Between technology, entrepreneurial spirit and art: Stefan Schumacher is joining Next Mobility Labs
After years in senior roles at IBM, Telekom, and other global technology companies, Stefan Schumacher chose the pace and immediacy of start-up building over corporate stability. He thrives where technology meets business, turning innovation into new ventures.
Stefan Schumacher has spent many years in senior roles at international technology companies, including IBM, where he headed the Solution Business globally, and later at Telekom. Throughout his career, he has always operated at the intersection of technology and business: developing new initiatives, bringing innovations to market, and building new business areas. But as he gained seniority, it became clear to him that whilst large companies offer stability, they rarely allow room for speed and immediate impact. What has always driven him most was working in start-up mode: “Speed, impact and the freedom to build something new.”
The move into self-employment and investment was therefore not a change of course, but a conscious return to what drives him.
He now wishes to pass on this wealth of experience to founders. Schumacher knows what matters when an idea becomes a business:
“I often see presentations where there’s a lot of talk about the problem, but too little about exactly what the product does.”
For him, three things are crucial: clarity about the product itself, a realistically thought-through go-to-market strategy with a specific target audience and compelling arguments, and a business plan that robustly balances investment against revenue.
It is not only his professional affinity with mobility – he has been working in the sector for 15 years, from core technologies to connected vehicle applications – that draws him to Next Mobility Labs, but above all the network and the personal fit. “The trust and energy within the team were decisive for me,” he says. He certainly had his doubts: the industry’s strong focus on the automotive sector, the currently difficult market conditions, and the waning hype. Yet Stefan Schumacher is convinced:
“Mobility is far from being a solved problem, and that is precisely what makes it so exciting.”
For him, automation remains a huge topic for the future, whether on the road, in the air, on the water or with drones.
In Hamburg, Schumacher aims to build a local Next Mobility Labs ecosystem in the future: identifying start-ups in the region, connecting them and strengthening the city’s position as a hub.
Alongside technology, Schumacher has a second passion: art. He has been painting for years, takes part in painting trips and has already exhibited his work. For him, the parallel with entrepreneurship is clear:
“You have to believe in what you create, even if others view it critically.”
With this blend of entrepreneurial experience, technological understanding and creative energy, he brings a fresh perspective to the venture studio.
