GF BRYCK Ventures

Philipp Herrmann is co-founder and CEO of BRYCK, which he co-founded in 2022. He previously founded and led etventure, established in 2010 and acquired by EY in 2017, after which he served as a Partner at EY, and earlier held roles at Bertelsmann, the Bertelsmann subsidiary scoyo, and ClimatePartner. He holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, serves as an admissions interviewer for the school, and sits on the Advisory Board of Badencampus.

Ersin Üstün is Managing Director of BRYCK Startup Alliance, one of Germany's official Startup Factories, where he works to develop a DeepTech ecosystem connecting founders, researchers, corporates and investors. Prior to this role, he spent 12 years as a management consultant at EY, leading international projects across technology, finance and transformation. He grew up in a migrant family in the Ruhr region.

Alina Schröer-Lesch is an Investment Manager at Noaber, where she focuses on medtech and digital health investments across Europe. She is also involved with Nextgen Ventures in the impact investing space.

Ann-Cathrin Sieren is Head of Communication & Brand at BRYCK Startup Alliance. She studied visual communication at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen and later worked in art direction in Paris and in the creative and advertising industry, before additionally studying business and management. Her work focuses on brand strategy, communication, and brand building, and she also speaks on topics including leadership, innovation, and startup culture.

Beriwan Akbaba is People and Culture Manager at BRYCK Startup Alliance, working in the startup and deep-tech ecosystem on culture, leadership, DEIB, and personal branding. She works as a speaker and consultant on topics including DEIB, employer branding, and leadership, and was recognized as an HR Top Voice in 2024 and 2025. Trained as a business lawyer, she also focuses on supporting talent with migration backgrounds and increasing visibility for underrepresented perspectives.

Britta Dombrowe is Business Lead for Strategic Partnerships and Equal Opportunities at BRYCK Startup Alliance. Born in Bielefeld, she studied art history, German language, and history at Cologne University, completed a PhD, and worked as an author and director of documentaries for broadcasters including ARD, ZDF, 3Sat, and ARTE. In 2016 she joined the communications team at Evonik Industries, later working with the Initiativkreis Ruhr on programs and events supporting the regional startup scene.

Ciro Del Core is Events Manager at BRYCK Startup Alliance and has 19 years of international experience in B2B events, trade fairs, and conferences. He has worked with trade fair organizers, corporates, event agencies, and startup ecosystems across Europe and the Middle East, focusing on areas including strategic planning, end-to-end event delivery, budget management, and sponsorship models. His work involves leading cross-functional and multicultural teams across the full scope of event timelines and stakeholders.

Kevin Kessler works in investors and portfolio management and serves as a mentor at BRYCK Startup Alliance. He began his path as a founder nine years ago, with prior ventures ranging from street food stores to steel trading platforms. He also provides individual coaching in entrepreneurial education.

Larissa Gajewski is a Startup Programs Manager at BRYCK Startup Alliance, a startup accelerator, where she works in startup incubation and programs. Her role involves supporting startups by connecting them with capital, markets, and a network of investors, corporates, and other partners, with attention to providing equal support for female founders.

Manuel Seiters is Director for PropTech and the Built Environment at BRYCK Startup Alliance. He works on founding corporate ventures and building or integrating new business units and brands, taking them from ideation through scale. His experience includes work in the FMCG, sustainability, aviation, and security industries, with a focus on developing customer-facing brands.

Salvatore Cavallaro is Startup Program Manager at BRYCK Startup Alliance, where he oversees the accelerator program across deep tech sectors including energy, materials, and AI, and connects startups with corporates and investors. He also works independently with founders on strategy, structure, and network access, and has experience spanning consulting, sales and marketing, and international organisations across Europe and Latin America, including the United Nations. His areas of focus include venture capital and early-stage investments, industrial innovation, deep tech ecosystems, and sustainability-driven ventures, and he is fluent in five languages.

Sarah Wurzer is a Managing Director at Gaocheng Capital. Her work focuses on growth-stage private equity investments in the technological innovation and enterprise service (toB) sectors.

Tobias Grün is a Member of the Executive Board at BRYCK Startup Alliance.