ursprung
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Gathering the curious, the creative,
the collaborative.
Gathering the
curious, the creative,
the collaborative.
Close-knit connections and unlikely conversations among curious minds – artists, scientists, founders, technologists, thinkers, builders and more.
Close-knit connections and unlikely conversations among curious minds – artists, scientists, founders, technologists, thinkers, builders and more.
We organize small-scale, immersive gatherings in stunning natural settings in the Alps, designed for high-context interdisciplinary exchange between talented individuals from across the arts, sciences, humanities and technology.
We organize small-scale, immersive gatherings in stunning natural settings in the Alps, designed for high-context interdisciplinary exchange between talented individuals from across the arts, sciences, humanities and technology.
We organize small-scale, immersive gatherings in stunning natural settings in the Alps, designed for high-context interdisciplinary exchange between talented individuals from across the arts, sciences, humanities and technology.
Retreats
Each Ursprung Retreat is scaffolded around a guiding focus topic designed to cut across domains, surface epistemic frictions and find opportunities for synthesis. Topic sessions are complemented by participant-led workshops, hikes in the mountains, communal cooking, and time for both slowness and spontaneity.
UPCOMING
III
Tyrol, Austria
Nov 14th–17th 2025
Focus Topic
Tools for Thought
In our last retreat, we explored 19th century salons an effective tool for collective thought. But what about tools for individual thought? This November, ursprung explores inventions that can form a substrate of cognition, and even enable entirely new modes of thinking. Mathematics, language, writing, musical notation… but what about software, a GUI, oil paint, dance, LLMs?
In the words of Michael Nielsen: “a powerful medium reifies the deepest ideas we have about a subject; it becomes an active carrier for those ideas”. How might we design a medium so that its “grain” bends in line with how we think? How much further might that allow us to think, and how much more easily to share the outcome with others?
Calling all artists, mathematicians, technologists, philosophers and more for an exploratory attempt to forge new tools for interdisciplinary thought.
IV
Vorarlberg, Austria
Jan 15th–18th 2026
Focus Topic
Creativity beyond Computation
In winter, we turn to the strange new companions in the lineage of tools for thought, and ask: what kind of ideas emerge when the tool not only shapes thought, but talks back?
How does it feel to create with generative systems that respond, anticipate us, remix us and hallucinate for us? What remains stubbornly human in the creative act, and what do we learn about our own minds - and the limits of computability - from the attempt to recreate it artificially? And crucially, how do we collaborate with these new mediums without flattening our own creative sensibilities?
Now that we’ve domesticated the predictable and entered an era of infinite generativity, we consider how to situate ourselves as creators in this new terrain. How should society, our institutions and legal systems adapt? How might we reclaim and rewild our creative cognition to build with, via and against these synthetic minds so very unlike our own?
PREVIOUS
II
Tyrol, Austria
May 23rd–26th 2025
Focus Topic
Salon Culture
In our second Ursprung Retreat, we looked into historical examples of successful social technologies for communication and interdisciplinary exchange. We gathered 18 participants to explore the phenomenon of 17th-19th century salons - intimate spaces for exploratory conversations driven by ideas rather than status.
Highlights included a cross-pollination studio pairing orthogonal participants for creation sprints, discussions on the hidden costs of interdisciplinarity, a filmmaker’s introduction to a personal theory of cinedelics, experiments with Bohmian dialogues, and a spontaneous multi-day session on deriving everything from first principles.
I
Allgäu, Germany
Jan 3rd–6th 2025
Pilot
Our first experiment with the retreat format saw 12 participants arriving by snowmobile to a remote alpine hut and indulging each other’s curiosity for three days while hiking through wintry vistas, enjoying late-night hot tub sessions, and cooking over the wood-burning stove.
Participant-run sessions included lightning talks, origami workshops, discussions on the nature of art, how to live, AI progress, and the European innovation system.
UPCOMING
III
Tyrol, Austria
Nov 14th–17th 2025
Focus Topic
Tools for Thought
In our last retreat, we explored 19th century salons an effective tool for collective thought. But what about tools for individual thought? This November, ursprung explores inventions that can form a substrate of cognition, and even enable entirely new modes of thinking. Mathematics, language, writing, musical notation… but what about software, a GUI, oil paint, dance, LLMs?
In the words of Michael Nielsen: “a powerful medium reifies the deepest ideas we have about a subject; it becomes an active carrier for those ideas”. How might we design a medium so that its “grain” bends in line with how we think? How much further might that allow us to think, and how much more easily to share the outcome with others?
