Michael Brenndoerfer

Resume

Experienced analytics leader with more than a decade of global experience spanning data and AI, private equity, management consulting, and software engineering. I've built teams and functions from the ground up and led analytics-driven initiatives across both portfolio companies and client organizations. I operate at the intersection of finance, business strategy, and advanced analytics—helping organizations build capabilities from scratch or scale them to the next level.

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Professional Experience

EQT Partners

2024 - Present

Associate Director, Data Science

EQT Partners

2024 - Present • Singapore, Singapore

EQT AB is a Swedish global investment organization founded in 1994. Its funds invest in private equity, infrastructure, real estate, growth equity, and venture capital in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific. As of 2024, EQT's assets under management are €269 billion / US$300 billion.

In my role as Data Science Lead for APAC, effectively serving as an analytics operating partner and AI expert, I work at the intersection of data, AI, and engineering to drive value creation in private capital (Private Equity, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Venture Capital). I focus on partnering with portfolio companies to deliver data- and AI-driven initiatives, while also leading internal efforts around next-generation AI capabilities.

CPPIB

2021 - 2024

Vice President, Portfolio Value Creation

Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB)

2021 - 2024 • San Francisco, CA, USA

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, operating as CPP Investments, is a Canadian Crown corporation established by way of the 1997 Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act to oversee and invest the funds contributed to and held by the Canada Pension Plan.

As part of CPPIB's Portfolio Value Creation team (the Operating Partner group), I worked across the global portfolio of direct private equity and infrastructure investments to lead data- and analytics-driven initiatives. I was also a founding member of the group's Data & Advanced Analytics team.

McKinsey & Company

2019 - 2021

Associate Principal, Advanced Analytics

McKinsey & Company, QuantumBlack

2019 - 2021 • Boston, MA, USA

McKinsey & Company is an American multinational strategy and management consulting firm that offers professional services to corporations, governments, and other organizations. Founded in 1926 by James O. McKinsey, McKinsey is the oldest and largest of the "MBB" management consultancies.

As an expert consultant, I focused on advanced analytics, digital strategy, and software initiatives. I led the development of several big data platforms and machine learning solutions for clients around the world, and was part of the very early team at QuantumBlack (now AI by McKinsey).

Fitbit (Google)

2018

Senior Software Engineer

Fitbit (now part of Google)

2018 • Boston, MA, USA

Fitbit is a line of wireless-enabled wearable technology, physical fitness monitors and activity trackers such as smartwatches, pedometers and monitors for heart rate, quality of sleep, and stairs climbed as well as related software.

As a senior software engineer, I worked on the Fitbit Healthcare Services platform, responsible for development and optimization efforts to ensure performance and scalability.

Cryptonite

2017 - 2018

Co-founder, CTO

Cryptonite

2017 - 2018 • Berkeley, CA, USA

Cryptonite was a first-of-its-kind brokerage and portfolio management platform, built on proprietary technology to execute order flow across multiple trading venues. Incubated at Berkeley SkyDeck.

As Co-founder and CTO, I was responsible for everything from product development and engineering to fundraising, hiring, and everything else.

Parts of the Cryptonite team
Michael Brendoerfer speaking about his startup Cryptonite
Michael Brenndoefer speaking on stage
Michael Brendoerfer presenting at Berkeley Skydeck
IBM Research

2013 - 2017

R&D Engineer

IBM Research

2013 - 2017 • Almaden, CA / Boston, MA / Rueschlikon, Switzerland / Stuttgart, Germany

IBM Research is the research and development division for IBM, an American multinational information technology company. IBM Research is headquartered at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York, near IBM headquarters in Armonk, New York.

As an R&D engineer, I worked across distributed systems, databases, and machine learning. My primary focus was on developing deep learning cloud services for IBM Watson and building high-availability, high-throughput components for IBM Cloud. I also conducted fundamental research on database systems and blockchain.

Education

UC Berkeley

M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (EECS)

University of California, Berkeley

Fung Institute of Engineering Leadership • Berkeley, CA, USA

DHBW Stuttgart

B.Sc. in Computer Science

Duale Hochschule Baden Wuerttemberg, Stuttgart

Stuttgart, Germany

Harvard University

Visiting Student

Harvard University

Business School • Grade A in international business & strategy • Boston, MA, USA

Berkeley Law

Executive Education in Startup Law

University of California, Berkeley

Bolt School of Law • Merit based acceptance into executive education program • Berkeley, CA, USA

Berkeley Haas

Cross-enrolled MBA (no degree)

University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business

Attended most classes of the MBA program during my M.Eng. in Computer Science • Berkeley, CA, USA

Staffordshire University

Semester Abroad

Staffordshire University

Computer Science • UK

Entrepreneurship

Standard Information

2021

Co-founder

Standard Information

Most advanced lead distribution platform for lead generation, brokering and selling.

