Martin Wrobel, Prof. Dr.
Martin Wrobel is Professor of Business Administration and Entrepreneurship at Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences. He is a former visiting professor of marketing at the Berlin School of Economics and Law where he also graduated with a master’s degree (MA) in international management. Prior or parallel to his time at HIIG, Martin has been involved in building up two international Software as a Service startups (Meltwater and Freshworks) and expanding their European operations. He also worked in management positions for German retailer METRO GROUP.
Martin has been working as a researcher in the area of Internet-enabled Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Society at Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) since 2013. His Ph.D. research at Berlin University of the Arts focused on individual competencies of entrepreneurs in the sales and marketing role of an Internet-enabled startup. While working on his Ph.D., he built up the Startup-Clinics, a service offered to startups free of charge. Martin supported more than 100 startups with their challenges in marketing, sales, and HR. In his postdoctoral studies, he was in charge of the “How to collaborate with startups?” project, a study that was conducted in cooperation with Spielfeld Digital Hub, a joint cooperation between Roland Berger and VISA Europe. Also, he was part of the “Digital Innovation in German mid-sized Businesses” project, supported by HypoVereinsbank. In the course of his research projects, Martin has been a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Media Lab) in Cambridge and at The New School (Parsons’ School of Art, Media, and Technology) in New York City. He is the co-author of the book Unternehmensführung, a classic textbook on business management, now in its fourth edition.
As part of his current research projects, he is investigating, among other things, how innovative and technology-oriented startups overcome the difficult initial phases and how they acquire their first paying customers. He also hosts a podcast on this topic which is called “Marketing From Zero To One“.
Videos
Digital Innovation in German mid-sized businesses
The respective projects do not only take place in different functional areas of the companies, but are also related to trending topics like Smart...
Entrepreneurship & innovation · Society & cultureHow to collaborate with startups?
It is obvious that the tremendous differences in terms of culture, available resources and agility between corporates and startups present challenges for a successful...- Entrepreneurship & innovation
Entrepreneurship Research Lab
Our Innovation and Entrepreneurship team is a transdisciplinary group of researchers at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet & Society (HIIG).
Books
Wrobel, M. (2016). Ermittlung eines personenspezifischen Kompetenzprofils für Internet-enabled Startups in den Bereichen Marketing und Vertrieb. Berlin: epubli. Publication details
Journal articles and conference proceedings
Dopfer, M., Grafenstein v., M., Richter, N., Schildhauer, T., Tech, R., Trifonov, S., & Wrobel, M. (2015). Fördernde und Hindernde Faktoren Für Internet-Enabled Startups (Supporting and Hindering Factors for Internet-Enabled Startups). HIIG Discussion Paper Series, 2015(06). Publication details
Book contributions and chapters
Wrobel, M. (2018). Do You Have What It Takes to Become an Internet Entrepreneur? The Key Competencies of Successful Founders. In P. Jackson, N. Richter, T. Schildhauer (Eds.), Entrepreneurial Innovation and Leadership. Preparing for a Digital Future. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave McMillan. Publication details
Müller, H. & Wrobel, M. (2014). Spannungsfeld Strategie und Geschäftsmodell – Ein integrierter Lösungsansatz mit Praxisbeispielen. In Schallmo, T. (Ed.), Kompendium Geschäftsmodell-Innovation: Grundlagen, aktuelle Ansätze und Fallbeispiele zur erfolgreichen Geschäftsmodell-Innovation. Wiesbaden: Springer. Publication details
Working paper
Dopfer M., Grafenstein, M. v., Richter, N., Schildhauer, T., Tech, R. P. G., Trifonov, S., Wrobel, M. (2015). Fördernde Und Hindernde Faktoren Für Internet-Enabled Startups. (Supporting and Hindering Factors for Internet-Enabled Startups.). HIIG Discussion Paper Series. Publication details
Other publications
Wrobel, M., & Nicolai, A. T. (2019). Digitale Innovation: Digitale Arbeitsplattform für eine bessere Zusammenarbeit in Projektteams. Publication details
Wrobel, M., & Nicolai, A. T. (2019). Digitale Innovation im Mittelstand. Fallbeispiele erfolgreicher Digitalisierungsprojekte. HIIG Impact Publication Series. Publication details
Wrobel M., Nicolai, A. T., & Stöckle, J. (2019). Digitalisierung im Mittelstand: fünf erfolgreiche Fallbeispiele. Publication details
Wrobel, M. & Springer, L. (2017). “Jetzt ist der Moment für Kooperationen mit dem Mittelstand!”. Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Wrobel, M. (2017). Welche Kompetenzen braucht ein erfolgreicher Entrepreneur in diesen unsicheren Zeiten? Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Wrobel, M., Schildhauer, T., & Preiß, K. (2017). Kooperationen zwischen Startups und Mittelstand. Learn. Match. Partner. HIIG Impact Publication Series. Publication details
Wrobel, M., Schmechel, L. (2017). Kooperationen zwischen Startups und Mittelstand. Learn. Match. Partner. HIIG Blog Article. Publication details
Wrobel, M. (2017). Mittelstand und Start-ups: Gemeinsam gelingt es! Focus Money, 50. Publication details
