WHU alumni conquer Forbes: Four young talents on the ladder of success!

WHU alumni conquer Forbes: Four young talents on the ladder of success!

On April 18, 2025, the WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management once again proved that it is a talent factory for young entrepreneurs. Four of its alumni were named to the prestigious Forbes Europe 2025 30 Under 30 list. Among the honored alumni are Lucas Christel, Tobias Hoss, Finn zur Mühlen and Lukas Pauly, who have distinguished themselves in various categories.

The Forbes “30 under 30” list, which has been published annually since 2012, honors young, successful personalities from various fields. In recent years, around 40 WHU alumni have received a place on these lists. This underlines the high quality of education at WHU and the entrepreneurial spirit of its students. The university not only provides academic knowledge, but also promotes active innovation and engagement in business.

Aspiring entrepreneurs in detail

• Lucas Christel (BSc 2018):
  Er ist Mitgründer von Purpose Green, einem Climate-Tech-Start-up in Berlin, das 2023 gegründet wurde. Das Unternehmen fokussiert sich auf die Dekarbonisierung des Immobiliensektors durch digitale Lösungen und hat bereits 18,4 Millionen US-Dollar von namhaften Investoren wie Fifth Wall und Speedinvest eingesammelt.
• Tobias Hoss (MSc 2020):
  Als Vice President Operations bei Lunar X, einem 2021 gegründeten Berliner Medienunternehmen, verantwortet er die Weiterentwicklung digitaler Content-Marken. Lunar X hat über 108 Millionen Abonnenten und kann stolze 39 Milliarden Videoaufrufe vorweisen.
• Finn zur Mühlen (BSc 2020):
  Finn ist Mitgründer von Telli, einem KI-Start-up, das 2024 ins Leben gerufen wurde. Telli entwickelt Voice-KI-Agenten für den Vertrieb und hat kürzlich 3,6 Millionen US-Dollar von Investoren wie Cherry Ventures und Y Combinator erhalten. Das Unternehmen ist bereits in den USA, Großbritannien und Deutschland aktiv.
• Lukas Pauly (MSc 2019):
  Er ist Gründer von Enpal.pro, der größten B2B-Plattform für Solar- und Heizungsinstallateure in Europa. Mit der Unterstützung von über 1.200 Betrieben in Deutschland arbeitet Enpal.pro seit Anfang 2024 profitabel und plant eine Expansion nach Polen, Frankreich, Österreich und in die Niederlande.

These innovative ventures show how WHU alumni are taking positions at the top of their industries and setting new standards with their start-ups.

A look at WHU and its alumni

WHU is not only considered one of the leading universities for business administration, but also as a breeding ground for creative ideas and entrepreneurial thinking. The commitment and successes of its graduates are a testament to the training they receive during their studies. In addition to the recently honored alumni, other WHU graduates have also appeared on the Forbes list in previous years, including Fabian Bitta and Lea Henzgen, who have also excelled in their respective fields.

The continuity in the success of the graduates is also reflected in the number of companies they found and run. This shows that WHU not only imparts academic knowledge, but also promotes entrepreneurship and provides support for future leaders. While famous personalities such as Miley Cyrus and LeBron James are also on the Forbes "30 under 30" list, it is pleasing to see that young entrepreneurs from Germany are also given a platform to celebrate their achievements.

Overall, the current awards demonstrate that WHU alumni continue to have a significant impact on the economy and society, thanks to excellent education and a strong network. WHU reports about this success and the positive developments among their former students.

The achievements of these four graduates not only inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs, but also strengthen WHU's reputation as a leader in educating innovative business people. The knowledge complements the successes of these alumni provide valuable background and WHU offers continue to provide interesting insights into the achievements of their alumni.