Nico Rosberg, F1 World Champion and founder of Rosberg Ventures

On June 12, 2024, we had the great honor of hosting Nico Rosberg, F1 World Champion, sustainability entrepreneur, and investor, for a stimulating session on the intersection of green innovation, entrepreneurship, and the path to a sustainable future. The conversation was expertly moderated by Alexander Dahmen, with a warm opening by Prof. Dr. Thomas F. Hofmann.

The event took place in collaboration with TUM Sustainability Day, a university-wide festival featuring over 100 sustainability initiatives and 50+ workshops, talks, and panels  . As part of the TUM Speakers Series, Rosberg also engaged in a Clean Tech Innovation Sprint—a competitive challenge for student teams to develop breakthrough cleantech solutions, with awards presented during the event .

During the session, Rosberg shared insights from his journey transitioning from Formula 1 to sustainability-focused investment and entrepreneurship. He emphasized the importance of bold thinking, scientific rigor, and dare-to-fail mentorship in building green startups. As founder of Rosberg Philanthropies and an active investor in over 28 startups—including ventures like Lilium, Volocopter, Tier, and Planetly—he underscored the need for engaging youth through real-world challenges such as the Innovation Sprint .

A heartfelt thank you to Nico Rosberg for his vision and inspiration, to Alexander Dahmen for guiding a dynamic conversation, and to Prof. Dr. Thomas F. Hofmann for his welcoming remarks. And of course, thanks to all participants and organizers for making this event—aligned with TUM Sustainability Day—an inspiring gathering of innovation, ambition, and collective action.

Photos: Sebastian Kissel