About
Reinhard Voelkel is Chair of OPTICA Corporate Engagement Council and founder of TransActum, a platform designed to assess succession and transformation readiness in industrial SMEs. With over 30 years of experience in photonics, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing, he advises boards, investors, and industrial decision-makers on technology-driven investments, acquisitions, scale-up operations, and post-merger integration. His work focuses on identifying operational and economic risks that often emerge in the gap between technical feasibility and manufacturing scalability.
Experience
- OpticaChair of OPTICA Corporate Engagement Councilcurrent2026 — presentWashington DC-Baltimore Area
- OpticaMember of the Board of Trustees (Global Photonics Economic Forum)current2024 — presentWashington DC-Baltimore Area
- OpticaCo-Chairman of the Global Photonics Economic Forum (GPEF)2024 — 2026Greater Málaga Metropolitan Area
- TransActum360Co-Foundercurrent2026 — presentZug, Switzerland
- Renevo Capital LimitedAssociate Directorcurrent2025 — present
- MagnetfabMember of the Board of Advisorscurrent2024 — presentGrenoble, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
- IVAM Microtechnology NetworkExecutive Board Membercurrent2025 — present
- SwissChipsMember of Project Advisory Board (PAB)current2024 — present
- Sand Hill AngelsMembercurrent2021 — presentVereinigte Staaten von Amerika
- SalesPro4UPresident of the Board of Directors, Co-Foundercurrent2022 — presentFribourg, Switzerland
- L.E.S.S. SAMember Board of Directorscurrent2021 — presentLausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- Focuslight SwitzerlandMember Board of Directors2024 — 2025Schweiz
- Focuslight Technologies Inc.Corporate Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)2024 — 2025
- InnosuisseExpert2018 — 2024Bern Area, Switzerland
- SUSS MicroOptics SACEO2002 — 2024Neuenburg, Schweiz
- Kommission für Technik und Industrie KTIExperte Mikro- und Nanotechnologien2015 — 2017Bern und Umgebung, Schweiz
- SUSS MicroTec LithographyBusiness Unit Manager1999 — 2002
- IMT NeuchatelResearch Assistant1994 — 1999
- Hugle LithographyResearcher (based at IMT Neuchatel)1994 — 1999
- Applied Optics Institute, University of Erlangen-NürnbergScientific Collaborator1989 — 1994
Education
- FAU Erlangen-NürnbergDoktor (Ph.D.), Physik1989 — 1994
- FAU Erlangen-NürnbergDiploma, Physics1982 — 1989
- Geschwister Scholl Gymnasium RöthenbachAbitur (A level)1973 — 1982
Skills & more
Succession PlanningSuccessionsValue EngineeringSmall and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME)M&A Advisory Services1C-Level1Board Administration2Automotive Lighting1LaserExecutive AdvisoryInformation TechnologyBoard Advisory Services
+12 more
Board level experienceBusiness AdvisingRecruitingConsultingMergers & Acquisitions (M&A)Strategic ConsultingSemiconductor IndustryPhotolithographyConsumer LightingDeeptechCEO, CSOBusiness StrategyLanguages English · French · German · Italian
From Reinhard's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg19
Bernhard KöhlerInvestment Director and Authorised Signatory at Bayern KapitalJannis ChoulidisManaging Partner at BlockwallFlorian BreinerOperating Partner, Growth at FoodLabsChristian SchadVenture Partner at AuxxoChristian KrollVenture Partner at World FundMartin KrönerPartner at Munich Venture Partners
+ 13 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Innosuisse10
Martin ScherrerPartner & Head of Managed Funds at RedstoneAnja KoenigGlobal Head of NVF at Novartis Venture FundAndreas JurgeitPartner at GimvMichael SidlerFounding Partner at redalpineMatt LashmarManaging Director, MassChallenge Switzerland at MassChallenge MexicoCara TobinInvestor at Clean Energy Venture
%20(4).avif)
+ 4 more
Colleagues at Sand Hill Angels
Abha Singhvi
Investor at Sand Hill Angels
Adam Au
Investor at Sand Hill Angels
Adam Wu
Investor at Sand Hill Angels
Akash Pai
Investor at Sand Hill Angels
Alan Fisher
Investor at Sand Hill Angels
Alan Ren
Investor at Sand Hill Angels
Alexandr Ikriannikov
Investor at Sand Hill Angels
Amanda Huang
Investor at Sand Hill Angels