“I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.” – Oprah Winfrey

EDUCATION

2008-2011: Technical University of Berlin, Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management; Doctor rerum socialium oeconomicarumque (magna cum laude)

2006-2008: University of St. Gallen, Institute for Media and Communication Management (MCM); PhD student 

2002-2005: University of Vienna; International Business Administration (equivalent to B.Sc. / M.Sc.), International Management and Innovation & Technology Management  

2004: Cass University London; entrepreneurship, exchange student

WORKING EXPERIENCE

Since 2020: Professor for Digital Marketing and Social Media; XU Exponential University

Since 2018: Chief advisor and board member; DMEXCO, EMEA’s most important media, marketing and technology conference and trade show

Since 2016: Co-Founder and Entrepreneurial Partner; Cavalry Ventures, Europe’s leading seed fund with +70 start-ups in portfolio, 3rd generation fund

2007: Founder and Managing Director; u25 ventures Family office (investments, real estate, crypto, consulting, mentoring)

2019-2021: Inventor and founding investor; Bobby (1st Baby GmbH); first portable (patented) baby bouncer (exit from Swing 2 Sleep GmbH) 

2015-2016: Founding investor Goodwords; software-as-a-service company in the field of human resources diagnostics (exit to Lumesse Ltd, part of Saba Group)

2008-2015: Founder and CEO plista; Native Advertising technology and platform, +. 100M USD revenue (exit to WPP Inc.)

2007-08: Founder and interim CFO of hiclip; provider of video technology and marketer (exit from Adconion Media Group)

PUBLICATIONS

Matyka D et al.: Company success among German Internet Start-Ups: Social Media, Investors and Entrepreneurs` Personalities (2012), disserta Verlag, ISBN: 3954250683.

AWARDINGS

Germany’s 100 Internet managers 2012 (rank: 30; WiWo), 2013 (rank: 2), (Fin.) EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2013, Seal of e-Excellence, IT-Innovationspreis, Initiative Mittelstand, Business Idea 2010 Internetworld, Leuchtturm-Projekt des HTGF, Red Herring 100 EMEA/200 Global, TechTour 25, The Hundert 2014, 2015, Top100 Media Managers W&V (2018), etc.