Bernd Klosterkemper

I think my grandparents had a great influence on who I am today. My grandfather was an entrepreneur at heart and throughout his life, he was not afraid to take responsibility and risks. My grandmother, on the other hand, was such a generous person, not primarily in a monetary sense, but in how much she cared for other people. She sent such a strong message to us kids by being the perfect role model. I guess this is why I feel so satisfied to now be able to combine those two elements: using the power of entrepreneurship to make this world a better place for everyone.

What excites me every day? I think it’s the combination of looking at the most pressing problems facing our society and working with the type of entrepreneurial people who look at these challenges and say, ‘Hey, we can do something about it!’ I feel really privileged to be able to just focus on the ‘meaningful stuff’ and to work with such incredibly talented and entrepreneurial founders.

Health, ageing society, climate change, agriculture – how do we transform the way we live and safeguard our planet’s resources for future generations? These are the areas I’m most passionate about. But there are many other challenges needing attention and entrepreneurial solutions that are also on my “bucket list” of topics to explore more, whether it’s data, AI ethics, the future of work or other solutions that can contribute to a more equitable humanity.

My time at PlanetHome taught me how different it feels to be in the board room or at the front of a company – what it takes to scale an organisation and to reinvent it over and over again, but also how much you get back from being successful together in a high performing team.