Who We Are

His many years of VC experience, paired with business excellence, make it possible for Dieter to lead TRUMPF Venture GmbH as a fair partner and investor. Dieter believes that strategy development and its implementation are the criteria needed for the mutual success of portfolio companies and TRUMPF. Previously, he was a partner at Robert Bosch Venture Capital for Europe for nine years. He built up the system development of the electric mobility business unit worldwide. Dieter received a doctorate in physics from the University of Frankfurt.

Wolfgang has been with APEX Ventures since 2017 where he leads and co-leads the investment activities of its early-stage deep-tech portfolios. He holds non-executive board and chairman positions at various companies in Austria and Germany. Previously Wolfgang co-led two Austrian SMEs as Executive Management Board member and supported various start-ups as Senior Advisor. He also worked as an Associate and Partner at McKinsey & Company for 12 years, serving clients in the automotive, aerospace and high-tech industry. Wolfgang holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and a Masters degree in Communications Engineering from Vienna University of Technology, and graduated from the International Space University in Huntsville, Alabama.

Christian has worked with cutting-edge technologies his entire professional life. At HTGF he supports industrial IoT, software, security, space and quantum start-ups. Before joining HTGF in 2017, he worked as a senior systems engineer on the international asteroid landing mission MASCOT at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). For the first 12 years of his career, he was an air force officer in the German Armed Forces, managing complex armaments projects. During this time, he obtained a diploma in business and economic sciences. Christian shares his experience as a start-up mentor in cooperation with the incubators of the European space organization, the Space Founders Accelerator, and advises DLR and ESA in the area of ​​New Space.

Emma joined the Verve Ventures investment team in August 2020. She has a bachelor in Natural and Social Sciences with a major in Physics from the University of Amsterdam and an MSc in Physics from ETH. There she specialized in Theoretical Physics and wrote her thesis at the Chair of Entrepreneurial Risk about Quantum Decision Theory.

Inga is Director Investments at UnternehmerTUM. In that role she is managing the pre-seed initiative UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators which invests in B2B deep tech start-ups from the UnternehmerTUM ecosystem. The portfolio currently consists of approximately 25 start-ups from many different deep tech industries. Before joining UnternehmerTUM in 2020, Inga was with BCG and MAN Truck & Bus (corporate and sales strategy) and did her PhD at the Entrepreneurship Research Institute of TU Munich. 

Ulrich is an experienced venture capital investor who has supported company founders in implementing their ideas and starting successful companies for over seven years. His expertise in technology and economics make him an ideal sparring partner for any founder of a high-tech start-up. Prior to this, Ulrich worked as a venture capital investor in Barcelona for many years where he invested in seed stage start-ups. He has an MBA from the IESE Business School and an M.Sc in industrial engineering and has studied in Germany, China and Spain.

Andreas built up an extensive track record of tech investments from years of active engagement as a business angel and company builder, before setting up APEX Ventures. For many years Andreas was responsible for establishing global service companies in the United States, the UK and Germany. He supports start-ups in developing strategies aligned with their technology and product roadmap and builds valuable contacts for early-stage firms with international partners. Andreas holds a Masters Degree in Engineering and Business Administration from TU Graz and studied International Business at Harvard University.

Christian is full professor and holds the chair for Topology of Correlated Systems at the Technical University of Munich. With his more than 30 years of experience and an excellent track record in low-temperature science at various research institutes worldwide, he supports and advises the kiutra team on all scientific and low-temperature related topics. 

Jan studied physics at the TU Munich before joining the Chair for Topology of Correlated Systems for his PhD, where he gained extensive experience in the design and operation of ADR systems for low-temperature research. As CTO and co-founder of kiutra, he leads the hardware development team and oversees IP creation. 

Ahmad graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kaunas University of Technology, and after moving to Germany, he joined kiutra in 2023, initially supporting the production department. He has since transitioned to the engineering team, where he now works as a Junior CAD Engineer, contributing his expertise in design and innovation.

Before joining kiutra as a Cryo engineer, Angelina completed her PhD at the Technical University of Munich within the CRESST experiment, which searches for dark matter using ultra-sensitive detectors operating at millikelvin temperatures. During her PhD, she was responsible for upgrading and operating a 3He-4He dilution refrigerator and testing various detector prototypes in it. At kiutra she supports our research in developing magnetic refrigeration for applied quantum technology, as well as in planning and assisting in the production of hardware prototypes. 

