Dr. Julian Zuber

Entrepreneur & Strategy Advisor · Berlin · Munich

I build organisations at the intersection of sustainability, business, and politics, most recently GermanZero and Polis180, and advise companies, foundations, and political leaders.

Much of what I have done over the past decade follows one conviction: engaged citizens can carry political change.

With GermanZero, we turned that into cross-sectoral draft legislation for ambitious climate action. The result: a reduction potential of up to 198 million tonnes of CO₂, carried by over 1,000 volunteers and 100 local groups making change possible on the ground. With Polis180, we strengthened the foreign-policy voice of a new generation. In 2016, the organisation was named the best new think tank in Germany by the University of Pennsylvania.

PhD from the Hertie School, MSc from the University of Oxford. In 2020, Capital magazine nominated me for its “40 under 40”.

I play piano, practise martial arts, and teach windsurfing. Three disciplines with nothing obvious in common, except the quality of attention they demand.

Between what is necessary and what is possible lies the real work.

Organisations founded and built

Currently Building

Street-level heat maps for municipalities in Germany and across Europe: where heat builds up, where shade is missing, where heat protection does the most good.

Building something that looks convincing has become easy. The challenge is to know the potential and the limits of data and methods well enough that they can serve as a basis for strategic decisions.

Current Engagements

Currently serving on the Sustainability Council of the Volkswagen Group (until November 2026), providing strategic advisory to impact ventures, NGOs, and foundations, and supporting political leaders through complex transitions into office and during their term. Individual mandates remain confidential.

Writing

Selected writing. In German unless noted.

In conversation

Recorded conversations on climate policy, building organisations, and political strategy. In German unless noted.

Contact

kontakt@julianzuber.de