Everyone ignored this problem—until it became an opportunity. Alexander Rinke, co-founder of Celonis, turned a student project into a $13B+ process mining giant from Germany.
Born and raised in Berlin, he went on to build a software empire that has saved companies like Pfizer $300M.
This episode of HD in HD explores Alex’s path from student founder to CEO—and how he sees AI transforming the way companies run.
Alex and I also unpack:
• how 1,500 handwritten letters helped him land Siemens
• why AI’s next wave hinges on process overhaul
• how a $50K project outgrew his McKinsey dreams
ABOUT US:
We’re proudly sponsored by Brex—a brand I co-founded, now supporting over 30,000 businesses like Anthropic, DoorDash, and Scale AI, helping them make every dollar count.
Connect with us:
1. Alex - https://x.com/alexanderrinke
2. Henrique Dubugras- https://x.com/hdubugras
This episode was produced and distributed by our friends at Atomik Growth: https://atomikgrowth.com/
00:00:00 Trailer
00:01:20 Introduction
00:02:40 Process Mining
00:03:59 Real-World Applications
00:06:46 Early Life
00:09:48 Education and Early Career
00:24:32 The Birth of Celonis
00:42:36 Initial Funding Challenges
00:49:45 Scaling and Venture Capital
01:01:15 Mentorship and Role Models
01:05:39 The Future of Celonis and AI
01:13:28 Reflections on Success and Upbringing
01:24:24 Closing Thoughts
