Startup Cinema: Summer Edition 🎬
What Can Startups Learn from Space Crises? | Panel + Movie
August 14, 2025 | Prague
Join us for the third edition of Startup Cinema by Startup Kitchen, where startups, real stories, and the big screen meet. In our previous editions, we explored the rise and fall of Theranos and the Wirecard scandal — and this time, we’re taking it to space.
Before we hit play on a legendary space-themed film, we’ll open the evening with a live panel discussion featuring four expert voices, diving into crisis management, leadership, and decision-making under pressure.
“Houston, we have a problem.”
When disaster struck in space, it wasn’t buzzwords or excuses that saved the day — it was engineers thinking fast, and leadership deciding to trust the team.
Startups face their own space-like moments.
Not every rocket makes it.
Not every pivot is brave.
Sometimes, management decisions explode.
We’ll talk about:
How to spot a real crisis (before it crashes everything)
Why listening to the right people — not just the loudest — matters
Iconic startup breakdowns (and how some turned the ship around
For the third edition of Startup Cinema by Startup Kitchen, we took the startup world to space- metaphorically (and almost literally).
After diving into the stories of Theranos and Wirecard in previous years, this time we focused on crisis management, leadership under pressure, and critical decision-making in moments when failure is not an option – all inspired by the real events of Apollo 13.
The evening opened with a panel discussion exploring how startups can respond when systems fail, communication breaks down, or reputations are on the line. We discussed how to recognize a real crisis before it’s too late, how founders and teams can stay calm under extreme pressure, and how the ability to improvise – within legal, operational, and strategic boundaries – can make the difference between collapse and survival.
The conversation touched on real-world startup breakdowns, what went wrong, and what was done right – and how lessons from space missions can apply directly to company culture, investor relations, and leadership choices in the startup world.
🎙 Speakers
Honza Husták – PR strategist, crisis communication expert, Hustá
Tomáš Milota – VC investor, ČS Seed Starter
Matej PoliaÄŤek – ISS Columbus Flight Director at German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Martin Repka – Startup lawyer, Sparring
📸 photos
