What happens when a tech conference feels less like a gathering of minds and more like… well, just another stiff business meeting? For Manuel Koelman, founder of the legendary Pirate Summit and PirateX, it sparked a 20-year journey into building businesses differently. In this episode of Scaling the Unscalable Podcast, we dive deep into creating authentic connections, fostering resilient culture, and why, especially today, businesses should put humanity first.

Not Just Another Conference: The Birth of Pirate Summit

Pirate Summit wasn’t born from a business plan; it was born from a feeling. Manuel Koelman and his co-founders felt something crucial was missing in the existing event landscape – genuine human connection. They were tired of the “stiff,” “same, same” conferences and decided, perhaps naively, to build the experience they craved themselves.

The discovery of Odonien, a unique, scrapyard-art venue in Cologne, became a catalyst. It inspired them to think outside the box, embracing the “Pirate” metaphor – not the illegal kind, but the spirit of adventure, risk-taking, and valuing the journey, inspired by a TechCrunch article by Mike Arrington.

“Pirate Summit was actually born like all great initiatives… out of a feeling that there is something missing.” – Manuel Koelman

From an initial gathering of 220 (surprisingly international) people drawn by trust in the founders’ network, Pirate Summit grew into a beloved institution, proving there was a deep hunger for a different kind of connection.

The Pirate Code: Culture by Design, Not Default

This focus on connection wasn’t accidental; it was engineered through intentional “House Rules”:

• VIP is Everyone: No special lounges, no hierarchy. Everyone interacts on a level playing field, making genuine connection easier.

• No BS: Encouraging authenticity. The prompt “How are you really?” aimed to cut through surface-level interactions.

• Give Give Give Ask: Fostering generosity. Starting interactions with “What can I do for you?” shifted the focus from taking to contributing.

• RRR!: Celebrating uniqueness. A call to be yourself, be opinionated, be authentic.

These principles didn’t just stay at the Summit; they became the bedrock of the culture at PirateX, Manuel Koelman’s event agency. This culture emphasizes:

• Trust & Ownership: Believing “leadership is followership” and empowering everyone to be an owner.

• Freedom & Responsibility: Recognizing “work is not a place or time” (a principle held long before the pandemic) but demanding commitment when needed.

• Agility & Action: Valuing speed (“Speed is almost always more important”) and accepting that “decisions are temporary,” allowing for quick pivots.

• Transparency: Making information widely available by default.

• Humanity: Understanding that “results count, process matters,” and crucially, “work is not the most important thing in life.”

“My belief is you build culture in good times to make use of it in bad times.” – Manuel Koelman

Culture Under Pressure: The COVID Pivot

Manuel Koelman’s belief in culture was put to the ultimate test when COVID-19 hit. An event-based business faced an existential threat. But the culture built over years paid off.

A proactive task force was formed early. When lockdowns hit, the team had one intense week to devise a survival strategy. Manuel championed a pivot to online events – a lonely decision initially – and the team rallied. They rapidly wrote the book on virtual events, positioning themselves as experts when the market desperately needed guidance.

“It was the most productive week of my life… we had one week to figure this out.” – Manuel Koelman

The successful pivot, leading to doubling the team by year-end, wasn’t luck. It was a direct result of the pre-existing culture of trust, ownership, speed, and shared responsibility, which aligns closely with the work culture we enjoy today at division5.

The Human Algorithm: Generosity and Why Business Should Serve Humanity

Running through Manuel Koelman’s approach is a deep-seated philosophy of human-centricity and generosity. The “Give Give Give Ask” rule isn’t just for conferences; it informs business dealings, like the “51/49 rule” – aiming to give slightly more value than you receive to ensure sustainable, positive relationships.

He speaks of the “Favor Bank” – the compounding power of helping others without immediate expectation of return. It’s not just altruism; it’s smart, long-term strategy.

This feeds into his core belief: “Businesses should serve humanity, not the other way around.” This means treating employees and customers as whole humans with lives, fears, and aspirations beyond the transaction.

“Treat people like humans, then you get a big reward in the end. It’s very sound business if you think long term.” – Manuel Koelman

Authenticity in the Age of AI: Navigating the Future

While acknowledging AI as a powerful tool (“AI is my intern”), Manuel Koelman sees a unique opportunity. In a world potentially saturated with AI-generated “fakes,” genuine, authentic human experiences become more valuable.

He argues that industries built on these experiences, like events curated by PirateX, are less susceptible to direct AI replacement. The future isn’t about AI replacing jobs, but about “people being replaced by other people with AI.” Adaptation and leveraging AI effectively are crucial.

“Authentic becomes super valuable.” – Manuel Koelman

However, he also voices caution about the ethical implications and the concentration of AI power in the hands of a few profit-driven entities.

Final Thoughts

Manuel Koelman’s journey with Pirate Summit and PirateX is a powerful reminder that how you build matters just as much as what you build. Intentional culture, grounded in trust, generosity, and authentic human connection, isn’t just a “nice-to-have”; it’s a strategic advantage that fosters resilience and long-term success.

In a world chasing scalability through tech alone, perhaps the most scalable elements are the ones Manuel champions: a strong sense of community and a commitment to making business fundamentally more human. That’s a pirate’s compass worth following.

Hear the Full Story:

This article captures the highlights, but Manuel shared so much more depth and nuance during our conversation:

• The specific PirateX cultural guidelines.

• The story of finding the iconic Pirate Summit venue.

• Nuances of bootstrapping vs. VC funding.

• The challenges and rewards of running a values-driven event.

• More insights on the future impact of AI.

To get the entire context watch the full episode on YouTube: