Rotary Club

It’s time to unwind, sip some wine, and connect with fellow founders in Berlin! Our next event is all about **casual conversations and meaningful connections** in a relaxed atmosphere. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just getting started, this is your chance to meet like-minded people and share ideas over a glass (or two) of wine. **What to Expect:** • **Meet & Greet**: Chat with other startup founders, swap stories, and find potential collaborators. • **Wine & Network**: Enjoy great wine (available for purchase at the bar 🍷) and let the conversations flow. • **Inspiring Connections**: Share challenges, brainstorm ideas, and grow your network in Berlin’s vibrant startup scene. This event is all about keeping it simple, social, and stress-free. So come as you are, grab a glass of your favorite vintage, and let’s build some great connections in the Berlin startup community! **Pitch Your Startup & Find Cofounders:** Join our Berlin founders-only startup community on Slack - [https://join.slack.com/t/startupsberlingroup/shared_invite/zt-38iro2d1e-ykoEtiW6LVfKV2~U2nu_YQ](https://join.slack.com/t/startupsberlingroup/shared_invite/zt-38iro2d1e-ykoEtiW6LVfKV2~U2nu_YQ)

**🎉 Happy New Year, Startup Berlin! 🎉** First of all: happy new year to everyone in the community – founders, builders, operators, and the startup-curious 👋 I’m excited to step in as a new organizer and help keep Startup Berlin a practical, founder-first network. To kick off 2026, I’m thinking about a **casual “Happy New Year” get-together** in Berlin: * 🍕 Pizza & 🍺 beer * 🤝 relaxed networking * 🎓 a **30-minute practical intro session**: **“Anatomy of a … agreement”** (no legalese, no theory – just what actually matters in practice) After the short session, plenty of time to hang out, meet people, and exchange war stories. **Update: It is going to be about the Convertible Loan Agreement!** Further topics to be covered in future sessions: * Shareholders’ Agreement – control, vetoes, deadlocks, exits * Employment Agreements – early hires, ESOP/VSOP, typical pitfalls * Founder Agreements – equity splits, vesting, break-ups * Something else? (tell us!) If there’s enough interest, I’ll organize a date and venue shortly (presumably Feb 6th). Depending on the turn-out we might have to restrict participation due to available space (we will find a way for doing it fairly and no worries, there will be more sessions and I am happy to repeat). Looking forward to hearing what would be most valuable for the community – and hopefully seeing many of you in person soon. 🚀

\*\*\*\*\*\* ***For address and more details see the website.*** \*\*\*\*\*\* **Event Info:** Bring along your **current book to read** (or something **creative** to work on 📚🎨🧵) and join us for this mix of a shared focus time + discussion. \- 19:00\-19:30 \- Meet & greet \- 19:30\-20:30 \- Silent focus time \- 20:30 \- Discussion of books/ projects over coffee **Drinks & snacks are included** ☕️ * **To reserve your place, a ticket (€9,90/event) or a community pass (only €14,90/MONTH) [from the website](www.pausify.org) is required** * **Attendance here doesn’t show all sign-ups from other platforms.** ***FAQ: Why does it cost money if I bring my own project?*** Because we rent a beautiful, central space for every event. Ever thought your monthly apartment rent was too high? Well, multiply that – that’s what commercial spaces in big cities like Berlin cost *per hour*. Of course, if all you want is just some quiet time, your home or a library is perfect. But if you’d like to focus & connect with others in an inspiring space – with drinks, snacks included – that’s what your ticket helps to cover. See pics from our events below - and on our Instagram: **[@Pausify (Co-Reading Space)](https://www.instagram.com/pausify_org/) ☕️**📚 **[Pausify Co-Reading Space Website](www.pausify.org/)** For questions, please contact us over [Website](www.pausify.org/) as this platform can have issues. Thank you! *Please note that photos and videos may be taken during the event and used for promotional purposes to highlight and share the experiences at our events. If you have concerns, don't hesitate to approach the event organizers before the event.*

Join us for an upcoming in-person Lean Coffee meetup. Lean Coffee is a lightly-structured meeting format where the attendees create the agenda. Bring your management challenges; whether you're managing people, products, processes or beyond, and solve them together with peers from a diverse set of backgrounds. This event is great for anybody trying to create better ways of working and wants to share with + learn from others trying to do the same.

