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. 

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. 

Phani received his PhD from the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Innsbruck, in 2020 for his thesis on Josephson junction array resonators. He joined kiutra in 2020 as a quantum engineer and oversees the optimization of our cryostats for quantum technologies. 

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.

Veronika finished her master’s degree in Medieval and Renaissance Studies in 2020. She gained experience in finance and project controlling when working at the Bavarian Research Alliance. In 2019, Veronika joined kiutra as team assistance and is now in charge of accounting and purchasing, as well as supporting the management in finance and grant administration. 

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. 

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.

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.

After finishing his PhD on complex magnetic textures and quantum criticality, Felix joined kiutra in 2019 as product manager. He coordinates the efforts of the hardware, marketing, and sales divisions to constantly improve our products for our scientific and industrial customers. 

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. 

In 2017, Lukas successfully completed his studies and obtained certification as a mechanical technician while simultaneously being employed. Subsequently, he acquired expertise in managing mechanical projects for on-site installations, as well as developing leadership skills in the field of mechanical assembly. In 2023, Lukas joined kiutra, where he currently holds responsibility for process optimization and quality control. In his role, he actively supports and collaborates with the production management. 

Dimitar has worked in the aviation industry with a focus on interior maintenance, inspecting, maintaining and repairing parts, modules, structures and systems.

He joined kiutra in 2022 as a part of our production team to assemble superconducting magnets, cryogenic components and cryostats.

With a bachelor’s degree in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, Ahmed started his career in aviation where he inspected, maintained and repaired jet engines, airframe structures, electronic, and avionic systems. Ahmad joined kiutra in 2022, as a part of our production team to assemble and test superconducting magnets, cryogenic components and complete cryostats. 

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. 

Pramod currently pursues a master’s 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.