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Martina Weifenbach, Dr.

Dr. Martina Weifenbach is a pioneer in linking Digital Innovation, New Work and Mindfulness. Through her doctoral studies at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute (HIIG) in Berlin, at the University of St. Gallen and at UC Berkeley on digital business model innovation of startups and established companies, she has developed a scientific cognition model for the design of change processes. Neuroscience complements her approach with the human consciousness perspective. This is becoming increasingly important for understanding the changes in the world of work and accompanying them in a meaning- and value-oriented way, without reducing the changes to blanket solutions.

Dr. Weifenbach is author of “Mindfulness and Innovation in Integrated Organizations”, executive coach and managing director of myndway. In her current research, she looks at mindfulness from neuroscientific and organizational perspectives. As an internationally trained yoga and mindfulness teacher, she is now leading the way in bringing together her digital expertise with accessible learning formats for employees*, teams and leaders around mindfulness, agile working and sustainable digitalization.

myndway represents Dr. Weifenbach’s holistic transformation approach in sustainable development and training concepts. The goal of myndway.com is to bring mindfulness and agility into companies. In this context, myndway and Dr. Weifenbach have already worked with companies such as Siemens, Google, Helvetia.

As a speaker and consultant, Dr. Weifenbach carries her vision of humane and successful companies into the world.

Journal articles and conference proceedings

Schmeiss, J. & Dopfer, M., (2017). Digitale Geschäftsmodelle – Strategien der digitalen Transformation. Wissenschaft trifft Praxis, 8. Publication details

Dopfer, M., Fallahi, S., Kirchberger, M., & Gassmann, O. (2017). Adapt and strive — How ventures under resource constraints create value through business model adaptations. Creativity and Innovation Management, 26(3), 233–246. Publication details

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

Dopfer, M. (2018). Why Business Model Innovation Matters to Startups. In P. Jackson, N. Richter, T. Schildhauer (Eds.), Entrepreneurial Innovation and Leadership. Preparing for a Digital Future. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave McMillan. Publication details

Tech, R. P. G., Ferdinand, J.-P., & Dopfer, M. (2016). Open source hardware startups and their communities. In J.-P. Ferdinand; U., Petschow, & S. Dickel (Eds.), The Decentralized and Networked Future of Value Creation (pp. 129-145). Heidelberg: Springer. Publication details

Sauer, R., Dopfer, M., Schmeiss, J., & Gassmann, O. (2016). Geschäftsmodell als Gral der Digitalisierung. In O. Gassmann & P. Sutter, Digitale Transformation im Unternehmen gestalten (pp. 15-26). München, Deutschland: Hanser Verlag. Publication details

Working paper

Dopfer, M. (2017). Pick and choose: A venture’s cognitive toolbox to business model innovation. HIIG Discussion Paper Series. Publication details

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

Dopfer, M. (2017). Open Innovation als Chance für neue Inkubations- und Kollaborationsmodelle. Digital Society Blog. Publication details

Dopfer, M., Weitzl, V. (2017). Die Entwicklung von Open Source und die Disruption der Hardware-Industrie. Digital Society Blog. Publication details

Dopfer, M. (2017). How do early ventures develop their business models. Doctoral Dissertation, University of St. Gallen.. Publication details

Dopfer, M. (2015). Roundtable ‘VCs X Startups’ am HIIG. Digital Society Blog. Publication details

Dopfer M. (2014). Be a unicorn. Pitch your business model and show your capability for innovation. Digital Society Blog. Publication details

Dopfer M. (2014). Let’s invent cars not just faster horses. Why moving within our network sometimes limits your horizon. Digital Society Blog. Publication details

Lectures and presentations

Mindfulness in the innovative firm
VND Verlag Innovation Journey. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany: 23.08.2017

Martina Dopfer

Entrepreneurship and Business Models within IT
SecUnity - Summer School IT Security. TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany: 10.08.2017

Martina Dopfer

Making the customer king - A qualitative study on customer centric business model innovation of SMEs
SPIM Innovation Conference 2017. ISPIM, Vienna, Austria: 19.06.2017

Jessica Schmeiss, Martina Dopfer

From dinosaurs to business model masterminds
SMS Special Conference 2017. Strategic Management Society, Banff, Canada: 04.06.2017

Jessica Schmeiss, Martina Dopfer, Roman Sauer

Becoming an innovation mastermind: Entrepreneurial capabilities of small business managers
Business Model Conference 2017. Ca’Foscari University, Venice, Italy: 18.05.2017

