Staff

Egbert Rühl has worked as a cultural and artistic facilitator throughout his career - in many different genres and functions. Since 2010, as Managing Director of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft GmbH, he has been responsible for business development for the creative industries in Hamburg, from start-ups to the self-employed to established companies.

With a steadily growing team of currently around 60 employees, numerous funding projects have been realised under Egbert Rühl's leadership. These include the EU-funded (ERDF) Cross Innovation Hub, which operates across all sectors of the economy, and the development of three incubator programmes for different submarkets of the creative industries.

Milestones in the company's development were the integration of the location initiatives Gamecity, nextMedia.Hamburg and the Hamburg Design Centre and their further development under a common umbrella. Added to this are the diverse property and site development activities. The best-known examples are the Oberhafenquartier, the creative warehouse M28 with the innovation space SPACE and the lighthouse project for the development of the inner city, the cultural department stores' "Jupiter", as part of "Frei_Fläche - Programm für kreative Zwischennutzung", which has also received widespread attention beyond the region.

in 2024, he launched the German Creative Economy Summit with the aim of driving the overall economy forward and promoting the future through innovation. As a platform for the entire creative industry, the GCES will take place in Hamburg for the third time in spring 2026.

In numerous networks, Egbert Rühl exchanges ideas about the development of the sector beyond the Hanseatic city, both nationally and in the European context, and helps to shape it with his ideas and experience. He is also (almost) always available for anyone who has a suggestion, a problem or a good idea.

Julia Reichel works as an executive assistant. She acts as an interface in organizational development and supports Egbert Rühl in structuring various processes and in day-to-day operations. Julia studied Applied Cultural Studies at Leuphana University in Lüneburg and Art History at the University of Rennes II Haute Bretagne. She gained professional experience in press and public relations at Kampnagel, for a theater festival organized by the Federal Agency for Civic Education, and as a PR manager for international dance and music theater productions as well as in the education sector.

Svenja Siemsen is Head of Organisation & Administration and ensures that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes at Kreativ Gesellschaft. She is particularly responsible for internal organisational development and the associated support of change processes.

Before joining Kreativ Gesellschaft, she studied Cultural Studies and Business Administration at Leuphana University Lüneburg and worked in various exhibition centres.

Michael Ohnmacht's areas of responsibility are all those things that usually take place unseen in the background, but without which the Kreativ Gesellschaft would not function: for example, he is responsible for the accounting, office and personnel administration of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

As a freelancer, Michael Ohnmacht previously worked for many years for various event organisers, particularly in the concert sector.

Sophia Jänicke is implementing and managing the new Business Development department at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. In this position, she is responsible for the further development and monetisation of our offerings and supports the Kreativ Gesellschaft in developing its capabilities and exploiting synergies.

Before joining Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, the qualified digital business manager worked in management consultancy, where she supported clients from the public sector in their digital transformation.

Hannah Kemper is head of the German Creative Economy Summit. She was previously part of the Cross Innovation Hub and the Consultancy & Training team, where she worked as project manager for the Creative Business Academy. She then worked as a programme manager in the conception & implementation department of the Cross Innovation Hub of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

She studied Cultural Anthropology and Art History (M.A.) at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel.

Nicola Bramkamp is a curator and was Director of Drama at the Bonn Theatre from 2013 to 2018. in 2014, she founded the Art meets Science initiative SAVE THE WORLD, which stages global future issues worldwide. SAVE THE WORLD brings together artists and experts to communicate the UN's Sustainable Development Goals to a broad audience. The artistic programme ranges from festivals, performances and shows to exhibitions, conferences and talks. Since 2018, it has organised the annual conference "Burning Issues - Performing Arts & Equity", Germany's largest industry conference on diversity, inclusion and equality, as well as TEDx Bonn. Most recently, she curated and conceptualised the roadshow "Wir können auch anders" (We can be different) and brought the good stories of transformation to the stage together with stars from science and culture such as Prof. Maja Göpel, Bjarne Mädel, Max Mutzke and others. She is also co-founder of the "Performing for Future" network, which - in addition to aesthetic issues - is committed to the sustainable, operationally ecological reform of cultural institutions. In 2023, she was awarded the "Kulturgestalten" future prize by the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft for her commitment. In addition to her work for SAVE THE WORLD, she regularly works as a consultant for social & cultural responsibility for companies (Jägermeister, Escada, etc.) and as a speaker and moderator.

Karla Hübner works as a programme curator at the German Creative Economy Summit and supports the planning, implementation and follow-up of speaker communication and programme development as well as the implementation of advertising campaigns.

Karla completed the interdisciplinary degree programme Individuale at Leuphana University Lüneburg. She specialised in music sociology and cultural mediation. Prior to this, she worked for several years as an event assistant in the equal opportunities office at Leuphana University. In addition to her work at the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, she is also a creative professional herself - she works as a dance teacher on the side.

Kirsten is currently responsible for partner management, sponsorship and cooperation at the German Creative Economy Summit.

