# Christoph Sonnen

> Christoph Sonnen is a co-founder of LEAD and a sports technology entrepreneur and investor. An early Red Bull employee with a background in competitive windsurfing, he helped build an accelerator launched in Berlin in 2017 into a venture organization with several funds and an advisory business. His partners and connections include Horst Bente, the Adi Dassler family and OurCrowd. Public biographies identify him as LEAD’s co-founder and CEO.

- **Role:** Co-Founder & CEO at LEAD
- **Organizations:** LEAD, ADvantage Sports Tech Fund, Lake Nona Fund, Red Bull, Adi Dassler International Family Office
- **Education:** Business of Entertainment, Media and Sports program (executive education, not a degree), Harvard Business School Executive Education
- **Known for:** Co-founded LEAD and helped develop its accelerator and investment structure., Co-managed the sports technology fund ADvantage, announced in February 2018 with a $50 million target., Helped establish LEAD’s first U.S. accelerator through the Lake Nona partnership.

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Joined an early Red Bull team through surfing connections and worked on distribution in Berlin.
- **2015** — Examined opportunities in sports technology with the Adi Dassler family investment circle; a yearlong feasibility study followed.
- **2016** — Co-founded leAD with Horst Bente and partners, according to his 2023 interview.
- **2017** — The leAD accelerator began operating in Berlin.
- **2018** — Named co-manager of ADvantage with Jeremy Pressman in the OurCrowd and leAD fund announcement.
- **2019** — leAD partnered with SPORT1; seven startups completed its three-month accelerator in Berlin.
- **2020** — Lake Nona partnership announced LEAD’s first U.S. accelerator.
- **2021** — LEAD relocated its headquarters from Berlin to Lake Nona in September.
- **2024** — LEAD announced an expanded family of funds and strategic advisory division under its new branding.

## Achievements

- Co-founded LEAD and helped develop its accelerator and investment structure.
- Co-managed the sports technology fund ADvantage, announced in February 2018 with a $50 million target.
- Helped establish LEAD’s first U.S. accelerator through the Lake Nona partnership.
- LEAD reported 70+ portfolio companies and $155 million in assets under management in its August 2024 announcement; these are organizational, dated figures.

## Latest updates

- **2025-12** — Described a working visit to Abu Dhabi with Horst Bente around the Formula 1 Grand Prix and BRIDGE Summit in a public LinkedIn post.
- **2025-10** — Featured in wir magazine’s interview about his career and the Adi Dassler legacy.
- **2024-08** — LEAD rebranded and announced an expanded family of funds and strategic advisory division.
- **2024-07** — LEAD added Danny Cortenraede and InStudio Ventures as a general partner.

## Links

- Website: https://lead.vc
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christoph-sonnen/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/christoph-sonnen
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-10