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Entrepreneurship in the Basel Area — An Interview with Daniel Ginter
10.11.2020
Daniel Ginter has been helping startups and entrepreneurs at Basel Area Business & Innovation since 2020.
Daniel Ginter, Director Entrepreneurship
Before Daniel joined Basel Area Business & Innovation, he was responsible for corporate innovation and acceleration at digitalswitzerland. He gained experience in management consulting, co-founding and running a startup, corporate work, and investing. Daniel Ginter is part of the Stanford GSB LEAD team, delivering design for disruption and decision making. He consults and coaches C-level on how to strategically innovate for growth and impact.
Daniel Ginter studied ecosystem shaping at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before, he studied innovation and entrepreneurship at Judge Business School at University of Cambridge. He holds a master’s in law & economics from the University of Basel, Switzerland.
Why did you join Basel Area Business & Innovation?
Enabling people to solve real problems is the core of entrepreneurship for me.
Strategic innovation and innovative entrepreneurship are the drivers of positive change for society, the economy, and the environment. I want to contribute to the region and beyond in setting that potential free. Defining and implementing the strategy for connecting, inspiring, activating, and orchestrating the impact of the ecosystem is a fantastic way to do so. Here, I can fulfill my personal mission: Strategic Innovation for Growth and Sustainability.
What are the challenges going to be?
In Switzerland, we have a lot of great talent, research and development, socioeconomic stability, economic growth, and diverse perspectives. These are great strengths and key ingredients to resilience. At the same time, inviting the entire ecosystem to create an overarching, shared vision, aligning key interests, and drive towards an outcome of impact and sustainability will be exciting. But it also requires patience.
Why do you think the Basel Area is a great place for entrepreneurs and startups?
I have a global mindset, network, and experience. That’s why I love how connected the Basel Area is with leading ecosystems abroad. Through our strongest industries, we are connected with Boston, New York, Silicon Valley, Beijing, and many more.
The bright people and companies coming to the region are inspiring and powerful for one’s success. Switzerland is a great place to start a business. Companies founding here establish critical partnerships with important customers, accelerating their market access, and internationalization.
2000+ years of history and international fairs make life and work here even more exciting and colorful, creating opportunities to connect, do business, and for creating impact together.
What are 4 tips you have for aspiring entrepreneurs with a great idea who don’t know where or how to start?
- Define your Why. Be clear about the underlying problem you want to solve and why you want to solve it. You makes you authentic, aligned with your values, and convincing.
- Is it just you, or is it real? Validate that your great idea is also a great opportunity. Speak with many people to find possible customers, partners, investors/sponsors.
- Be a visionary storyteller. Have your vision (destination) and plan with milestones for your journey. Turn it into a great, simple story of change. People will want to become part of it.
- Getting to YESSSS. You will hear more often “no” than “yes.” Remember, it’s not because of you. It’s because of a fundamental risk aversion of the majority of people. Getting to yes by de-risking, consistently following your path, actively learning from every experience (including “failures”), and enjoying the adventure brings you the success you desire.
And, for everything else, we’re here to support you along the way. There are many organizations and programs in the Basel Area that help entrepreneurs to achieve their goals. At Basel Area Business & Innovation we provide resources, mentoring for startups and workshops – ranging from pitching to patents, and pitfalls to avoid – and we provide tailored entrepreneurial support in all steps of the founding process. All the offerings are designed to support entrepreneurs. Whether they focus on healthcare, therapeutics or industry 4.0, we offer acceleration programs, and help them by meeting new people, creating valuable new contacts at our events, which are always free. Find inspiration in our collaborative workspaces which offer so much flexibility, and are located in this amazing hub of innovation and entrepreneurship that is the Basel Area!
Do you want to know how to create a value proposition without the value proposition canvas? Learn more.