Time: 17:30 - 21:00 (+Networking)

Place: Lendhafen, Lend Kai 17, 8020 Graz

Panellists: Theresa Kohl (DiLT Analytics) and Xiaoao Dong (Stadt Graz)

Moderator: Craig Matthews, Science Park Graz

The startup journey is an exciting and dynamic ride, full of opportunity. But behind the momentum, innovation, and ambition lies another side of the reality: pressure, uncertainty, long hours, and constant responsibility. This is what makes it also a rollercoaster ride, and we all know it is not always fun and laughter.

In a world where hustle is often celebrated, hoanest conversations about mental health, stress, and burnout still do not happen often enough. Physical exhaustion is easy to talk about; mental overload much less so. Yet many founders experience exactly that. The pressure of building, leading, deciding, and constantly moving forward can become overwhelming - and too often, people feel they have to carry it alone.

With this Fireside Chat, we want to create space for a more open conversation about the real challenges of the startup world.

“Hustle vs. Health: How to Thrive, Not Just Survive” brings together founders who will share their personal experiences of navigating stress in high-pressure environments, managing difficult phases, and finding ways to protect their energy and well-being while continuing to grow. It is about speaking openly about the reality of entrepreneurship, learning from one another, and showing that no one is alone in these experiences. Joining the conversation will a special guest from Instahelp, who will offer a professional perspective and present ways in which founders and their teams can access support when needed and how their platform can be utilised when the road gets rocky.

Register to join here: https://scienceparkgraz.typeform.com/to/Jq01xZeg

Introducing:

Theresa Kohl, Co-Founder and CEO of DiLT Analytics

Theresa is CEO and co-founder of DiLT Analytics, a software spin-off from Graz University of Technology with more than 10 employees. Theresa brings an honest perspective on the balance between ambition, performance, and wellbeing. She will share personal insights on how she tries to build success sustainably, protect your energy, and thrive in incredibly demanding and dynamic environments without burning out.

Xiaoao Dong, Former-Founder

Xiaoao is passionate about startups and the founder's mindset, artificial intelligence and food culture. As a community builder and former founder, his aim is to foster entrepreneurship and connect like-minded people who want to make the world better and more sustainable. Other topics he cares about include: Green Technologies, Digitalisation, entrepreneurship education and multi-cultural understandings.

Special guests

Special guest at the Fireside chat will be Micheala Holzmann from Instahelp.

AGENDA

17:30-18:30 – Registration + Mingling

18:30-19:30 – Fireside chat & Q&A

19:30 - 19:45 – Instahelp presentation

19:45-21:00 – Networking with catering