I founded Appinio in 2014 — the idea at 22, the building at 23, the incorporation at 24 — out of a small storage room near the Hamburg port, with no institutional money then or since.

What I'm proudest of isn't the growth. It's the culture we've kept along the way, and the people who chose to build this with us.

I stepped out of the CEO role in 2023; today I'm on the board, still founder and majority shareholder. Around the same time I started a foundation, because I believe commercial success and doing good belong together — and that those of us inside a privileged bubble have a responsibility to make sure they do.

These days I also spend time backing and supporting other founders building what's next.

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