1st Nation Ads

2019

Co-founder

1st Nation Ads

As Co-founder, I was responsible for a multi-million dollar budget across programmatic ad buying, XML search feed integration, and ad arbitrage. I built and scaled data-driven traffic acquisition funnels, managed ad tech infrastructure, and continuously optimized revenue strategies to maximize profitability.

Cryptonite

2017

Co-founder, CTO

Cryptonite

As Co-founder and CTO, I was responsible for everything from product development and engineering to fundraising, hiring, and everything else.

EMR.AI

2017

Research Engineer

EMR.AI

I joined as a Research Engineer, contributing to deep learning NLP pipelines, core platform development, and infrastructure. I also collaborated on multiple scientific research papers.

Ketos.co

2016

Software Engineering Consultant

Ketos.co

I joined as a software engineering consultant and worked on the initial version of the Water API, along with the mobile app used to bootstrap field-deployed water sensing devices.

Magna Wear

2015

Founder

Magna Wear

I founded a direct-to-consumer brand focused on women's athleisure wear, overseeing the end-to-end business operations. This included product design and development, sourcing and manufacturing, branding, digital marketing, e-commerce strategy, and customer experience.

Touch New Media

2011

Co-founder

Touch New Media

I co-founded TouchNewMedia, a Web 2.0 company that developed a tablet-based system to streamline POS processes and enhance customer service in the food and beverage industry.

Q-Vision

2010

Sole Proprietor

Q-Vision

As sole proprietor, I provided web development and design services across a range of industries and technical requirements. Projects ranged from WordPress and WooCommerce setup and maintenance to fully bespoke PHP- and Java-based web and server applications.

Club Activities

Berkeley Club of Singapore

2024 - Current

Club Secretary and Chair of the Technology Committee

Berkeley Club of Singapore

Singapore

Leading the technology initiatives for the Berkeley alumni community in Singapore, and serving as the club's secretary.

Council of the German American Conference

2018 - Current

Council Member

Council of the German American Conference at Harvard e.V.

Germany

Serving on the council to help organize and shape the annual German-American Conference at Harvard, fostering transatlantic dialogue and collaboration.

German-American Business Council

2017 - 2021

Member

German-American Business Council of Boston

Boston, MA, USA

Participated in networking events and business discussions focused on strengthening German-American business relations in the Boston area.

German American Conference

Head of Technology

German American Conference at Harvard

Cambridge, MA, USA

Led the technical infrastructure and digital platform development for the annual conference, ensuring seamless execution of hybrid events and digital content delivery.

Talk at the Harvard Kennedy School
Stage at the German-American Conference
Entrance to the German-American Conference
IDEA

2019 - 2024

Coach and Mentor

IDEA: Northeastern University Venture Accelerator

Boston, MA, USA

Mentored early-stage startups in technology, data science, and AI, providing strategic guidance and technical expertise to help founders build and scale their ventures.

Fung Institute

2018 - 2020

Admissions Interviewer for EECS Graduate Program

Fung Institute of Engineering Leadership

Berkeley, CA, USA

Conducted interviews and evaluated candidates for the EECS graduate program, focusing on technical aptitude and leadership potential.

Project Access

2017 - 2020

Mentor

Project Access

Mentored students from underrepresented backgrounds to help get access to top universities and jobs.

Recognitions

Bee Partners

2018

Audience Choice Winner - Frontier Innovation Awards 2018

San Francisco Blockchain Week

San Francisco, CA, USA

Bee Partners, a leading pre-seed VC firm, organized the first annual Frontier Innovation Awards. That year's competition centered on finding the most disruptive blockchain idea of the year.

Acceptance at Frontier Innovation Awards
Audience at Frontier Innovation Awards
Venue of Frontier Innovation Awards
All awards at Frontier Innovation Awards
Berkeley Haas

Recipient - Berkeley-Haas Entrepreneurship Dean Seed Fund

Berkeley-Haas School of Business

Berkeley, CA, USA

The fund provides $5,000 awards to four student startups annually that are focused on ventures such as entertainment, gaming, or new technology. Intended for use in prototype development and customer discovery activities. These awards provide a unique opportunity for high risk, high reward projects that best embody the Berkeley Haas Defining Principle to Question The Status Quo.

Accenture

2017

Finalist, 1st Place Germany, 2nd Worldwide

Accenture Global Hackathon

Worldwide

$3,000 USD prize money; Developed a blockchain based temper-proof voting system

Cryptovote project
IBM Research

2015

1st Place Winner

IBM Research Blockchain Hackathon

Almaden, CA, USA

$2,000 USD prize money; Built an Ethereum blockchain-based prototype for confidential transactions

Hack-a-chain event
Deutsche Bank

2014

Finalist

Deutsche Bank Finance Appathon

Frankfurt, Germany

Developed an mobile banking app with gamification elements tailored towards young customers for early brand awareness

Startup Weekend

2015

1st Place Overall and 1st Place for Social Impact

Startup Weekend Hackathon (Techstars)

Stuttgart, Germany

Created a platform for local communities

Startup Weekend Stuttgart
Startup Weekend Awards

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