We look back on a successful, fully booked conference day, “Together! Mehr Wirkung durch Kooperation” which took place on July 17 at the IHK Berlin.
The conference was aimed at Berlin-based social entrepreneurs as well as representatives from politics, public administration, economic development, academia, and the private sector.
Participants enjoyed a diverse program: in hands-on workshops, they gained valuable insights into key topics and current developments in Berlin’s social economy.
Here’s how the program unfolded:
| 1:30 PM | Arrival & Networking |
| 2:00 PM | Welcome |
| 2:15 PM | Workshop Session 1 |
| 3:45 PM | Coffee Break & Networking |
| 4:30 PM | Keynote by Franziska Giffey – Senator for Economics, Energy and Enterprises |
| 4:45 PM | Workshop Session 2 |
| 6:15 PM | Presentation of Workshop Results |
| until 8:00 PM | Closing & Informal Get-Together |
Our Workshops:
Session 1
Do Good and Show It – Impact Management as a Driving Force for Your Organization
Impact measurement is more than just a reporting tool – it’s a powerful driver for strategic decision-making and helps sharpen the focus on social goals. This workshop is designed for social enterprises and startup advisors who want to systematically measure and communicate their impact. Participants will be introduced to the “IMMPACT” tool and explore practical approaches to planning, demonstrating, and further developing their impact. Please bring a laptop for this workshop!
Facilitator: Viola Stegmann (SEND e.V.)
Viola Stegmann is a project manager in the Impact department at SEND. In this role, she oversees the impact activities of the SIGU platform, manages the IMMPACT guide, and is responsible for SEND’s internal impact management.
Presentation by Viola
The Bias Machine – How Our Prejudices Shape AI
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in the social sector – but it is far from neutral. This workshop is designed for anyone who wants to use AI thoughtfully or gain a deeper understanding of it, regardless of technical background. Through practical examples, participants will learn how biases can be embedded in systems and explore the responsibilities social organizations have when working with algorithmic decision-making.
Facilitator: Christoph Hassler (Freelancer; Hassler: DEI)
Christoph has been working as a designer in the field of digital products since the early 2000s, always putting people at the center of his work. As a freelancer, he also works as a designer and consultant specializing in Diversity & Inclusion.
Between Aspiration and Reality: Diversity in the Social Economy
Many organizations consider themselves diverse and progressive – yet their structures and behaviors often tell a different story. This workshop is designed for leaders, founders, and decision-makers who want to go beyond merely claiming diversity and actively foster it. Participants will reflect on both structural and individual forms of exclusion and develop concrete strategies for building a discrimination-sensitive organizational culture.
Facilitator: Rea Eldem (IN-VISIBLE GmbH)
Rea Eldem is the founder and CEO of IN-VISIBLE, a Berlin-based agency for Gender, Diversity, and Transformation. Together with her team, she advises organizations on developing and implementing strategic approaches for structural change in the area of equality.
Busy, Creative Businesses – Social Impact Companies in the Creative Industry
Short project cycles, precarious employment, and high idealism shape the work reality in the cultural and creative industries. Since many artistic projects and creative enterprises also pursue social and environmental goals, the sector overlaps significantly with social entrepreneurship. This workshop is aimed at creatives and social entrepreneurs who want to reflect on their situation and learn from one another. Through peer-to-peer case consultations, participants will discuss individual challenges, identify common patterns, and develop transferable solutions.
Facilitators: Melanie Seifart & Mareike Lemme (Kreativ Kultur Berlin)
Melanie Seifart has been coordinating the consulting and event services of Kreativ Kultur Berlin’s creative industry advisory since 2016. Prior to that, the cultural manager spent three years leading the Berlin-Brandenburg regional office of the Federal Competence Center for the Cultural and Creative Industries.
Mareike Lemme has been working at Kreativ Kultur Berlin since 2019 as a consultant in the areas of creative industries and crowdfunding. Prior to that, the trained architect spent many years freelancing at the intersection of urban development, economic development, cultural management, and tourism.
Session 2
Science and the Social Economy: How We Can Better Understand and Support Social Enterprises in Berlin
Social enterprises make an important contribution to sustainable and equitable urban development – yet there is a lack of reliable data to make their impact and needs visible. This workshop is aimed at anyone interested in the scientific study of social entrepreneurship and in contributing to strengthening the knowledge base. Participants will collaboratively develop ideas on how to achieve a comprehensive understanding of social enterprises in Berlin, capturing their full breadth and diversity.
Facilitators: Philipp Kenel (Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin) & Yasmin Olteanu (Berliner Hochschule für Technik)
Dr. Philipp Kenel is a social scientist at Alice Salomon University Berlin. He conducts interdisciplinary, international, and practice-oriented research on social entrepreneurship, the social economy, and societal change.
Prof. Dr. Yasmin Olteanu is a Professor of Sustainable & Impact Entrepreneurship at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences. She researches impact-oriented business models, impact management, and the role of startups in societal transformation processes.
Financing for Social Enterprises
Financing is one of the biggest challenges for social enterprises, especially during their startup or growth phases. This workshop is aimed at organizations looking to review or expand their financing strategies. Participants will receive a practical overview of relevant models – from grants and loans to impact investments and discuss their suitability depending on the organization’s stage and structure.
Facilitator: Christoph Rohde (FASE GmbH)
Christoph Rohde leads Transaction Management at FASE and has been active in social entrepreneurship and impact investing for over 10 years. In addition, he serves as a consultant for Social Economy Berlin.
Presentation by Christoph
Beyond Co-Working: Business Models and Strategies for Impact-Driven and Socially-Oriented Co-Working Spaces
Socially-oriented co-working spaces and similar “third places” are more than just shared desks – they serve as social infrastructure and local hubs for social innovation. The collective intelligence gathered in these spaces provides fertile ground for collaborations and new ideas. This workshop is aimed at the initiators of such spaces, as well as anyone interested in discussing the role of physical impact hubs and co-developing cross-sector collaboration strategies.
Inputs: Tobias Kremkau (Co-Working Pionier); Steffen Richter, Alicia Feig (German Co-Working Federation, Impact Hub).
Facilitator: Katja Hellkötter (C*SPACE),
Co-Moderation: Magdalena Patalong.
Katja Hellkötter is the founder of C*SPACE Co-Working Space & Creative Hub, located in the former Bruno Springer furniture factory in Pankow. She brings together spaces, people, and ideas with a focus on social innovation and the values of “People, Culture, Nature.”
Moving Money Together – Peer-to-Peer Financing for Social Enterprises and Cooperatives
Traditional financing models often reach their limits with many social projects – peer-to-peer models offer a more solidaristic alternative. This workshop is aimed at organizations and initiatives seeking community-based, alternative funding approaches. Participants will explore different methods such as solidarity funds, trust-based financing, or Web3 models, and will develop initial prototypes for their own contexts.
Facilitators: Ela Kagel & Andreas Arnold (Platform Coops)
Ela Kagel is a digital strategist and expert in common-good-oriented economies, cooperative organizational models, and digital infrastructures. In 2010, she founded the project space SUPERMARKT in Berlin, where she curates events on digital culture and economy. Ela is also a co-founder of Platform Coops eG and Poetic Technologies.
Andreas Arnold is an industrial engineer, social entrepreneur, and expert in cooperative business models. As co-founder and board member of Platform Coops eG, he has been supporting founders in the field of social innovation and platform-based cooperatives for many years.
Presentation by Ela and Andreas
Blog Article on the Workshop by Ela und Andreas