Christian Lüdtke
Aligning forces for the next era of entrepreneurship.
„Transformation is not a phase. It’s a decision.”
Christian Lüdtke
About
Christian Lüdtke is Co-Founder and Managing Director of BRYCK and one of the driving forces behind the BRYCK Startup Alliance, Germany’s official Startup Factory in the Ruhr region.
His mission: transforming Germany’s industrial heartland into a European deep-tech hotspot. His focus: building strong alliances between industry, academia, capital and politics to unlock entrepreneurial momentum.
Having witnessed both the decline of coal and steel in his hometown and the disruptive rise of the internet economy, Christian learned that change is inevitable, but leadership determines who moves ahead.
For Christian Lüdtke, the Ruhr region has all the ingredients to lead Europe’s next industrial chapter: scientific depth, industrial power and a proven ability to reinvent itself. What it needs is alignment. Alignment between research and market demand. Between private capital and political will.
With his deep-rooted connections across business and society, Christian identifies early which topics are gaining relevance and which actors need to come together to unlock their potential. In this role, he operates as a trusted advisor and strategic sparring partner, placing people at the center of meaningful collaboration and transformation.
Christian Lüdtke on stage
On stage, Christian Lüdtke speaks about structural change, entrepreneurial thinking, and building high-performance ecosystems. He shares hands-on experience – from founding and scaling companies to establishing strategic C-level partnerships.
His conviction is clear: transformation does not happen by chance. It happens when the right forces align at the right time and move decisively.
Topics & perspectives
Structural Change as Opportunity
Shaped by the transformation of the Ruhr region, Christian sees structural change not as a threat but as a catalyst for renewal. He focuses on unlocking new growth from existing industrial strength.
Building Strategic Alliances
Christian builds the alliances that turn regional strength into competitive advantage, connecting decision-makers, mobilizing capital and creating the structures required for long-term impact.
Leading Europe’s Next Chapter
Christian advocates for a stronger, more ambitious European innovation landscape. His perspective centers on performance and the ambition required to lead, not just participate, in the next technological wave.
Book publication
In his book Gründerzeiten, Philipp Herrmann and co-author Christian Lüdtke explore entrepreneurial leadership in times of disruption. They bring together voices from business, science, and society to examine innovation, responsibility, and future-ready entrepreneurship in Germany and Europe. The book combines personal founding stories with strategic insights, offering orientation for decision-makers, founders, and those shaping transformation across organizations and ecosystems.
Background
Christian Lüdtke brings over 20 years of experience as a founder, venture builder and strategic advisor. He has built and scaled technology companies, guided established enterprises through digital transformation, and created platforms like etventure and BRYCK to accelerate Europe’s startup ecosystem.
Roles and positions:
- Since 2022: Co-Founder & Managing Director, BRYCK
- Since 2024: Chairman of the Supervisory Board, MSV Duisburg
- 2017–2021: Member of the Supervisory Board, MSV Duisburg
- 2017–2021: Partner, EY
- 2010–2021: Founder & CEO, etventure
- 2010–2011: Senior Vice President New Ventures, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- 2007–2010: Founder and VP Content & Production, scoyo GmbH
