Strategy & Innovation

We help organizations define growth — and turn it into execution.

We connect strategy with execution: we decode markets, validate opportunities, and scale revenue. We operate as an entrepreneur-led, independent consultancy—with clear, opinionated recommendations instead of political compromises. Whether build, partner, or invest, we support you from strategy through implementation. Backed by experience from 600+ projects, with one goal: measurable impact.

Thought Leaders, Not Followers: Our Innovation Reports


Strategy and innovation are our home turf. Deeply embedded in the ecosystem, we examine one defining future question each year. In the current Innovation Report 2025, we analyze the resilience of the DACH economy based on robust data analysis. The result: clear benchmarks, patterns, and strategic implications for your business.

Our publications have become a standard for decision-makers: from the methodological foundation (Corporate Innovation Report) to a deep dive into the engine room of the German economy (Industrial Tech Report) and a data-driven reality check of your ability to endure and grow (“Survive or Thrive” Report 2025). We provide the coordinates for sustainable growth.

Read the 2025 Report for Free

How We Support Our Clients

  • Partnering & Venture Clienting

    Not every solution needs to be built in-house. We open your organization to relevant ecosystems and scout the right patents, technologies, and startups to identify the best-fit solution for your business. We design pilots to ensure organizational integration from day one—with one objective: scaling impact, not creating showcases.

  • Ideation and validation

    We understand complex market dynamics and help our clients identify, elaborate and validate potential business ideas.

  • Corporate Venture Capital & M&A

    Systematic inorganic growth. We refine your investment thesis and define strategic search fields, identify high-potential targets, and support deal flow as well as commercial due diligence. The objective: strategic access to technologies and markets—faster, more targeted, and with fewer missteps.

  • Validation & Due Diligence

    We make business opportunities decision-ready. Before capital is committed, we test critical hypotheses quickly and in a data-driven manner—both for internal ventures and acquisition targets. The result: robust go/no-go decisions and a clear plan to reduce risk and focus resources where they matter most.

  • Corporate Venture Capital

    We identify attractive, strategically relevant investment opportunities for companies and conduct a comprehensive assessment of the associated risks to enable confident, well-informed decisions.

What drivers of innovation are saying about us:

Thanks to hy's entrepreneurial experience, we could define an agile expansion concept for a new market.
Frank Kleiner CEO Harry Brot
hy is our key to the startup ecosystem. Through perfect networking, we established our venture in just a few weeks.
Matthias Hoyer CEO Hoyer Handel
hy has an excellent overview of new B2B business models. For us, an ideal balance between intellectual derivation and applicable conclusions.
David Doyle VP Strategy & Innovation Lufthansa Technik
The team was highly responsive to our challenges, and the hands-on mentality delivered results quickly.
Sven Siering CEO vent.io
Being supported by hy in digital M&A activities greatly adds value to our business.
Rüdiger Behn CEO Waldemar Behn
With hy, we can accelerate our business projects quickly and easily.
Marc Wille CEO CUBOS
hy's employees are not consultants to us, but important companions and supporters on our journey.
Dr. Hadi Saleh CEO CeramTec
The hy consultants convince me with their authentic experience and hands-on attitude.
Michaela Bessell Head of Ecosystem Henkel dx
hy complements our technical experts in our innovation program as a Co-Preneur.
Sebastian Tietz Director Open Innovation Bosch

References

An Audio Masterclass on Growth: Our Podcast “Return on Innovation”

We give our network a platform: In the podcast Return on Innovation, Anne Schlösser and Heike Löffler go behind the scenes of successful transformations. No buzzwords—just honest insights from the engine room of business.

Hear from decision-makers such as Florian Bankoley, Chief Digital Officer, Bosch Mobility, and Bernd Rattey, Group Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer, Deutsche Bahn AG, on how innovation truly scales—and when it fails.

Explore the Podcast

Responsible Contacts

Senior leadership with clear industry expertise and execution focus.
For fast alignment and precisely matched teams.

 

  • Sebastian Herzog

    Partner and Co-CEO

    Before hy: Managing Director, Lufthansa Innovation Hub // Strategy & M&A // Founder of an eCommerce startup
    Functional Focus: Strategy, Investments, and Joint Ventures
    Industry Focus: Finance

    Contact: sebastian.herzog@hy.co

  • Anne Schlösser

    Partner

    Before hy: Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company // Founder and CEO of Memoratio and studiomem
    Functional Focus: Strategy, Product Development, and Venture Building
    Industry Focus: Consumer, Life Sciences, Energy

    Contact: anne.schloesser@hy.co

  • Steffen Vollmerding

    Partner

    Before hy: CEO Pkw.de // Serial Founder // Executive Assistant at Vodafone
    Functional Focus: E-Commerce, Venture Building, M&A
    Industry Focus: Consumer Goods & Luxury, Retail & Food Industry

    Contact: steffen.vollmerding@hy.co

  • Christian Geiss

    Senior Vice President

    Before hy: Director Business Innovation, Mercedes-Benz // Strategic Sales Management // Co-Founder Car2Go
    Functional Focus: Industrial Transformation, Validation, Innovation Processes & Design
    Industry Focus: Automotive, Industrial Mid-Market (M+E), New Defence

    Contact: christian.geiss@hy.co

  • Heike Löffler

    Senior Vice President

    Before hy: Director New Business, LichtBlick // CCO, Mobimeo // Management Consultant at Deutsche Bahn and Simon-Kucher & Partners
    Functional Focus: Go-to-Market, Product Portfolio Strategy, Digital Transformation Industry Focus: Clean Tech, Energy, Mobility

    Contact: heike.loeffler@hy.co

  • Marie-Luise Heitmann

    Senior Vice President

    Before hy: Rocket Internet // Corporate Venture Capital, Deutsche Bahn // Entrepreneur
    Functional Focus: Strategy & Implementation, Growth, Change
    Industry Focus: Insurance, Services, IT

    Contact: marie-luise.heitmann@hy.co