What does it mean to belong? To feel like you are part of something bigger than yourself? To feel like everything happens for a reason? And to feel like you are exactly where you are supposed to be?

As Rumi says, “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” This is something we often forget: we are so busy living our own lives, running our own businesses, getting stuck in the daily grind, that we forget we are all part of something. This retreat was our opportunity to lean into the feeling of belonging. Of feeling accepted. Of feeling understood. And feeling true common ground with everyone.  

This quote was printed on black card and given to every guest on night one of Robin Capital’s third retreat, along with two pairs of white Robin Capital socks with red and black embroidered robins.

At the Pācina farm, the first location for the retreat, we all sat down at one long dining table backed by a 10th-century rustic stone monastery building and overlooking the Tuscan hills.

As the sun began to set, the table, decked with a white tablecloth, was bathed with gold. Along the table were burgundy, blush, and ivory peonies, as well as creamy lilies. Glasses were filled with caramel-colored wine, accompanied by the glug of water being poured into water glasses. Conversations started to strike up, and the warm evening air soon filled with laughter. The third retreat had begun…

Three for Three

This year, I was lucky enough to join the Robin Capital Retreat for the third time. After our very first AGM and retreat at I AM ESCAPE near St. Salvator bei Friesach, Austria, in 2024, and our stay at the luxury hotel Roomers in Baden-Baden in 2025, it was hard to see how Robin would match the energy, luxury, and conviviality of the previous locations and guest lists. But I’m happy to say that he did, and so much more. 

If the first two retreats were about getting to know each other, this retreat felt like a gathering of close friends.

La Dolce Vita

The theme of this year’s event in the Tuscan countryside was La Dolce Vita, and for two precious days, we got to press pause and really live, breathe, and embrace the sweetness of life at its very best. 

First, in the stunning locations of Pācina and Castello di Orgiale, deep in the Tuscan countryside, surrounded by rolling hillsides lined with twisting grape vines and studded with olive groves. Second, in the exquisite food and wine. And third, in the long, honey-soaked evenings we spent together, talking, laughing, sharing stories, and making new friends. 

La Dolce Vita is more than a feeling; it’s a philosophy for life that the Italians take very seriously. What is life about if not for savoring every moment, big or small, cherishing time with loved ones, and taking the time to enjoy delicious food, sip wine, and have an espresso together?

It’s a luxury that few of us rarely manage to make time for, which made these moments all the sweeter. 

Getting to the Castello

My journey to Castello di Orgiale began on Tuesday, 16th June. I was dropped off at Hamburg airport by my husband and three-year-old son. I flew from Hamburg to Milan and then took a bus from Milan Malpensa Airport to Milan Central Station.

I had a quick stop at the food court at Milan Central station before rushing to platform 20 for my train to Florence. I changed at Florence to a regional train to Empoli, then changed one last time to a train to Siena.

Each time I stepped off the train, the air was hotter until I was finally greeted by 36-degree heat and blinding sunshine in Siena. From there, I took a taxi for 20 minutes down the motorway and up winding hairpin roads down dusty tracks to the Castello.

At the Castello, the hotel manager, Rosita, came to meet me and take me up the sandstone steps to my room. I dropped my things, quickly got changed into my swimsuit, and headed to the pool.

This year was the first time that I stayed with a group. Claudia (photographer), Wouter (videographer), Lucas (videographer), Hanna (rising Instagram and TikTok star), Mari (social media manager), Bernhard and Andrea (from I AM STUDIO), DJs Wolf and Abril, and I all stayed in the same place. Most of us had met at the previous retreats, and it was great to welcome some new faces too.

Most of the others were already at the pool, having arrived an hour earlier after a long drive from Salzburg via Pisa. After a quick, refreshing swim, we all got dressed and headed into the village of Castelnuovo Berardenga for a team dinner.

In between hot slices of pizza, mouthfuls of creamy Cacio e Pepe, and chunks of Bistecca (T-Bone steak cooked the Tuscan way), we caught up and got to know each other better.

Many glasses of wine later, and after the restaurant had slowly emptied of other guests, we realized that the Marble Imaging team was at a nearby table. They joined us, and we talked and laughed until midnight, when we all bundled back into the vans and headed back to the Castello. 

Day 1

The official first day of the Retreat, Wednesday 18th, started early for me with the buzzing sound of a lawnmower outside my window. I opened the shutters, and my room flooded with light. I grabbed my stuff and headed to the pool for an early morning dip.

The morning light danced across the surface of the swimming pool. I took a plunge and pushed myself through the water to the far side, facing the valley. Resting my arms on the warm stone ledge, all I could hear was the water rushing down the side and the soft hum of bumblebees. Below me in the lavender, and underneath the rose bushes, little brown and green geckos were rushing about. Beyond me, there were gentle hills, olive groves, and vineyards as far as I could see.

