Advisory Board Members
Take a look at our board members.
AXEL MAIER, CFA
Axel Maier has almost 30 years experience in the asset management industry. He is the founder of Singularity Advisors where he helps asset management companies with market entrance and market expansions strategies in Europe and Asia. He is also a partner at MDOTM, the leading FinTech company of purely AI-driven investment management solutions. Previously, he worked for different organisations such as, Macquarie Investment Management as Head of Asian Business in Hong Kong. During this time, he was on the board of regulated entities in Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. Before that he spent 10 years at Wellington Management in London and Singapore covering Asia, Europe and the Middle East at various stages during this time and leaving as Wellington’s Head of Europe. He also was a member of the board of managing directors for Baring Asset Management AG in Frankfurt. Axel is a strong supporter of education for underprivileged groups and is the Chairman of the Cambodian Children’s Fund in the UK.
Laila Zohaib
Laila Zohaib is an award‑winning founder, ecosystem architect, and leading expert in Diversity in Entrepreneurship. She is the initiator of The Migrant Accelerator, Germany’s first national empowerment program for underrepresented founders, enabling access to capital, networks, and opportunities for more than 700 migrant and POC entrepreneurs. Under her leadership, the program has raised over €2.5 million, facilitated 500+ investor introductions, and gained national recognition through SPIEGEL, brand eins, Tagesspiegel, Focus, and Deutsche Welle. It was nominated for the European Enterprise Promotion Awards (EEPA) 2025. Laila’s expertise spans fundraising, investor relations, corporate partnerships, program design, and community‑centered innovation. She has conducted due diligence on 640+ early‑stage startups, built a mentor network of 120+ partners, and led multiple accelerator cohorts and Demo Days. Her work focuses on dismantling structural barriers in the startup ecosystem and creating equitable access to capital. In addition to her founder role, Laila serves on the Advisory Board of PACEUPinvest, where she supports the company’s global expansion strategy across Brazil, the GCC, and Nigeria, scouts investors for the seed round, and advises on marketing and strategic partnerships. She is also active as a speaker and moderator on diversity, inclusion, and female entrepreneurship, with engagements at DGGO Symposium, EXIST Cologne, IFA Berlin, FemmeForward, Impact Hub Stuttgart, ADAN e.V., MentorMe, SWANS Initiative, and more. Her interviews and thought leadership have been featured across major media outlets. Laila is a 2026 Impact Investing Fellow (New England Impact Investing Initiative) and contributes to the broader ecosystem through roles such as Wo//men Investors Alliance Member & Screening Committee (BAND), Programmbeirat DFK’26, and jury positions for DFLA 2023 & 2024 and Startup BW Summit. She is an active member of communities including The Bloom, 2hearts, PANDA, Founderland, Black Professionals Europe, and Viaka. Driven by curiosity, boldness, and a commitment to impact, Laila works toward a regenerative and just society—one where every founder has equal access to networks, capital, and opportunity.
Martha Mghendi-Fisher
Martha is a thought leader, a social entrepreneur, diversity & inclusion advocate, child protection advocate and a philanthropist. She holds years of experience in financial industry, NGOs and social entrepreneurship. As an immigrant from Kenya, Martha has worked her way to become a respectable, trustworthy and thought leader. She is a highly sought-after and inspirational speaker, with a talent to connect to her audience from different demographics, industries and backgrounds by being her authentic self. A naturally born leader and community leader, she has founded many initiatives that are committed to championing and supporting women, marginalised communities and children. She sits on various Boards as Trustee, Advisor & Non-Executive Director Her full BIO can be found here: https://marthamghendi.com