Dr. Bernhard Mohr

Managing Director, Evonik Venture Capital

Professional Background
Bernhard currently leads Evonik’s Corporate Venture Capital activities. With more than 20 years of professional experience, he worked in international positions in venture capital, strategic marketing, corporate development, controlling and research & development. His academic career comprises assignments in Germany, the US, Japan and France, including working with Nobel laureates Robert H. Grubbs and Jean-Pierre Sauvage.

Bernhard’s thoughts about chemstars
“chemstars is designed to support founders and entrepreneurs in their journey to successfully advance and commercialize their business idea. As corporate partner and venture capital investor, we provide access to our global network of industry and technology experts, open-up finance options and have strong links into the chemistry-related start-up eco-system.”

What are the values that drive you?
I am passionate to work with ambitious entrepreneurs and actively support them on their path to success.

What was your motivation to launch chemstars?
Material-based start-ups are highly underrepresented despite the wealth of excellent innovation we see in this space. chemstars will help founders and entrepreneurs in the successful realization of their business idea.

How would you like to support the chemstars startups?
Challenge (potential) founders on their technologies and business models, connect them with right people in the corporate environment, help them to accelerate their business idea.

What’s the single most important piece of advice that you can give founders?
Build a team! Have the right co-founder(s) that will complement your skills and help to fill competency gaps.

What’s the one thing founders should always keep in mind?
Keep learning quickly and stop doing was doesn’t work.