Dr. Paul von Gruben is a seasoned entrepreneur and technology expert with experience in innovation economics, furniture leasing, and technological transitions. He founded Retrac.de/en, a cloud-based FF&E inventory management software that streamlines operations for investors and operators in the hospitality and real estate industries. Additionally, he founded Reco-Living.de/en, which offers residential real estate companies a furniture leasing service that increases income without incurring operational expenses.

Dr. von Gruben has also worked as a Growth Associate at Techstars SAP.io Program in Berlin, where he developed a keen insight into the complexities of bridging old and new technologies. He has conducted extensive research on technological transitions, which has been published in the MIT Sloan Management Review. His work as a visiting research scholar at Siemens and as an external consultant at Young Digitals Consulting GmbH has further contributed to his expertise in leveraging technology for the benefit of large organizations.

Dr. von Gruben is also an accomplished public speaker, having delivered a TEDx talk on the Design of the platform business that explores how to effectively design and maintain platform-based businesses. He has a bachelor's degree in Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen from the Technical University of Berlin and a Ph.D. in Innovation Economics from the same institution. He also has a Master of Science in Management from the University of Edinburgh and is a visiting scholar in business administration and management from MIT Sloan School of Management.