Entrepreneurship Summit 2022 – Keynote speech by Prof. Dr Gerald Hüther

Summary

In his keynote speech, ‘Those who do nothing lose their vitality,’ Prof. Dr. Gerald Hüther explains the neurobiological concept of coherence: living systems – including the human brain – strive for a state in which everything fits together and as little energy as possible is consumed. For humans, this means that thinking, feeling and acting are in harmony.

However, this state cannot be achieved permanently. Life means constantly encountering inconsistencies and learning to actively overcome them. The key is not to avoid problems, but to develop the ability to deal with them. Hüther refers to this as a sense of coherence restoration competence – the confidence to overcome challenges.

He takes a critical view of a society that measures success almost exclusively in terms of performance and measurability. As a result, many people lose touch with their empathy, their vitality and their creativity. They learn early on to suppress these needs in order to function.

Hüther advocates a new understanding of entrepreneurship: every person begins as the creator of their own life. Sustainable entrepreneurship should contribute to strengthening this creative ability, promoting connectedness and helping people to regain harmony with themselves and the world.

Key insights for founders

1. Problems are necessary for growth:
Entrepreneurial competence does not come from avoiding problems, but from the ability to repeatedly find coherent solutions.

2. Coherence beats optimisation:
Long-term success comes when thinking, feeling and acting are in harmony – not from a pure focus on efficiency or performance.

3. Entrepreneurship begins with self-design:
Those who want to shape others must first learn to shape themselves and their own inner state.

4. Vitality is not a luxury, but a prerequisite:
Creativity, empathy and the joy of creation are central resources for innovation – their loss renders people and organisations incapable of action.

5. Modern entrepreneurship has a social responsibility:
Good entrepreneurial ideas help people reconnect and regain their own creative abilities.

About the speaker

Prof. Dr. Gerald Hüther is a German neurobiologist, author and one of the best-known communicators of neuroscientific findings in the German-speaking world, as well as the founder of the Potential Development Academy. He was a professor of neurobiology for many years and is particularly interested in the biological foundations of learning, motivation, emotion and human development. Hüther takes a critical look at performance-oriented education and social systems and advocates a culture that promotes connectedness, potential development and personal responsibility. His lectures, books and public initiatives combine science with social and entrepreneurial issues.