HEIONTEC ELECTRICITY: We convert ambient heat into electrical energy

HEIONIT GmbH is an innovative DEEP TECH START-UP based in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, with a state-of-the-art laboratory in Lohmar, North Rhine-Westphalia. Our interdisciplinary team has developed a solution that meets the growing demand for sustainable and cost-effective electricity and can thus make an important contribution to security of supply.

Get to know our team

Andreas Heine

Founder & CEO

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- Investor, serial founder
- More than 25 years of experience in marketing and PR
- M.A. Oxford Brookes University

Waldemar Lewtschenko

Founder & Head of Research

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- More than 30 years of experience in engineering and energy
- Inventor and expert in thermoelectric materials
- Founder of HEION Clean Diesel
- Holder of numerous patents
- Genius

Dipl.-Ing. Anton Ledwon

Founder & Head of Development

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- More than 30 years of experience in engineering and energy
- Holder of numerous patents
- Winner of numerous international and national research awards
- Dipl.-Ing., Production Engineering at the TH Köln University of Applied Science

Katharina v. Heydebreck

Chief Operating Officer

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- More than 10 years of experience in marketing and communication
- B.Sc. EBS University, Oestrich-Winkel

Dr. rer. nat. Frank Schneider

Chief Scientific Officer

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- More than 20 years of experience as a patent attorney
- Focus on the application, examination and nullity action of industrial property rights
- Doctorate in physical chemistry, inorganic analysis and materials science at Justus Liebig University Giessen

Leif Mellerowicz

Chief Financial Officer

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- More than 15 years as a management consultant, project and portfolio manager in corporations, SMEs, and start-ups
- Focus on corporate management, market forecasts, and controlling systems
- M.Sc. University of Regensburg

Dr. Peter Commer

Research Scientist

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- More than 20 years of experience in industrial research and development, working in the field of PEM fuel cell R&D since 2018
- Focus on new and further development of methods for analyzing electrochemical processes within the PEM
- Owner of several patents to slow down aging of the platinum-carbon structure within the PEM cathode-anode structure
- PhD in theoretical solid state physics at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf / Forschungszentrum Jülich

Johann Penner

Electrical Engineer

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- More than 10 years of extensive experience in electrical engineering
- BA Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences

USA Team – External Research Partners

Prof. Dr. Jochen Lauterbach

External Scientific Research Partner

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- Professor and Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina with more than 25 years of experience
- Research emphasis is on heterogeneous catalysts, nanomaterials synthesis and characterization
- Over 187 publications and 22 patents
- Doctorate in physical chemistry from the Fritz-Haber-Institut, Berlin

Sarah Stofik

External Research Fellow

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- B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from the University of South Carolina
- Chemical Engineering PhD Student at the University of South Carolina
- Focus on novel materials for energy and catalytic applications

Advisory Board

The HEIONTEC Advisory Board brings together renowned experts from science, technology, and industry who provide strategic guidance and critical analysis for our development. With their independent perspective, they strengthen our technological orientation, governance, and the path from research to industrial application.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Bockstette

Hochschule Düsseldorf

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- Professor of Energy Conversion and Storage at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences, specializing in battery storage technologies, hydrogen storage, and renewable energy systems
- Extensive industry and research experience: after studying electrical engineering at RWTH Aachen University, worked as a project engineer and later as group leader for battery development at FEV GmbH
- Head of battery development at StreetScooter GmbH and founder and long-time managing director of Futavis GmbH (battery management and battery systems), which was acquired by Deutz AG in 2019
- Teaching and research focuses include battery safety, sector coupling, energy management, storage and conversion technologies – combined with practical and transfer projects in the energy sector.

Dipl.-Ing., MSc. Christian Hayer

Steinbeis EST GmbH

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- Graduate engineer (FH) with many years of expertise in electronics and embedded system development; for many years co-founder and managing director of Steinbeis Embedded Systems Technologies GmbH in Esslingen, an engineering service provider for hardware and software development in industrial and automation environments
- Leads technical and entrepreneurial development teams and is responsible for complex projects in the field of cross-system electronics and software solutions
- Many years of management experience as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at LTA Technologie AG and involvement in other management and committee functions
- Scientific background with teaching experience at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences and in-depth knowledge of system architecture, embedded software, and industrial communication

Prof. Dr. Jochen Lauterbach

University of South Carolina

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- Professor and SmartState Endowed Chair of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, with over 25 years of experience in research and teaching in the field of chemical reaction engineering and catalysis
- Internationally recognized expert in heterogeneous catalysis, nanomaterial synthesis and characterization, with publications in leading journals and extensive scientific contributions
- Doctor of Science (Dr. rer. nat.) in physical chemistry from the Fritz Haber Institute in Berlin, research including catalytic processes and energy applications
- Head of the South Carolina Center of Economic Excellence in Strategic Approaches to the Generation of Electricity (SAGE) and many years of experience in the development of innovative technologies for sustainable energy production

Prof. Dr. Frank Wellershoff

HafenCity Universität Hamburg

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- University professor with a chair in facade systems and building envelopes at HafenCity University Hamburg (HCU), head of the structural engineering laboratories with a focus on building envelopes and energy interactions
- Expert in research and development in civil engineering, particularly facade technologies, energy-efficient building optimization, and cross-system building physics issues
- Extensive publications on energy-efficient constructions and building-integrated facade systems, as well as participation in research projects focusing on innovations in architecture and construction
- Welding engineer (SFI/EWE/IWE) with an engineering background and many years of experience in teaching, research, and practical construction and facade projects