Building a network to connect people under the age of 30 with relevant decision-makers from Germany’s largest companies who would otherwise be out of reach—that is the core idea behind Young Forum, a community for young people committed to a sustainable future. The community brings together students, founders, and emerging leaders with established figures through events, workshops, and a network that now spans 13 German cities. With around 430 members, Munich is its largest chapter.
The Young Forum was founded by Daniel Mendes Jenner and Julian Schmidt. The community launched in November 2024 at the German Sustainability Award. Since then, the network has grown rapidly: according to its own figures, Young Forum now counts more than 1,800 members across Germany. It is aimed at young people between the ages of 18 and 30—from students and young professionals to founders, activists, and young politicians.
Around 60 percent of members are students, with the remainder made up of founders. Anyone interested in the circular economy, renewable energy, or finance will find a home in the topic-specific groups designed for lively exchange.
Benefits and Events
The biggest advantage is access to events that would otherwise be virtually unattainable for individuals in this age group. Through partner programs, the Young Forum facilitates access to exclusive events, workshops, and scholarships, such as the Süddeutsche Zeitung Sustainability Summit or the Sustainable Economy Summit.
For example, 25 free tickets worth a total of more than 20,000 euros were awarded to young talents for the SZ Sustainability Summit. The network also creates access to other major events. For Intersolar Europe / The smarter E Europe in Munich, for instance, free trade fair and conference passes were offered.
In May 2026, the first “Munich Impact Night” also took place. More than 100 young talents met over 20 established decision-makers from business, politics, and society. Participants included representatives from Airbus Defence and Space, United Internet, Bund Naturschutz, and politics. The core format, “Meet the Leader,” avoided presentations in favor of direct intergenerational exchange. Anyone looking for purpose-driven work can find their future employer at the “Impact Hiring Night.”
In addition to its own events, the Young Forum also collaborates with established formats. These include the German Sustainability Award, the Greentech Festival, OMR, the Unprepared Conference, and SuperReturn.
The vision behind it
The Young Forum views sustainable development aligned with the SDGs as its mission and sees intergenerational collaboration as the key lever: young talents should connect with influential individuals early on, rather than having to spend years working to gain access.
At the same time, the network is intended to be more than just an opportunity to collect as many contacts as possible. The focus is on dialogue between a young generation that wants to help shape business and society in the future and the people who already hold responsibility today.
The fact that this approach is meeting with interest is demonstrated not least by its rapid growth since launching at the end of 2024. In addition to the nationwide network, the Young Forum also relies on local City Hubs. These host regular meetups, coworking options, and partnerships with local stakeholders—and Munich, with its particularly large hub, plays a central role.
About the author: Liam Brömer is completing a six-month internship at Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship, while simultaneously working at Social Entrepreneurship Akademie. This gives him first-hand insights into the depths of the Munich startup ecosystem. He is 17 years old and attends the 12th grade of the Fachoberschule for business and administration.
