butterfly & elephant
our name.
our passion.

Icon: Pfeil nach rechts

butterfly & elephant: Who we are

We bring together the best qualities of the startup world and the corporate world.
Our vision is to create a dynamic platform that unlocks the full potential of emerging companies by leveraging and promoting GS1 standards. By providing funding, mentoring, and networking, we accelerate the innovation cycle and foster the adoption of innovative products and services based on these standards—creating relevance and added value for our community.

Our mission is to give your ideas wings, so they can reach their full potential.

Investment Committee

Founding pioneers and innovation drivers: Our experts for your success.

Portrait Thomas Alt
CEO and Founder of ramblr.ai

I look forward to supporting young startups with advice and hands-on help. It is important to me to leverage the standards and the excellent network of GS1 Germany in this process.

Experience I bring:

  • Founder of ramblr.ai
  • Venture Partner at Atlantic Bridge Capital
  • Director of Strategic Deals at Apple
  • Founder and CEO of metaio
My Superpower

Access to a national and international deep tech network.

LinkedIn
Portrait Jacob Fatith
CEO & Founder of aGYM

There is an entrepreneur in most people; often it takes many “fortunate coincidences” to recognize this and pave the way. Passion, dedication, and perseverance form the foundation of a good entrepreneur. Success will follow naturally.

Experience I bring:

  • Founder of aGym
  • Founder of FitX
  • Founder of YT Industries
  • Founder of Schulte Fatih Immobilien GmbH
  • MC Fit career: Trainer to Managing Director

Born in 1975 in Tehran; fled Iran to Germany in 1998.

My Superpower

Motivating, empowering, and strengthening people in their visions.

LinkedIn
Portrait Dr. Meinrad Lugan
Member of the Executive Board, B. Braun Family Holding Verwaltungs SE

butterfly & elephant is a fascinating initiative that provides young, innovative entrepreneurs with the momentum they deserve for their great digital ideas—especially in an often slow-moving analog environment.

Experience I bring:

  • Executive Board Member of the strategic corporate entity B. Braun Familienholding Verwaltungs SE
  • Chairman of the Executive Board at B. Braun Melsungen AG
  • Member of the BVMed Executive Board, serving as Chairman since 2007
  • Managing Director of MCG at B. Braun
  • Technical Director and Head of Division at MCG Metall-Chemie Goerrig GmbH & Co. KG
My Superpower

I unleash my magic to open doors to partners, clients, and investors.

LinkedIn
Portrait von Ralf Pütmann
Ralf Pütmann Multi-Chairman, Supervisory Board Professional, Investor

Startups radiate a unique combination of innovation, creativity, dynamism, and courage that is truly contagious. It is challenging but also incredibly inspiring and exciting to support this with experience and inventions, turning growth potentials into success. The country needs more entrepreneurs!

Experience I bring:

  • Multi-Chairman and Certified Supervisory Board Professional (e.g., EMERAM Capital Partners, EarthGuard, Boards&More)
  • Managing Director at P&C
  • Member of the Supervisory Board, Metro Group AG – Metro Group Buying
  • Founder & Chairman of the Board, Sportarena
  • Vice Chairman, Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer, and Chief Sales Officer at Galeria Kaufhof
My Superpower

Extensive experience in transformation and digitization across diverse industries, with a special focus on “People & Culture” and a highly multifaceted network.

LinkedIn
Portrait Kay Schiebur
Corporate Executive Board Member, Services at Otto Group

Knowing that emerging companies can benefit from my experience and that I can support the development of tailored and innovative growth strategies is a great motivation for me – especially since both sides can always learn from each other.

Professional Experience:

  • Member of the Executive Board – Services Division, Otto Group
  • Chief Supply Chain Officer, Lekkerland SE
  • Divisional Head of Logistic Systems, Lekkerland-Tobaccoland
  • Regional Director North & Member of the Management Board, GEFCO
  • Central Head of Freight Transports, Kuehne+Nagel
  • Qualified Freight Manager, DB Schenker
My Superpower

A keen sense and deep understanding of the nuances and dynamics that define a successful business model, combined with the ability to analyze complex structures and develop innovative solutions.

LinkedIn

Why butterfly & elephant?

butterfly

The butterfly symbolizes transformation, development, and growth. Our accelerator will be a place where startups evolve and transform into successful companies. The name element "butterfly" embodies this idea of change, development, and metamorphosis.

elephant

Elephants symbolize strength, stability, and community. They are also known for supporting and caring for each other as well as other animals. The name element “elephant” emphasizes the idea of mutual support and building a strong community of startups, mentors, and investors.

The combination of these two symbols in one name highlights the diversity of experiences and perspectives present in our accelerator program, as well as the idea that growth and success arise through change and collaboration.

Green is the color of life, growth, and vitality. It stands for development and also symbolizes new beginnings, harmony, and balance. In many cultures, green is regarded as the color of hope, representing the start of a new chapter and paving the way for personal growth and progress.

Our name. Our passion.

Ein Portrait von Benjamin Birker

Benjamin Birker

As of October 1, 2024, Benjamin Birker will take over as Managing Director of butterfly & elephant. For him, it means:

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

Seize opportunities or create possibilities — that has always been my philosophy. Now, I’m excited to bring my experience to butterfly & elephant to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs while being inspired myself. It’s also the perfect chance to further spotlight GS1 and create even more value within the community.

My superpower: creativity flavoured with energy.

Let's connect

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Our mission is to give your ideas wings, so they can reach their full potential.

Contact

Let's talk about your ideas