# Thomas Kösters

> Thomas Kösters is the Munich-based co-founder and CEO of DEEP Ecosystems, working with startup hubs and ecosystem builders on research, programme development, partnerships and funding. His work includes Startup Heatmap Europe and the DEEPSEA ecosystem accelerator, following earlier roles with Microsoft Ventures and EIT Digital.

- **Role:** Co-Founder & CEO at DEEP Ecosystems
- **Organizations:** DEEP Ecosystems, Startup Heatmap Europe, European Startup Initiative, Microsoft Ventures (former), EIT Digital (former), Growpreneur (acceleration advisor)
- **Education:** Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
- **Known for:** Co-founded DEEP Ecosystems and serves as CEO., Helped develop Startup Heatmap Europe from its late-2015 beginnings., Worked on EIT Digital investment initiatives spanning 20 countries in Central and Southern Europe.

## Career timeline

- **Before DEEP Ecosystems; exact dates unverified** — Worked with Microsoft Ventures Germany’s national startup programme and EIT Digital, including international outreach and early-stage investment initiatives in Central and Southern Europe.
- **2015** — Began work on the Startup Heatmap Europe idea in late 2015, as recalled in his March 2017 article.
- **2017** — Published a retrospective on the creation of Startup Heatmap Europe.
- **2018** — Published analysis of the geographic mismatch between founder preferences and venture-capital activity; DEEPSEA launched that year.
- **2022** — Named as an EU-Startups Summit speaker on why ecosystems matter more than unicorns.
- **2023** — Participated in a Startup Grind Stockholm fireside chat and Startuprad.io interviews on startup ecosystems.
- **2024** — Published arguments for rethinking accelerator programmes and for more open, competitive European markets.
- **2025** — Introduced the Ecosystem Angels proposal and was listed as a Growpreneur acceleration advisor.

## Achievements

- Co-founded DEEP Ecosystems and serves as CEO.
- Helped develop Startup Heatmap Europe from its late-2015 beginnings.
- Worked on EIT Digital investment initiatives spanning 20 countries in Central and Southern Europe.
- Growpreneur credits him with more than 100 capacity-building events.
- Has advised ecosystem actors across Europe, Latin America and Africa.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Promoted a Munich blue-economy side event associated with EIT Water and the 28 September hackathon.
- **2026-06** — Listed by PARP as an ecosystem and acceleration expert alongside a June 9–10 Warsaw accelerator-development event.
- **2025-06** — Published Introducing the Concept of Ecosystem Angels on June 2.

## Links

- Website: https://www.deep-ecosystems.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-k%C3%B6sters-8602a247/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/thomas-koesters
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22