After a moment for myself, a couple of the others joined me. Then, it was time for breakfast.

Lovingly prepared by Rosita and Gemma (the daughter of the Castello’s owner – Bernd), we tucked into a selection of cured meat, cheeses, bread, pastries, slices of orange melon, whole juicy nectarines, yogurt and muesli, with creamy cappuccinos or strong shots of espresso. The entire team sat in the courtyard under parasols, and breakfast soon turned into coworking.

Midway through the day, a group of us headed down the hill into the village in Bernhard’s vintage Porsche. Arriving at the restaurant just as the kitchen was closing, we quickly ordered cold drinks, a couple of crostini, a few pasta dishes, and some steak to share. The ordering might have been quick, but we enjoyed a long lunch in the true Italian way.

A short, but very hot, drive in the Porsche later, we arrived back at the Castello for a few hours of work and preparation for the first event.

 Pācina

Arriving at Pācina, the first event location, at 6 pm, we walked through a gateway into a shady garden, flanked on one side by the old stone monastery and on the other by a stone wall offering a view of the Tuscan landscape. In front of us was a long dining table.

 As everyone began to arrive in Dolce Vita-inspired outfits, linen tailoring, flowing silks, and sunglasses, a group of us who had met before were taken on an impromptu tour of the Pācina grounds to see the indoor swimming pool.

Others gathered with the owners of Pācina for a tour of the wine cellar and a sampling of the natural wines.  

Meanwhile, back in the garden, we replenished our drinks and sampled the many delicious antipasti.

At this point, Robin and the owners of Pācina gathered us all around and welcomed us. We learned that Pācina has ancient Etruscan origins, having started life as a monastery and farm in the 10th century. The name Pācina likely derives from Pacha, or Pachna, the Etruscan god of wine. The Tiezzi Borsa family bought the land in 1933. Today, the property covers 70 hectares, on which grapes, olives, legumes, and cereals are grown organically.

Then, it was time to sit down for our first meal of the retreat, accompanied by delicious wines from the Pācina estate, a golden white wine, La Cerretina 2024, and a plum-colored red, Pācina 2018.

After the first course of cannellone ripieno con ragù, sheets of soft pasta filled with ragù and white sauce, Robin got up to give his first speech.

He spoke about how his dream was never simply to build a venture firm, but to create a platform where founders, investors, and friends support one another through both success and hardship, because "no one fails alone."

Looking up and down the table, he shared stories of the lifelong relationships and full-circle friendships that led up to this night, along with the many rejections he faced along the way. Above all, he encouraged everyone to be present, act with compassion, and continue building a community rooted in trust, generosity, and love.

Closing with a toast, we all had a moment to look around the table at all the people who had come from many corners of the world to be here. With that, we enjoyed our second course of peposo alla Fiorentina, a hearty, slow-cooked Tuscan beef stew, followed by crostata di frutta, crispy pastry topped with custard, strawberries, and kiwi.

All the while, up and down the table, small groups were chatting, laughing, and sharing advice as the sun set and the twinkling fairy lights lit up overhead.

When dinner had finished, we all moved onto the grass area towards the bar for a gin and tonic. DJ Abril hit the decks.

Standing on the grass, looking out at the dark night sky, we could see the crescent moon with Venus sparkling right above it. In astrology, this alignment blends the Moon's emotional inner world with Venus's themes of love, beauty, and harmony, creating a moment of heightened romance, creativity, and empathy. It was the perfect symbol for our evening.

The party continued until 1:30 AM, when everyone headed to their cars and drove back to their accommodation.

Day 2

The second day of the retreat began in much the same way. I woke up, went swimming, and enjoyed breakfast with the team in the courtyard of the Castello.

This morning, there was a buzz of anticipation as the Castello di Orgiale team (Gemma, Bernd, and Rosita) and a host of other people dismantled the parasols, rearranged furniture, and got everything ready for the evening’s event.

For lunch on the second day, we had all been encouraged to split up into small groups, find a driver, and explore the local area together. All morning, the retreat WhatsApp group was flooded with messages, as people grouped up and planned their itineraries. One group visited the house where Gladiator was filmed; a couple went to Siena; a couple enjoyed a long lunch at a vineyard; and one group went to Montepulciano.

I teamed up with Magdalena (founder and CEO of Pitchbird), Hanna (founder of the @help.hannaa Instagram account), and Robert (CEO and Co-founder of Marble Imaging). We decided to stay close to the Castello, Robert picked us up, and we drove to a nearby Enoteca.

