Rafael Laguna de la Vera

Role

Director, SPRIND (Bundesagentur fuer Sprunginnovationen)

Based in

Berlin, Germany

Prior experience

Open-Xchange (co-founder & CEO; 2005-2020), SUSE Linux (VP Marketing & Business Development; ~2001-2004; through its sale to Novell), Micado (CEO), Baeurer (led turnaround/sale to Sage Group; 2003-2006)

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• FundSPRINDGerman federal agency for breakthrough innovation; participated in Hypersonica's €23.3M Series A (February 2026).

Who is Rafael Laguna de la Vera?

Rafael Laguna de la Vera built a four-decade career founding and turning around German software companies, including the SUSE Linux rescue that led to its sale to Novell, a turnaround of Baeurer culminating in its sale to Sage Group, and Open-Xchange, which he co-founded in 2005 and led as CEO until 2020. In July 2019 he was appointed founding Director of SPRIND, tasked with funding and de-risking breakthrough ("Sprunginnovation") technologies that fall outside conventional academic and VC funding paths.

What is Rafael Laguna de la Vera's role?

Rafael Laguna de la Vera is Director, SPRIND (Bundesagentur fuer Sprunginnovationen), based in Berlin, Germany.

Where did Rafael Laguna de la Vera work before?

Rafael Laguna de la Vera's prior roles include Open-Xchange (co-founder & CEO; 2005-2020), SUSE Linux (VP Marketing & Business Development; ~2001-2004; through its sale to Novell), Micado (CEO), Baeurer (led turnaround/sale to Sage Group; 2003-2006).

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