Cornelia Röper

Cornelia Röper is an entrepreneur, futures researcher and passionate speaker.
But she also walks the talk! As founder and CEO of Wefugees—the world’s largest digital community for refugees—she powerfully demonstrates how technology connects people and drives social change.

In parallel, Röper founded and led mitunsleben GmbH, Germany’s largest ecumenical social startup. She later directed the strategy of Farm‑Food‑Climate, the country’s biggest climate‑ and food‑solutions initiative scaling answers to the European Green Deal. She is also a co‑initiator of the Alliance4Ukraine, a civil‑society coalition of more than 400 organizations.

Academically, Cornelia Röper combines an MSc in Environment, Politics & Development with a Design‑Thinking education from the Hasso Plattner Institute. Her award‑winning doctoral thesis at SOAS University of London focused on impact startups and regenerative investing.

Signature Topics
- Global challenges & solutions of our time
- Digital transformation & Design Thinking
- Impact startups & Impact Investing
- New regenerative economic models
- Leadership in startups, non‑profits & corporates
- The power of utopias & science‑fiction

Media & Awards
- Forbes “30 under 30 Europe” (Social Entrepreneurship)
- Global Goals Changemaker Award – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2022)
- Speaker at the Goalkeepers Awards (UN General Assembly, New York)
- “Innovator to Watch” – tbd*

Featured In

Coverage & interviews in Forbes, Vogue, Handelsblatt, Brandeins, Deutsche Welle, Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin, Tagesspiegel, Deutschlandfunk, t3n, Startup Insider and many more.

Röper speaks on international stages—from the UN General Assembly’s Goalkeepers Event to re:publica and the Health‑i Award. In keynotes, panels and workshops, she fuses data, storytelling and actionable solutions to inspire audiences and enable real‑world change. Interested? Just reach out.