Carsten Maschmeyer (born 8 May 1959) is a German billionaire businessman, investor and television personality. He founded the Maschmeyer Group, which brings together his business activities, and is known for his role as a panel member of the investment series Die Höhle der Löwen (The Lions' Den). Through his firms he invests in startups, life sciences and emerging technology markets, and he has also written bestselling books on success and personal finance.
Early life and career
Maschmeyer grew up in Hildesheim after being born in Bremen, and he spent parts of his childhood in an orphanage. He began working in financial advising while studying medicine. In 1988 he founded AWD, an independent financial advisory group that expanded into several countries and went public in 2000. Swiss Life acquired the company in 2007 for about CHF 1.9 billion.
Investments and philanthropy
Through seed + speed Ventures and Maschmeyer Group Ventures he backs early-stage companies in Germany, the Americas and Israel. His investments include the booking platform Blacklane, which Uber agreed to acquire in 2026, and the software firm Usercentrics. He also finances scholarships, supports charitable projects for children and has co-founded a foundation focused on neurology and learning.