THE JURY FOR SMOTY 2026...
The jury contains leading minds from Gründerszene, Appinio, Jung von Matt START, and German Media Pool, complemented by Wincent.AI by The Factory Berlin, to bring diverse perspectives together in recognizing the brands that are turning ambition into tomorrow’s most loved brands.
PORTRAITS
Introducing the Jury for the
Startup Marketer the year Award
Chefredakteur
Gründerszene
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Leo Ginsburg is the editor-in-chief of the startup magazine Gründerszene. He also hosts the podcast “Business Class,” where he talks weekly with leading founders, entrepreneurs, and top executives about their lives and careers. Leo often falls for good advertising — which is why he’s excited to be part of the jury.
Team Lead Research Consulting
Appinio
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Klara Kuhn is a seasoned insights expert and Team Lead Research Consulting at Appinio, where she has spent over five years shaping the future of agile market research. Klara is known for her ability to translate intricate data sets into clear, strategic narratives that drive business growth. As a bridge-builder between academic rigor and the fast-paced needs of modern marketing, she ensures that insights aren't just collected, but act as a decisive catalyst for innovation and brand success.
Managing Director
Jung von Matt START
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Simon Knittel is an internationally acclaimed advertising professional who combines creative excellence with entrepreneurial thinking. As Managing Director of Jung von Matt START, he develops new agency offerings and works closely with startups on brands and business models. For him, creativity is the tool for solving business challenges.
Partner
German Media Pool
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Dennis is Partner at GMPVC German Media Pool. In his role at Europe's leading independent media-for-equity fund, he has supported over 50 startups in growth and brand building through media-for-equity campaigns spanning TV, radio, OOH and print media.
CEO & Co-Founder
Glitter Spritz GmbH
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Lupo is CEO & Co-Founder of Glitter Spritz, building the company into an international love brand together with Bill Kaulitz. As a serial entrepreneur with a background in brand design, he has built five consumer brands over the past 10 years. With his company Craft Circus, a brand builder, he and his team turn ideas into internationally distributed brands.
CEO
The Agency Berlin
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As a multiple-time author, her work focuses on building resilient, future-ready organizations, most recently in Future Proof – How to Secure Your Company a Place in Tomorrow’s World. Beyond her executive role, Stefanie serves on several advisory boards and is a board member of International Justice Mission Germany and TEDx Berlin. She is currently working on her sixth book, The Perfect Exit, which explores the strategic and personal dimensions of successful company exits.
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wincent, AI Chief of Staff, helps teams turn decisions into execution across functions, including marketing. Built to create clarity, ownership, and momentum, wincent brings a practical perspective to the jury—focusing on relevance, impact, and executional strength.
Founder
Fahrradmaus
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Paula Enzweiler is a content creator with over 580,000 followers on Instagram. Through her content, she shares her journey as a triathlete, from training and races to personal challenges, inspiring her audience to stay active and push their own limits.Beyond content creation, she is the founder of the brand Fahrradmaus, the owner of her own training app, and an investor in various projects across sports, performance, and lifestyle.
Managing Director
Goldies Enterprises GmbH
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Vladislav Gachyn is the co-founder of Goldies Smashburger and Goldies Bar. He trained and cooked in several Michelin-starred kitchens, including the three-star "Aqua", bringing fine dining expertise to casual dining. Goldies — “Best Bad Food In Town” — offers fast food with a fresh approach to quality.
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Content Creator
hedgefonds.henning
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Niklas Schwab is a content creator and media entrepreneur specialising in economic and financial content. With over 500,000 followers, he develops infotainment formats at the intersection of economics, media and culture for Gen Z.