The trained publishing specialist and graduate urban planner (MSc HafenCity University Hamburg) has been with Kreativ Gesellschaft since 2010, where she built up and managed the real estate division, then worked in the Cross Innovation Hub in the area of event conception and supported our management in the area of funding acquisition. Kirsten was then project manager for Mind the Progress (congress for net culture and digital society) and most recently co-project manager for the first German Creative Economy Summit.

She completed her degree in Culture of the Metropolis (B.A.) at HafenCity University Hamburg in 2017. She studied Empirical Cultural Studies (M.A.) at the University of Hamburg until 2023. During her studies, she focussed on event management and worked as a freelance event manager for Kopf&Steine GmbH, the Hamburg Short Film Festival and Filmfest Hamburg, among others. She also works as a concert organiser at Uebel&Gefährlich.

As Digital Marketing Manager, Olga Frick is part of the communications team at Kreativ Gesellschaft, where she is responsible for the strategic expansion of digital channels.

After studying communication design at the Kunstschule Wandsbek, Olga completed another degree in business administration with a focus on marketing at the Hessische BA. Her path led her from the publishing world to the agency world - from offline design to consulting international brands for their online channels.

Agnieszka Kreft works at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft as an event organiser for the German Creative Economy Summit. Her responsibilities include the planning, organisation and implementation of the summit as well as the management of the speakers.

In January 2025, Agnieszka successfully completed her training as an event manager at the Kampnagel Theatre in Hamburg. As part of the Artistic Operations Office, she looked after artists, clients and productions.

In recent years, including her stay abroad in Dublin, Agnieszka has gained experience in various event formats.

Cindy is responsible for communications at nextMedia.Hamburg and the German Creative Economy Summit. During her studies, she began working in press relations for various clients in the games industry at a PR agency in Hamburg. Later, she was responsible for communications for a Hamburg-based food start-up focussing on branding and content.

Cindy works part-time as a creative in the fields of graphic design and photography.

Kim Zoe Spix supports the communications team as a working student in the areas of content management and online editing. She is also responsible for communication tasks in the area of counselling and further education. She is currently studying German Language and Literature with a minor in Art History at the University of Hamburg. She previously studied photography at the HFBK and has already gained professional experience in the fields of social media management, photography and text in various companies and industries.

Svenja Siemsen is Head of Organisation & Administration and ensures that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes at Kreativ Gesellschaft. She is particularly responsible for internal organisational development and the associated support of change processes.

Before joining Kreativ Gesellschaft, she studied Cultural Studies and Business Administration at Leuphana University Lüneburg and worked in various exhibition centres.

Michael Ohnmacht's areas of responsibility are all those things that usually take place unseen in the background, but without which the Kreativ Gesellschaft would not function: for example, he is responsible for the accounting, office and personnel administration of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

As a freelancer, Michael Ohnmacht previously worked for many years for various event organisers, particularly in the concert sector.

Julia Reichel works as an executive assistant. She acts as an interface in organizational development and supports Egbert Rühl in structuring various processes and in day-to-day operations. Julia studied Applied Cultural Studies at Leuphana University in Lüneburg and Art History at the University of Rennes II Haute Bretagne. She gained professional experience in press and public relations at Kampnagel, for a theater festival organized by the Federal Agency for Civic Education, and as a PR manager for international dance and music theater productions as well as in the education sector.

Friederike Netzow is responsible for human resources at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft and is therefore also the contact person for applicants in the context of our job advertisements.

She has also been part of the Cross Innovation Hub project since 2017 and is responsible for the administration and accounting of project funds.

Friederike Netzow studied International Management (specialising in Human Resources) in Flensburg, Denmark and Sweden and was involved in the implementation of various funded educational projects and worked in recruitment after completing her studies.

The Cross Innovation Hub is subsidised by the European Regional Development Fund(ERDF).

In the Organisation & Administration team, Hauke Neumann is responsible for invoice entry, invoicing and everything to do with office management.

Previously, he produced maritime porcelain as a freelancer for many years, built up a coffee brand and was co-owner of a maritime restaurant.

As a working student, Anja is part of the Organisation & Administration team and provides support for various projects. Born in Hamburg, Anja moved to the Hanseatic city of Lüneburg for her studies, where she is completing her Bachelor's degree in Cultural Studies and Popular Music Studies at Leuphana University. During this time, she has already been involved in various cultural departments of the AStA, worked as a programme editor at SZENE Hamburg and gained insights into working in Hamburg's music industry at Hamburg Music Business e.V..

Jean heads the communications department at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft and is the contact person for press and media representatives.

Before taking over the project management of the Oberhafenquartier development as a freelancer at Kreativ Gesellschaft in 2014, he was in charge of public relations for the MS Dockville Festival in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg for seven years. In addition to all communication tasks, he was responsible for networking and lobbying and in this role helped to shape the foundation, development and growth of the festival and accompanied the development of numerous formats such as the Spektrum Festival, the Vogelball, the art camp (today: Artville) and the Lüttville kids project. At the same time as starting at Kreativ Gesellschaft, he was involved as co-initiator of the first Hallo Festspiele at Kraftwerk Bille in Hammerbrook.