Network and get inspired with entrepreneurs from diverse disciplines and cultures every first Friday of the month. The idea is collective contribution. Everybody bring 🥨🍷🙋 share their skills and experiences. Agenda 18:00-18:30 Boarding 18:30-19:15 Intro-Round Everybody 1-2 min: Tell your name, what you do and how we cam help you Pause (15 min.) 19:30-20:15 10 min pitches + 10 min feedback/discussion Pause (30 min) 21:15-22:00 Final-Round ***** Event is free of charge! Bring 🥨🍷🙋‍♂️ instead. ***** Let’s networth through a common community project in 2026:😀 Let’s build together a 🔥 FirstFriday 🔥Youtube-Channel! 🎦 from 0 to hero! With SHORTS of our events, TUTORIALS and even PODCASTS from our experts. 😀 We are opening doors to discover new talents, who are willing to participate in any way they choose (equipment, editing, sharing, creating content…). Join us!

**Village Heart Circle** hosted by **Marco Astolfi** & **Torsten Bless** for **GBTQ men\*** **[free event with registration](https://wearevillage.org/en/shop/heart-circle/w06-2026)** Are you looking for a space where you can express your feelings and share your experiences in a loving and supportive community of GBTQ men\*? In this circle we can sit together peacefully to speak from the heart and listen with our hearts, honouring the different ways from which we come in a safe and non-judgemental space, honouring the different ways from which we come in a safe and non-judgemental space. The Heart Circle is a practice originated by Native Americans and adopted by the Radical Faeries to build community. **General Information** We open the doors at 7:30 p.m. To protect the integrity of the Heart Circle, we ask that you arrive before 8:00 p.m. **Language**: This event will be in German and/or English depending on participant needs. 🔵 Suchst du nach einem Ort, an dem du deine Gefühle und Erfahrungen teilen kannst, in einer unterstützenden Gemeinschaft von schwulen, bisexuellen, trans und queeren Männern\*? Der Kreis ist ein Ort, an dem wir friedlich zusammensitzen, aus dem Herzen sprechen und mit dem Herzen zuhören können. Ein Ort, an dem wir die unterschiedlichen Lebensumstände, aus denen wir kommen, respektieren, ohne zu urteilen. Der Heart Circle ist eine Praxis, die von den Ureinwohnern Nordamerikas stammt und von den Radical Faeries übernommen wurde, um Gemeinschaft zu bilden. **Hinweise** Wir öffnen die Türen um 19.30 Uhr. Um die Unversehrtheit des Heart Circles zu bewahren, bitten wir dich, vor 20:00 Uhr zu erscheinen. **Sprache**: Je nach Bedürfnissen der Gruppe werden wir Deutsch und/oder Englisch sprechen.

**RSVP Available on luma:** https://luma.com/3aed7h1x Silent Reading Club is a group of book lovers who enjoy reading together in public. All books and all readers are welcome. There's no entrance fee, but please order at least one item from the cafe and don't bring any outside drinks :) No quizzes, no pressure, no assigned books - just a group of book-loving souls basking in the beauty of silent reading. **Our Agenda:** 10:30 am - 11:00 am - Arrivals, ordering drinks/food (social time) 11:00 am - 12:00 pm - The Great Quiet Reading Hour (where silence is the star) 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm - Optional socializing, share your reading adventures, or just keep exploring the pages

Welcome to Sunday Tech Coffee. This is a **networking** event for those in the tech industry in Berlin. We are usually inside and to the right. Ask the barista/bartender if you can't find us.

**Founders Running Club** (FRC) brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking. We like to be comfortable when we run and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer—pets, friends, family, are welcome. 🗓️ Launched in San Francisco, July 16, 2022 🌍 Now in 35+ cities 📅 Running + Networking events + Community **Join the community** [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats) **Stay updated**: Instagram [http://instagram.com/foundersrc/](http://instagram.com/foundersrc/) Podcast [http://podcast.foundersrc.com/](http://podcast.foundersrc.com/) LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/](http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/) Strava [http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC](http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC) Website [http://foundersrc.com/](http://foundersrc.com/)

