Changing the World One Innovation at a Time
Even on a Zoom call, you can see how excited Michael Zhao is when talking about his work at Porsche. A strategy specialist in digitalization and innovation within Porsche Tech Talents, Michael really wants to tell me about the cool new product line he’s working on, but he’s got to keep quiet until launch.
“I'm currently working with Porsche within corporate strategy and pushing forward the innovation strategy and working on a large innovation project that is outside of their core business,” Michael hints.
“I’m responsible for developing new technologies in-house that have a huge potential and do not fit into a vehicle or a car setting. I’m helping to diversify the revenue streams. I cannot tell you any more as it’s very top secret! [Laughs] What I can tell you is that it could potentially change the world.”
And changing the world is what drives Michael in all of his ventures. Whether it’s receiving his Master of Science in Electrical Power Engineering and Operations Research from RWTH Aachen University—one of the leading engineering schools in Germany—or various internships at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Porsche AG or investment and capital analyst roles, Michael is drawn to new challenges that spring to new opportunities.
It’s one of the main reasons why he chose our BHGAP Graduate track in the Spring 2022 semester.
I had the pleasure to Zoom with Michael to learn more about his Berkeley experience.
What drew you to BHGAP?
The first reason was the location: Being in California was something that I always dreamt about, as well as being so near to Silicon Valley. Berkeley is a top-notch school in America that teaches entrepreneurship, and the curriculum is from a Top 10 M.B.A. program in the world. To teach entrepreneurship, you have to have had some kind of practice in that. The mindset and the atmosphere in Berkeley were exciting: trying out new things, networking with investors and getting to know the professors who have been teaching in this field for a long time.
Without BHGAP, I wouldn't have been hired, I think, because I now have some particular skill sets that hadn't been met before within this corporate innovation unit.
What was your experience in the classes?
I took Thriving at Haas and Beyond, Leading People, New Venture Finance and Changing Climate and Business Strategy. For my main campus class, I chose a Ph.D.-level course in industrial engineering operations research called Frontiers in Revenue Management. We studied dynamic pricing, online matching and algorithms—it was really mathematical- and engineering-specific.
How did those courses fit in with your master's program?
They fit in very, very well. There are fundamental differences in how the professors teach you between Berkeley and my university. At Berkeley, I feel like I actually learned about entrepreneurship. This is very crucial, to have this knowledge being passed on through the lectures and using it in the form of essays or projects.
This was vastly different from the system here in Germany, where you will just attend classes and then have a final exam. So I really appreciated the Berkeley experience because I was able to use that knowledge. This was the same experience in my engineering course because we also had to do some problem sets. The final project was fun because I got to use all of that knowledge that's passed on in the lectures—it was really collaborative.
The way the BHGAP professors taught me, I have a competitive edge with domain-specific knowledge that a lot of people in my team don't have.
Were there any professors that really stood out for you?
My favorite professor was Gregory La Blanc because he is very charismatic and taught us a lot about entrepreneurship, as well as about the innovative climate and atmosphere in Silicon Valley.
Before coming to Berkeley, I had done an internship at venture capital firm Freigeist Capital, one of the first investors in Lilium, a German air-taxi startup where I was involved in the investment-decision process and supported portfolio companies by providing financial planning, marketing strategies and KPI tracking.
So the BHGAP classes added a new perspective to something I already knew.
Speaking of Silicon Valley, did you take part in the site visits?
Yes, of course! There weren't a lot of site visits because of COVID restrictions, but one that really stood out for me was visiting Orange. It really shows that this is the frontier of innovation in the world. It was nice to see their perspective on Metaverse and on blockchain. It was really eye-opening and has led to some great conversations.
I also liked visiting San Francisco—it’s one of the largest cities and just a great experience
What were your top things to do while you were with us?
Some of the things that I really enjoyed were going on road trips with other international friends. I had a lot of German friends in Berkeley, but also those from Switzerland and France. Because California is so large, there's a lot to discover!
I also liked visiting San Francisco—it’s one of the largest cities and just a great experience. I enjoyed seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and walking around Hawk Hill and the Embarcadero. When you come to Berkeley, make sure you grab a drink with friends at Raleigh’s Pub, Jupiter or Tap Haus. I liked grabbing a coffee at Timeless Coffee or eating authentic Chinese food in San Francisco’s Chinatown; Capital and Good Mong Kok Bakery are excellent choices.
And now you’re changing the world at Porsche! How has BHGAP impacted this work?
It definitely has impacted my work. Without BHGAP, I wouldn't have been hired, I think, because I now have some particular skill sets that hadn't been met before within this corporate innovation unit. So I think BHGAP helped me to cultivate this entrepreneurial mindset and have this amazing American way of thinking instead of a European conservative way of thinking.
Secondly, the way the BHGAP professors taught me, I have a competitive edge with domain-specific knowledge that a lot of people in my team don't have. Having this study-abroad experience allowed me to meet a lot of people and widen my network.
Where can we find you five years from now?
Changing the world!
I will still be doing things that have a big impact and the potential to change the world.
Amazing! And for other world-changers coming to BHGAP, what advice can you offer?
I think the first tip is to be adventurous. You're entering a new world with new culture and new people.
The second thing is take advantage of being within the Silicon Valley ecosystem and try to widen your network. Just talk to everybody who you come across.
The third is to take your courses seriously because you will gain a lot of knowledge.
I had a really wonderful time in BHGAP and am still in contact with friends I met in the program. Without BHGAP, I wouldn't be in my current role.
