Early Life
Carsten Maschmeyer was born in Bremen, Germany, and grew up in Hildesheim. He had a modest childhood. Maschmeyer’s early years were marked by instability, and he lived in an orphanage. As a teenager, he was a successful middle-distance runner. He completed his Abitur in 1978 and served in the German Armed Forces for two years. He then studied medicine at the University of Hanover but left without a degree.
Rise to Success
Maschmeyer began his career in finance, working part-time in sales while studying medicine. He became a full-time financial consultant in 1982. In 1988, he founded AWD (Allgemeiner Wirtschaftsdienst), an independent financial advisory firm that rapidly expanded. AWD grew to become Europe's largest independent financial advisory, managing €15 billion for 2 million customers by 2007. In 2007, he sold AWD to Swiss Life for CHF 1.9 billion.
Key Business Strategies
Maschmeyer’s key business strategies have revolved around identifying and capitalizing on emerging markets. He built AWD through a multi-level distribution model, and focused on the recruitment and training of independent financial advisors. Currently, through the Maschmeyer Group, he focuses on B2B SaaS startups and supports founders from the early stages. He also invests through ALSTIN Capital and Paladin Asset Management.
Philanthropy
Maschmeyer is involved in various charitable activities. He supports the Neurological Learning project at the University of Hildesheim and co-founded the international “Neurobionic” foundation. He has also provided temporary housing for Syrian families and supported Ukrainian refugees. He is an honorary senator of Leibniz University in Hanover and a freelance lecturer at the International School of Management in Munich.