At the Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Jean studied Applied Cultural Studies for a long time and successfully - with internships at enja Records, Munich, the Hamburger Kunsthalle, the Freunde der Hamburger Kunsthalle e.V. and the German-French TV channel arte, Strasbourg.

As Digital Marketing Manager, Olga Frick is part of the communications team at Kreativ Gesellschaft, where she is responsible for the strategic expansion of digital channels.

After studying communication design at the Kunstschule Wandsbek, Olga completed another degree in business administration with a focus on marketing at the Hessische BA. Her path led her from the publishing world to the agency world - from offline design to consulting international brands for their online channels.

Clara Tischer is the contact person for communications at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Cultural, Communication and Media Studies at the University of Bremen. She then moved to the far north - at the University of Copenhagen she studied anthropological research in the Master's programme "Applied Cultural Analysis" and gained experience in various PR and advertising agencies in the areas of strategy and copywriting.

Kim Zoe Spix supports the communications team as a working student in the areas of content management and online editing. She is also responsible for communication tasks in the area of counselling and further education. She is currently studying German Language and Literature with a minor in Art History at the University of Hamburg. She previously studied photography at the HFBK and has already gained professional experience in the fields of social media management, photography and text in various companies and industries.

Lena is part of the Kreativ Gesellschaft communications team as a working student in social media and online editing. She is primarily responsible for managing the social media channels and also supports the communication of the Cross Innovation Hub. She is currently studying for a Master's degree in Digital Communication at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg. There she was editor of the online magazine Fink.Hamburg and gained extensive experience in journalism, public relations and content creation.

Iris Jonak is responsible for communications for the Cross Innovation Hub of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

After studying communication sciences, sociology and psychology at RWTH Aachen University and King's College London, she initially spent several years in the Hamburg agency landscape. This was followed by positions at a city initiative for start-ups and at a sustainable fashion label, where Iris was responsible for marketing and communications.

The Cross Innovation Hub is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Miriam Hinternesch is the contact person for communications at the Design Zentrum Hamburg. She is responsible for the visibility of the various events and programmes, takes care of new content formats and manages the Design Zentrum's social channels. Miriam Hinternesch has already dedicated herself to creative topics, both in journalistic work and in the agency environment. After studying for a bachelor's degree in Enschede in the Netherlands and working in Denmark and Berlin, her path finally led her to Hamburg for a master's degree in journalism and communication studies. Most recently, she wrote news in the editorial department of the German Press Agency.

Paula is responsible for communications at nextMedia.Hamburg. She studied media and communication sciences and politics at Martin Luther University in Halle (Saale) and worked part-time at a television production company in Leipzig. She has also gained experience in the fields of journalism, public relations and event management in various positions.

Sören is Communications Manager at nextMedia.Hamburg and the contact person for location and industry communications. Sören studied industrial engineering as well as media technology and communication in Braunschweig and Gothenburg. He focussed on science communication for a long time. Alongside his studies, he organised his first events in this field. After his studies, he completed a PR traineeship at a Hamburg communications agency. As a consultant and project manager, he then advised clients from the fields of science, education and society on the planning and implementation of campaigns.

Cindy is responsible for communications at nextMedia.Hamburg and the German Creative Economy Summit. During her studies, she began working in press relations for various clients in the games industry at a PR agency in Hamburg. Later, she was responsible for communications for a Hamburg-based food start-up focussing on branding and content.

Cindy works part-time as a creative in the fields of graphic design and photography.

Anna Jäger is responsible for communications at Gamecity Hamburg.

Born in Oldenburg, she also moved to the north to study at the University of Hamburg, where she successfully completed her Master's degree in African Studies, Islamic Studies and Political Science. She then trained as a video journalist at a regional television station in Lower Saxony. This was followed by various positions in online marketing, social media and a job as a media designer for image and sound at a TV station in the health sector in Hamburg.

She is a passionate gamer and loves playing action adventure and role-playing games on the PS4. In the creative field, she works as a webcomic artist and regularly pokes fun at herself and her everyday experiences.

Senta Gohr supports Gamecity Hamburg as PR manager in all matters relating to communication and public relations.

As a PR editor and consultant in the technology sector, Senta primarily looked after gaming clients and got a feel for what makes the industry tick. Her areas of work include developing formats, writing articles and press releases, designing workshops and managing Gamecity's website. When it comes to communication, she is particularly passionate about LGBTQIA+, inclusion and sustainability.

Senta's love of gaming goes way back to the wild 90s. Just over the dyke in Lower Saxony, she fell in love with the Pokémon series and soon found her new favourite toy: the Gameboy Color. Since then, Senta has never let go of gaming and anime. Later, as a true child of the Internet, she networked with all kinds of creative people and found like-minded people from a wide variety of fields at countless conventions. In addition to her love of gaming and fan culture, she also discovered cosplay and photography. She also studied the latter at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts before she decided to pursue a career in public relations.

