Innovation starts with the right connection. Our team works at the intersection of startups and the BMW Group, bringing together entrepreneurial thinking and industry expertise. By matching promising technologies with real business needs, we help transform new ideas into solutions that create lasting value.
Connecting Startups with the BMW Group.
What we do.
- R&D
- Production
- IT
- Real Estate
- HR
- AI
Meet our Startup Lead: Fabian
What does it take to turn emerging technologies into real-world applications?
As the Startup Lead for Research & Development, Fabian Bosch connects BMW teams with innovative startups to identify solutions that can create measurable value for future products and internal processes.
With experience across research, development and purchasing-related functions at BMW, he understands both business needs and the agility of startups, helping turn promising technologies into practical solutions.
Meet our Startup Lead: Christian
How can new technologies help shape the future of production?
As the Startup Lead for Production Systems, Christian Jaeck connects innovative startup solutions with real challenges across BMW’s global production network.
Combining expertise in industrial engineering, operations research and software development, he understands the complexity of modern production and the potential of emerging technologies, particularly in areas such as industrial AI and process optimization.
Meet our Startup Lead: Johanna
What if looking at things differently opens up new possibilities?
As the Startup Lead for the BMW Group IT, Johanna Hinz works with BMW teams to uncover the root cause of a challenge and identify startup solutions that can deliver measurable value for the business.
Combining a background in management and technology with experience in IT innovation and emerging technologies, she brings a strong understanding of BMW’s IT landscape.
Meet our Startup Lead: Pablo
What if innovation in buildings starts long before construction begins?
As the Startup Lead for Real Estate Management, Pablo Wegmann explores startup solutions that can create smarter, more sustainable and future-ready environments across the BMW Group.
With a background in architecture and international projects, he combines design thinking with expertise in innovation, sustainability and digital transformation to bring new technologies and perspectives into real estate.
Meet our Startup Lead: Carsten
How can startups help shape the future of work?
As the Startup Lead for Human Resources, Carsten Kraus connects BMW teams with startups to explore new approaches for employee experiences, ways of working and organizational transformation.
By combining emerging technologies with real HR challenges, he brings fresh ideas into the organization while helping startups validate their solutions in a complex corporate environment.
Meet our Startup Lead: Christian
What new possibilities emerge when AI and startup innovation come together?
As the Startup Lead for AI topics, Christian Barth-Popp explores emerging technologies and startups that can bring new approaches into the BMW Group.
With extensive experience in research, innovation and new technologies at BMW, he understands how to connect emerging ideas with business needs and identify where startup solutions can create meaningful value.
The People behind the scenes.
A proven innovator with a track record of success in engineering, entrepreneurship and automotive technology, Robert brings a unique perspective to our team. With experience ranging from software development for Siemens and Volkswagen, several managing positions within BMW to founding and leading his own startups, Robert's expertise and entrepreneurial spirit will be instrumental in driving our mission of shaping the future of mobility forward.
As a mechanical engineer, Fabian applied his technical expertise in various positions within BMW. His broad experience in different research & development and purchasing-related functions has given him deep insights into the interconnected processes that drive BMW, with a strong focus on electric components and high-voltage batteries.
With more than six years of experience in HR marketing and employer branding, Mirjam brings a wealth of knowledge in creating connections between people and organizations. In her new role, she will apply her expertise to marketing, communications and events, focusing on impactful storytelling and driving key initiatives forward. With her creativity and dedication, Mirjam aims to make a positive and lasting impact.
Melanie identifies new use cases and challenges within the BMW Group at an early stage and channels them strategically into the venture clienting process. She coordinates with startup leads and business units, prepares relevant data and ensures transparency and traceability through structured reporting. In this way, she plays a key role in accelerating the innovation process and laying the groundwork for successful collaborations.
With extensive experience across the automotive industry, Andreas has worked in diverse technology-driven environments within the BMW Group and beyond. His background includes international project experience and founding his own startup, giving him a strong perspective on both corporate and entrepreneurial contexts. In his role, he focuses on translating innovation into scalable, real-world solutions along the entire value chain.
With nearly two decades of experience at BMW Group and in consulting, Stephan has a strong track record in steering complex vehicle programs and fostering cross-functional collaboration. His background includes full vehicle project management, product line steering, and the development of partnerships and process improvements across the automotive value chain. In his current role, he manages startup-driven projects within the BMW Group Startup Garage, bringing new technologies into application along the automotive value chain.
Sergej has a background in media informatics with a focus on user-centered technologies. At BMW Group, he has worked across various emerging technology fields and gained experience in development, innovation management, and technology scouting. Over the past years, he has closely collaborated with startups from a business perspective and is now excited to bring this experience into his role as Startup Lead, driving the integration of innovative solutions within the BMW Group Startup Garage.
With a PhD in Operations Research and a background in Industrial Engineering, Christian combines his expertise in mechanical engineering, logistics and software development to drive innovation within the BMW production system.
Pablo is a talented architect with a strong track record in international projects, where he transforms visionary ideas into real, functional spaces. He combines design excellence with a deep commitment to innovation, sustainability and digital transformation in the real estate sector.
Carsten is an Innovation Manager with over ten years of experience, focusing on shaping the future of work at the intersection of people, technology and culture. At BMW Group, he drives innovation in the HR domain by making digital transformation tangible and strengthening a digital mindset across the organization.
As P² TechLAB Lead, Carsten prototypes and scales new ways of working with AI. He designs and orchestrates agentic AI workflows, translates complex AI capabilities into simple, usable solutions and enables teams to turn experiments into scalable, value‑creating applications.
Lior is an innovator in automotive and software, with expertise from roles at GM, Lytx and Microsoft. Specializing in safety, sensors and cybersecurity, she leverages cutting-edge technologies to deliver impactful business outcomes and enhance driving experiences. With global experience - including time in China and collaborations across continents - Lior bridges Israeli innovation with BMW Group’s vision.
Andreas is an experienced professional in development of digital products and AI-driven features. Based in Shanghai, China, he now explores innovative technologies and solutions from the local market. Passionate about applied AI and user-centric digital innovation, he combines technical expertise with a focus on real-world implementation.
Julian gained extensive experience in business development and innovation management in Asian markets and is an expert on the Korean automotive industry and startup ecosystem.
Marc has gained extensive experience in research, technology scouting and innovation management across Germany, Japan, Israel and China. He now leads the Tech Office Japan, identifying and connecting promising technologies and companies from the Japanese innovation ecosystem. His professional focus lies on enabling technologies for new user experiences and AI-driven features.
Brooke is an IT Innovation Strategist for the IT Tech Office Americas. She has been with the BMW Group since 2011 with a background in Data & Analytics. Brooke has a passion for delivery within emerging technologies while ensuring a focus on business value and remaining customer-centric. Working closely with the IT Tech Office team, she is focused on planning, organizing and implementing a roadmap for innovation ideas and moving concepts into reality within the Americas Region.
Kendall is passionate about the intersection of emerging technology in the business world and motivated by making an impact within the innovation space. She has been with the BMW Group since 2022, gaining diverse experience across IT infrastructure, construction project management, corporate communications and innovation strategy. Kendall provides strategic insights in the Americas region as the lead for the Startup Garage, Incubator process and the Innovation & Entrepreneurship training strategy.
Our team forms a worldwide network.
Our global network of tech offices connects us with leading startup ecosystems, emerging technologies, and innovators around the world. Together, we identify opportunities and build partnerships that bring new solutions to the BMW Group.