Stefan Gabriel

Dr. Stefan Gabriel, a 20-year veteran of corporate venturing, founded Hitachi Ventures in 2019 and is extremely ambitious about the value add that the unit can create for its parent company, the Japanese conglomerate Hitachi. Dr. Gabriel is CEO & Managing director at Hitachi Ventures that advises a 600m Hitachi Fund to invest globally in Hitachi’s key areas: environmental tech & circularity, energy, mobility, AI & digital technologies, to industrial automation and life sciences; respecting that each sector is facing global challenges of Environment, Health, or Society.

Prior to his current position, he was President of 3M New Ventures (CVC Unit of 3M Ltd.), that he started in 2008, with global responsibility to identify, acquire and develop new-to-3M technologies and businesses using venture style funding and management. Dr Gabriel worked in Manufacturing Engineering, Corporate Strategy and Innovation at BMW Group with executive responsibilities including Powertrain Strategy and Innovation for “Future Automotive Concepts” for BMW, MINI and Rolls Royce.

Given his long-standing experience, he has advised many C-Level Executives of Fortune 500 companies around the globe on how to insource innovation and add to mutual growth, operate or restructure CVC arms.

Dr Gabriel holds a PhD in Corporate Venture Capital, a master’s in mechanical engineering and since 13+ years he is Visiting Professor for “Enterprise and Innovation” at the University of Huddersfield, UK.