ESMT Berlin Alumni Network

Tune in: An intimate evening with Tobias Wann, CEO of tonies® 🎧 What does it take to build a brand that has changed how children listen, learn, and imagine? Join the ESMT Berlin Alumni Network's Rhein-Ruhr Chapter for an evening with Tobias Wann, CEO of tonies, in conversation with Jörg Rocholl, President of ESMT Berlin. Drawing on his experience across technology, travel, fintech, and consumer business, Tobias will share candid insights into leadership, entrepreneurship, and the journey behind one of Germany's most distinctive consumer brands. The evening continues with a networking mixer, a chance to reconnect with fellow alumni and meet new professionals from across the region. 📅 Thursday, October 15, 6:00 p.m. in Cologne. Registration is required, and the venue address will be shared only with registered participants. Secure your place here: https://lnkd.in/d3Sp6iHb

Hamburg chapter relaunch: let's get this going again! From the harbour to the startup scene, Hamburg has always been a place where people, industries, and ideas collide. It is exactly the kind of city where a strong alumni network should not just exist, but actively thrive. That is why we are relaunching the ESMT Hamburg Chapter with fresh energy. Leading the charge are alumni Daniel van Dreumel (MBA 2024) and Simon Schuster (MBA 2023), building something consistent and genuinely valuable: regular meetups, real conversations, and a network worth having, whether that means talking through a career move, catching up over good food, or just having people to grab a drink with on a Tuesday. This is not just for alumni permanently based in Hamburg either. If you visit often, or are even just considering the move, you are just as much a part of this. It all starts on Thursday, 1 October, with an informal kick-off dinner. Come meet Daniel and Simon, catch up with familiar faces, and get to know a few new ones. No polished elevator pitch required, just good conversation. Location and time will be shared with everyone who RSVPs. Register here: https://lnkd.in/du98tHuu, and join the Hamburg WhatsApp group and the new Hamburg Chapter ESMT Community group, both linked on the page, for updates and future event details. If it has been a while, this is an easy way back in. Come as you are. 🥂

What can a fuller understanding of venture capital unlock for your next professional step? 💡 For ESMT Berlin alumni working across venture capital and private markets, finance, technology, institutional investing, and entrepreneurship, the DEEP Institute’s new Leader in Venture Capital program offers a practical way to build or deepen that understanding. Participants will explore fund strategy, structures, fundraising, investment decision making, portfolio development, and startup financing. They also learn from experienced investors and connect with peers across the European VC ecosystem. Already investing, building funds, or considering a move into venture investing, innovation, or growth finance? The GP track is designed for you. Current and prospective limited partners can choose the LP track to strengthen their understanding of VC fund evaluation, manager selection, governance, portfolio construction, and fund manager relationships. Ready to take a closer look? Explore the program and apply for the next intake: https://lnkd.in/euZAjV6G Prefer a brief introduction first? Register here to join an online information session on 28 September or 12 November 2026: https://lnkd.in/dcpy7Fty For questions about the program, the right track, or the application process, contact the DEEP team at deep@esmt.org.

The future of deep tech will depend on more than invention - it will depend on the ecosystems, investment, and policies that enable ideas to scale. 🔬 Join us on campus at ESMT Berlin on Friday, October 16, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for the SMS 2026 Extension: Deep-Tech, Startups, and the Rebirth of Industrial Strategy. Bringing leading academic research into conversation with policymakers, entrepreneurs, and investors, the event will explore how a renewed focus on industrial strategy is changing the environment for technology entrepreneurship. As governments play a more active role in shaping strategic sectors, and geopolitical fragmentation raises new questions around technological sovereignty, the day's program will consider what this means for startups, investors, established companies, and policymakers alike. From semiconductors and energy to life sciences, the discussion will examine how Europe can build a stronger position in the technologies that will shape its future. The programme features leading academics, including Prof. Dietmar Harhoff of the Max Planck Institute and Prof. Scott Stern of MIT Sloan; startup leaders including Dr. Amado Bautista-Salvador of Qudora and Holger Münchmeyer of NeutroGen Therapeutics; and a policy-panel conversation featuring Dr. Christian Nagel of Earlybird, alongside many more. ESMT alumni are warmly invited to take part in the discussion in Berlin. The day will also include a guided tour of ESMT’s historic building. 🏛️ Explore the full agenda and register here: https://lnkd.in/dXzFwgnZ

From breakthrough to bedside. 🔬 Join the ESMT Berlin Alumni Healthcare Group for its monthly online meetup on Tuesday, 8 September, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CEST. The group meets on the second Tuesday of every month. This session will feature a conversation with ESMT alumna Dr. Tanja Rosenmund, Director of SPARK-BIH at Charité, on accelerating academic biomedical translation, followed by an open discussion. SPARK-BIH is part of a global network dedicated to accelerating biomedical translation. Through funding, mentorship, active project management, and education, it helps turn academic biomedical inventions into novel therapies, diagnostics, and medical devices that benefit patients and society. Whether you are an alumni or student working in healthcare, biotech, medtech, pharmaceuticals, digital health, consulting, or investing, or are simply interested in the sector, you are warmly invited to join the conversation. Access the recurring Teams link and join the WhatsApp community via ESMT Community: https://lnkd.in/dpfnvfe3