Sat between the wine barrels in the cellar to escape the midday heat, we shared a huge platter filled with Parma ham, wild-boar sausage, pecorino cheese, Mortadella, and truffle salami, washed down with glasses of prosecco, white, and rosé (we skipped the red).

 Our conversation flowed smoothly among satellites (Robert’s expertise), pitch decks (Magdalena’s expertise), and building a brand on Instagram and TikTok (Hannah’s expertise).

Robert drove us back to the Castello, and after a quick afternoon swim, it was time to get ready for the second night.

The “Wedding”

At 6 pm, we gathered by the pool, dressed in our finest Dolce Vita-inspired outfits. This time, the men wore jackets, and the women wore long, flowing dresses in bright colors. On one side of the pool, DJ Wolf warmed up the crowd, while we all helped ourselves to plates of antipasti, fritto misto (crispy fried vegetables), and cold drinks.  

At 8 pm, Robin called us up to the courtyard and invited us to sit down for dinner. We were greeted by the most beautiful setup. The entire space was filled with round tables, set with white tablecloths, silver plates, silver cutlery, and adorned with frothy white roses, carnations, and geraniums.

The effect, against the warm sandstone, pink oleander bushes, and Tuscan hills, was stunning.

Just like the previous evening, we had to sit with people we hadn’t met before. I found myself sitting next to Chris, Founder and CEO of NOVOS, and Philipp, Co-founder of a robotics company that is the latest to join the Robin Capital portfolio.

As we sat down and wine glasses were filled with Lugana (white wine), or Chianti (full-bodied red wine), both made at Castello di Orgiale and decanted from magnum bottles, Robin stood up to welcome us again, this time with Bernd, his friend and owner of the Castello.

Robin explained that we were all gathered here because he had made an agreement with Bernd when he was younger. Bernd had agreed that Robin could get married at the Castello; however, after Robin explained that marriage wasn’t on the cards yet, he asked if he could host his AGM and retreat here instead. Bernd agreed.

Bernd then gave his own speech and welcomed us to the Castello, speaking in German and with translations from Robin. This heartfelt, and often funny, speech touched us all.

Castello di Orgiale

Bernd shared the story of the estate itself, recounting how he discovered the neglected property while searching for Italian wines, restored it, and revived the vineyards before rebuilding the castle.

The centuries-old estate, with origins dating back to 840 and a history intertwined with medieval battles and Tuscany’s agricultural heritage, stands as a testament to preserving history through dedication and love.

The speech concluded with admiration for Bernd’s passion for the land and the idea that perhaps the ultimate entrepreneurial dream is to build something meaningful and, one day, spend one’s life tending vineyards among friends.

The Party

Dinner service then resumed. As the sun went down, we enjoyed ravioli with sweet tomato sauce and pine nuts, followed by steak with local vegetables, and finished with the most delicious tiramisu served in a glass.

After shots of espresso, the music started to play. Robin stood up and got us all to stand up. Soon we were all singing, dancing, and twirling our napkins around our heads in true wedding style.

DJs Wolf and Abril then played well into the night as we danced, sipped espresso martinis, talked, and sang. It was a beautiful end to two wonderful, Dolce Vita-filled days in Italy.

The party officially ended at 1:30 am, and I fell asleep in my room at the Castello.

On Friday, most of the production team left early, but a few of us stayed until lunchtime. We had an extended breakfast with a cappuccino in the courtyard, soaking up the view. We also managed to take a quick swim before we were picked up by Gareth, Co-founder and CEO of Paypercut, who kindly let us ride-share with him to Florence. I then enjoyed a weekend in Florence and Milan by myself before heading home to Hamburg.

Belonging

What this retreat ultimately gave us all was a feeling of belonging to something bigger than ourselves. Of being the entire ocean in one drop.

The founder's journey is a lonely one. It’s full of twists and turns. It’s full of rejections and hard days. This retreat reminded us that we are in it together, regardless of the stage of the journey we’re at.

Two days in the Tuscan countryside, surrounded by like-minded people with the time and space to enjoy their company, stories, and advice, were priceless. Many commented that it was better than any wedding because they already had common ground with everyone. To put it simply, this was La Dolce Vita at its finest.

In an age of AI, where things are becoming increasingly automated and impersonal, Robin Capital’s annual retreats offer a rare opportunity for people to connect with people and take so much away with them.

For me, it was another chance to lean into the experience and to be inspired by the work that Robin does. Having worked together for 7 years, Robin has been one of my biggest supporters, allowing me to take ownership of Robin Capital’s blog and newsletter while caring for my young family. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities, trust, and loyalty he has shown me.

As a solo GP, he continues to open doors, make connections, bring amazing people together, and create something far more than a fund. I’m already excited for Robin Retreat IV.

You can find all the photos here: Robin Escape III – Photo Gallery. Thank you, Claudia Weaver