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
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
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
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
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
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
Semester AbroadProjects & Activities
Skills & Interests