TUESDAY, 4 MAR - MONDAY, 10 MAR

SUN, 24 - SAT, 30 NOVEMBER

SUN, 24 - SAT, 30 NOVEMBER

BERLIN

We help students increase their surface area of luck.

We help students increase their surface area of luck.

Are you an ambitious student building the pillars of a career you’re proud of?
Join our next Expedition: an in-person, week-long immersive program that plugs you directly into global tech and startup ecosystems.

Meet face-to-face with world-class investors, founders, industry operators and have practical conversations you can't get in a classroom.

Change the trajectory of your career and meet creative partners, cofounders, and life-long friends.

Are you an ambitious student building the pillars of a career you’re proud of?
Join our next Expedition: an in-person, week-long immersive program that plugs you directly into global tech and startup ecosystems.

Meet face-to-face with world-class investors, founders, industry operators and have practical conversations you can't get in a classroom.

Change the trajectory of your career and meet creative partners, cofounders, and life-long friends.

The next Expedition is in Berlin, March 4th-10th.

The next Expedition is in Berlin, March 4th-10th.

APPLY NOW

Limited spots available, application will close as we reach capacity.

Limited spots available, application will close as we reach capacity.

We take you one conversation away from accelerating your path.

We take you one conversation away from accelerating your path.

One of humanity's urgent needs is shortening the time it takes young people to work on what they truly care about and bring their best impact. This delay is an immense opportunity cost for our society's ethical, social, and technological progress.

Yet, institutions lock them for years with obsolete curricula and theoretical notions. Professionals serve them aphorism-like inspirational tips, whose utility quickly fades off, leaving students with no practical next steps.

Students are thus left with not knowing what they don't know, plagued by the randomness of events when building their paths. Knowledge is there, but it's not equally distributed.

That's why we started Brightdale, to take you out there in the real world and see with your own eyes how people did things.
We want to be the connector of the next generation of dreamers and doers.
We want to be your first inflection point, the one you'll say when looking back "that truly changed my trajectory".
More luck, less randomness, to the benefit of all.

A modern-day Agora.

One of humanity's urgent needs is shortening the time it takes young people to work on what they truly care about and bring their best impact. This delay is an immense opportunity cost for our society's ethical, social, and technological progress.

Yet, institutions lock them for years with obsolete curricula and theoretical notions. Professionals serve them aphorism-like inspirational tips, whose utility quickly fades off, leaving students with no practical next steps.

Students are thus left with not knowing what they don't know, plagued by the randomness of events when building their paths. Knowledge is there, but it's not equally distributed.

That's why we started Brightdale, to take you out there in the real world and see with your own eyes how people did things.
We want to be the connector of the next generation of dreamers and doers.
We want to be your first inflection point, the one you'll say when looking back "that truly changed my trajectory".
More luck, less randomness, to the benefit of all.

A modern-day Agora.

The Brightdale Ecosystem.

If you're looking to accelerate your path and leave your mark in the world, we'd love to have you.

Global Expeditions

In-person, week-long tours in global tech hubs to meet investors, founders, and industry operators.
Join us in Berlin this November and get priority selection for our 2025 Expeditions: Paris, Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangalore.

Community

A modern-day Agora for highly driven students: open-ended exploration, networking, guidance, learning, idea testing, and career design.
We deeply believe in the exponential power of connections.

Guidance

Knowledge patronage in the form of coaching, resource provision, strategic introductions, and career guidance. Initially leveraging our cofounders’ extensive experience, it will be extended to other high-profile mentors as we grow.

Global Expeditions

Monday to Friday daily meetings, morning and afternoon, with professionals from the VC, startup, and tech world.

Monday to Friday daily meetings, morning and afternoon, with professionals from the VC, startup, and tech world.

Company visits

Experience hints of the real journey.
Immerse yourself in what a typical day looks like where innovation is being made.

Real conversations with people ahead

Ask what you really need.
No aspirational bullshit, no corporate fluff.
Real stories of how people got to where they are (despite their mistakes) and actionable next steps to shape your unique path.

Meet the right people

Ambition is a self-actualizing machine. Be part of a modern-day Agora with other outstanding individuals and maximize your luck.
Be exposed to future creative partners, cofounders, life-long friends, and opportunities you couldn’t even imagine existed.

What does an Expedition
day look like?

What does an Expedition
day look like?

We customize the details depending on the characteristics of the cohort members who make the final selection. But this is how you can expect to spend these days.

We customize the details depending on the characteristics of the cohort members who make the final selection. But this is how you can expect to spend these days.

Arrive on Tuesday

Whenever it fits you best, and meet other members of the cohort.

Wednesday to Friday

Charge for the day with a complimentary breakfast at the hotel.
First meeting from 10 AM to 12 PM, lunch, and second meeting from 3 PM to 5 PM.
In the evening, either explore the city or join us for informal dinners and drinks.

Saturday & Sunday Grand Finale

An intensive two-day finale from 9 AM to late evening in a beautiful private space. We'll hosts speakers, deep dive on career (ie. getting an internship, how aiming for grades will stop you from the real work, how to start a company, how to find a problem to solve) and personal development (ie. recognizing your true call, breaking your limiting beliefs, adopt specific mental frameworks, and more.), group discussions, and workshops.

Goodbye on Monday

Our program ends, but you decide when to leave the city (or not leave at all!).

TUESDAY, 4 MAR - MONDAY, 10 MAR

Berlin is part of the most important
tech cluster in Europe together with London and Paris.

Berlin is part of the most important startup ecosystem in Europe together with London and Paris.