Calling all artists, mathematicians, technologists, philosophers and more for an exploratory attempt to forge new tools for interdisciplinary thought.
IV
Vorarlberg, Austria
Jan 15th–18th 2026
Focus Topic
Creativity beyond Computation
In winter, we turn to the strange new companions in the lineage of tools for thought, and ask: what kind of ideas emerge when the tool not only shapes thought, but talks back?
How does it feel to create with generative systems that respond, anticipate us, remix us and hallucinate for us? What remains stubbornly human in the creative act, and what do we learn about our own minds - and the limits of computability - from the attempt to recreate it artificially? And crucially, how do we collaborate with these new mediums without flattening our own creative sensibilities?
Now that we’ve domesticated the predictable and entered an era of infinite generativity, we consider how to situate ourselves as creators in this new terrain. How should society, our institutions and legal systems adapt? How might we reclaim and rewild our creative cognition to build with, via and against these synthetic minds so very unlike our own?
PREVIOUS
II
Tyrol, Austria
May 23rd–26th 2025
Focus Topic
Salon Culture
In our second Ursprung Retreat, we looked into historical examples of successful social technologies for communication and interdisciplinary exchange. We gathered 18 participants to explore the phenomenon of 17th-19th century salons - intimate spaces for exploratory conversations driven by ideas rather than status.
Highlights included a cross-pollination studio pairing orthogonal participants for creation sprints, discussions on the hidden costs of interdisciplinarity, a filmmaker’s introduction to a personal theory of cinedelics, experiments with Bohmian dialogues, and a spontaneous multi-day session on deriving everything from first principles.
I
Allgäu, Germany
Jan 3rd–6th 2025
Pilot
Our first experiment with the retreat format saw 12 participants arriving by snowmobile to a remote alpine hut and indulging each other’s curiosity for three days while hiking through wintry vistas, enjoying late-night hot tub sessions, and cooking over the wood-burning stove.
Participant-run sessions included lightning talks, origami workshops, discussions on the nature of art, how to live, AI progress, and the European innovation system.
UPCOMING
III
Tyrol, Austria
Nov 14th–17th 2025
Focus Topic
Tools for Thought
In our last retreat, we explored 19th century salons an effective tool for collective thought. But what about tools for individual thought? This November, ursprung explores inventions that can form a substrate of cognition, and even enable entirely new modes of thinking. Mathematics, language, writing, musical notation… but what about software, a GUI, oil paint, dance, LLMs?
In the words of Michael Nielsen: “a powerful medium reifies the deepest ideas we have about a subject; it becomes an active carrier for those ideas”. How might we design a medium so that its “grain” bends in line with how we think? How much further might that allow us to think, and how much more easily to share the outcome with others?
Calling all artists, mathematicians, technologists, philosophers and more for an exploratory attempt to forge new tools for interdisciplinary thought.
IV
Vorarlberg, Austria
Jan 15th–18th 2026
Focus Topic
Creativity beyond Computation
In winter, we turn to the strange new companions in the lineage of tools for thought, and ask: what kind of ideas emerge when the tool not only shapes thought, but talks back?
How does it feel to create with generative systems that respond, anticipate us, remix us and hallucinate for us? What remains stubbornly human in the creative act, and what do we learn about our own minds - and the limits of computability - from the attempt to recreate it artificially? And crucially, how do we collaborate with these new mediums without flattening our own creative sensibilities?
Now that we’ve domesticated the predictable and entered an era of infinite generativity, we consider how to situate ourselves as creators in this new terrain. How should society, our institutions and legal systems adapt? How might we reclaim and rewild our creative cognition to build with, via and against these synthetic minds so very unlike our own?
PREVIOUS
II
Tyrol, Austria
May 23rd–26th 2025
Focus Topic
Salon Culture
In our second Ursprung Retreat, we looked into historical examples of successful social technologies for communication and interdisciplinary exchange. We gathered 18 participants to explore the phenomenon of 17th-19th century salons - intimate spaces for exploratory conversations driven by ideas rather than status.
Highlights included a cross-pollination studio pairing orthogonal participants for creation sprints, discussions on the hidden costs of interdisciplinarity, a filmmaker’s introduction to a personal theory of cinedelics, experiments with Bohmian dialogues, and a spontaneous multi-day session on deriving everything from first principles.
I
Allgäu, Germany
Jan 3rd–6th 2025
Pilot
Our first experiment with the retreat format saw 12 participants arriving by snowmobile to a remote alpine hut and indulging each other’s curiosity for three days while hiking through wintry vistas, enjoying late-night hot tub sessions, and cooking over the wood-burning stove.
