Connecting people ~ Making a difference.
Since 2010, David has been known as the “go to guy” for entrepreneurs and investors in Switzerland, has worked with many young firms, and has led many startup related efforts including Startup Grind, Zuripreneur Meetup, Failcon, Startup Bootcamp and FintechDay, as well as jury, mentor and coach at MassChallenge, Startup Weekend, Founder institute. Having an international background, he is also connected to the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly in Silicon Valley and throughout the rest of Europe.
He has worked in Information Technology since 1999, connecting the worlds of business and technology while combining Product Development and Technical Implementation. David has a knack for problem diagnosing & solving, and translating the needs of the market and clients into new features, refinements and products.
As a serial networker and social media aficionado, his love for testing beta versions of new products coming out of Zurich’s many startups and strong social presence, has made him a sought-after advisor in many industries.
As Zurich Director of Startup Grind, he is building bridges between local and global entrepreneurs, experts, and executives.
If it was easy, they would have already done it. For the most part, I would not be too concerned about your IP. It takes so much time, effort, money, the research you want to do etc, that it is not very likely anyone will take your idea and run with it. Of course, this answer is with no knowledge of what you want to build, and yes some concepts could be easy to replicate. But competition is a good thing! You just have to better, faster, know your customer and deliver quality. With your current thinking, you'll face the same dilemma when you (beta) launch.
I would highly suggest Linkedin. The search feature is pretty good for finding individual people, in specific geographical locations. There are also plenty of groups you would find in those categories. You can even sign up for 1 month (free) premium Linkedin, do your research, make the connections you are looking for, and cancel the linkedin subscription (if you don't want to pay for it or feel the need to keep using it).