*** News In Brief ***
Marius Sewing has been named as ‘CEO-in-residence’ of Microsoft’s new accelerator in Berlin. The former CEO of digital education firm Tutoria will now oversee the development and design of the program, which was launched last November with much fanfare by outgoing Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer.
Sewing, described as a German startup “connoisseur”, will be responsible for selection of participating startups, providing them with business and technical help and establishing a mentoring network for supporting young companies.
Stephan Jacquemot, previously the acting head of the accelerator, will now be responsible for busness development in startups at Microsoft Germany.
“With Marius Sewing, we are getting a connoisseur of the German startup scene,” said Peter Jaeger, senior director of developer and platform evangelism Microsoft Germany. “With his expertise and his international contacts in the community, he will give our globally successful development program important momentum.”
More than 120 startups have already taken part in Microsoft Ventures accelerator programs around the world, and the Berlin version will be based in the company’s smart new HQ on the famous Under den Linden boulevard.
In addition to his time at Tutoria, Sewing has also worked with Holtzbrinck Ventures and Macmillan Digital Education and has acted as shareholder and advisor to numerous startups.
“We want the next great disruptive ideas to blaze a trail,” he said. Nine startups have been working in the accelerator since November 11.