MEET OUR TEAM

2024 / 03 / 22
 

Shaping electromobility right from the start

Tom’s academic achievements laid a solid foundation for his journey into the world of electric mobility. During his studies in Management & Technology at Landshut University of Applied Sciences and the Technical University of Munich, he was already intensively involved with electromobility. After completing his education, Tom started his professional career with a trainee programme at Audi. He started within the field of the electric vehicles, working on a joint project with Audi and Porsche to develop a premium electric vehicle platform. In this role, Tom contributed to defining the next generation of electric vehicles. The Q6 e-tron, which is based on this platform, was recently unveiled. His work led him to become the technical project manager for the Audi A6 e-tron and later the assistant to the Chief Technology Engineer for all electric vehicles at Audi.
 

Discovering DeepDrive

Eventually, Tom decided to leave Audi for a new opportunity at DeepDrive, a young company he learned about through a LinkedIn post announcing our seed funding round. Knowing Stefan, our co-CEO and co-founder, from previous encounters, Tom reached out to explore opportunities at DeepDrive. He was intrigued by our mission to challenge the automotive industry’s status quo and develop radically new technologies. At the time Tom joined, DeepDrive was a small team of eight people, including seven founders and one employee.
 

Changing sides – working with the OEM from the supplier’s perspective

Currently, Tom is involved in roles that are quite different from his previous positions. Stefan offered him a role that encompasses sales and project management for customer-related topics. This was a new area for Tom and accepting it meant stepping out of his comfort zone and tackling a new challenge, which was both exciting and demanding for him.
 
In such a young environment, finding the right product-market fit and establishing strong relationships with automotive companies are crucial. Tom’s experience in the automotive industry has been invaluable in his day-to-day tasks, helping DeepDrive navigate the complexities of the market and the expectations of automotive companies.
 

The drive for innovation and team growth

Tom has been with DeepDrive for almost two years now, and during this time, he has focused on defining products with system engineers, engaging in discussions with various customers, and building lasting relationships. His role is critical in finding the right business model that allows DeepDrive to collaborate effectively with OEMs. This involves combining the agility and innovation of a company with the experience and resources of established companies to create a competitive advantage in the market.
 
Tom works with both of our product lines at DeepDrive, which are based on our patented Dual Rotor technology. The first product line is the In-Wheel Drive, an innovative approach that integrates the motor directly into the wheel. The second product line is the Central Drive system, which utilises the same technology in a traditional motor placement within the vehicle.
 

Turning vision into reality – Very fast

For Tom, there are two factors that characterise DeepDrive’s corporate culture.
 
Willingness to take risks – The decision to enter a highly competitive e-motor market as a small and young company is bold. The only way to survive is to be incredibly innovative. Obviously, this endeavour implies risk. It takes a great deal of courage and willingness to face this challenge. At DeepDrive, all employees are inspired & energised by this “shoot for the moon” challenge.
 
Fast execution – Developing a completely new engine technology comes with a lot of small and some big problems. Working in a team that has both the expertise and the mindset to find solutions to these problems and then implement them at a breathtaking speed is the key to success.
 
There is currently a lot of discussion in the industry about Chinese carmakers and their speed of implementation – often referred to as „Chinese speed“. Tom’s message: Chinese speed can also be found in Germany – in combination with even more innovative technical solutions.
 

Optimism for the future and personal life balance

Tom is confident about DeepDrive’s future, believing in the significant market success awaiting us in the automotive field. Tom feels a strong sense of responsibility to contribute to this success, focusing on securing the necessary recognition and commitments from partners and customers to drive DeepDrive forward.
Outside of his dedicated role at DeepDrive, Tom cherishes spending time with his family. Travel, often intertwined with his job, remains another passion, allowing him to explore new places and experiences.