Wrobel, M. (2016). Die ersten 100 Kunden: Taktiken zur Kundenakquise. Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Wrobel, M. & Schmeiss, J. (2016). KMU trifft Startup – und vice versa. Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Wrobel, M. (2016). Eindrücke vom “Global Research Symposium on Marketing and Entrepreneurship” in San Diego. Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Wrobel, M. (2015). Visiting the WEI Harvard Conference and the Harvard Innovation Lab. Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Wrobel, M. (2015). Wie finde ich den/die passende/n Mitgründer/in? Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Wrobel, M. (2014). Conference report: “Forum Gründungsforschung 2014” in Oldenburg. Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Wrobel, M. (2014). Entrepreneurship & Sales. Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Wrobel, M. (2014). Do Internet startups need sales? Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Lectures and presentations
Enabling Collaboration Between Startups and Medium-Sized Companies in GermanyGlobal Research Symposium for Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Babson College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA: 08.08.2018 Further information
Martin Wrobel
Kooperationen zwischen Start-Ups und Mittelstand - Herausforderungen und ChancenInnovationsForum: "Startup meets Mittelstand". BVMW. ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany: 23.05.2018
Martin Wrobel
Kooperationen zwischen Startups und Mittelständlern. Modelle für die Zukunft1. VDI-Fachkonferenz: Corporates und StartUps - Neue Geschäftsfelder und Digitale Transformation. VDI. Leonardo Hotel Arabellapark, München, Germany: 06.12.2017
Martin Wrobel
Kooperationen zwischen Startups und Mittelstand. Learn. Match. PartnerVorstellung der Studie. Spielfeld Digital Hub, Berlin, Germany: 15.11.2017
Martin Wrobel
Are you ready to start-up?Science Slam Deutschland. SO36, Berlin, Germany: 06.02.2017
Martin Wrobel
The role of applied research in our dynamic startup world of today using the example of the “Startup-Clinics” at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet & SocietyThe MENA Innovation Summit on Job Creation and Entrepreneurship. BMWi - Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. BMWi - Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Berlin, Germany: 24.10.2016
Martin Wrobel
The Art of Startup Customer AcquisitionLange Nacht der Startups. IHK Berlin. IHK, Berlin, Germany: 03.09.2016
Martin Wrobel
Innovation and Entrepreneurship at HIIGVisit of a delegation of MBA students and professors from the IDC Herzliya. Alexander von Humboldt institute for internet and society. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany: 21.07.2016
Martin Wrobel
Introduction to the App Economy in Europe and to the Entrepreneurial Research Lab at HIIGStartup Clinics Talk: The App Economy in Europe. progressive policy institute & Alexander von Humboldt institute for internet and society. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany: 09.06.2016
Martin Wrobel
How to land your first customersStartup Camp Berlin (Session: Startup Camp Berlin). Humboldt-Universität. Startup Camp Berlin Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany: 08.04.2016
Martin Wrobel
Sales 101: 10 things you should consider when doing sales!Lange Nacht der Startups. IHK Berlin. IHK Berlin, Berlin, Germany: 05.09.2015
Martin Wrobel
Things every founder should consider when doing sales!Axel Springer Plug and Play. Axel Springer. Axel Springer, Berlin, Germany: 26.08.2015
Martin Wrobel
Competency Profiles for Internet-enabled Startups in Marketing and Sales: An Explanatory Qualitative Empirical AnalysisThe WEI Business and Economics Academic Conference. Harvard University. Harvard University, Cambridge, USA: 08.06.2015
Martin Wrobel
The Importance of Sales for StartupsStartup Institute. Startup Institute Berlin. Startup Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany: 06.03.2015
Martin Wrobel
The Sales and Marketing ClinicMagical Startups. Magical Startups. W Hotel, Santiago de Chile, Chile: 06.01.2015
Martin Wrobel
Moderation of workshops and panels
Chancen und Herausforderungen von Kooperationen zwischen Startups und MittelständlernTOA Disrupted! The unconventional conference for Mittelstand, Startups and Corporates Tech Open Air Festival 2017. Tech Open Air, Berlin, Germany: 13.07.2017
Martin Wrobel
Organisation of events
Lange Nacht der Wissenschaft22.06.2024. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Philipp Mahlow, Birte Lübbert, Maurice Stenzel, Alina Kontareva, Daniel Pothmann, Nele Buß, Irina Kühnlein, Sarah Spitz, Freia Kuper, Sami Nenno, Freya Hewett, Frederik Efferenn, Georg von Richthofen, Sonja Köhne, Bronwen Deacon, Matthias C. Kettemann, Thomas Christian Bächle, Nataliia Sokolovska, Martin Wrobel, Jörg Pohle, Hendrik Send, Theresa Züger, Jeanette Hofmann
Digitaler Salon: Nur mal kurz die Welt retten?26.04.2023. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Daniel Pothmann, Sarah Spitz, Georg von Richthofen, Martin Wrobel
B2B Sales Roundtable GDPR14.05.2018. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany (National)
Martin Wrobel
Media appearances
Entrepreneurship: Wie Sie noch schneller Unternehmen gründen (11.10.2023). Harvard Business manager
Further information
Wie mittelständische Unternehmen die Digitalisierung bewältigen (12.04.2019). konstruktionspraxis
Further information
Wie der Mittelstand die Digitalisierung erfolgreich anpackt (28.03.2019). innovations-report
Further information
Startup Guide Berlin Vol. 4 (01.06.2018). Startup Guide Berlin Vol.4
Diese jungen Leute (01.05.2018). Markets International
Further information
Mittelstand meets Start-up (26.02.2018). Wiener Zeitung
Further information
Zusammenarbeit von Start-ups und Mittelstand fördert Innovation (27.12.2017). markenartikel
Further information
Den perfekten Co-Founder zu finden ist wie eine gute Ehe zu schließen (04.09.2015). Gruenderszene.de
Further information
Position
Associated Researcher: Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Society
