StartupDorf e.V.
Community
An active startup community improving access to capital and corporate networking.
Guided Tours
Guided Tours: AI in Dusseldorf
Our guided tours take you behind the scenes at some of the most exciting startups. Meet founders, understand their business models and make valuable connections in Dusseldorf. Düsseldorf offers a concrete starting point for conversations about enterprise AI: Cognigy names the city as its headquarters and describes AI solutions for customer service. The Safari gives your team a chance to explore how conversational automation connects to existing contact channels, when it hands off to a person and how quality is assessed in operation.
Local perspective
Enterprise AI and customer service
Düsseldorf offers a concrete starting point for conversations about enterprise AI: Cognigy names the city as its headquarters and describes AI solutions for customer service. The Safari gives your team a chance to explore how conversational automation connects to existing contact channels, when it hands off to a person and how quality is assessed in operation.
Questions to take into the conversation
- Which customer requests should be answered automatically, and which should go straight to an employee?
- How can a team measure quality beyond answer accuracy, including resolution, handoff and customer experience?
- Which knowledge sources and system access does a dependable assistant need?
Potential stops and perspectives
- Cognigy (conversation starter; visit subject to availability)
- Enterprise automation in the Rhineland
- Technology transfer from research and product development
Ecosystem organisations
Startup Week Düsseldorf
Event
An annual platform for founders, corporates, and investors. Future Tech Fest is its highlight.
NRW.BANK
Funding
State development bank and active startup investor.
Companies in the local ecosystem
Cognigy
Enterprise AI
Enterprise conversational AI platform and a global leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant.
Auxmoney
FinTech
A digital platform for personal loans.
Metalshub
Logistics / B2B SaaS
Digital supply chain platform for raw materials, transforming the metals trade.
Trivago
Travel tech
A hotel search and price-comparison platform founded in Düsseldorf.
fashionette
E-commerce
Data-driven e-commerce platform for premium fashion and accessories.
Selected clients
Deutsche BörseTelekomKPMG
How it works
A format built around your team
Spend a day in the ecosystem: visit three to five carefully selected startups, sit down with founders and see how agile teams work. The program is shaped around your topics and can end with a group dinner. Expect candid exchange and first-hand insight.
What the format can include
- A curated program
- Direct conversations with founders
- Insider perspectives
- Networking lunch
What your team takes away
- A grounded picture of your industry in the ecosystem
- Three to five relevant startup connections
- Concrete starting points for pilots, procurement or investment
- A shared language for the topic across your team
Who it’s for
- Board members and senior executives
- Innovation and strategy leaders
- Department and business-unit heads
- Corporate venture and M&A teams
A typical agenda
09:00
Kickoff and context
A short introduction to the day and the topics you have brought with you.
10:00
Startups 1 and 2
On-site visits. Speak directly with the founders: no stage and no slide deck.
12:30
Lunch with founders
Continue the conversation over a relaxed lunch.
14:00
Startups 3 to 5
Visit more startups, selected around your priorities and the city's strengths.
17:00
Reflection
What does this mean for your organization? We make sense of the day's takeaways together.
19:00
Optional group dinner
An optional evening finish with more time for conversation, if a group dinner fits your programme.
Format and logistics
- Group size
- Best for 6 to 15 participants
- Duration
- One day, with an evening dinner on request
- Format
- On-site visits to 3 to 5 startups, curated around your topics
- Cities
- Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and other cities
- Lead time
- 3 to 4 weeks for curation
- Language
- German or English
About this format
Frequently asked questions
How many startups will we visit?
Usually three to five in a day, selected around your topics and the city's strengths. We focus on the startups most relevant to your team, not simply the loudest names.
Who chooses which startups we visit?
You set the topics and questions. We curate the right founders from our network, built over many years.
Which cities can host a Safari?
We organize Safaris across Germany, including Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf.
How many people can take part?
Small groups of 6 to 15 work best, leaving room for real conversation.
How much does a Startup Safari cost?
Each Safari is put together individually. Tell us the topic, city and group size, and we will prepare a tailored quote.
About the topic
Questions about AI Safari
Which AI topics does the Safari cover?
From generative AI to computer vision and robotics. Typical topics include LLMs, predictive maintenance and autonomous systems.
Is this only for tech companies?
No. Most participants come from traditional industries such as manufacturing, logistics and financial services.
Which city is the best fit for my AI Safari?
Cologne for applied AI in insurance, Düsseldorf for enterprise AI and Aachen for deep-tech research. We also organize tours in other cities, including Berlin and Munich.
Explore with your team