Leaving Fanzone - onwards and upwards! 💪🚀

Co-founder Björn Hesse is leaving his startup Fanzone.

After 2,5 years at Fanzone Media GmbH, it's time to take on new challenges. Different views on the company strategy made me leave Fanzone by mutual agreement. As a co-founder I will remain a shareholder of Fanzone and actively pursue the future of our startup.

I want to thank everyone involved at Fanzone for the in-depth web3 lessons I've learned since the summer of 2020. Teamwork makes the dream work! But what a rollercoaster ride 🎢 We've been through a lot together, and I'm so grateful for the time we've had! The web3 space is pretty young and still a niche. No one of us is an expert and knows it all. Last week at Ignition23 Georgia Sapounas perfectly summed up my feelings and thoughts: „When something is new, you just have to jump in. Nothing is perfect, but that’s how it is.“

I've had the unique chance - after my Twitter tenure in 2016 - to work again with DFB & DOSB and explore new NFT opportunities at some of the largest sports events worldwide (EURO2020, Beijing Winter Olympics), work with some incredible people from our partners and within our team. Some of those friendships will stick with me forever.

If I would start name dropping I could go on for days, but I won't put you through that. Just a few specific shout-outs:

🤓 Lenni Boekstegers >> Your energy and enthusiasm as we built the FZ brand from the ground up was outstanding. "MVP! MVP!!" Thank you for always being my creative partner in crime and leading our design team forward since the beginning!

🏒 Nicky Verjans & Felix Roth >> Playing digital ping-pong day in and day out through the 2022 Winter Olympics while I was locked away in Covid-quarantine showed me that incredible things are possible when you combine passion, commitment & team-play. Christian Ehrhoff >> was an honor to have you on board for our first Co-Creation NFT! Jens Behler >> Hoping our paths will cross again one day!

🏀 I'm a huge basketball fanatic and love Alba Berlin - Who would've thought that I could cheer for MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg or FC Bayern Basketball?!? Well, owning digital collectibles changes the perspective on some teams and players. Happy to have worked with you Anna Andre, Lukas Horn & Patrick Bauer

🙋‍♀️ Sarah Smyth >> There are too few women in the crypto space, but you're one of the leading ladies. Your comms skills are top notch & I'll love to witness how Lukso is shaping the future of digital lifestyle.

🚗 Forward31 | by Porsche Digital >> Thank you for believing in sports NFTs and the founder team of Claudio Weck, Dirk Weyel & me. I will never forget the amazing Forward31 family meetings at the bunker in Berlin and in Lisbon's Red Cross Palace. Keep building new Porsche businesses that create an impact. I will have an eye on you Lena Schrum, Till Grusche, Damien Garot & Co. 😉

I will keep building in the crypto-sports-space, help bridging the gap between web2 and web3. Gender equality and Tech4Good are two topics that are very high on my agenda. As for what's next, stay tuned 😎

Bjoern HesseFanzoneComment