I've always been fascinated by how innovation can solve problems and advance the world. Thanks to the creativity of many bright minds, human dreams like flying have become reality and deadly diseases have become insurmountable. Thanks to the internet, we can now talk to our loved ones on the other side of the world instantly and have access to the accumulated knowledge of humanity at the touch of a button. Technological progress is still transforming our world: What was the steam engine in the 19th century and the computer in the 20th century is now artificial intelligence. And the next transformative technologies are already slumbering on the horizon: quantum computers, gene scissors, nuclear fusion, and brain-computer interfaces.

But progress won't come on its own. I've therefore set myself the goal of driving innovative ideas forward and actively shaping them. While still in school, I founded my first startup as part of a project with the Boston Consulting Group, which helped us preserve food longer. Today, as a business angel, I personally invest in innovative early-stage startups and help them grow successfully. I also serve as an advisory board member of a medium-sized research-based pharmaceutical company (revenue: EUR 1.8 billion).