Berlin is home to category-defining companies.
Rocket Internet (Zalando), N26, HelloFresh, Delivery Hero, TradeRepublic, Sennder were founded here, as well as many YC startups every year.
Elite VCs like Cherry Ventures, EarlyBird, Target Global were also launched in the German capital.
Plus, many tech giants have a presence in the city: Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Amazon, Snowflakes, TikTok, and many more.

Berlin is home to category-defining companies.
Rocket Internet (Zalando), N26, HelloFresh, Delivery Hero, TradeRepublic, Sennder were founded here, as well as many YC startups every year.
Elite VCs like Cherry Ventures, EarlyBird, Target Global were also launched in the German capital.
Plus, many tech giants have a presence in the city: Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Amazon, Snowflakes, TikTok, and many more.

Join the Berlin Expedition

$33B
valuation

total valuation
of tech startups

21
unicorns

non public startups
valued at +$1B

4800 startups

operate in the city

50% foreign
founders

and 49% of startups employees
are not from Germany

80K
software devs

one of the largest tech
talent pool in Europe

Companies, Startups, and VC funds founded or with an office in Berlin:

A transparent letter from us.

Who should join Brightdale?

Fellows and Missionaries,
not mercenaries.

We are building this to, ultimately, make the world a happier place.

Our first step is supporting individuals like you who want to maximize their career not for its own sake, but as a mean to fully express themselves and share the fruits with others.
Thus, we welcome highly driven students who can't wait to break out of their shell and embrace opportunities like this to expand both personally and professionally.

If you are looking to be part of something bigger, learn what you can’t learn in a classroom, and get practical exposure to the real world, we can help by providing you an ecosystem designed for your future success.
If you are looking for business tourism, aspirational motivation, or short-term opportunities, there are other ways to do so.

We demand a long-term mindset, an acceptance that this experience will grant you exponential results semesters down the road.
We demand a will to have a positive impact, big or small.
We demand the highest standards of ethics, to do the right thing, not the easy thing.
We demand drive to help others, as a fundamental prerequisite to succeed both as individuals and people.

In other words, we are looking for Fellows and Missionaries, not mercenaries.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

Expedition

Application

Where and when will the next Expedition be?

How much is the Berlin Expedition? What’s included?

Who can I expect to meet?

What can I expect to learn?

Is the Expedition the end of my journey with Brightdale?

Do I have to like startups or tech to join?

Do you offer scholarships?

Expedition

Application

Where and when will the next Expedition be?

How much is the Berlin Expedition? What’s included?

Who can I expect to meet?

What can I expect to learn?

Is the Expedition the end of my journey with Brightdale?

Do I have to like startups or tech to join?

Do you offer scholarships?

Expedition

Application

Where and when will the next Expedition be?

How much is the Berlin Expedition? What’s included?

Who can I expect to meet?

What can I expect to learn?

Is the Expedition the end of my journey with Brightdale?

Do I have to like startups or tech to join?

Do you offer scholarships?

Team & Contact

Team & Contacts

Andrea Parodi

Andrea
Parodi

Andrea Parodi

Cofounder

Cofounder

Managing Director @ Meetup, Bending Spoons Advisor, Ex Head of Growth @ Milaner 

Andrea is the MD of Meetup (Bending Spoons), the go-to social network for real-life communities since 2002.
Previously he led the Growth team at Splice, the #1 mobile video editor for revenues, bringing ARR from $35M in 2020 to the current $75M+.
Before Bending Spoons, he supported the launch and growth of Milaner, a successful SF e-commerce startup.
He has a long experience organizing startup tours for students.

Managing Director @ Meetup, Bending Spoons Advisor, Ex Head of Growth @ Milaner 

Andrea is the MD of Meetup (Bending Spoons), the go-to social network for real-life communities since 2002.
Previously he led the Growth team at Splice, the #1 mobile video editor for revenues, bringing ARR from $35M in 2020 to the current $75M+.
Before Bending Spoons, he supported the launch and growth of Milaner, a successful SF e-commerce startup.
He has a long experience organizing startup tours for students.

Lucabrando Sanfilippo

Lucabrando Sanfilippo (Brando)

Lucabrando Sanfilippo

Cofounder

Cofounder

Ex Founder-in-Residence @ Entrepreneur First
Ex Country Manager @ Habyt

Brando is an advisor to Fuse, founded by Tomorrowland DJ Marco Nobel.
Previously he was a Founder-in-Residence at Entrepreneur First (leading global talent investor). Before, he launched Habyt (biggest coliving company worldwide) in Italy as a Country Manager and ad-interim Chief of Staff to the COO, helping them go from 9 to 300 employees in less than 4 years.
Has fun writing long essays on his substack.

Ex Founder-in-Residence @ Entrepreneur First
Ex Country Manager @ Habyt

Brando is an advisor to Fuse, founded by Tomorrowland DJ Marco Nobel.
Previously he was a Founder-in-Residence at Entrepreneur First (leading global talent investor). Before, he launched Habyt (biggest coliving company worldwide) in Italy as a Country Manager and ad-interim Chief of Staff to the COO, helping them go from 9 to 300 employees in less than 4 years.
Has fun writing long essays on his substack.

For any queries, feel free to write us an email at: hello@brightdale.co

For any queries, feel free to write us an email at: hello@brightdale.co

Increase your surface of luck, join our Berlin Expedition.

TUESDAY, 4 MAR - MONDAY, 10 MAR

BERLIN, GERMANY

SUN, 24 - SAT, 30 NOVEMBER

BERLIN

Or submit your interest for future Expeditions, we are currently working on:

BERLIN

JULY 2025

LONDON

SEPTEMBER 2025

PARIS

OCTOBER 2025

HONG KONG

NOVEMBER 2025