We are a dynamic team and unite comprehensive know-how of two highly innovative business areas: crowd investing / venture capital and the international space sector. The cooperation between the investment professional FunderNation and the leading international space innovation network AZO combines high-level competence with an innovative mindset and great passion.
Entrepreneur, investor or shareholder? SpaceStarters always aims creating a sustainable win-win situation.
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xUli is the CEO of FunderNation and SpaceStarters. She is also one of the founders and CEO of Triangle Venture Capital Group, one of Europe’s leading investors in hightech start-up companies.
Uli served as Chairwoman of Invest Europe (formerly the European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association - EVCA) in 2010-2011. She was also named the most powerful person in private equity for 2010 by REAL DEALS and has been recognised by Dow Jones as one of the 100 most influential women in Europe’s finance industry.
Currently she is chairman of the board of semafora, SemEO and takwak.
She graduated at the age of 21 from the University of Applied Sciences, Worms with an MBA. Before co-founding Triangle Venture Capital Group in 1996, Uli has been CEO and founder of a number of start-up companies which she sold successfully.
Uli is an unflinching optimist and an entrepreneur to the core – so it’s best not tell her something “does not work”. In her leisure time Uli enjoys snowboarding, mountainbiking and cooking. -
xHe is focused on medical technologies and technology-related software companies. Besides many other pro bono activities, Bernd built and chaired the IPR Master Class of EVCA and advised the European Commission’s ICT task force as well as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Currently he serves as managing director for semafora, iPharro, takwak and iOpener.
Bernd studied physics in Berlin, Ypsilanti (Michigan, USA) and Heidelberg and holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the prestigious University of Heidelberg.
In his leisure time Bernd enjoys skiing, water sports, running and playing the piano. -
xAlex is Head of Investment Management at SpaceStarters and FunderNation. On the one hand, he supports the sourcing and selection of financing projects, and on the other hand, the relationship and expansion of the existing investor network.
During his 20-year sales and business development experience at Deutsche Börse AG (1996 – 2018), he has further developed Deutsche Börse's primary market in various positions with management and project responsibility. Most recently, he has built up the Deutsche Börse Venture Network and accompanied numerous young companies from different business areas in their growth.
After studying at the University of Passau with a Master in Business Administration (1989-1993), he founded a company in the field of system gastronomy (Chico Rico Fresh & Fast GmbH) together with a fellow student and joined Deutsche Börse AG at the beginning of 1996.
Alex in his spare time likes to play sports (including fitness training, jogging, cycling and skiing), is active as a business angel and enjoys spending time with family and friends. -
xConstantin works in the FunderNation Team as Junior Sales and Investment Manager. Alongside Alex, his main tasks include the selection of financing projects and the procurement of new deals.
In 2019 Constantin completed his Bachelor in International Business at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Most recently, he gained international experience during a semester abroad in Hong Kong.
He loves sports, especially cycling is one of his great passions.
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xKiran is responsible at FunderNation in the area of finance.
He completed his master's degree at the International University of Applied Sciences, Bad Honnef, Bonn in 2018. Meanwhile he did an internship at Adidas AG in the finance department.
In his spare time, he enjoys going to the gym or jogging, playing badminton and spending time with family and friends.
Venture Partner
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Christofer DittmarAerospace
xChristofer is Venture Partner at FunderNation and SpaceStarters and managing director of alago consult GmbH. He is also partner of Runway Capital Partners, an international network focused on aerospace .
Since 1999 Christofer is active in the venture capital sector. For 13 years he managed corporate and private venture capital funds for energy technologies. Previously he was an authorized representative for M&A, business development and investments at a utility company, which he supported during its IPO.
Christofer studied law and economics in Munich.
Since he is 14 he is an enthusiastic glider pilot. His pilot licence allows him even to fly multiple engine planes and the CitationJet. -
Rüdiger SüßAerospace
xRuediger supports FunderNation and Space Starters as Venture Partner. He is employed as a senior strategy analyst in the Think Tank at DLR - the German Aerospace Center.
Since 2012 years he invests on a private base also via equity-based crowd investing in startups and SMEs. He is interested in strategic positioning, stakeholder management/engagement, interdisciplinary/cross sectional product development, idea-implementation, market entry and innovation eco systems.
He supports founders as a mentor and coach. Currently is actively involved as a mentor in the Copernicus Master’s Accelerator programme of the EU.
He holds a university diploma in aerospace engineering from University of Stuttgart, Germany as well as a MasterSC’s degree in Strategic Management from HEC Paris, the leading business school of management in France. He is a certified project manager.
Advisory Board
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Christoph BeerInvestor & Entrepreneur
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Jeff AustinPartner & Managing Director Redline Leadership Ass.
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Mathias RenzPublishing Director Venture-Capital Magazin
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Dr. Michael GebertExpert for Digital Transformation & Crowdbased Disruption
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Tanja Aschenbeck-FlorangeAttorney Osbourne Clarke
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Bas TheelenEDRS Programme Manager, Airbus Defense and Space
