Berlin, January 5, 2022 – CODE University of Applied Sciences has gained two more prominent supporters in internet pioneer Stephan Schambach and Mr. Spex CEO Dirk Graber. They are joined by Valentin von Albrecht and Hendrik Hofstadt, among others – the two CODE students sold their startup this year. They join more than 25 other entrepreneurs from the digital sector.
CODE offers practical study programs with the aim of reflecting the reality of professional life during the course of study. The state-recognized university focuses on practical projects and creative development rather than lectures and computer science theory to be memorized. Students are thus prepared for the actual entrepreneurial demands of working life. Stephan Schambach is now supporting CODE with an investment worth millions. Schambach is regarded as an e-commerce pioneer and founded companies such as Intershop, Demandware and NewStore.
“Digital competence is the basis for innovation and competitiveness and therefore for prosperity and participation in our society. It is software that has not only been making our lives more and more efficient in all areas for decades, but can also solve the enormous challenges facing the economy, society and the environment.”
says Stephan Schambach, who combines his commitment to IT entrepreneurship and promising educational opportunities with the investment. He himself has invested in Berlin with his company NewStore. The global software development business based here benefits from well-trained IT experts.
He is not alone in his enthusiasm for CODE as a launchpad for ambitious digital talents: Rolf Schrömgens (Trivago), Benjamin Otto (Otto), Verena Pausder (Fox & Sheep) and Florian Heinemann (Project A) are among the CODE shareholders. They are convinced of the value of practical training and support it. The numerous partner companies – including Facebook, Porsche, T-Labs (Telekom) and Metro Digital – serve as a link to the corporate world and provide support with their own topics and practical experience.
Already over 30 spin-offs
CODE has already produced a number of graduates who have been successfully integrated into the European digital ecosystem. While some of them have decided to join companies such as Facebook, Amazon, Blinkist or Raisin on a permanent basis, other students have founded an impressive number of startups. In total, over 30 startups have emerged from CODE so far, which have raised more than 25 million euros from venture capitalists and have a cumulative valuation of well over 100 million euros.
Two students of CODE, Valentin von Albrecht and Hendrik Hofstadt, also wrote such a success story. Together, they founded a startup specializing in high-frequency trading. After less than two years, they sold their company to an American trading company in 2021. Now they have also become shareholders in the university’s sponsoring organization via their family office Bool Capital, which they run with their co-founder Leopold Schabel.
About Stephan Schambach
Stephan Schambach is one of the most successful German software entrepreneurs and is considered an e-commerce visionary. He is the founder of various tech companies in the USA and Europe. With Intershop and Demandware (now Salesforce Commerce), he recognized and influenced the major developments in e-commerce at a very early stage. His current company, NewStore, is a pioneer in retail and offers the first omnichannel-as-a-software solution.
Following successful IPOs as a founder, Stephan Schambach is committed to entrepreneurship and financing start-ups. As a sponsor, he significantly supports various e-commerce and IT courses at universities.
About CODE
CODE University of Applied Sciences is a private, state-accredited university of applied sciences for the digital pioneers of tomorrow. The degree programs teach skills that will be needed in the working world of the future. With its didactic learning concept, the university is geared towards the digital future. The three English-language degree programs Software Engineering, Interaction Design and Product Management train the digital pioneers of tomorrow. In July 2017, CODE was granted state recognition by the state of Berlin and more than 80 students have already started their studies. Around 600 students are now enrolled at CODE. Since then, CODE has been financed and supported by more than 25 prominent digital entrepreneurs such as Rolf Schrömgens (Trivago), Florian Heinemann (Project A), Benjamin Otto (Otto), Verena Pausder (Fox & Sheep) and Ijad Madisch (ResearchGate).