Jan-Marius Komorek is a working student in the Communications department. His field of activity includes video production and photography through the various events, further education and space offers of our initiatives. Outside of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, he has already gained experience in the field of social media communication through many years of mobilisation and public relations work in the field of climate and democracy activism. At HafenCity University, he is involved in cultural-scientific urban research on urban justice crises and sustainable, participatory design for circular urban societies of the future as part of the Culture of the Metropolis and Urban Design degree programmes.

Sophia Jänicke is implementing and managing the new Business Development department at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. In this position, she is responsible for the further development and monetisation of our offerings and supports the Kreativ Gesellschaft in developing its capabilities and exploiting synergies.

Before joining Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, the qualified digital business manager worked in management consultancy, where she supported clients from the public sector in their digital transformation.

Isabel Jansen is Head of Consultancy & Training at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

She previously worked in cultural and film production, worked at Betahaus Hamburg and taught freelance on the topics of digital education and project management. Isabel Jansen studied Cultural Studies (B.A., Leuphana University Lüneburg) and Media Communications (B.A., University of South Wales) as well as part-time Cultural and Media Management (M.A., Institut KMM Hamburg).

She is also a committee member of the InnoFounder programme of IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH.

Susanne works as a knowledge manager at the Cross Innovation Hub on the theory and practice of cross-sector collaboration between the creative industries and other sectors of the economy. Together with others, she set up the Consulting & Training division, where she has already been responsible for consultations, organised a series of events for networking creative professionals and offered a workshop programme. Today, she is part of the team that organises events and workshops on the topic of artificial intelligence.

Before joining Kreativ Gesellschaft, Susanne worked as a research assistant in the graduate programme "Aesthetic Education" at the University of Hamburg and as a personal assistant to the artistic director at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus. As a freelancer, she has also worked for several years with theatre and dance professionals from Hamburg and Berlin in the areas of concept development, public relations and financing.

The Cross Innovation Hub is supported by the European Regional Development Fund(ERDF).

Andreas was managing director of VUT-Nord (Association of Independent Music Companies) for many years and then of Jazzbüro Hamburg e. V. Since 2015, he has been in charge of label promotion for Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. He is also responsible for the pool of coaches and experts as well as consultations at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

Marie is responsible for all offers for students and graduates as well as crowdfunding and the Music-WorX-Incubator in the Counselling & Further Education department. She studied Business Administration (B. Sc.) at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel and worked for several years as a studio assistant for various NDR radio programmes.

Helene is a project manager in the Consultancy & Training department at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. She is responsible for the MusicWorX incubator, the young talent format "Stippvisite", the online academy for the self-employed and crowdfunding. She previously studied business administration (M. Sc.) at the University of Hamburg, specialising in marketing and business management, and worked for several years as a project assistant in her current field.

She completed her degree in Culture of the Metropolis (B.A.) at HafenCity University Hamburg in 2017. She studied Empirical Cultural Studies (M.A.) at the University of Hamburg until 2023. During her studies, she focussed on event management and worked as a freelance event manager for Kopf&Steine GmbH, the Hamburg Short Film Festival and Filmfest Hamburg, among others. She also works as a concert organiser at Uebel&Gefährlich.

Jonas heads the Creative Business Academy at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, the eight-month training and networking programme for the creative industries.

As an artist manager, he previously looked after music and stand-up artists, designed event concepts with his agency, curated conference programmes and advised companies in the music industry. Jonas studied Applied Cultural Studies at Leuphana University Lüneburg - with interruptions and practical placements in radio, marketing and event production.

Jana supports the planning and implementation of the Creative Business Academy, the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft's eight-month further education and networking programme, as a working student. In addition to her cultural and media management studies (M.A.) at the HfMT Hamburg, she has worked in event management for the Popkurs Hamburg and various music festivals in recent years. As chairwoman of Musiknetzwerk Aachen e.V., Jana is committed to supporting up-and-coming musicians.

Born in Schleswig-Holstein, Katja Wolframm studied economics and social sciences at the University of Lüneburg. After graduating, she continued on two tracks: on the one hand as managing director of a shop for handcrafted fashion design, on the other hand she wrote her doctoral thesis on the topic of "Region in the global economy". This involved the creation of competitive advantages in the establishment of companies as well as clusters and co-operations in the Hamburg metropolitan region. At Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, Dr rer. pol. is responsible for issues relating to commercial property, pop-up and interim uses and is the contact person for the properties let by us.

Fatmanur Avci supports the Space department as a project assistant and is the contact person for all questions relating to the search for space and studios in Hamburg.

She studied urban planning at the HafenCity University in Hamburg.

Clara Bökelheide is a project manager in the pilot projects. She previously supported the Counselling & Further Education team as a project assistant. She studied Cultural Studies (B.A.) and Cultural Studies: Culture & Organisation (M.A.) at the Leuphana University of Lüneburg. She is also involved in lunatic e.V., which organises the lunatic festival for art, music and culture in Lüneburg every year at the beginning of June. She is responsible for administration and finances in the organisation.

Celina Behn is the project manager responsible for the "Frei_Fläche: Raum für kreative Zwischennutzung" funding programme in the Space department.

