Manuel Kilian
Governments shape startup ecosystems more through what they build, buy, and mobilize than through regulation or subsidies. The real leverage isn't in policy papers — it's in procurement at scale and building digital services that unlock private sector innovation.
Manuel Kilian is Managing Director of the Global Government Technology Centre (GGTC) in Berlin, a collaboration between GovTech Germany and the World Economic Forum. He previously founded and served as CEO of GovMind, a leading provider of GovTech intelligence, which he sold in 2024.
Prior to that, Manuel worked as an Investment Manager in the Fintech space as a Principal at Axel Springer's technology consultancy and as Chief of Staff to the President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI). He also gained experience as a Guest Researcher at the UK Cabinet Office.
Manuel holds a Master of Philosophy in Public Policy from the University of Cambridge and completed earlier studies at Lund University, Maastricht University, and Sciences Po Paris. His career has focused on driving innovation and fostering technology adoption in the public sector.
Manuel collaborates with Startup Genome by exploring how governments can unlock procurement and adoption pathways to increase public-sector efficiency while catalyzing the growth of strong, competitive GovTech and technology ecosystems.