Our Jury – Innovation Experts waiting for your Submission   

Arno Baltruschat, Venture Client Lead OTTO DOCK 6 

Arno Baltruschat has been advancing the venture client approach at OTTO since October 2020. With his team, he developed the venture client unit OTTO DOCK 6. Before that, he helped shaping strategy and innovations in agile product development at otto.de for three years after leading the Prozubi GmbH (educational platform for trainees) for several years as a co-founder and co-managing director. During his studies in Osnabrück, Seoul, Canada and Lüneburg, he focussed on business administration and entrepreneurship with stations.

Dr. Ralf Belusa, Managing Director at Hapag-Lloyd AG and member of the supervisory board at PHOENIX Pharma SE

Dr. Ralf Belusa merges modern technologies with new agile working methods: He has built global transformation teams implementing disruptive IT, marketing innovations and sales strategies in 144 countries. His track record: highly profitable, multi-billion dollar global companies. Originally a scientist, he did studies in micro and nanotechnology and astrophysics and did his doctorate in medical cell research. Ralf started programming software at the age of six and founded his first technology company at the age of 16.

Timo Linnemann, Ventures Lead Plug and Play Nordics 

Timo has been part of Plug and Play Ventures since 2017 and was one of the first employees in Germany at the time. As a global innovation platform, Plug and Play brings together young tech companies and big companies from all sectors. Timo is responsible for the technology scouting activities and investments of Plug and Play in Hamburg and the Nordics. His main topics include logistics, supply chain, hydrogen and cleantech in general.

Simone Lode, Managing Director of HHLA Next and HHLA Digital Next

As an innovation unit of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), HHLA Next develops new business models. With a focus on digitalization and sustainability HHLA Next invests in innovative companies from the maritime logistics environment. As an expert in the fields of strategy, innovation and M&A, Simone Lode has many years of professional experience in responsible positions at companies such as Bertelsmann / Deutsche Post and swb AG in Bremen.

Veronika Reichboth, Director of the Startup-Unit bei Hamburg Invest

As a central partner of the Hamburg economy, Hamburg Invest promotes settlements and investments. The startup unit offers founders, companies and journalists networking, support and insight into the Hamburg startup ecosystem; initiates and leads international marketing activities such as trade fairs, conferences, delegation trips and cooperations. Veronika was previously manager of the media cluster nextMedia.Hamburg and has worked in Brussels for European institutions and an international communications agency as well as a Hamburg IT service provider.
 

Ronja Stoffregen, Head of Global Startup Management in the Global Ventures & Innovation department at DB Schenker

Among others, Ronja works as a lecturer at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. She is currently doing her PhD at the WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. As a mentor, she supports and coaches start-ups and is a member of various supervisory boards of young, future-oriented companies. She studied in six countries and was an entrepreneur herself before she switched to the logistics industry.

Petra Vorsteher, Founder AI.HAMBURG

Petra's goal is to integrate AI into the economy and to build an international AI-network of experts, start-ups, corporates and universities to make German economy fit for future. As co-founder of AI.INVEST and founding partner of AI.FUND, she promotes and finances innovative AI start-ups in Germany and Europe. Petra is Boardmember of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities, Member of the Chamber of Commerce Research and Innovation Committee; Deputy Chairwoman of Hamburg@work and part of the Advisory Board of Port of Hamburg Marketing. She has received numerous awards, has seats on several supervisory boards and has been appointed to international honorary posts (e.g. as Hamburg Ambassador in San Francisco and international ambassador of the Technical University of Hamburg).

Georg Zembacher, Head of Technology Innovation, NEXTY Electronics

Georg Zembacher has extensive experience with sustainable and automated technology innovations for well-known companies. The core of his expertise is the management and support of multifunctional, international teams in IT system transformations and innovation projects. His passion is building new technologies, linking existing and new systems and connecting these technological innovations with business models and people.