Marcus Geiss

Founded in 1388, the University of Cologne is one of the oldest and largest universities in Germany. As a member of the “German U15,” Germany’s association of leading research-oriented universities, it is also among the country’s top-level research institutions. In 2012, the University of Cologne was awarded extensive funding within the framework of the Excellence Initiative, a nationwide competition tendered by the German federal and state governments to promote cutting-edge research and enhance quality in education. The University of Cologne covers a broad spectrum of disciplines. It encompasses six large Faculties: ‘Management, Economics and Social Sciences’, ‘Law’, ‘Medicine’, ‘Arts and Humanities’, ‘Mathematics and Natural Sciences’, as well as ‘Human Sciences’. Currently, approximately 48,500 students are enrolled, taking advantage of a wide variety of courses including joint degree programmes with renowned international partner universities such as Paris-Sorbonne University, University College London, Maastricht University or the Warsaw School of Economics. Academic excellence, internationality, a strong focus on research and a wide range of study programmes create a vibrant and inspiring environment, making the University of Cologne an appealing modern university in the centre of Europe.

Connect Ventures is where Product Founders fit: a London-based venture capital firm partnering with exceptional product founders at pre-seed and seed from across the UK and Europe, since 2012. Connect investment areas include AI, deep tech, data & infrastructure, fintech and health, all united by a core focus on product-driven differentiation and defensibility.

ZEAL Network SE is an international, listed group of companies that has been creating exciting and entertaining lottery experiences for over 20 years. In Germany, we are the largest provider of online lotteries through our brands, LOTTO24 and Tipp24. In Spain we work with the second largest national lottery, ONCE. Through ZEAL Ventures, we are involved in exciting e-commerce start-ups such as Omaze and DAYMADE. We have 180+ employees from various countries who act independently and think in a visionary way. Our corporate culture is characterized by team spirit, empowerment, and high ambition. Together we have a clear goal: to encourage people to dream.