Event Report: Entrepreneurship in Times of AI
- mukundapitchlounge
- Jun 17
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 1
First Friday (06.06.2025) @ the Embassy of Mexico in Berlin, Germany: A Hub for Innovation
In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping economies and redefining professions, the Embassy of Mexico in Germany (Berlin) is hosting relevant events. They are taking proactive steps to equip their community with the tools, connections, and mindset needed to thrive.
One example is its special event on Friday, June 6, 2025. Once annually, the embassy hosts the long-running “*First Friday - Cooperative Network
—usually held monthly (except never in January) at MLP and moderated by the event series founder, Alejandro Wagner (freelance financial advisor), who has an office in the same building.
The June event was co-produced by the VAF Alemania Financial Advisory Desk—a program of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad led by Frauenalia (focused on strengthening the financial well-being of Mexicans living abroad)—as well as “First Friday - How to Start a Startup” by Amarte—a monthly Meetup Community that supports migrants and locals to “Start a Startup” and thrive in Berlin—while being promoted by the team at Pitch Lounge.
A Space for Connection and Collaboration
Held at the beautiful premises of the Mexican Embassy in Berlin, the June Edition of First Friday was more than just a networking session. It was an event that brought together diplomats, embassy officials, international trade envoys, startup ecosystem entrepreneurs, tech experts, and enthusiasts. They gathered to share insights, collaborate on ideas, and explore how AI can be harnessed for good.
The session focused on a timely topic: Entrepreneurship in Times of AI.
Ambassador Francisco Quiroga and his team welcomed a diverse community to the event. They emphasized that consular services extend far beyond document processing—they also include fostering partnerships, supporting community well-being, and nurturing innovation.
Frauenalia: Women, Diversity, and AI Innovation
One of the highlights came from Begona de la Marta, founder of Frauenalia, a social enterprise dedicated to supporting migrant women on their professional journeys in Germany. Frauenalia, in partnership with the Embassy, runs programs like "Ventanilla Financiera" and mentoring sessions aimed at helping women establish and scale their businesses. This collaboration demonstrates the embassy’s commitment to diversity and inclusive entrepreneurship.
Mexico’s AI-Driven Consular and Economic Tools
Innovation is alive inside the Mexican Embassy in Berlin. A standout presentation by Oliver Contla, one of the team’s tech visionaries, introduced the Embassy’s custom-built AI chatbots. These AI assistants serve two major purposes:
Economic Support – Helping Mexican exporters navigate complex EU regulations with accurate, 24/7 answers (please visit *www.mexportale.eu
.Consular Protection – Offering empathetic, immediate guidance in sensitive cases like domestic violence or legal inquiries, while preserving user anonymity.
These tools showcase how AI can humanize services and extend embassy capabilities to reach citizens more effectively.
Workshop: Turning AI Ideas into Action
An engaging workshop led by Anita Đordić (Sprint Lab), an innovation strategist, challenged attendees to differentiate between hype and real value in AI startups. Through group brainstorming and idea validation exercises, participants explored how to align personal passion, technical feasibility, and business viability.
Key frameworks included:
Identifying underserved niches
Testing market demand before investing
Building scalable, responsible AI products
Navigating ethical and privacy considerations
Panel Discussion: Building with AI
The closing panel, moderated by Iliana Haro (Founder & Consultant, Exterius Integration) —standing in as moderator for the absent Dr. Juan Ocampo), was an engaging discussion with a diverse set of voices. Additional panelists included Alejandro Wagner (MLP & Amarte), David Alejandro Montiel (Beelinguapp), and Ilse de la Cruz (ICG Coaching). They shared how AI is transforming their fields. From personalized learning apps to legal strategy based on neuroscience, these stories illustrated a common thread: AI must serve people, not replace them.
One major takeaway? AI enhances capabilities, but human empathy, ethics, and connections remain irreplaceable. Therefore, the panelists called for taking a “Human First, Tech Second” approach to building with AI.
Event Video Recording
A full recording of the event is available to watch on the embassy's official YouTube channel.
First Friday: Meetup | Teamup | Startup
First Friday isn’t just a monthly local “Meetup” (on the *First Friday each month, except January!…but also a learning, peer-support, and creative community. Here, you can subsequently “teamup” and “startup” together post-meetups, and develop lasting friendships!
The community blends solidarity with migrants, entrepreneurial empowerment, and techio—a Mexican concept of sharing and contributing technology resources within a collaborative framework. This emphasizes the importance of knowledge sharing and community engagement in fostering innovation and digital inclusion. Whether you're a startup founder, consultant, developer, creative, or merely someone curious about entrepreneurship, there’s something to learn and contribute.
The community also organizes the monthly “Open House Networthing” workshops (on the last Saturday of every month, except December). The next edition is focused on “AI Ideation & Validation” facilitated by Anita Đordić (Sprint Lab). This session is scheduled for the last Saturday of this month, as usual:
Saturday, 28th June - register now on the Meetup Group!*
Want to speak at a subsequent First Friday—as a startup presenter OR expert on a topic useful to participants? Well, you can!
Email *Alejandro Wagner to secure your speaker slot: amarte.network@gmail.com
If you're in Berlin, mark your calendar for the next First Friday on Friday, 4th July at MLP Haus, Jean-Monnet-Straße 4, Berlin - walkable from Hauptbahnhof (or block the calendar for every edition, except January each year). The future of entrepreneurship isn’t just about AI. It’s about people coming together to shape it—even just with one *Meetup, one Teamup, and/or one Startup at a time
Thanks: Hosts, Organisers, and Assembled Guests
Thanks to the Embassy of Mexico in Germany (Berlin)—Francisco Quiroga (Ambassador), Oliver Contla (Head of the Economic and Trade Section), and the event/facilities team—as well as the event organisers/partners, speakers, and panelists (VAF Alemania Financial Advisory Desk | Begona de la Marta | Anita Đordić | Iliana Haro | David Alejandro Montiel | Ilse de la Cruz | Alejandro Wagner), and the assembled audience for their attendance.
Authors: Jamal Maxey (Founder & Head of Events, Pitch Lounge) & Mukunda RaghuRam Sutapalli (AI & Web Design Intern, Pitch Lounge)—First Friday Events Promotion Partner*
— ENGAGE WITH THE EVENT PARTNERS —
Francisco Quiroga, Ambassador*
To use the custom-built *AI chatbot developed by the embassy (helping Mexican exporters navigate complex EU regulations with accurate, 24/7 answers), please visit www.mexportale.eu
.
Website or social media:*
Frauenalia
Begona de la Marta, Founder*
"*Ventanilla Financiera" - mentoring sessions for women to establish and scale their businesse
Email: *info@frauenalia.com
Website or social media:*
Alejandro Wagner, Founder (First Friday by Amarte) | Financial Advisor (MLP)*
Website, Meetup Group, or social media:*
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