The 2 Minute-Interview

Alice Carla Steinbrück is Head of Social Business at the Vodafone Institute. Which, in turn, deals with the question of how digital and mobile technologies can increase political, social and economic participation and enable access to education. Resulting in such valuable projects as F-LANE, the newly launched first European accelerator with a focus on start-ups by or for women in the tech-sector. Alice drafted and now manages the entire project. Together, we created and designed the brand and now she has to deal with the aftermath. Many fantastic applications of great female entrepreneurs have been coming in over the last couple of days and now have to be screened by her and her marvellous team to filter out the top ten. If you want to make her work just a little harder, you have until November 18th to enter yourself and your business idea in the race at www.f-lane.com/online-application. And if you’re looking for a little inspiration for your letter of application, you’ll find it in the lines below. An inspiring two-minute-interview about duck’s feet, beaming super powers, complex problems and three-course-menus.

Name: Alice Carla Steinbrück
Age: 31
Home: Berlin
Profession: Head of Social Business at the Vodafone Institute
Shoe size: 37
Favourite place: La Cadière d’Azur (a small town in southern France)
Contact:alice.steinbrueck@vodafone.com

Why can only women save the world from ruin?
Women can’t save the world all alone! But neither can men!

Is humanity on a good path?
That question falls into my post-Trump-shock-week. So at the moment, I see a lot of room for improvement.

The most inspiring personality you’ve ever encountered?
I recently got to know a multitude of inspiring, strong women such as Dupsy Abiola or Lisa Witter, who decided to start a business despite the difficulties and are incredibly positive and energetic. Because there is a lack of female role models, these women inspire me greatly – for my own path, as well.

How can you tell that you’ve grown up?
With the help of a simple formula: growing responsibility minus the freedom to just drop everything tomorrow and wake up in a new life. Although I do think that we should all try to never grow up completely.

What would you do without the internet?
After the first shock, I would realise how long 24 hours can be. And then, sooner or later, desperation would set in!

Why can’t one solve complex problems with simple answers?
I can’t tell you because I believe the exact opposite. Sometimes, complex problems can be solved very well with simple answers. I think we’ve just started making our world even more complex than it already is.

What can every human do right now to make the world a better place?
Tolerance, openness and curiosity are three important characteristics that could improve our lives together significantly.

What colour does a chameleon change to if it’s sitting in a room with walls covered in mirrors?
It changes up and down the colour palette while dancing…

Would you rather fight a duck the size of a horse or one hundred horses the size of a duck?
I think neither is ideal. But I’ll lean towards the horse-sized duck. Although the proportions of its beak and duck feet do have me worried already.

Which super power would you like to possess?
I’d like to have beaming super powers. How wonderful it would be to beam myself out of the tube to a beach in the south pacific in the mornings. Although I do have to admit it would be kind of an egotistical super power.

What would you cook for us if we came to visit you at home?
Unfortunately, I am a terrible cook – but I have mastered one tried and tested, never changing three-course-menu that enables me to dazzle guests on their first and only visit, at least.

Which famous personality would you like to go for cup of coffee with?
I would like to meet the Queen – although it would probably be tea, then. As the head of 53 states and with her life experience, she must have seen and heard everything and have quite a lot of wisdom to share.

What are you afraid of?
I’m afraid that we’re starting to stop questioning things and are falling for demagogues.

When was the last time you tried something new and what was it?
I find it incredibly fun to dive into new projects – like the accelerator – without really knowing what the outcome will be. Trying new things like travelling through foreign countries, ordering the duck’s feet in the Asian restaurant or just turning things upside down professionally really gives you the feeling of being alive.

Last words: Merci

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