Videos
Robin Bartling, Alumni
- Year
- 2008-2009
- From
- Germany
- Sector
- International Trade and Branding
- Location
- Latin America
- Degree
- 2009
MBA Sloan, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
"Many people have great ideas but only a few take the risk and try to make them happen. " "My first business idea was… "The Trash Exchange". People used to smile at us when we told them about our idea wondering who would be interested in buying broken stuff. Only recently did I read about the true story on how eBay got started. The first sale was a broken laser pointer… "
During my studies at Georg August University of Goettingen in Germany, I started experimenting with entrepreneurial ideas and began traveling. These experiences made me aware of social problems particularly in the developing world and caught my interest. That’s why I decided to start my career as a development aid volunteer at the German Technical Cooperation in Jakarta, Indonesia. I worked in a microfinance project promoting small financial institutions. I analyzed potential Public Private Partnerships and Co-Funding strategies with other development aid agencies. During this time I realized the power of entrepreneurial concepts to overcome social problems in a sustainable way.
When I joined Bain & Company in Germany I had the chance to work in various industries and functions; ranging from building up offshore locations for an IT services company in low cost countries to the reorganization of the sales organization of a major European insurance company.
I applied to MIT Sloan and the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program because I wanted to learn what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur. I am currently an organizer and participant in the Development Track of the MIT $100K Business Plan Competition. This summer I will work for the Homeless World Cup in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I will learn how to grow a social enterprise from scratch to an international scale.
Apart from my work and my studies, I spend my time with my wife, Christiane, and our young daughter, Noemi. We enjoy outdoor activities, traveling and spending time with our friends and families. Our dream is to move permanently to a Spanish speaking country. My personal hobbies include running, windsurfing and diving. Last year I ran my first marathon at Cape Cod.
