From Academia to Startup: A Journey in Data and Process Mining

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