Ventures
Helping ambitious entrepreneurs to build, operate, scale, and sell successful businesses (also knwon as BOSS a biz). I focus on seed investments and founding own ventures.
“Recognized as ‘Top 10 Global Thought Leader in Digital Transformation’ (Thinkers360). Thinking fast, strategic, and outside the box. Connecting the dots. Playing devils advocate. Translating my entrepreneurial and digital know-how into success for other companies. Inspiring and enabling people to go above and beyond to really make a difference. That’s what I’m passionate about!”
About me
I started my professional career in 1997 at an IT Systems Company. In 2002, I founded the digital marketing agency “conceptbakery” with my brother Klaus. We had the privilege of working for some of the world's leading brands (Fortune 500, DAX 30, and SMB entities).
After we established an international agency alliance our business became part of Zone. We turned into shareholders and members of the senior management team. End of 2017 Zone was sold to Cognizant (listed on the NASDAQ, a Fortune 500 company).
All of the above led to Quovabiz. A company I founded again with my brother Klaus. We help our clients to stay focused and answer the most important questions in our rapidly changing world: Where to head with your business? And how to get there? That is what Quovabiz is all about.
After we established an international agency alliance our business became part of Zone. We turned into shareholders and members of the senior management team. End of 2017 Zone was sold to Cognizant (listed on the NASDAQ, a Fortune 500 company).
All of the above led to Quovabiz. A company I founded again with my brother Klaus. We help our clients to stay focused and answer the most important questions in our rapidly changing world: Where to head with your business? And how to get there? That is what Quovabiz is all about.
My latest book
My novel Catch-42 combines current scientific findings in AI, biotech, quantum computing, and robotics with a fascinating and entertaining story. I want to encourage as many people as possible to think—from radically new perspectives—about how humanity, technology, the economy, and our society might develop in the future.
We added some new letters to the alphabet of life. Catch-42 turns these new letters into a fascinating story about technology, our society, and future.
In Catch-42, Felix Holzapfel spins his deep understanding of today's most important technology trends into a gripping narrative about choice, ethics, and the nature of humanity—and shows us that the future will truly be what we make it.
Creative, inventive, an enjoyable read. Stretched my thinking with an outstanding understanding of emerging technologies and what's possible today, coupled with a futuristic mindset that challenges the reader to explore what's real and what's right.
Like it or not, technology will rapidly change our world. Catch-42 demonstrates why it is so important that all of us get involved in the decision-making process that is nearly upon us.
A breathtaking mix of science, technology, and philosophy. The result: A fascinating story with a daring and thought-provoking look into the future of humankind.
Catch-42 is not a classic page-turner but a demanding idea-turner. The novel covers many trending topics and important current questions. You might need some time to read it, but it's worth every second.
My passion
Consulting
Digital translator and enabler. Making people think bigger and outside the box. Playing devil’s advocate. Challenging your daily routine and supporting you to get things done.
Purpose
I enjoy creating sustainable change. That’s why I love to work for entrepreneurs and projects whose aim is a better world. If our missions align, then we might rock together.
My career...
Founded
January 1978
My first computer
When I was 8 years old I spent all my savings on my first computer, an Atari 520ST.
1986
Hello Internet
I’ve been online since 1992.
1992Start of my professional career
I began to work for an IT Systems Company in 1997 while I was still attending school. When clients increasingly asked for web design, e-commerce, and online marketing I was tasked with setting up this department. In early 2000 the company developed a toolkit to build websites, that was offered as SAAS (software as a service). The growth of the company was accelerated by three rounds of venture capital investments. I worked alongside the executive board, was involved in all parts of the organization, and became a constant in the shareholder and supervisory board meetings. It was a perfect learning environment for a future entrepreneur.
1997 - 2002Speaker & lecturer
I enjoy speaking at leading industry events (e.g. dmexco, Medientage Munich, or Mailingtage) and guest lecturing at several universities (e.g. Hochschule Macromedia, Martin-Luther-University Halle, or Rheinische Fachhochschule Cologne).
2000 - todayConceptbakery
In 2002, I founded the digital marketing agency “conceptbakery” with my brother Klaus. Our goal was to build innovative bridges between our clients and their target audiences. We identified trends in the USA and built methods and ways to transfer this knowledge and experience to the European market. Our approach worked and we built a successful team and business in Germany and the USA. We were able to work for many great clients (such as Asahi, Bosch, Coca Cola, DEVK, E-Plus, Florette, Giovanni Rana, Henkel, ING, Jaguar / Land Rover, Karstadt, L’Oréal, Microsoft, NieWiederBohren, Orbico, Pernod Ricard, No-Q-Sorry;), Ravensburger, Stadtwerke Duesseldorf, Triodos Bank, Unicef, Vodafone, WDR, XELLA, Ytong, Z..., and more). After we established an international agency alliance, end of 2015 our business became part of Zone. We turned into shareholders and members of Zone’s senior management team.
2002 - 2015Author
I wrote my first book in 2006. The title was "Guerilla Marketing – Online, Mobile & Crossmedia". The book was simultaneously published as a blog, e-book, and podcast. At that time this was an innovative way of publishing that created an unexpected level of attention. Since than I wrote the books "Facebook – Marketing among friends" (1. edition published in 2010, Bestseller), "Digital Marketing Evolution or Adverdies – who continues to run classic ads dies" (1. edition published in 2015), and several publications as co-author. My latest book, "Catch-42" is a novel about the most important technologies and challenges of our time. Learn more at www.catch-42.com.
2006 - todayZone
At the beginning of 2016 conceptbakery officially became a part of Zone. I became CEO Germany and part of the Zone leadership team. Zone is a full service digital and customer experience agency with an international footprint and more than 250 experts in the fields of strategy, technology, content & experiences. We worked for clients such as Adidas, BMW, Canon, Deutsche Telekom, RTL, Thyssen Krupp, and more.
2016 - 2017Cognizant
In October 2017 we successfully sold Zone to Cognizant, one of the leading digital businesses worldwide (listed on the NASDAQ, a Fortune 500 company). I had a key role in the integration process in Germany. I also became Cognizant’s testimonial for Customer Experience in Germany within an international marketing campaign (“Introducing the new face of CX”). The target: Sharpen the footprint of Cognizant Interactive as leading global digital agency network.
2017 - 2019Creative reset
In 2019 I traveled the world with my wife and my two children. After months of quality and family time I started to wonder about my learnings from the past and my future ambitions. I visited creative hotspots around the world. I had interesting conversations with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and other inspiring leaders I met along our journey. The result is a new venture that combines all my passions in one place. Its setup meets all my current requirements and abilities.
2019Quovabiz
All of the above led to Quovabiz. True to the motto "never change a winning team" I founded the company again with my brother Klaus. As financially independent entrepreneurs, we are in the privilleged situation to simply follow our passion! That is what Quovabiz is all about. Ventures, Consulting, and Purpose. Telling and creating stories of engaged business leaders, building successful brands and companies, making a difference in the world. Our current ventures include companies like:
agriBORA has the mission that the African continent can feed itself and be self-sufficient during our generation.
CRONOFF makes CRypto ONboarding and OFFboarding safe.
Continuum Housing builts zero-emission smart homes focusing on innovative and sustainable technologies.
Today
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