📚 **Berlin Arabic Book Club – Weekly Meetup** Join us for our weekly book discussion. Whether you're reading a novel in Arabic, a memoir in English, or a philosophical essay in German, you're welcome to bring it and share a few thoughts. Each session is relaxed, with no required reading — just bring a book you’re currently into or one you’ve read and want to talk about. ### 🔸 What to Expect: * We gather, grab coffee or tea ☕, and introduce ourselves. * Each member briefly talks about their book (any language is fine: Arabic, English, or German). * We open the floor for conversation, questions, or thoughts sparked by the books. * Cultural exchange is encouraged! ### 🔸 What to Bring: * A book you're reading or one you'd love to talk about. * An open mind and curiosity. **اللقاء الأسبوعي لنادي الكتاب العربي في برلين** انضموا إلينا في لقاءنا الأسبوعي في مقهى **دندنة** الدافئ! سواء كنت تقرأ رواية بالعربية، أو مذكرات بالإنجليزية، أو مقالة فلسفية بالألمانية — فأنت مرحب بك لتشارك ببعض الأفكار عنها. اللقاء غير رسمي، ولا توجد قراءة إلزامية — فقط احضر كتابًا تقرأه حاليًا أو كتابًا أحببته وتود الحديث عنه. ### 🔸 ماذا تتوقّع؟ * نبدأ بالتعارف وطلب القهوة أو الشاي ☕. * يشارك كل عضو نبذة عن كتابه (أي لغة مرحّب بها: العربية، الإنجليزية، أو الألمانية). * نفتح المجال للنقاش والأسئلة وتبادل الأفكار المستوحاة من الكتب.

**Silent Reading Book Club** A new way to enjoy reading! Ditch the old book club, where everyone has to read the same book…this is better! It works like this: Bring your own book. Come chat, have some tea or coffee, get to know your neighbors. Then we quietly read together, side by side, for about one hour, each one reading their own book, and afterwards we talk with each other about what we are reading. You may read in any language, you may read any book. We are a group of international residents of Berlin from many different countries, of all ages, and we converse in English. We welcome you! no registration needed- the event is donation based

This week we are discussing **Eva Baltasar:** Boulder. We look forward to seeing you! If you have book suggestions, would like to vote on our next reads, or join us for additional activities, please ask someone at the meeting to add you to our WhatsApp group. **Also, if you're unable to attend, please update your RSVP so that someone from the waiting list can take your spot.**

**First Gathering: Love as Transformation** Reading: **The Forty Rules of Love** by **Elif Shafak** We begin Men, Meaning, and Madness with a novel that treats love not as sentiment, but as a force that disrupts, humbles, and reshapes the self. The Forty Rules of Love explores love as discipline, surrender, and moral risk. It asks what happens when certainty breaks, when the ego is wounded, and when meaning is found not through control, but through transformation. This gathering is for men interested in serious literature and honest inquiry into how love shapes character, responsibility, and the inner life. Discussion will be guided by questions rather than summaries. The aim is depth, not debate. Come having read the book or engaged with it seriously.

Join the Columbus Ski Club for a First Friday Happy Hour! If you're new in town or just looking to socialize, this is the event for you. Connect with fellow sports enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers while sharing travel stories and tips for the best ski slopes or hiking trails. Contact: Herb Beidel, 614 -619-7808 [Dec_2025_CSC_Track Newsletter.pdf]() CSC Membership not required for happy hour!

**Our February novel is: Julia by Sandra Newman** **This month is a classic, dystopian, fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction, and science fiction novel. The book is 394 pages in print and 14 hours and 20 minutes on audiobook.** **An imaginative, feminist, and brilliantly relevant-to-today retelling of Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia, by critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman.** Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984. All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen: cheerfully cynical, always ready with a bribe, piously repeating every political slogan while believing in nothing. She routinely breaks the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia. Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story. Julia takes us on a surprising journey through Orwell’s now-iconic dystopia, with twists that reveal unexpected sides not only to Julia, but to other familiar figures in the 1984 universe. This unique perspective lays bare our own world in haunting and provocative ways, just as the original did almost seventy-five years ago.

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

**I’m planning future book club meetups and would love your input. Please choose your top three from the list below—your picks will help decide what we read next!** **Book Options** *The Hong Kong Widow* – Kristen Loesch *American Spy* – Lauren Wilkinson *God of the Woods* – Liz Moore *Listen for the Lie* – Amy Tintera *The Swallows* – Lisa Lutz *The Drowning Kind* – Jennifer McMahon *The Eights* – Joanna Miller *The Quiet Librarian* – Allen Eskens Thanks so much for sharing your pick! Please **reply in the comments** with your top three. I can’t wait to see which books rise to the top and to discuss them together at our next meetups.

Welcome, readers! Our February read is **_1984 by George Orwell._** In 1984, George Orwell imagines a world where the government watches everyone, rewrites reality, and punishes even private thoughts. Winston Smith dares to question this system, believing that truth and love might still exist. His rebellion draws him into a chilling struggle against a power that knows him better than he knows himself. The novel leaves readers asking whether freedom is possible when reality itself can be controlled. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