Celina Behn studied urban planning at HafenCity University Hamburg and has already worked in various fields of urban development. As part of various projects, she has focussed on the interactions between the creative industries and urban development.

Markus Engel is part of the Space team for the "Frei_Fläche: Raum für kreative Zwischennutzung" funding programme and is the contact person for questions regarding the application and processing of funding.

After studying Applied Cultural Studies, he worked in various contexts in music and orchestra management, including for the Berliner Festspiele and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. He was also project manager at the cultural management consultancy Birnkraut|Partner, project manager for platform projects at Initiative Musik gGmbH and for seven years headed the coach and expert pool as well as the consultancy services of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

He was co-owner of the record label Pingipung for 12 years, was an honorary member of the Association of Independent Music Companies (VUT e.V.) and is an active musician himself.

Christina Cornehl works in the Real Estate & Urban Development department and is the contact person for the Kreativ Gesellschaft's rental properties as well as for all questions relating to the search for space and studios in Hamburg.

After studying cultural studies, specialising in art and visual cultures, she gained experience in public relations and editing during her traineeship. She then completed a Master's degree in Culture, Arts & Media at the Leuphana University of Lüneburg.

Louisa Schwope is part of the Space/Real Estate team for the "Frei_Fläche: Raum für kreative Zwischennutzung" funding programme and the contact person for Jupiter an der Mönckebergstraße.

After studying art history, social sciences and cultural and media management in Berlin, Vienna and Hamburg, she was a trainee at the Bundesstiftung Baukultur. From 2018 to 2024, she worked as a project manager for the project developer Coloured Fields GmbH with conversion projects in Hamburg and Chemnitz. As a volunteer, she is a passionate building culture mediator, including as a board member of the Denkmalverein Hamburg e.V.

Malte Koch is a project assistant in the property and urban development team. He supports the FABRIC - Future Fashion Lab project and is the contact person for the Kreativ Gesellschaft's rental properties as well as for all questions relating to the search for space and studios in Hamburg. He studied urban planning at the HafenCity University Hamburg.

Louisa Steinwärder has shared the management of the Cross Innovation Hub with Raffaela Seitz since 2021. Previously, she was responsible for the conception and organisation of cross-industry offers in the area of the Cross Innovation Hub.

She studied Cultural Studies and German Literature at the University of Bremen and the Universidad de Valencia. As part of her Master's degree in German Literature at the University of Hamburg, she spent two months as a DAAD scholarship holder at Istanbul Üniversitesi. In addition to organising cultural events/projects, Louisa Steinwärder has worked in communications for theatres and festivals, most recently at Hamburg's Thalia Theatre and at the "Theater der Welt" festival.

The Cross Innovation Hub is funded by the European Regional Development Fund(ERDF).

Raffaela Seitz has shared the management of the Cross Innovation Hub with Louisa Steinwärder since 2021. Previously, she was dedicated to the conception and organisation of cross-industry offers in the area of the Cross Innovation Hub.

As a cultural studies graduate (Leuphana University of Lüneburg) and art historian (University College London) with a background in economics (University of Mannheim, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, London School of Economics and Political Science), Raffaela Seitz works at the interface of art, culture, science and business. Before joining the Kreativ Gesellschaft team, Raffaela Seitz worked in strategic innovation consulting and trend research.

The Cross Innovation Hub is supported by the European Regional Development Fund(ERDF).

Susanne works as a knowledge manager at the Cross Innovation Hub on the theory and practice of cross-sector collaboration between the creative industries and other sectors of the economy. Together with others, she set up the Consulting & Training division, where she has already been responsible for consultations, organised a series of events for networking creative professionals and offered a workshop programme. Today, she is part of the team that organises events and workshops on the topic of artificial intelligence.

Before joining Kreativ Gesellschaft, Susanne worked as a research assistant in the graduate programme "Aesthetic Education" at the University of Hamburg and as a personal assistant to the artistic director at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus. As a freelancer, she has also worked for several years with theatre and dance professionals from Hamburg and Berlin in the areas of concept development, public relations and financing.

The Cross Innovation Hub is supported by the European Regional Development Fund(ERDF).

Patrick Scheckelhoff is responsible for the conception and realisation of innovation-promoting formats at cross-industry interfaces at the Cross Innovation Hub.

He studied Cultural Studies (B.A.) at Leuphana University Lüneburg and Hong Kong Baptist University with a focus on cultural organisation and urban sociology. Prior to his studies, he completed vocational training as a media designer and gained experience in project management and event organisation in various non-profit associations and at festivals. Most recently, he worked at the Social Change Hub at Leuphana University Lüneburg.

The Cross Innovation Hub is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Sean Weingarten is Programme Manager in the Conception & Implementation department of the Cross Innovation Hub. Previously, he was part of the Consulting & Training team, where he worked as project manager for the third round of the Creative Future Academy and the Music WorX Incubator 2022.

He completed his studies at HafenCity University Hamburg in the Culture of the Metropolis programme in 2017. This was followed by a phase of reorientation from cultural studies to artistic-practical work. He studied Digital Media at Leuphana University Lüneburg and Digital Arts at the City University of Hong Kong until 2023.

