Gert Christen
- Innovation strategist and launcher of new businesses
- Entrepreneur in Residence at Mach49
- A technology executive who builds university entrepreneurship programs
Gert Christen, the Entrepreneur in Residence at Mach49, a company that helps global businesses build a pipeline and portfolio of high potential ventures. He is an independent innovation strategist and former COO for City Innovate. This position saw him help solve urban problems using technology and innovation as co-founder of the Superpublic GovTech lab in San Francisco and part of San Francisco’s team for the 2016 US Smart City Challenge. Gert enjoys working on projects focused on improving mobility in cities, whether by means of innovative mixed public-private transport services or autonomous vehicles as a service.
His career has seen Gert Christen on a rising trajectory. He built up the BlueLion Incubator in Zurich, for example. This is a methodical programme for high potential ICT and Clean Tech startup companies. Approximately 75% of the startups taking part in the programme secured financing within six months. He was also involved in creating Startupfair, Switzerland’s largest event for the startup industry, and in refocusing Startzentrum, Zurich, with regards to its core mission.
In 2014, Gert Christian was awarded the Swiss Marketing Trophy for the best national campaign in the non-profit category. His creation Startup Battle is Switzerland’s first public, live pitching event that is designed to identify promising new startups. He also founded the Entrepreneurship Department at HWZ University in Zurich. In doing so, he created Switzerland’s largest program where student teams support startups and experience real-world entrepreneurship.
Gert Christen has also been an executive in the mobile phone business, where he oversaw mobile content, app stores and mobile operating systems, telecom systems integration, and network rollouts. He also built Nokia’s first commercial app stores in both North and Latin America, and headed project management and engineering for Nokia’s systems integration unit in both Americas. In addition to this, Gert led Nokia’s network rollouts for mobile operators Salt and Sunrise in Switzerland.
In Asia, Gert Christen spearheaded PurpleLabs’ licensing business for their innovative Linux-based mobile phone operating system and built one of the first distribution networks for RF-ID products in Asia. He helped create the market for their textile and workwear industry.
With regards to his educational background, Gert Christen has a Bachelor’s in Marketing and an MBA from SMU Cox Business School in Dallas, Texas.
Gert Christen – Speaker
As a speaker, Gert Christen speaks about the impact of innovation on a variety of industries. He lives in the USA and presents in English and German.
Speaking Topics
- Silicon Valley – lots of light and shadows, too
- Autonomous vehicles, a city’s blessing or curse?
- Comparing innovation/startups in Silicon Valley with the rest of the world
- Why Silicon Valley works & why you might be threatened by it