On April 5, 2024, CKGSB and ESMT Berlin signed an agreement to launch the Global Unicorn Program in Germany. In an era that calls for global responsibility and a commitment to sustainable growth, this partnership stands for innovation and global collaboration. Present at the signing ceremony were CKGSB Founding Dean and Dean’s Distinguished Chair Professor of China Business and Globalization Xiang Bing and ESMT President Jörg Rocholl and CFO Georg Garlichs.
The Global Unicorn Program, developed by CKGSB, aims to build a global ecosystem for the next generation of unicorns and unicorn-to-be companies, with a renewed and enhanced emphasis on global responsibility, social purpose and long-term perspective. This mission resonates deeply with ESMT Berlin’s commitment, too, to foster entrepreneurship and responsible leadership.
In fact, CKGSB is the first business school, since 2015, to offer programs specifically designed for unicorn and soon-to-be-unicorn founders. To date, 1,188 founders of companies with at least Series A funding have studied at CKGSB, including the founders of 151 unicorn companies in total and 41 unicorn companies listed on CB Insights (2017-2022).
Operated by CKGSB and DEEP, ESMT’s Institute for Deep Tech Innovation, this innovative program will leverage both schools’ expertise in executive education and startup support, preparing founders and leadership teams to scale their ventures and make lasting, positive impact on society.