Marc Behlau is the programme manager for the conception and implementation of the Cross Innovation Hub formats. He is also responsible for the documentation and evaluation of these. Following a bachelor's degree in business administration with a focus on brand communication, Marc completed his Master of Science in Global Technology & Innovation Management at the Technical University of Hamburg. Marc has found his passion in the field of innovation management and his knowledge fits perfectly with the mission of the Cross Innovation Hub: supporting companies from different industries in finding innovations through cross innovation processes.

The Cross Innovation Hub is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Friederike Netzow is responsible for human resources at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft and is therefore also the contact person for applicants in the context of our job advertisements.

She has also been part of the Cross Innovation Hub project since 2017 and is responsible for the administration and accounting of project funds.

Friederike Netzow studied International Management (specialising in Human Resources) in Flensburg, Denmark and Sweden and was involved in the implementation of various funded educational projects and worked in recruitment after completing her studies.

The Cross Innovation Hub is subsidised by the European Regional Development Fund(ERDF).

Nicole Wittek is responsible for cooperation and partner management at the Cross Innovation Hub. Nicole studied Cultural Studies, Media Studies and Business Administration in her Bachelor's degree and specialised in Cultural Studies in her Master's degree at the University of Regensburg. In Regensburg, she helped build up the area of cultural and creative industries promotion and was largely responsible for the development and management of the inner-city creative centre. During her studies and beyond, she organised numerous projects at the interface of culture, creative industries and urban development on a voluntary basis.

Most recently, she worked in an interdisciplinary Hamburg office for urban development. There she conceived co-creative formats in the field of placemaking and implemented them in projects on inner-city development and mobility. Nicole is a founding member and board member of the Hamburg association obenstadt e.V., which campaigns for more multifunctional roof uses in Hamburg and was co-initiator of the first Hamburg Roof Days.

Sebastian works in both partner and programme management at the Cross Innovation Hub. He is the first point of contact for companies that want to turn their challenges into creative innovation projects (partner management), while at the same time actively helping to shape the content and methodology of the programmes (programme management). Through this dual function, he ensures that the needs of the companies flow directly into the creative processes - a win-win situation for everyone involved.

After training as a media designer for image & sound, Sebastian completed his degree in Media & Information (Dipl.) at HAW Hamburg. His professional experience includes working as a software trainer at Apple and as a senior producer at a digital agency for YouTube formats.

Sebastian is particularly passionate about good communication and the development of human potential. He is currently deepening this passion by training as a systemic-humanistic coach according to Schulz von Thun. He listens attentively, gets to the heart of complex issues and loves organising projects, events and processes in such a way that they are not only effective, but also enjoyable and successful.

She completed her degree in Culture of the Metropolis (B.A.) at HafenCity University Hamburg in 2017. She studied Empirical Cultural Studies (M.A.) at the University of Hamburg until 2023. During her studies, she focussed on event management and worked as a freelance event manager for Kopf&Steine GmbH, the Hamburg Short Film Festival and Filmfest Hamburg, among others. She also works as a concert organiser at Uebel&Gefährlich.

Iris Jonak is responsible for communications for the Cross Innovation Hub of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

After studying communication sciences, sociology and psychology at RWTH Aachen University and King's College London, she initially spent several years in the Hamburg agency landscape. This was followed by positions at a city initiative for start-ups and at a sustainable fashion label, where Iris was responsible for marketing and communications.

The Cross Innovation Hub is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Lena is part of the Kreativ Gesellschaft communications team as a working student in social media and online editing. She is primarily responsible for managing the social media channels and also supports the communication of the Cross Innovation Hub. She is currently studying for a Master's degree in Digital Communication at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg. There she was editor of the online magazine Fink.Hamburg and gained extensive experience in journalism, public relations and content creation.

Kathlen Jost is programme manager for the conception and implementation of the Cross Innovation Hub and coordinates the pool of creatives at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. After graduating in product design from Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Faculty of Design and Media, she initially gained experience as a freelancer before working in the life sciences industry for over 15 years. There she developed products, designed digital experiences as a UX/UI designer and optimised processes in design management. By leading an interdisciplinary design team, she finally focussed on design strategy and its implementation. The Cross Innovation Hub is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Laura Rohloff is the director of the Design Zentrum Hamburg and is responsible for programme planning, collaborations and conceptual direction. She first studied Culture of the Metropolis in Hamburg and later Cultural and Media Management. Before Laura took over the project management of the Creative Future Academy at the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, she initially worked in various communications agencies and publishing houses and was most recently employed as a management consultant at the Bucerius Kunst Forum. There she implemented various projects and events to accompany the respective exhibition programme. She was also responsible for the young circle of friends.

Annika Fitz organises and designs events for the Design Zentrum Hamburg and is responsible for promoting talent and building interdisciplinary networks in the areas of young talent, innovation, sustainability and transformation. She studied meteorology, engineering and industrial design at the HFBK Hamburg. She has worked as a product and interior designer, is a specialist book author and volunteers as Vice Chair of the Board at Fab Lab Fabulous St. Pauli e.V.