Participant-run sessions included lightning talks, origami workshops, discussions on the nature of art, how to live, AI progress, and the European innovation system.
Testimonials
Coming to Ursprung felt like visiting the future; it was an opportunity to learn from bright minds of different ages and unexpected talents, united by their passion for learning and contributing to the world. If you need a dose of optimism, this is the place for you.
Olga Yakimenko, film director
Coming to Ursprung felt like visiting the future; it was an opportunity to learn from bright minds of different ages and unexpected talents, united by their passion for learning and contributing to the world. If you need a dose of optimism, this is the place for you.
Olga Yakimenko, film director
Ursprung gave me a chance to learn things I'd never encountered before — from poetry techniques to film theory — alongside people who were genuinely curious about different fields. This is the place to go for anyone who craves intellectual adventure and wants to rediscover the joy of learning.
Sahil Shah, entrepreneur
Ursprung gave me a chance to learn things I'd never encountered before — from poetry techniques to film theory — alongside people who were genuinely curious about different fields. This is the place to go for anyone who craves intellectual adventure and wants to rediscover the joy of learning.
Sahil Shah, entrepreneur
For me, Ursprung was about breaking free from my daily routine to explore ideas from completely different worlds. The best part was doing it all with an incredible group of people — a community I'm genuinely excited to build the future with.
Niclas Dern, mathematician
For me, Ursprung was about breaking free from my daily routine to explore ideas from completely different worlds. The best part was doing it all with an incredible group of people — a community I'm genuinely excited to build the future with.
Niclas Dern, mathematician
ur · sprung
["oor -shproong"] ___ noun
__________________________
origin, source, route; the point from which something arises
ur · sprung
["oor -shproong"] noun
________________________
origin, source, route; the point from which something arises
The biggest challenges of our time don’t respect disciplinary boundaries, but few are fluent across them. Our institutions optimise for vertical depth, not lateral connection. The pace of knowledge creation has exploded, but as disciplines deepen, they silo, and we build fragmented maps of the world, drawn in parallel.
Europe is particularly exposed to this problem. It’s talent-dense, full of ideas, rich in culture and awash in intellectual heritage - but it remains fragmented, lacking the connective tissue to weave it together. Our goal is to repair it: to resurrect Europe's polymathic tradition and build spaces where exploratory, rigorous, truly interdisciplinary thinking is possible, and better yet, inevitable. We're building ursprung as an experimental cultural infrastructure project for epistemic cross-pollination.
The biggest challenges of our time don’t respect disciplinary boundaries, but few are fluent across them. Our institutions optimise for vertical depth, not lateral connection. The pace of knowledge creation has exploded, but as disciplines deepen, they silo, and we build fragmented maps of the world, drawn in parallel.
Europe is particularly exposed to this problem. It’s talent-dense, full of ideas, rich in culture and awash in intellectual heritage - but it remains fragmented, lacking the connective tissue to weave it together. Our goal is to repair it: to resurrect Europe's polymathic tradition and build spaces where exploratory, rigorous, truly interdisciplinary thinking is possible, and better yet, inevitable. We're building ursprung as an experimental cultural infrastructure project for epistemic cross-pollination.
Community
Beyond our retreats, the exchange of ideas continues. We’re growing a creative family of thoughtful doers who host ongoing ventures and experimental offshoots - currently including co-working sessions, a dinner series, and a reading group on the Silicon Valley canon. We are also collecting an ever-growing repository of institutes and communities with similarly interdisciplinary goals.
Ultimately, we envision growing a decentralized network of culturally fluent polymaths strung out across the continent.
Have something to add to the collection? Or an idea for your own ursprung venture? Reach out to us at hi@ursprung.community.
Beyond our retreats, the exchange of ideas continues. We’re growing a creative family of thoughtful doers who host ongoing ventures and experimental offshoots - currently including co-working sessions, a dinner series, and a reading group on the Silicon Valley canon. We are also collecting an ever-growing repository of institutes and communities with similarly interdisciplinary goals.
Ultimately, we envision growing a decentralized network of culturally fluent polymaths strung out across the continent.
Have something to add to the collection? Or an idea for your own ursprung venture? Reach out to us at hi@ursprung.community.
Meet the team
Adrian Cipriani
Adrian Cipriani
Adrian Cipriani
Adrian studies engineering science at TU Munich, currently specializes in biotech, and spent many years in painting, film, and music. After founding a young composers’ community, he launched ursprung to bridge the lurking gap between the arts and sciences. He deeply enjoys sailing, hiking, and jazz.