With a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication, Jay is currently pursuing his master’s in communications engineering at the Technical University of Munich. He joined kiutra in 2023, where he contributes to various tasks that encompass circuit development, high-frequency circuit optimization for quantum electronics, supplier communication, and the assembly, documentation, and testing of his circuit designs.

Rajat obtained a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a strong focus on computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer, and completed a master’s in computational science and engineering at TU Munich, exploring quantum and high-performance computing. As a simulation engineer at kiutra, he carries out a variety of tasks, including the development of mathematical models and simulations to reproduce thermal, mechanical, magnetic and high-frequency electrical phenomena. 

Nicolas completed a professional training as an industrial mechanic and has extensive experience in machine construction and mechanical management. He joined kiutra in 2023, actively contributing to facilitate operations, repair, and enhance our in-house development systems. Collaborating closely with engineers, he implements new test assemblies and routines, anticipates, and resolves potential faults, prepares new devices for production, and provides crucial support in troubleshooting and maintenance, occasionally assisting at customer sites.

Moritz worked as a Project Manager in architecture, with experience ranging from conceptual to technical design and construction supervision. After he completed his master’s degree in industrial design at the Technical University of Munich, he joined kiutra in 2023. As part of the team, he is responsible for the technical product design, focusing on the usability of the Cryostats while maintaining a consistent corporate design.

Klaus is a physicist with a strong background in electrical engineering. He worked on the development of a compact ADR cryostat for detector operation at kiutra as part of his thesis and received his master’s degree from the Technical University of Munich in 2020. After graduating, he joined kiutra as a cryo-engineer, and is now in charge of the hardware development of our cryostats and related control electronics.

For his PhD thesis, Andreas investigated magnetic and caloric properties of transverse-field Ising magnets near quantum phase transitions – for example, he developed a specific heat setup that operates at millikelvin temperatures and withstands the strong torque of the sample in a magnetic field. At kiutra he is working on cryostat development improving thermal, vibrational and vacuum characteristics. As a seasoned experimentalist, he supports first assembly and testing of complex cryogenic systems. 

Felipe is a multidisciplinary engineer. His background includes electrical engineering, mechanical prototyping and generative design. At kiutra, he works in hardware development and focuses on tackling design challenges arising from the comprehensive integration of various systems throughout the cryostat. 

In his PhD thesis, Sebastian investigated frustrated magnets, for example, by specific heat measurements in the millikelvin range using a dilution refrigerator. After years of hassle with cryogenic liquids, he instantly fell in love with kiutra‘s cryogen-free cADR systems and joined the hardware development team in 2022. Sebastian focuses on the development of new ADR materials and measurement automatization. 

Alexander successfully completed his apprenticeship as an industrial mechanic at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, where he was responsible for the manufacturing and assembly of various scientific experiments. He also graduated from technical school as a technician. He joined the kiutra hardware development team in 2021 and works on product design and continuous improvement of our cryostat’s core components.

Peter completed his Master’s degree in Energy and Process Engineering with a strong focus on thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and computational engineering. After working as a software developer for embedded systems, Peter joined kiutra in 2021, where he is now in charge of computational engineering, complementing our hardware development team.

Iman received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tehran for his work on the microstructure of silicon surface layers after helium and argon ion implantation. He then studied Applied and Engineering Physics at the Technical University of Munich. He joined kiutra as a Master Student and part of his thesis was the characterization and improvement of heat switches and refrigerants for the magnetic cooling of quantum detectors. As a Test Engineer he is now ensuring and improving the quality and full functionality of all core components after their manufacture and installation in our cryostats.

Markus successfully completed his apprenticeship as a precision mechanic, and now studies Production and Automation at the University for Applied Sciences, Munich. At kiutra he is part of the development team, where he works as a CAD engineer. 

The topic of Mario’s master’s degree was a Robotic-assisted System for Eye Surgery. He has been working for kiutra as technology designer since 2018. He oversees technical product design and brand development to create a consistent corporate identity of kiutra. 

After completing his diploma and PhD in physics, Tomek joined a tech consulting company gaining industry experience and leadership skills as a project manager and tech lead using agile, rapid prototyping and design thinking methodologies. In 2017, he joined kiutra as a co-founder and COO. His responsibilities cover finance, marketing, and HR activities, among others. 