Christoph Umhau is the contact person for space and events and is responsible for all rentals at the Design Zentrum Hamburg. He trained as an event manager at a concert agency in Berlin, worked as a booking agent and studied Culture of the Metropolis at HafenCity University Hamburg. He previously worked for the Körber Foundation and the House of World Cultures, among others. He also works as a freelance editor and project manager for various institutions.

Miriam Hinternesch is the contact person for communications at the Design Zentrum Hamburg. She is responsible for the visibility of the various events and programmes, takes care of new content formats and manages the Design Zentrum's social channels. Miriam Hinternesch has already dedicated herself to creative topics, both in journalistic work and in the agency environment. After studying for a bachelor's degree in Enschede in the Netherlands and working in Denmark and Berlin, her path finally led her to Hamburg for a master's degree in journalism and communication studies. Most recently, she wrote news in the editorial department of the German Press Agency.

Ninu Dramis is Programme Manager at FABRIC - Future Fashion Lab. She is responsible for the programme and network. With a degree in fashion and communication design and many years of experience as a creative director in the fashion industry, she is actively involved in various 3D, AI and fashion collectives. Ninu operates at the intersection of art, fashion and technology. She previously worked as a mentor for the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft and is in the pool of creatives at the Cross Innovation Hub.

Lisa Spelge is part of the Space/Real Estate department and is the contact person for the Kreativ Gesellschaft's rental properties and for all questions relating to finding space and studios in Hamburg.

She studied cultural studies at Leuphana University in Lüneburg, specialising in urban and cultural space research. Lisa deepened her knowledge of cultural policy and mediation in a master's programme at the University of Hildesheim. She gained experience in cultural mediation and project management in various projects in Germany as well as in Colombo and Phnom Penh.

Kim Kaufmann is workshop manager at FABRIC - Future Fashion Lab and is responsible for looking after the machines and organising the workshop. After training as a bespoke tailor for men, she worked for several years in the costume department at theatres and managed production for a Berlin fashion label. As co-founder of an upcycling fashion label, she is committed to sustainable alternatives to fast fashion.

As Head of Gamecity Hamburg, Dennis Schoubye is the point of contact for all topics relating to Hamburg as a games location, as well as prototype funding, the Games Lift incubator and the B2B conference Portside Game Assembly. As a location initiative, Gamecity Hamburg supports, connects and creates visibility for the diverse games ecosystem in Hamburg. Dennis Schoubye has an extensive network in the international games industry and worked as an experienced communications consultant for agencies and games companies before joining Kreativ Gesellschaft. In addition to the games industry, his focus was on technology and start-up topics. He has been fascinated by the mass medium of computer and video games and their potential since childhood.

Anna Jäger is responsible for communications at Gamecity Hamburg.

Born in Oldenburg, she also moved to the north to study at the University of Hamburg, where she successfully completed her Master's degree in African Studies, Islamic Studies and Political Science. She then trained as a video journalist at a regional television station in Lower Saxony. This was followed by various positions in online marketing, social media and a job as a media designer for image and sound at a TV station in the health sector in Hamburg.

She is a passionate gamer and loves playing action adventure and role-playing games on the PS4. In the creative field, she works as a webcomic artist and regularly pokes fun at herself and her everyday experiences.

Helen Krüger supports Gamecity Hamburg as a project manager.

She completed a dual study programme in Media Management in cooperation with the media house Edel Germany. This gave her a deep insight into the home entertainment industry and the publishing industry, after which she was taken on as Junior Marketing Manager for the publishing house Edel Books. When she started her Master's degree at HAW, it was time for new challenges and perspectives, which are offered every day at Gamecity Hamburg.

Helen likes to play a lot, especially action adventure games and indie darlings. She is still a good customer of the local bookshops and is regularly in the boxing ring so that her screen time doesn't get too long.

At Gamecity Hamburg, Margarete Schneider is in charge of various projects, particularly for up-and-coming studios and start-ups.

Originally from sunny Freiburg, she has now been rooted in the Hamburg media industry for several years through various positions. As Senior Product Manager for the Hamburg-based game developer and publisher Daedalic Entertainment until 2018, she built up an international network in the games industry and looked after both up-and-coming indie developers and well-known licensors. As the former head of the sales department, she has in-depth insights into the marketing and distribution channels of computer and video games. She is also very familiar with other areas of the media industry, having held positions at ZEIT, Carlsen Verlag and the book wholesaler Libri.

When she is not playing games, she can be found in her spare time at her sewing machine or on her bike.

Senta Gohr supports Gamecity Hamburg as PR manager in all matters relating to communication and public relations.

As a PR editor and consultant in the technology sector, Senta primarily looked after gaming clients and got a feel for what makes the industry tick. Her areas of work include developing formats, writing articles and press releases, designing workshops and managing Gamecity's website. When it comes to communication, she is particularly passionate about LGBTQIA+, inclusion and sustainability.

