This is us

Bernhard is an expert in automotive purchasing and digitalisation and has years of experience as a project lead at MINI and Rolls Royce and as purchasing lead with a focus on BMW commodities.

Her strong purchasing background enables Melanie to improve the onboarding process for startups and to support them in becoming longterm suppliers for BMW. Furthermore, she is also responsible for communication and events organization.

During her Master’s studies in Mechanical Engineering, Alexandra co-founded a tech startup. At the BMW Group she developed a profound understanding of automotive industrialisation.

With his background as an Industrial Engineer and assignments in various divisions of the BMW Group, David brings expertise and practical experience in the BMW production system as well as in IT to the team.

Johanna has a background in management and technology and has worked across various departments within BMW. Her experience within the company has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of its workings, enabling her to bring innovative IT solutions to the BMW Group.

Carmen, an accomplished architect, possesses exceptional skills in architectural design. With extensive international experience as a project lead, she has been instrumental in transforming initial concepts into realized environments. Carmen spearheads all real estate-related innovations and startup projects, with a particular focus on sustainability and digitization. She specializes in developing solutions for energy and CO2 reduction, as well as utilizing Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) materials.

Stefan is skilled in business development, automotive engineering, continuous improvement and business strategy in various fields of automotive mobility. He developed a deep understanding of the Japanese startup environment and local automotive industry.

With extensive knowledge of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and a wealth of global automotive experience, Jingzhe possesses a deep technical understanding that is invaluable to China's startup ecosystem. Her unwavering dedication to promoting BMW Startup Garage’s collaborations and activities in China, and her ability to bridge the gap between startups and BMW Group, make her an invaluable asset to our team.

As a professional with a deep technical background and a passion for innovation, Xiaohang excels at connecting startups with the right business units. By leveraging her expertise and industry knowledge, she facilitates seamless collaboration between both and drives successful outcomes.

Yukki with strong background of various IT system design and buildup projects, and has rich experience in digital related solution. She developed a deep understanding of startups environment in China.

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.

With her strong background in purchasing and supply chain management at the BMW Group, Shinae provides deep insights into the innovative Korean startup ecosystem.

After working in the Silicon Valley and having founded his own company, Bernhard is very familiar with the startup culture. On top of that, with his 20+ years’ experience in the automotive industry and an engineering degree in Precision Engineering and Microsystems, he brings strong technical expertise to the team.

Yama has strong expertise in automotive interiors and HMI technology, but also excels in motorcycle, aircraft, and urban air mobility. NTN communications, quantum computing, and digital topics are also in his field.

As a car enthusiast and engineer, Shitij is passionate about revolutionary technologies in the Automotive space, with a focus on autonomous cars. With a technical background in Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, I have experience in establishing successful automotive startups and driving business revenue growth through innovative marketing and product differentiation. Having worked and lived across different countries, I am adaptable, culturally aware, and thrive in diverse collaborative teams. Key interests: Autonomous Vehicles, IoT, Robotics, Sustainability.