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Martin Wrobel, Prof. Dr.

Martin Wrobel is an associated researcher in the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Society research focus. He is also a 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.

Completed projects

  • Digitale Innovation im Mittelstand

    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...
  • How to collaborate with startups? - Generic Image
    Entrepreneurship & innovation · Society & culture

    How 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 Research Lab - Generic Image
    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).

Publications

Books (1)

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 (3)

Richter, N., Hansch, A., Wrobel, M. (2024). From Local Beginnings to Global Reach: The Importance of Micromarket Strategies for Platform Startups – An Empirical Study. 13th International Scientific Conference “Region, Entrepreneurship, Development” (RED). Publication details

Richter, N., Wrobel, M. (2023). The impact of prototyping on the survival chances of digital early stage startups – Findings and insights from explorative expert interviews. ECIE. 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 (2)

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 (1)

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 (16)

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

Activities

Lectures and presentations (15)

08.08.2018 · Martin Wrobel

Enabling collaboration between startups and medium-sized companies in Germany

Global Research Symposium for Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Babson College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA.

Further information

23.05.2018 · Martin Wrobel

InnovationsForum: “Startup meets Mittelstand”

InnovationsForum: "Startup meets Mittelstand". BVMW. ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany.

06.12.2017 · Martin Wrobel

Kooperationen zwischen Startups und Mittelständlern. Modelle für die Zukunft

1. VDI-Fachkonferenz: Corporates und StartUps - Neue Geschäftsfelder und Digitale Transformation. VDI. Leonardo Hotel Arabellapark, München, Germany.

15.11.2017 · Martin Wrobel

Kooperationen zwischen Startups und Mittelstand. Learn. Match. Partner.

Vorstellung der Studie. Spielfeld Digital Hub, Berlin, Germany.

06.02.2017 · Martin Wrobel

Are you ready to start-up?

Science Slam Deutschland. SO36, Berlin, Germany.

24.10.2016 · 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 & Society

The 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.

03.09.2016 · Martin Wrobel

The Art of Startup Customer Acquisition

Lange Nacht der Startups. IHK Berlin. IHK, Berlin, Germany.

21.07.2016 · Martin Wrobel

Innovation and Entrepreneurship at HIIG

Visit 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.

09.06.2016 · Martin Wrobel

Introduction to the App Economy in Europe and to the Entrepreneurial Research Lab at HIIG

Startup 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.

08.04.2016 · Martin Wrobel

How to land your first customers

Startup Camp Berlin. Humboldt-Universität. Startup Camp Berlin Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany.

05.09.2015 · Martin Wrobel

Sales 101: 10 things you should consider when doing sales!

Lange Nacht der Startups. IHK Berlin. IHK Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

26.08.2015 · Martin Wrobel

Things every founder should consider when doing sales!

Axel Springer Plug and Play. Axel Springer. Axel Springer, Berlin, Germany.

08.06.2015 · Martin Wrobel

Competency Profiles for Internet-enabled Startups in Marketing and Sales: An Explanatory Qualitative Empirical Analysis

The WEI Business and Economics Academic Conference. Harvard University. Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.

06.03.2015 · Martin Wrobel

The Importance of Sales for Startups

Startup Institute. Startup Institute Berlin. Startup Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

06.01.2015 · Martin Wrobel

The Sales and Marketing Clinic

Magical Startups. Magical Startups. W Hotel, Santiago de Chile, Chile.

Moderation of workshops and panels (1)

13.07.2017 · Martin Wrobel

TOA Disrupted! The unconventional conference for Mittelstand, Startups and Corporates Tech Open Air Festival 2017

TOA Disrupted! The unconventional conference for Mittelstand, Startups and Corporates Tech Open Air Festival 2017. Tech Open Air, Berlin, Germany.

Organisation of events (3)
Lange Nacht der Wissenschaft
22.06.2024. 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 GDPR
14.05.2018. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany (National)

Martin Wrobel

Media

Martin Wrobel

Position

Associated Researcher: Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Society

Contact

martin.wrobel@hiig.de
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Research focus

Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Society

Technologies are reshaping how economies and societies develop and operate in a changing, globally connected digital environment. We investigate how different forms of innovation and entrepreneurship address systemic societal challenges.