About us.
Mag. Dejan Stojanovic
Mag. iur. Dejan Stojanovic is a passionate entrepreneur, author and speaker — and, with his Failure Institute, the strong voice for a positive failure culture in Europe.
Since bringing the Fuckup Nights format to Austria in 2014, Dejan has regularly given seminars, workshops and keynotes at companies and international conferences — among them Mercedes-Benz Leasing Germany, TEDx, OeKB, Raiffeisen Bank International AG, Danone and Urban Future.
Dejan brings drive, spirit and energy to breaking one of society's taboos: putting "failure" on the table, talking about it openly, and seeing it as part of success and a motor for innovation.
Fuckups are part of success, not the end.
It's not about avoiding every tiny mistake at all costs. But rather dealing with them in a positive way. That is what makes innovation possible and keeps you competitive. With Fuckup Nights we want to give something back to entrepreneurship, offer food for thought, establish a culture of courage and learning, and — in our own authentic way — build a strong society. Ultimately, to strengthen Austria and Europe as a place to dream big and build things.
What happens at a Fuckup Night.
Three people. Ten minutes each. Three professional stories about something that went wrong — told by the person responsible for it. Then questions from the audience. Sounds simple. It isn't.
Ten minutes, five questions
The clock forces you to the essentials. There's none left over for excuses:
- Who are you?
- What was the idea, the project, the startup?
- What went wrong?
- What did you do wrong?
- What did you learn from it?
Question four is crucial. "The market was tough" is not an answer. Whoever stands on our stage talks about their own part in it. We call it: Owning the failure.
The road there is what counts
We're not only interested in the crash at the end and the lesson that follows. We're interested in the chronology: the moments where decisions were made — or weren't.That's a decision too. And it leads to fuckups just the same.
The rules
Psychological safety isn't a show — it only exists if nothing leaves the room. Andno sales pitches, not even sideways.
After more than 400 speakers, though, we're also bold enough for a success story. Because behind every success there's courage, hard work, resilience. And plenty of fuckups.
It works because we put a lot of time and love into speaker coaching. Because, on our stage, nobody is faking it or playing a role — and a room can feel honesty instantly. Then something happens that we can't plan for: the audience gives gratitude back. And somewhere between minute three and ten, the person up there realises it feels good. That this evening wasn't only for everyone else, but for them too. That's the moment we mean when we say: this is when the magic happens.
How an evening runs
Arrive, and let it land. A keynote to open. Then three speakers and their Q&As. And afterwards, relaxed networking — at and with our strong location partners.
Fuckup Nights Advisory Board.
After more than ten years of Fuckup Nights in Austria, and countless stories about courage, failure and learning, one thing was clear: it was time for the next step. The advisory board brings strategic perspective, critical reflection and real commitment to the vision — as strategic advisors, sparring partners and brand ambassadors. 🇪🇺
Community of Failure Enthusiasts
Our greatest strength is the people who stand up with us when others would rather stay quiet. Speakers who bravely share their stories. Guests who listen, think along, feel along and fill the room with life.
Our community is more than an audience. It's a mirror of our society: from founders to executives, from students to pensioners, from the corporate world to the creative scene.
This isn't entertainment. This is where change starts.