Ideas competitionJury
Theresia Bauer
State parliament member for the constituency Heidelberg
Theresia Bauer studied political science, economics and German studies at the Heidelberg University. She has been a member of the state parliament for the Heidelberg constituency since 2001 and was also Minister for Science, Research and the Arts of the state of Baden-Württemberg from 2011 to 2022.
Tip:
“Be fearless and optimistic, keep confidence in
your own ideas and build good contacts.”
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Benito Campos
Co-founder of Visual Abstract
Benito Campos is co-founder of Visual Abstract, which develops visualisation methods for professional publications. He is responsible for research and development. He was trained a neurosurgeon and medical researcher at Heidelberg University Hospital. He also has a Master's in Business Administration from the Mannheim Business School.
Tip:
“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big
enough.” (Ellen Johnson Sirleaf)
Barbara Diehl
Chief Partnership Officer, Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation SPRIND
Barbara Diehl has been working at the interface of science, research, society and entrepreneurship for over 15 years. At SPRIND, she is primarily responsible for partnerships with the scientific community. Previously, she was Head of Transfer and Innovation at the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres and, before that, spent over 10 years in senior positions at University College Dublin and the University of Oxford in the areas of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity. She studied history of medicine and science at the Universities of Heidelberg, Johns-Hopkins and Oxford.
Tip:
“For everything to stay the same, everything must
change.” (Guiseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, in „The Leopard“)
Maximilian Dreher
Investment manager in the venture capital sector (MBG Baden-Württemberg)
Maximilian Dreher studied International Finance in Germany, the USA and the UK. He published a book on Mergers & Acquisitions and is an honorary member of the Advisory Board of the International School of Finance at Nürtingen-Geislingen University. As an M&A consultant, he dealt with cross-border M&A transactions and later worked as a banker with almost 500 financing structures, two thirds of them start-ups. He is currently an investment manager in the venture capital area at MBG Baden-Württemberg.
Tip:
„A complementary team is of great importance for
successful start-ups.“
Denise Feldner
Managing Director and Founder Bridgehead Advisors GmbH
Denise Feldner founded Bridgehead Advisors, a strategy consultancy for disruptive change. She is an author, speaker and works in private equity. In Heidelberg, she led the Rector's Office and managed strategic collaborations, in particular the European Vaccine Initiative, BioRN and InnovationLab. She is a Young Leader of Wilton Park, the BDI, the Helmholtz Academy and a fully qualified lawyer with St. Gallen management training.
Tip:
"After years of cheap money in the market,
profitability and crisis stability are now much more important for founders
and start-ups than growth stories and good ideas.”
Katja Filippenko
CEO Saatgutkonfetti
Katja originally studied law at the University of Heidelberg and worked at the MPI for International Law. After graduating, she spent years at SAP, working as a Catalyst on co-innovation projects, mentoring startups and leading sustainability initiatives as a Sustainability Champion. After her social sabbatical in Cambodia, she started building impact startups.
Tip:
“Conduct a meaningful market test before launching.
Either a study or, for example, a crowdfunding campaign can help.”
Prof. Dr. h.c. Manfred Lautenschläger
Co-founder of the financial consulting firm MLP and patron of the Manfred Lautenschläger Foundation
Manfred Lautenschläger founded the financial services provider MLP with Eicke Marschollek in 1971. Today he is an anchor shareholder and Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board. In 2002, the Manfred Lautenschläger Stiftung gGmbH was established, which supports numerous charitable projects. In 2008, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Ruprecht Karls University in Heidelberg, and in 2009 he received the Federal Cross of Merit, First Class.
Tip:
“With possibilities and opportunities comes
responsibility - and I've always experienced the greatest satisfaction as an
entrepreneur when I've acted on it.”
Dr. Ann-Kristin Mueller
Head of the first German branch of BioLabs in Heidelberg
Ann-Kristin Mueller is an infectiologist and after completing her doctorate and working in London and Würzburg, she spent nine years leading a malaria research group at Heidelberg University Hospital, which led to her founding a spin-off. In 2018, she left university research completely for the start-up world.
Tip:
“Starting up means not having to do everything
alone, networking and cooperation are the keys to success”
Henning Schimpf
Ministry of Economics Baden-Württemberg
Henning Schimpf studied Administrative Management and Business Administration with a focus on International Entrepreneurship in Osnabrück, Enschede(NL) and Stuttgart. He is working at the Ministry of Economics of Baden-Württemberg in the area of start-ups and business succession and currently leads the Start-up BW Accelerators and Start-up BW International projects there.
Tip:
“Take advantage of the start-up support in the
state! Fourteen Start-up BW Accelerators support start-up teams in their
ambitious and innovative start-up projects.”
Dr. Thilo Schenk
Technology Transfer Manager IHK
After studying biology and earning his doctorate, Thilo Schenk worked in environmental business, where he oversaw innovative remediation of contaminated sites and international know-how transfer projects. At the Rhine-Neckar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he initiates cooperations between start-ups, companies and universities as a technology transfer coach. At Heidelberg University, he supports hei_INNOVATION and is in exchange with the Faculty of Engineering and the Health + Life Science Alliance Heidelberg Mannheim.
Tip:
"Realizing your own ideas is one of the best things
in the world. For their success, it is important to secure long-term
financing, understand customers and always remember 'sometimes you have to eat
the frog'.”
Alena Trauschel
Member of the State Parliament and student
Alena Trauschel studies economics and political science at Heidelberg University and was a member of the federal executive committee of the Young Liberals. In 2021, she was elected as the youngest member of the Baden-Württemberg state parliament, where she is the spokesperson for vocational education, music, Europe, women and LGBTTIQ in the FDP/DVP parliamentary group.
Tip:
„Network!“
Prof. Dr. Eckart Würzner
Lord Mayor of the City of Heidelberg
Eckart Würzner moved to Heidelberg in the early eighties to study geography. In 2006, the people of Heidelberg elected him Lord Mayor. His vita is characterized by an agenda focusing on climate change, environmental protection and sustainability. He puts just as much emphasis on innovation in order to make Heidelberg livable and competitive in the long term.
Tip:
"I look forward to the ideas and innovative power
"made in Heidelberg". They shape the future of our city."
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