Dirk Ahlborn is the founder and CEO of JumpStarter Inc, a web portal that uses crowdsourcing to fund and develop successful companies from start to finish. He is also the CEO and Co-Founder of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies. Dirk is an international keynote speaker who focuses on innovation, the future of transport, and building companies in the internet age. He has spoken at numerous conferences around the world, including WEF, SXSW, CES, SPIEF, DLD, Pioneers, carlT, CeBit, and Smart Mobility World Congress. Dirk's career started in investment, and he later founded several companies in alternative energy and interior design. In 2006, he sold one of his companies to a global alternative energy conglomerate. Dirk has a wide range of experience in various aspects of business, including management, product design, manufacturing, marketing, and sales. Before co-founding Jumpstarter, he played a crucial role in the development of startup companies, particularly Advanced Turbine Designs, which focused on natural-gas-fueled gas turbine generators. Dirk is multilingual, fluent in German and Italian, and proficient in conversational Spanish. He also holds a credential in banking and insurance from the Organization of German Industry and Commerce.