Jessica Schmeiss, Martina Dopfer

How do early stage startups develop their business models
Disputation of dissertation. St Gallen University, St Gallen, Switzerland: 22.02.2017

Martina Dopfer

Wie Achtsamkeit die Innovation fördert
deGut - deutsche Gründer- und Unternehmertage. Deutsche Gründer-und Unternehmertage. ARENA Berlin, Berlin, Germany: 08.10.2016

Martina Dopfer

Business Model Development as a Cognitive Capability
Strategic Management Conference. Strategic Management Society. InterContinental, Berlin, Germany: 20.09.2016

Martina Dopfer

The Mindful Firm
Lange Nacht der Startups. Telekom, IHK. IHK, Berlin, Germany: 03.09.2016

Martina Dopfer

Startup business model development: A cognitive capability
ISPIM Annual Conference 2016. ISPIM, Porto, Portugal: 19.06.2016

Martina Dopfer, Markus Kirchberger, & Sara Fallahi

Widening the Entrepreneur’s Horizon: How the Entrepreneurial Agent shapes his Business Modelling Process
DRUID Conference 2016. Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark: 13.06.2016

Martina Dopfer, Roman Sauer

Startup Business Model Adaptations based on limited Resources
EURAM Conference 2016. EURAM, Paris, Frankreich: 01.06.2016

Martina Dopfer, Markus Kirchberger, & Sara Fallahi

Chancen wagen durch die digitale Transformation
deGut - deutsche Gründer- und Unternehmertage (Session: Chancen wagen druch die digitale Transformation). IBB. Hangar 7 - Flughafen Tempelhof, Berlin, Germany: 09.10.2015

Martina Dopfer

Gründe ein digitales Unternehmen
deGut - deutsche Gründer- und Unternehmertage. IBB. Hangar 7 - Flughafen Tempelhof, Berlin, Germany: 09.10.2015

Martina Dopfer

FEMALE TECH PANEL - WE CAN DO IT!
Lange Nacht der Startups (Session: Female Tech Panel - We can do IT!). DT Telekom, IHK. IHK Berlin, Berlin, Germany: 04.09.2015

Martina Dopfer

How the cognition of the entrepreneurial agent shapes a startup's business model development
R&D Management Conference. Istituto di Management. Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Polo Piagge, Pisa, Italy: 25.06.2015

Martina Dopfer, Roman Sauer

Business Model Development in Technology Startups
24TH EUROPEAN DOCTORAL SUMMER SCHOOL ON TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT (Session: G-Forum). KU Leuven Managerial Economics, Strategy and Innovation, Leuven, Belgien: 15.09.2014

Martina Dopfer

STG Seminar Qualitative Methoden. STG, Berlin, Germany: 05.05.2014

Martina Dopfer

Showcase Accelerator: So können auch bestehende Firmen ihr Geschäftsmodell innovieren
Cross Industry Workshop. University of St. Gallen. BMI Lab, St. Gallen, Switzerland: 23.02.2014

Martina Dopfer

Moderation of workshops and panels

BMI Workshop Internet Policy Review. Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society. HIIG, Berlin, Germany: 15.09.2016

Martina Dopfer

Business Model Innovation Workshop - Cross Industry. University of St. Gallen. BMI Lab, St. Gallen, Switzerland: 13.01.2014

Martina Dopfer

Organisation of events

Disrupted: The unconventional discussion platform on open innovation and the future of the automotive industry along the supply chain
13.09.2017. Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany. Co-Organised by: Unversity St. Gallen (National)

Vivian Weitzl, Jessica Schmeiss, Martina Weifenbach, Thomas Schildhauer, Hendrik Send

Open! Plenary Meeting
09.09.2017. University Grenoble, Grenoble, France (International)

Martina Weifenbach

The mindful firm
25.11.2016. Kopenhagen Business School, Kopenhagen, Denmark (International)

Martina Weifenbach

d-werft Geschäftsmodell Workshop
From 12.01.2016 to 12.01.2016. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany (National)

Kerstin Bass, Urs Kind, Martina Weifenbach

Participation as expert

Vizions Zalando. Zalando, Berlin, Germany: 20.04.2017

Dopfer, M.

Cube Tech FairZalando, Berlin, Germany: 10.05.2017

Dopfer, M.

Media appearances

Offene Plattformen für neues Business (24.01.2018). return
Further information

Dr. Martina Weifenbach

Position

Former Associated Researcher: Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Contact

Current HIIG research activities

Research issues in focus

HIIG is currently working on exciting topics. Learn more about our interdisciplinary pioneering work in public discourse.