Senta's love of gaming goes way back to the wild 90s. Just over the dyke in Lower Saxony, she fell in love with the Pokémon series and soon found her new favourite toy: the Gameboy Color. Since then, Senta has never let go of gaming and anime. Later, as a true child of the Internet, she networked with all kinds of creative people and found like-minded people from a wide variety of fields at countless conventions. In addition to her love of gaming and fan culture, she also discovered cosplay and photography. She also studied the latter at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts before she decided to pursue a career in public relations.

Judith is part of the Gamecity team as a working student and provides support for various projects, events and communication tasks. After training in design technology, the Münster native moved to the north to study. In addition to studying Digital Media & Business Administration at the Leuphana University of Lüneburg and the Hamburg Media School, she does a lot of voluntary work in the cultural and event industry. From PR and booking work to event organisation, she has already worked in a number of different areas. During her studies, she discovered a passion for games and queer studies and found her way to Gamecity to deepen these interests in practice. Games have also crept into her heart in her private life and so she spends her free time diligently collecting screen time and XP.

As Deputy Managing Director of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft and Head of nextMedia.Hamburg, Nina Klaß is primarily the first point of contact for digital companies in the creative industries.

Prior to this, the business administration graduate worked for the Spiegel Group for several years, where she was most recently responsible for digital sales, marketing, digital product development and technology partnerships. She implemented numerous projects across the board and helped build up the Group's innovation management, among other things. Nina Klaß has taught at the University of Hamburg, was an external reviewer for the Google Digital News Innovation Fund, a committee member of the IFB's InnoFounder Programme and an advisory board member of the Hamburg Media School's JIP. She is regularly active in numerous juries and committees worldwide.

As programme manager, Bruno is the contact person for start-ups and investors and advises media founders on various offers for start-ups (including the Media Lift incubator, Workspace funding, NeueMedien.org). He is also a jury member of the Vienna Media Initiative.

He studied political science and cultural studies in Leipzig as well as management, organisation and culture at the University of St. Gallen. During his studies, he gained experience in public relations and marketing at a PR agency, Finanztip and the Executive School St. Gallen. After working at SAP Labs St. Gallen and Space and Lemon Innovations, he most recently worked as an innovation scout for a Hamburg-based science platform.

Paula is responsible for communications at nextMedia.Hamburg. She studied media and communication sciences and politics at Martin Luther University in Halle (Saale) and worked part-time at a television production company in Leipzig. She has also gained experience in the fields of journalism, public relations and event management in various positions.

As Community and Event Manager, Rouven is the contact person for the nextMedia community, event co-operations and various event formats. These include the annual scoopcamp conference in cooperation with a Germany-wide board, the nextMedia Festival, the SPACE DAY and the New Leaders' Forum as part of the Hamburg Media Dialogue. He studied social economics with a focus on market-oriented management at the University of Hamburg and worked part-time in the audio sector. Most recently, he was involved in the new business development of a multimedia project in the children's and family sector and is also active as a musician in Hamburg.

As Partner Manager at nextMedia.Hamburg, Cigdem is the contact person for corporates and advises them on the various programmes for companies (including SPACE, Prototyping Lab, City of Content Tour). In this context, she also looks after the nextMedia.advisory board. As programme manager, she is currently in charge of the Prototyping Lab. Trained in media management, she studied publishing at the HTWK Leipzig and book science at the University of Mainz. After holding positions at DIE ZEIT, Bookwire and Holtzbrinck ePublishing, she most recently worked as Manager Strategy & Innovation at the German Publishers and Booksellers Association (Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e. V.).

Sören is Communications Manager at nextMedia.Hamburg and the contact person for location and industry communications. Sören studied industrial engineering as well as media technology and communication in Braunschweig and Gothenburg. He focussed on science communication for a long time. Alongside his studies, he organised his first events in this field. After his studies, he completed a PR traineeship at a Hamburg communications agency. As a consultant and project manager, he then advised clients from the fields of science, education and society on the planning and implementation of campaigns.

Lea Creutz is a working student at nextMedia.Hamburg. Together with the programme management team, she is responsible for planning and implementing the innovation and start-up funding programmes. She is currently studying media culture at the Bauhaus University Weimar.

Cindy is responsible for communications at nextMedia.Hamburg and the German Creative Economy Summit. During her studies, she began working in press relations for various clients in the games industry at a PR agency in Hamburg. Later, she was responsible for communications for a Hamburg-based food start-up focussing on branding and content.

Cindy works part-time as a creative in the fields of graphic design and photography.

As a project manager at nextMedia.Hamburg, Cosima is responsible for managing and organising AIM Leaders, a specialist conference for AI in the media and digital economy. Cosima studied business administration at the University of Hamburg and then worked as a consultant at various media agencies (including OMD and pilot Hamburg). Most recently she was a marketing consultant at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg. Cosima is also a freelance speaker for funerals and weddings.

As office and event manager, Cora is the contact person for SPACE. She previously worked as an audiovisual media specialist in a photo production company as a casting director. During her last internship, she gained experience in the event sector in an event company and supported events and artists in Berlin.