TRAILBLAZER

Former Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg is founder of the Greentech Festival and Rosberg x Racing , a team driven to inspire positive change in the Extreme E racing series that draws attention to the risks and consequences of global climate change

WHEN DID YOUR PASSION FOR SUSTAINABILITY BEGIN ? WAS IT WHILE YOU WERE RACING F1 ? While I was still an active F1 driver , I was fully concentrated on my career . This changed drastically when I ended my racing career and began to show interest for other technologies , particularly in the space of sustainable mobility . Through my former employer Daimler , I was introduced to the latest powertrain developments and future technologies in their R & D , which I thought were fascinating . So I began to invest in e-mobility startups and later moved on to other sustainability projects .

DO YOU THINK PEOPLE JUDGE YOUR CREDENTIALS FOR BEING INVOLVED IN F1 ? Not anymore . In the beginning , the shift from F1 to sustainability certainly seemed like a bold move , but people quickly understood that we need to have a positive view on innovation and technology in order to advance on matters of climate protection . Motorsport has played a big role in making our road cars more efficient and continues to be an important platform for new technologies . The mindset in F1 is , there is no ‘ can ' t do ’. This is precisely what we need to fight climate change .

TELL US WHY YOU ESTABLISHED GREENTECH FESTIVAL ( GTF )? It was a trip to the CES in Las Vegas which brought upon the idea to establish a technology festival in Europe with a focus on sustainable ideas . My co-founders already had the Green Awards in place and it seemed like the perfect combination to tag it onto a global platform showcasing the latest products and ideas from the area of sustainability . It was also the right move for me as an investor because I wanted to establish a place where all of the innovative green startups could come together and network with other players .

14 October 2022