Digital Expertise Made in Germany: etventure Expands International Locations in New York and Zurich

Berlin, October 25, 2016 – How can companies survive in a digital world? This is the question currently facing companies in Germany and around the world. Digital consultancy and startup builder etventure is therefore expanding its activities abroad. Henceforth, Managing Directors Mario Fäh and Lukas Bower will take over responsibility for the Swiss and U.S. markets, respectively.

“Born in Germany, educated in Silicon Valley”

Founded in Germany, but with methods and approaches from Silicon Valley, etventure develops digital business models and products for companies. “We rely on methods of innovation that have been adopted by the startup scene, among others, so we can rapidly launch business models that have real added value for the customer,” says etventure Managing Director Philipp Depiereux. “In the digital world, it’s this fast, radically user-oriented approach that counts.”

etventure develops and tests digital business models based on prototypes in a protected space, outside of the core areas of the organization. “Most companies around the world are trying to press ahead with innovation from within their own companies. Yet in the core areas of their organization, they are still dominated by engineering-driven thinking that focuses on perfection — whether in Germany, Switzerland, the US, or most other markets. This causes them to fail when it comes to digitization,” says Depiereux.

With its own startup-building activities and the new business already successfully launched for companies, including for Klöckner, Haniel & Cie and Wüstenrot & Württembergische, etventure can already point to a great many successes in Germany.

Huge demand in the birthplace of digitization

In the United States, the digital entrepreneurs of etventure have helped the industrial companies SMS group and Kloeckner Metals develop digital strategies and concepts for the American market. “In the process, we’ve noticed that even in the birthplace of digitization, companies are not fundamentally further along, and there is huge demand for execution-oriented consulting, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises. They face nearly identical challenges,” says Depiereux. Similarly, in Switzerland, etventure has already executed successful projects for the Vontobel bank and the bookselling chain Orell Füssli.

Now, etventure is increasing its involvement in both of these markets by appointing two new managing directors. Lukas Bower is based in New York and will oversee business in the United States. He brings with him over 20 years of experience in the areas of corporate innovation and digital transformation. Most recently, he built up the entire US business for technology and digital consultancy Squiz. Management staff from etventure will help him to build up the business in North America. Mario Fäh, who is based in the Zurich office, is pressing ahead with expansion in Switzerland. He has 15 years of experience with digitization in the areas of media, communications and packaging. He is the co-founder of PAS Media, and for the last twelve years he has been the company’s CEO. He is being supported by Björn Wettergren, etventure partner in Zurich. The team at these locations will gradually be expanded too.

“With Lukas Bower and Mario Fäh, we’re pleased to have found two absolute experts for the execution of digital projects in their respective markets. Both of them also have the entrepreneurial and startup spirit and therefore embody the corporate culture of etventure,” says Philipp Depiereux. “The buildup of our management staff and the vigorous expansion of our international business is the logical consequence of enormous growth and rising demand for the expertise needed to execute digital projects.”