Betsy Herbert
Betsy Herbert
Betsy Herbert
Betsy is a doctoral researcher in computational neuroscience at TU Munich. She’s into minds, cognition, AI and anything that operates collectively, and has a soft spot for civilizational resilience and eccentric social movements. Past passions include drawing, painting, photography and violin.
Marius Jacobs
Marius Jacobs
Marius Jacobs
Marius studies computer science at LMU Munich, focusing on machine learning and neuroscience, and moonlighting in graphic design. He is responsible for shaping the visual identity of ursprung. When he has time to himself, he enjoys meditation, jazz and exercise.
Marius is studying Computer Science at LMU Munich, with a focus on Machine Learning, Neuroscience and Design. His designs shape ursprung’s visual identity. When he has some time to himself, he enjoys meditation, jazz and exercise.
Hugo Berg
Hugo Berg
Hugo Berg
Hugo majored in computer science and math at Oxford, and later co-founded a cybersecurity startup. He grew up with a passion for science olympiads and music (double bass and choir singing), and continues to help run international olympiads in astronomy and astrophysics.
Max Lutz
Max Lutz
Max Lutz
Max is a doctoral researcher in quantum algorithms at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics. He previously studied computer science and physics in Oxford and Munich, exploring tools for thinking and better scientific institutions - usually with too many Wikipedia tabs open.
Marius is studying Computer Science at LMU Munich, with a focus on Machine Learning, Neuroscience and Design. His designs shape ursprung’s visual identity. When he has some time to himself, he enjoys meditation, jazz and exercise.
FAQ
Who should apply?
Anyone who has worked on self-driven projects before, is curious, kind and wants to grow.
What's the age limit?
18 years and above. All ages are encouraged to apply, we are striving to be as intergenerational as possible.
Do I have to pay the full price?
Not necessarily, and please don’t let that keep you from applying. We are able to offer a limited number of subsidized tickets and want to be sure we get equal representation from all disciplines, ages and backgrounds. So apply anyway, explain your situation and we’ll see what we can do.
What’s the accommodation like?
Traditional Alpine chalets high in the mountains with cosy, rustic charm and access to stunning hiking trails. Specifics vary depending on the retreat, but typically the chalet will have a communal area (Stube), wood-burning stove or fireplace, loft-style bedrooms, large kitchen, terrace, panoramic views, and if lucky, a hot tub or sauna.
What does a day look like?
No two days are the same, but as an example: we start the day with a short morning run or meditation, then have a hearty brunch together in the living room. We hike for several hours, with lots of time for 1-on-1 conversation, then choose from a range of participant-led workshops during the afternoon. A subgroup of people go on to prepare dinner, after which we launch into a guided session on our focus topic. The rest of the evening is free for ongoing discussions, spontaneous sessions and late-night adventures.
What are participant-led workshops?
These are sessions initiated by you! We welcome and encourage everyone to contribute something, whether related to the focus topic or a wildcard offshoot. These often turn out to be highlights of the weekend, so don’t hold back. We’ll co-create the schedule and make sure to maintain a logical, energy-sustaining daily structure that balances participant-led activities with our planned whole-group activities.
What's included in the price?
Lodging for 4 days (single and shared rooms), large buffet-style meals, well-stocked snacks and refreshments, workshops and activities. In case a shuttle bus is needed to reach a hard-to-access venue, this will also be included in the price.
Can I get a refund if I don’t make it to the retreat?
We unfortunately can’t offer refunds.
Can I do work during the retreat?
We expect participants to be fully present throughout the weekend. This will also maximize the value you get out of it.
Why do you choose such a remote location in the Alps?
We value the pristine nature, hiking opportunities, peace and seclusion that comes from being high up in the mountains - it helps everyone unwind, think slower and more deeply, be more creative and intellectually vulnerable, and enter a different state of mind. After several days together in such a setting a kind of interpersonal magic tends to arise, unmatched with what we’ve personally experienced day-to-day “back on the ground”.
Do I need to know German to join?
No! Our primary language is English :)
Who should apply?
Anyone who has worked on self-driven projects before, is curious, kind and wants to grow.
What's the age limit?
18 years and above. All ages are encouraged to apply, we are striving to be as intergenerational as possible.
Do I have to pay the full price?
Not necessarily, and please don’t let that keep you from applying. We are able to offer a limited number of subsidized tickets and want to be sure we get equal representation from all disciplines, ages and backgrounds. So apply anyway, explain your situation and we’ll see what we can do.
