Guest Lecture by Dr. Maximilian Hartmann (vGreens)

To conclude this year’s guest lecture series, we were delighted to welcome Dr. Maximilian Hartmann – Co-Founder and Managing Director of the start-up vGreens, which is setting new standards in sustainable food production through automated indoor farming. Using cutting-edge technology, vGreens develops vertical farming systems that produce fresh food year-round, locally and with minimal resource consumption.
In front of an audience of around 150 students, Dr. Hartmann shared impressive insights into his personal journey into entrepreneurship. His talk focused on the highs and lows of founding a company – from the initial ideas to the challenges of convincing investors of the market-readiness and potential of their technology. He emphasized the importance of developing viable business models early on and clearly communicating the value of the innovation to potential investors.
With great passion, he also spoke about the power of networking and why university is an ideal time to start a business. Universities not only offer knowledge, but also an inspiring environment for new ideas, first entrepreneurial steps, and the building of long-term connections.
Student interest was high: the lecture was followed by a lively discussion with many questions about building a company, product development, and personal experiences as a founder. The session also provided the perfect thematic bridge to the following lecture by Dr. Corinna Schmidt, which offered a deeper dive into the topic of “Technology Management in Start-ups.”
We sincerely thank Dr. Maximilian Hartmann for his motivating insights and inspiring contribution. His visit was a valuable addition to our course and a successful conclusion to this year’s guest lecture series.