Hi Sissel - In the last few months we've heard so much about different Kaospilot projects in Berlin. Is it true there is now a 1-Year Kaospilot programme in Berlin? What is this all about?

You're right, there's been a lot of buzz these past few months. This is mainly because we are finally launching our first 1-Year Programme in Berlin.

In the last two years we have established a KAOSPILOT base - we call it KAOSPILOT+ Berlin - in the city. For those who don't know them yet, at Kaospilot, we design and create experiential learning for navigating complexity and grow capacities for meaningful and impactful activism, leadership, and design. Our aim is to bring this approach of learning and creating transformation to Berlin. Specifically, with our 1-Year Programme that starts this September!

This sounds exciting - can you tell us a bit more about the programme?

‘Leadership in Systemic Activism' is a 1-Year programme that is designed to equip present and future generations of leaders with mindsets and skills to change the world. It’s a holistic programme exploring activism, leadership and design to support initiating and leading systemic change. We are putting together a small group of learners who will very much be pioneering the programme and become one another's biggest asset as they form a learning collective that lifts them as individual learners, while it also forms their platform to discover, explore and play out their leadership, activistic and creative practices. It’s essentially an educational journey promoting deep personal transformation while being embedded in a strong and inspiring collective and community.

If I want to apply, what do I need to bring, do I need a degree or other qualifications?

You don't need to have a specific education beforehand, it's much more your drive and the experiences you bring that matter. We are looking for individuals who are excited to create change, who want to challenge the status quo, and who are willing to do their part in making the world a better place. We are looking for makers, activists, optimists, doers, rebels, creatives, and out-of-the-box thinkers. We embrace diversity and encourage anyone to apply regardless of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, marital or parental status.

The Kaospilot approach is different from a normal university, what makes it so unique?

What makes the Kaospilots really different from other educational experiences is that it's so deeply rooted in a community experience. You're not going to sit in the classroom all day listening to lectures - instead, the students create their own learning paths, choose their projects, and facilitate sessions themselves. And it's often in these collective sessions that real learning takes place. I think you rarely experience such intense and beautiful moments at a regular business school.

All this, the co-creative project work, real-world experience, and learning from and with each other in teams, the wider community, through hands-on workshops, and together with world-leading experts are at the core of our programs. The programs are in English and intend to offer spaces to explore one’s leadership skills, develop and challenge oneself and one’s work.

What we define as Leadership in Systemic Activism:

Why are you starting this program in Berlin and why now?

We believe that learning should be experience-based, and therefore want to offer the possibility of immersion in how we work, learn, and co-create at the Kaospilots in Berlin.

Berlin is a buzzing hub where so many progressive initiatives and movements are rooted - we're missing more inspiring and daring educational formats where you can learn to start social and impact businesses, play with f.ex. putting circular economics into practice, or how to initiate and lead movements that will enable positive systemic transformation. How do you learn to really move your ideas to action, whilst staying respectful of social, economical, and environmental environments and your own limits as a human? These are only some of the elements we are touching upon in our educational setting and that we want to see more of. Furthermore, there is so much wisdom in the city, so many practitioners and cutting-edge experts whose voices we would love to give a platform t

And, as my colleague Helen said the other day: “What I believe we need is a place where we can learn with and from each other to create and lead change. Where systemic thinking and activism and leadership inspire each other. And, where we learn from real activists and create change together. The Kaospilot+ Berlin Programmeis such a place.

And finally, what’s the relationship between Startup Guide and Kaospilot?

Before I founded Startup Guide, I was enrolled in Kaospilot in Aarhus and truly believe that it’s an invaluable education for aspiring leaders, entrepreneurs and people who seek to co-create systemic and impact oriented transformation. And I think we have a responsibility to contribute to the narrative of what good business means today and how it can support the systemic change we urgently need. So the program ties in really well with our Startup Guide mission – it supports aspiring and existing entrepreneurs and leaders to tackle big, world-changing problems and create innovative and radical solutions. I’m excited to be a part of this.