
