Daniela completed her vocational training in 2013, starting to work as a tax clerk. She then focused on financial accounting and gained further industry experience at retail and construction companies. In 2023, she joined kiutra as an accountant and is now responsible for our day-to-day accounting activities and monthly closing.

While completing his diploma and PhD thesis, Alexander extensively used and tailored ADR systems for low-temperature investigations of bulk and transport properties, as well as high-pressure measurements. As Managing Director and one of kiutra's co-founders, he supports many different activities with a focus on sales and business development. 

Harris is a mechanical engineer, with a Master in Sustainable Resource Management from TUM. Before joining kiutra in 2023 as a working student, he gained industry experience as an IT consultant and as a voluntary impact consultant, advising NGOs & startups aligned with the SDGs. As Sustainability Manager, his responsibilities at kiutra include advancing and enhancing sustainability across the entire organization and developing and executing the company’s sustainability strategy.

After completing his diploma and PhD in physics, Tomek joined a tech consulting company gaining industry experience and leadership skills as a project manager and tech lead using agile, rapid prototyping and design thinking methodologies. In 2017, he joined kiutra as a co-founder and COO. His responsibilities cover finance, marketing, and HR activities, among others. 

Jan studied physics at the TU Munich before joining the Chair for Topology of Correlated Systems for his PhD, where he gained extensive experience in the design and operation of ADR systems for low-temperature research. As CTO and co-founder of kiutra, he leads the hardware development team and oversees IP creation. 

Susanne studied photography and media production in London. This was followed by various photography related roles for employers, including Amnesty International and the Science Museum. She then had the opportunity to shift her focus and to pursue her passion for communications, marketing, and event management, building up many years of experience in these areas at the British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies. At kiutra she supports all marketing and communications activities.

Iryna studied design and art history in Kyiv. She is an experienced graphic designer, who has worked across various industries delivering branding, print, packaging, and web design, as well as illustration projects. She joined the kiutra marketing team in 2022 to develop creative solutions for all our graphic design needs.

Danielle finished her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2015. She then worked as a student advisor, and since 2018 she has been focusing her career on HR. At kiutra she is responsible for the well-being of the employees, recruiting talented people and executing HR related tasks.

After completing her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Salisbury University, Alexandra began her career as a fitness trainer. Driven by an interest in event coordination and interpersonal relations, she decided to broaden her horizons by relocating to Munich, where she quickly immersed herself in a new language and cultural experience as an au pair.  This move provided her with the foundation that led to the opportunity to pursue her passion for communications and event management, setting the stage for exciting new adventures and professional growth with kiutra. 

Riccarda is currently pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Psychology and Psychological Empowerment, after completing her Bachelor’s in Clinical Psychology in 2023. She gained practical HR experience through internships and now works as an Intern in People and Culture, combining her psychological expertise with a focus on employee well-being.

Isabella moved from Venezuela to Germany in 2017 and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in international management. She joined kiutra in November 2022 to help with the development of the People & Culture department. Isabella supports recruitment processes, contributes and assists in strategic projects, and takes on general HR admin tasks.

Felix earned his PhD from the Chair for Topology of Correlated Electron Systems at the Technical University in Munich, specializing in quantum phase transitions and complex magnetic textures. With extensive experience in design and operation of a broad range of cryogenic equipment, he joined kiutra shortly after its foundation. Felix is now responsible for the product development at kiutra to provide cutting-edge cryogenics for scientific and industrial customers around the world.

Noelia studied physics at the University of Buenos Aires and earned her PhD at the Ludwig Maximilian University for her research on electronic transport in few-layer graphene at millikelvin temperatures. She then worked as a postdoc at the Walter-Meißner-Institut, investigating alternative materials for superconducting qubits. In 2024, Noelia joined kiutra as a Product Application Scientist, where she executes showcase measurements for quantum technology applications. She also provides scientific and technical consulting to sales, engineering, and development teams to enhance product application readiness.

Before entering the world of sub-Kelvin cooling, Sabrina focused on astrophysics at the European Southern Observatory (ESO). At TUM, where she completed her master’s degree, she was involved in particle physics, building a detector for space applications. Sabrina joined kiutra in 2023 as a product associate, developing product requirements, performing service measurements, and supporting the sales & marketing teams.

After obtaining his PhD for his work on ultra-slow magnetisation dynamics, Steffen was postdoctoral researcher at Colorado State University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory where he investigated fundamental properties and possible applications of quantum materials. As part of his work, he was also continuously optimising scientific instrumentation at milli-Kelvin temperatures and high magnetic fields. In 2021, Steffen joined kiutra as Product Manager, driving new product development and supporting our sales and research activities.