Your next sustainability breakthrough could already be in the room. 💡 What could a team of ambitious MSc students uncover when they apply fresh thinking, data, and innovation expertise to one of your organisation’s real-world challenges? Through ESMT Berlin’s Master’s Consulting Projects, companies can partner with student teams to explore questions around AI-enabled decision-making, biodiversity and impact measurement, circularity, resilient value chains, customer insights, and sustainable business models. Our two project formats offer distinct ways to collaborate: Corporate Innovation Project (CIP): A 10-week project to identify opportunities, shape innovation strategies, assess innovation readiness, and develop pathways to new value creation. 28 September - 4 December 2026 Proposal deadline: 1 September 2026 Analytics Consulting Project (ACP): A 13-week project helping organisations turn data into actionable insight through analytics, AI, machine learning, statistical modelling, and targeted data collection. 4 January - 4 April 2027 Proposal deadline: 1 October 2026 Projects are jointly designed with ESMT and supported by faculty, mentors, and a dedicated coordinator. Bring a live challenge, gain an external perspective, and engage emerging talent ready to make an impact. Interested in partnering with us? Contact Dr.Vlada Pleshcheva at vlada.pleshcheva@esmt.org to explore a project around your organization’s priorities. 🤝

When global scale is no longer guaranteed, how can deep-tech firms build a lasting advantage? 🔬 Join us on campus at ESMT Berlin on Friday, 16 October, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for the SMS 2026 Extension: Deep-Tech, Startups, and the Rebirth of Industrial Strategy. Designed to bring together leading academic research with high-impact policymakers, entrepreneurs, and investors, the event will explore how Europe can strengthen its position in strategic technologies - from semiconductors and energy to life sciences. Against the backdrop of geopolitical fragmentation and growing concerns about technological sovereignty, the programme will examine what these shifts mean for deep-tech startups, investors, established companies, and policymakers. The discussion will feature leading academics, including Prof. Dietmar Harhoff of the Max Planck Institute and Prof. Scott Stern of MIT Sloan; startup leaders including Dr. Amado Bautista-Salvador of Qudora and Holger Münchmeyer of NeutroGen Therapeutics; a policy-panel conversation featuring Dr. Christian Nagel of Earlybird, and many more. ESMT alumni are warmly invited to join the conversation. The day also includes a guided tour of ESMT’s historic building. 🏛️ Explore the full agenda and secure your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/dXzFwgnZ

The ESMT Alumni Venture Capital Group is launching! 🚀 A huge thank-you to alumni Max vom Hofe and Malte Lindigkeit for taking the initiative to bring this community to life. The idea is simple: create a small, active community for ESMT graduates working in venture capital, or with a genuine interest in becoming active in the VC community - to share deal flow, exchange experiences, and support one another across funds, stages, and geographies. Join the online kick-off call on Thursday, 20 August 2026, from 3:00–4:00 p.m. CET. It will be a chance to align on the group’s scope, hear what members would find most valuable, and decide together how the community should evolve. This is a peer-led network for relevant discussion, shared learning, and meaningful connections. To keep it valuable for everyone, please save individual venture pitches and promotional posts for other channels. Ready to connect? Access the Zoom meeting link and join the ESMT VC Alumni WhatsApp group via ESMT Community: https://lnkd.in/d6fVJXNS

🩺 A growing community for healthcare at ESMT The Alumni Healthcare Group is quickly becoming a lively space for exchange across the ESMT community, bringing together alumni and students from healthcare, biotech, pharmaceuticals, consulting, innovation, and beyond. Meeting online on the second Tuesday of each month, the group offers a regular opportunity to share perspectives on industry developments, learn from one another, and make connections across different areas of healthcare. The next meetup is tomorrow, Tuesday, 11 August, from 2:00–3:00 p.m. CET on Microsoft Teams. Whether you are already part of the group or joining for the first time, you're very welcome. No RSVP needed – simply join the conversation: https://lnkd.in/dQJEGhTK

Reflecting on a networking highlight A month after our Annual Alumni Meeting 2026, we are still reflecting on the conversations, connections, and moments that made the evening so special. One highlight was the interactive networking session led by Carlos Tielesch, Systemic Coach and Organizational Development Consultant. Instead of traditional networking, Carlos invited participants to begin with a short experiential group exercise that included singing together - an unexpected but remarkably effective way to bring everyone together before moving into structured networking in pre-assigned groups. This thoughtful format encouraged meaningful conversations across our alumni community, helping participants connect with people they may not have met otherwise. The result was an engaging, inclusive, and refreshing networking experience that sparked genuine dialogue and new connections. A heartfelt thank you to Carlos for sharing his expertise and creating a space where networking felt natural, purposeful, and enjoyable. His unique approach reminded us that the best connections are often built through shared experiences rather than chance encounters. Sometimes it is the sessions that challenge the usual format that leave the strongest impression. This was certainly one of them, and it continues to inspire us as we think about how to create meaningful opportunities for our alumni community to connect.