But while I was in the Nepalese villages I realized how many people there are smarter than me, but who just don’t have the same opportunities. It didn’t take off due to tricky conditions - the internet was slow and not many people were using it at that time. I was interested in social business models, and in Nepal I started a search engine that would finance development projects.

I would say there were two ‘aha’ moments, both came during that trip to Nepal and Argentina. Was there an “aha moment” or a specific trigger that made you decide you wanted to become a scientist or environmental leader? Can you share that story with us? After I graduated I spent a year and a half traveling through Nepal and South America, then returned to Berlin where I founded Ecosia and began my journey in green tech. I started to question my choices and came to understand that business doesn’t always contribute to the well-being of people - and in fact can be harmful. I immediately wanted to see more and to help people who didn’t have the same opportunities as I did. These projects were my introduction into the world of the internet.ĭuring my studies I also took a few trips, including to India for two months, which really opened my eyes up to the world. While I was studying I started a website which compared different online brokers, and built an online games website with my flatmate. I became really interested in stocks, making and losing a bit of money, and this interest eventually led me to study business administration at Nuremberg University. When I was 16 years old the dot-com bubble was at its height and the stock market exploded. While the regime of course had many issues, to this day I prioritize family, friends and personal well-being above material things. The nature of the GDR regime also meant that we focused less on money and material goods and more on simple things, from gardening, to interpersonal connections. If we remember that this system is not carved into stone - that it’s something we’re making up as we go - we can believe it can change for the better. This is something I hope for the current capitalist system, which I believe is broken and losing in the fight against the climate crisis.

For example, the GDR gave me the knowledge that systems can change. My life there was pretty normal and I was only six when the wall came down, so the main change I noticed was that suddenly we had a whole lot more ice cream flavors, instead of just the usual three!Īs I get older, however, I’m becoming more aware of how this cultural background has influenced me. I was born in Wittenberg in East Germany, which was part of the former GDR. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up? Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit more.

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