Georg finished his PhD on the preparation and investigation of intermetallic magnetic compounds in 2020. As part of his scientific work, he extensively used and improved crystal growth apparatus, and gained hands-on experience in working with cryogenic and high-vacuum equipment. He joined kiutra as a production manager and oversees our hardware production, testing and quality management. 

Johannes started his own Start-Up on agricultural robotics during his master studies. After that, he has worked for multiple other companies and gained experience in different technologies. At kiutra, he supports the production team in all sorts of tasks, both hands-on and organizational.

As an addition to her metal design profession, Ivana studied at the Public Open University of Zagreb, where she became a jewelry designer. Since then, she has gained experience in production and has relocated to Germany. She is now applying her expertise as a member of the production team at kiutra.

Dimitrios, from Greece, brings a diverse academic background, holding a bachelor’s in business administration from London and a master’s in operations management and logistics from Barcelona. He handles incoming goods, organizes the warehouse, and prepares items for production orders. Dimitrios ensures timely communication of vital information, supports supply chain and assembly teams as needed, and reports technical issues promptly to enhance operational efficiency at kiutra.

With a master’s degree in retail and consumer management, Magnus has vast experience in several industries with an emphasis on various roles such as business development, marketing and sales, procurement, distribution, warehouse operations, and demand planning. At kiutra, Magnus helps with diversifying and optimizing supply chain processes, implementing, and documenting internal workflow, and providing support to the production team in various tasks where necessary.

After focusing on production technology, material science and industrial design during his master’s degree, Gereon pursued development and testing work, as well as prototyping and tool manufacturing on different projects. At kiutra, he completes the production team with his hands-on experience in assembly, construction and technical trials. 

With a degree in Automotive Design, Joe started his career in the field of automotive clay modelling, show-car building, and prototyping, working with a variety of manufacturers and having his work displayed in various motor-shows. His technical skills brought him to kiutra in 2021, where he is involved with the production of hardware, assembly and testing. 

Dominika has gained broad experience in several high-tech companies and various functions such as procurement, manufacturing, distribution, and customer support. At kiutra she takes care of our supply chain to support the production department by ensuring a smooth and steady flow of goods. 

While completing his diploma and PhD thesis, Alexander extensively used and tailored ADR systems for low-temperature investigations of bulk and transport properties, as well as high-pressure measurements. As Managing Director and one of kiutra's co-founders, he supports many different activities with a focus on sales and business development. 

Jasper completed his Master thesis in Physics at PTB, the German National Metrology Institute, where he automatized characterization routines for ion traps. He then gained his first sales experience in the renewable energy sector. At kiutra he advises potential customers and oversees our customer support. 

Pau’s experience with cryogenics goes back to his master’s at the EPFL working on scanning hall probe microscopy at milli-Kelvin temperatures. He then moved to Munich where he completed his PhD on the investigation of new magnetic phases under high pressure using diamond anvil cells at low temperatures. Pau’s technical expertise is complemented by language skills in Spanish, Catalan, English, French and German. He joined kiutra in 2022 as a Sales Engineer and provides advice and technical support to our customers.  

Manuel finished his bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies and Management in 2020. After gaining experience in sales and buying, he joined kiutra in 2022 to support our sales activities in the back office.

Rafael first completed a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with a focus on optimization and simulation. After additional studies in computer science, he joined kiutra in 2019. He is now in charge of device control and software integration, as well as customer application support. 

Andy finished his bachelor’s degree in Materials Technology in Vietnam and completed a master’s degree in Materials Science in Germany. Besides his interest in physics, he also has a passion for software development. At kiutra, Andy is a part of the software development team and is responsible for front-end development.

Pramod completed his master in informatics at the Technical University of Munich. His wide-ranging experience encompasses front-end development and deep learning. At kiutra, Pramod is part of the software development team, focusing on device integration and performance optimization.

Oscar completed his PhD on 3D SQUID based transmon qubits at the University of Innsbruck. He then moved to Germany for a postdoc position at the Walther-Meißner-Institute, where he worked on the characterization of quantum limited amplifiers. In January 2022, he joined kiutra as a Quantum Application Engineer with the focus of implementing characterization setups for superconducting quantum devices.