Cologne, Germany
Kilian
Bachem
Entrepreneurship graduate and startup operator with a passion for building things from scratch — professionally and literally.
About
I'm a Master's graduate in Entrepreneurship from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, with hands-on experience at early-stage startups across Berlin and Cologne. Over the past years I've worked as a Founders Associate and operator at ventures spanning wellness, insurance tech, e-commerce, and media — specialising in operations, strategy, and building structure in fast-moving environments.
Alongside my professional work, I co-founded Scale Ale, an experimental craft brewery dedicated to small-batch, one-of-a-kind beers. I'm also a long-standing coach in the BCG Business @ School programme, supporting the next generation of thinkers and builders.
Work Experience
10/2025 – 04/2026
Cologne, Germany
AthariCommerce
Chief of Staff
Shopify E-Commerce Agency for Food, Fashion & Lifestyle brands
- Close collaboration with C-Level on operational and strategic matters
- Recruiting, applicant management, and developing internal HR structures
- Implementation of automation solutions improving efficiency and scaling operational processes
05/2024 – 08/2024
Berlin, Germany
New Soul GmbH
Intern — Founders Associate
Early-stage startup building Wellness Studios
- Data-driven expansion planning including demographic analysis and real estate visits
- Maintaining internal performance dashboard and developing new KPIs
04/2023 – 07/2023
05/2021 – 07/2021
Cologne, Germany
Ebner Stolz GmbH & Co. KG
Intern — Audit & Tax
Leading audit and consulting firm in the German SME sector
- Annual auditing and tax advisory for companies and private clients
- Literature research on various tax issues
10/2022 – 02/2023
Berlin, Germany
EMIL Group GmbH
Intern — Founders Associate
Startup building SaaS solutions for the insurance industry
- Budget planning and due diligence for fundraising rounds
- Created and edited pitch and sales decks
- Developed and executed sales initiatives to drive customer acquisition
06/2020 – 08/2020
Berlin, Germany
AJNS New Media GmbH — kitchenstories
Intern — Business Development
Video-based cooking platform startup
- Boosted lead and customer acquisition by implementing scraper and automation software
- Created and edited pitch and sales decks
Education
2023 – 2025
Vallendar, Germany
WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management
Master of Science in Entrepreneurship
Thesis: Managing Co-Founder Relationships
09 – 12/2024
Hamilton, Canada
McMaster University
DeGroote School of Business
2019 – 2022
Vallendar, Germany
WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management
Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration
Thesis: Entrepreneurship Education at Universities – How to Enable the Founders of Tomorrow
09 – 12/2021
Hong Kong (SAR)
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Personal Projects
"High Quality Craft Beer. Brewed With Spirit."
Scale Ale is an experimental craft brewery co-founded with Otis — born from a shared passion for quality beer and the desire to build something unique. Every batch is 100% one-of-a-kind: small quantities, experimental recipes, brewed for flavour over consistency. Notable releases include Prototype, a hoppy fruity Pale Ale, and Owl Beer – Genesis Batch, a balanced Kölsch-Style Golden Ale. If it's gone, it's gone for good.
Visit scale-ale.deExtracurricular
2016 – today
Business @ School — Boston Consulting Group
Participant (2016–17) · Coach (2018, 2020–today)
Coaching teams of 5–10 high school students through BCG's business education programme — supporting data analysis, presentation skills, and strategic thinking.
2020 – 2022
APX – Axel Springer Porsche
Voluntary Investment Scout
Part of the Dealflow & Selecting team — sourcing pre-seed startups attractive for early-stage investment.
2019 – 2020
Business Meets Tech — WHU Student Club
Head of Partnerships
Organised a hackathon with 400+ participants worldwide; developed tools used by 1,500+ WHU students; bridged the business and tech student communities.
Skills & Interests