Starting up in Berlin as an Asian builder brings unique challenges: navigating an unfamiliar landscape, finding early adopters, and building a local network from scratch.

From 0 to 1 is an evening for Asian founders, builders, and aspiring entrepreneurs who are figuring out those questions.

We'll hear from Asian founders at very different stages of their journey to unpack what it really takes to build in Germany.

🎤 Meet the speakers

Karl Villanueva, Co-Founder, OstromKarl started Ostrom in 2021 from nothing. Five years later, the company has grown into a venture-backed energy startup and raised its Series B.

He'll share what the journey from those very first days to building and scaling a company actually looked like, including the decisions, challenges, and lessons along the way.

Xiaoheng Chen, Co-Founder, mloda.aiXiaoheng spent years as a scientist and researcher before making the leap into entrepreneurship. She and her co-founder started mloda.ai just seven months ago. Today, they already have a product and a few pilot projects underway.

She'll share what it's like to be in the early days right now, figuring out the product, finding early users, and turning an idea into something real.

Together, their stories give us two perspectives on the same journey: from having nothing to having something, and everything in between.

💡 What we'll talk about

  • How do you decide what is worth building?

  • How do you get your first customers, partners, or pilot projects?

  • How do you build a network when you're starting out in a new environment?

  • What does the first year actually look like?

  • What changes as a startup moves from its earliest days to the next stage?

  • What do you wish you had known when you were at 0?

Come with your questions, your half-formed ideas, or simply curiosity about what it takes to start.

🗓 What happens

18:00, Grab a drink & settle in

18:30, Panel: From 0 to 1: How Asian Builders Start

19:30, Drinks & open conversations

21:00, See you next time

🌏 Who it's for

Asian founders, engineers, product managers, researchers, operators, investors, and aspiring builders in Berlin.

You might already be building something. You might have an idea you've been thinking about for months. Or you might simply be curious about entrepreneurship and wondering whether it's for you.

You don't need to have it figured out. That's the point.

📸 A few quick notes

Photos: We'll take a few photos during the event for community posts. Let us know at check-in if you'd prefer not to be photographed.

🌱 Stay in the loop

Follow Asian Builders in Berlin on Luma for future events, meetups, and community stories.