Volunteering at TechBBQ can expand your network and strengthen your leadership and organisational abilities, according to two former volunteers who dedicated months of their lives to making the Nordic region’s largest tech gathering a reality. At the end of the summer, TechBBQ took place at Bella Center in Copenhagen – a massive tech and startup […]
Volunteering at TechBBQ can expand your network and strengthen your leadership and organisational abilities, according to two former volunteers who dedicated months of their lives to making the Nordic region’s largest tech gathering a reality.
At the end of the summer, TechBBQ took place at Bella Center in Copenhagen – a massive tech and startup summit attended by more than 10,000 people.
Without hundreds of volunteers, the event would simply not have been possible. To highlight these often-overlooked contributors, 24Victoria sat down with two of them.
They are Andrei Ratcu and Marija Brescanovic, both among the 60 long-term volunteers who, from May to October, dedicated blood, sweat and tears – but also plenty of smiles, laughter and good energy.
Marija worked full-time as part of the management team, while Andrei began working approximately 20 hours a week in the project team. After just a few weeks, he moved to full-time. Among other tasks, he helped coordinate the Nordic-India Startup Summit, one of TechBBQ’s major international initiatives this year.
“Just tell me when I should stop talking. I can talk about this topic forever,” says Andrei as we settle into the soft lounge sofas at SOHO in Klosterstræde on an October morning.
Sunlight pours through the windows. Marija needs a moment to land in the room. She had gone to the wrong address and arrived slightly late.
There are no hard feelings – because we are not in a hurry.
“It takes the time it takes. My first meeting isn’t until 12:30,” Andrei had noted before Marija arrived.
Becoming Part of a Larger Community
The conversation turns to why they chose to volunteer at TechBBQ. After all, many hours were invested – without any form of financial compensation.
Andrei and Marija did not ‘just’ sign up for a day or two – but for several months.
For Marija, something was missing in her life – the feeling of being part of a larger community.
“I have a great passion for volunteering, and I missed having a unifying project and a team to work with. I am a former professional ballerina, and working as a volunteer at TechBBQ awoke some of the same feelings in me,” she explains with a smile and a sparkle in her eyes.
Andrei fully agrees.
“One of the great things about having been a volunteer at TechBBQ is the unique network of people. Even though the ‘job’ is over, we still keep in touch, and we are always welcome for a cup of coffee at Matrikel 1 (TechBBQ’s office in Copenhagen, ed.). In addition, this large network may open some doors to find an exciting job in the future. I certainly wouldn’t rule that out,” he says.
A Massive Coordination Effort
As mentioned, the two volunteers worked in different teams – or organisms, as Andrei likes to call them. Therefore, their tasks were also very different.
Marija, who was part of the management team, held leadership responsibilities for the 200 volunteers and the 12 team leaders at the TechBBQ event itself.
“I recruited and ensured a good onboarding of the 12 team leaders, assigned shifts and roles to the 200 volunteers, and made sure that communication was clear, respectful and aligned with our culture,” she explains.
Andrei’s work in the project team also involved contact with many people. When more than 10,000 participants gather over two days, there are, naturally, many stakeholders to consider. It requires maintaining focus.
“I feel that the project work was extensive, as relationships with various partners, participants and investors took up a lot of space. It was work that had to be done continuously, and it was often work that was not very visible. In the last few weeks leading up to the event, we were working flat out. First people said they could come, then they could not, but then changed their mind at the very last minute. There was a lot of logistics to manage,” he explains.
It doesn’t take long before he continues:
“The key to success was without a doubt the cross-disciplinary collaboration between all the teams and the great help everyone provided to each other.”
A Transformative Experience
Sitting in the soft grey sofa, both Andrei and Marija emphasise that volunteering at TechBBQ was a developing, fun and deeply rewarding experience.
“The level of trust from TechBBQ is enormous. You really get to try a lot of exciting tasks – even if you have never tried them before. I am grateful for the leadership and organisational competencies I have gained,” says Marija.
She barely finishes the sentence before Andrei jumps in with enthusiasm:
“Yes, absolutely! The great trust and the opportunity to try many different tasks was also one of the reasons I chose to invest even more time into it.”
As the conversation comes to a quiet close, they both emphasise that they in no way rule out volunteering at TechBBQ again.
Afterwards, they step out into the autumn sun.
| About this article This is a special English edition from 24Victoria, created to make insights from the Danish startup and innovation ecosystem accessible to an international audience. The article was originally published in Danish as part of our mission to spotlight the leaders shaping the future of technology, entrepreneurship and growth in the Nordics. |