Ulrich Schmitz is CTO of Axel Springer’s Electronic Media Division, which manages a broad portfolio of shareholdings in the digital business. As managing director of Axel Springer Digital Ventures and the Axel Springer Plug and Play Accelerator he is also responsible for early stage investments of the group. After graduating and conferral of his doctorate in electrical / communications engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt, Ulrich Schmitz worked for Mannesmann and Vodafone since 1994. In 2001 he joined Axel Springer and held several management positions within in the group.