Boldly Into the Future: 100 Women Transforming Germany

Excerpt originally published in Handelsblatt

They found companies, run organisations, organise radical change – and drive research forward: Handelsblatt introduces 100 women who will advance Germany in the next few years.

Nicole Junkermann

The business administration graduate speaks six languages, has the title of Italian Countess, has a daughter, and lives in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, as well as in in Rome. Born in Düsseldorf, she grew up in Spain, worked and studied in the USA - including at Harvard. She co-founded the online soccer game portal Winamax and subsequently became a major shareholder and deputy chairwoman on the board of Infront. There she helped build Infront into one of the world's leading sports and media rights companies. In 2011, Infront was sold to Bridgepoint for 650 million euros. In 2012 she founded NJF Holdings, a private equity, venture capital and real estate investment company. Today, NJF comprises more than 40 investments in Europe, the USA and Asia with a focus on young, disruptive companies. According to their own sources, around a third of the companies in the portfolio are now considered "unicorns" because they have reached the billion-dollar mark. In times of Covid, their participation in Owkin, a company that combines artificial intelligence with new approaches in medical research and is soon to be present in Germany, is particularly interesting. The investor is also galvanised by the potential of the fintech Blockchain.com and Eat Just, which produces a plant-based egg alternative. The fact that she once started as an entrepreneur is an advantage to her when choosing her investments and also in the important phase of supporting young founders in business development.