What’s the accommodation like?
Traditional Alpine chalets high in the mountains with cosy, rustic charm and access to stunning hiking trails. Specifics vary depending on the retreat, but typically the chalet will have a communal area (Stube), wood-burning stove or fireplace, loft-style bedrooms, large kitchen, terrace, panoramic views, and if lucky, a hot tub or sauna.
What does a day look like?
No two days are the same, but as an example: we start the day with a short morning run or meditation, then have a hearty brunch together in the living room. We hike for several hours, with lots of time for 1-on-1 conversation, then choose from a range of participant-led workshops during the afternoon. A subgroup of people go on to prepare dinner, after which we launch into a guided session on our focus topic. The rest of the evening is free for ongoing discussions, spontaneous sessions and late-night adventures.
What are participant-led workshops?
These are sessions initiated by you! We welcome and encourage everyone to contribute something, whether related to the focus topic or a wildcard offshoot. These often turn out to be highlights of the weekend, so don’t hold back. We’ll co-create the schedule and make sure to maintain a logical, energy-sustaining daily structure that balances participant-led activities with our planned whole-group activities.
What's included in the price?
Lodging for 4 days (single and shared rooms), large buffet-style meals, well-stocked snacks and refreshments, workshops and activities. In case a shuttle bus is needed to reach a hard-to-access venue, this will also be included in the price.
Can I get a refund if I don’t make it to the retreat?
We unfortunately can’t offer refunds.
Can I do work during the retreat?
We expect participants to be fully present throughout the weekend. This will also maximize the value you get out of it.
Why do you choose such a remote location in the Alps?
We value the pristine nature, hiking opportunities, peace and seclusion that comes from being high up in the mountains - it helps everyone unwind, think slower and more deeply, be more creative and intellectually vulnerable, and enter a different state of mind. After several days together in such a setting a kind of interpersonal magic tends to arise, unmatched with what we’ve personally experienced day-to-day “back on the ground”.
Do I need to know German to join?
No! Our primary language is English :)
Who should apply?
Anyone who has worked on self-driven projects before, is curious, kind and wants to grow.
What's the age limit?
18 years and above. All ages are encouraged to apply, we are striving to be as intergenerational as possible.
Do I have to pay the full price?
Not necessarily, and please don’t let that keep you from applying. We are able to offer a limited number of subsidized tickets and want to be sure we get equal representation from all disciplines, ages and backgrounds. So apply anyway, explain your situation and we’ll see what we can do.
What’s the accommodation like?
Traditional Alpine chalets high in the mountains with cosy, rustic charm and access to stunning hiking trails. Specifics vary depending on the retreat, but typically the chalet will have a communal area (Stube), wood-burning stove or fireplace, loft-style bedrooms, large kitchen, terrace, panoramic views, and if lucky, a hot tub or sauna.
What does a day look like?
No two days are the same, but as an example: we start the day with a short morning run or meditation, then have a hearty brunch together in the living room. We hike for several hours, with lots of time for 1-on-1 conversation, then choose from a range of participant-led workshops during the afternoon. A subgroup of people go on to prepare dinner, after which we launch into a guided session on our focus topic. The rest of the evening is free for ongoing discussions, spontaneous sessions and late-night adventures.
What are participant-led workshops?
These are sessions initiated by you! We welcome and encourage everyone to contribute something, whether related to the focus topic or a wildcard offshoot. These often turn out to be highlights of the weekend, so don’t hold back. We’ll co-create the schedule and make sure to maintain a logical, energy-sustaining daily structure that balances participant-led activities with our planned whole-group activities.
What's included in the price?
Lodging for 4 days (single and shared rooms), large buffet-style meals, well-stocked snacks and refreshments, workshops and activities. In case a shuttle bus is needed to reach a hard-to-access venue, this will also be included in the price.
Can I get a refund if I don’t make it to the retreat?
We unfortunately can’t offer refunds.
Can I do work during the retreat?
We expect participants to be fully present throughout the weekend. This will also maximize the value you get out of it.
Why do you choose such a remote location in the Alps?
We value the pristine nature, hiking opportunities, peace and seclusion that comes from being high up in the mountains - it helps everyone unwind, think slower and more deeply, be more creative and intellectually vulnerable, and enter a different state of mind. After several days together in such a setting a kind of interpersonal magic tends to arise, unmatched with what we’ve personally experienced day-to-day “back on the ground”.
Do I need to know German to join?
No! Our primary language is English :)
Contact us
hi@ursprung.community
hi@ursprung.community
hi@ursprung.community