Helping you act confidently in uncertain environments – from conflict zones to investment frontiers.

Title picture: Tian Shan, South Kazakhstan © Stefan Schandera 2016

Services

Risk Analysis
Qualitative and quantitative analysis (core strength in qualitative methods)
Scenario analysis
Bow-tie analysis
Due Diligence processes

Analytical approach

Combining macro and micro levels. Focus on qualitative analysis (versus quantitative). Bringing together a variety of disciplines, including Business Administration, Economics, Sociology, Political Sciences, East European Studies (International Relations), Legal, as well as Technology fields (case-dependent).

Drawing on a broad array of data sources and business intelligence beyond registries and OSINT. Independent of governmental or political influence.
Risk and Crisis Management
Risk Management

Risk Management (strat & exec)
Risk Culture & Strategy Development
Integration into ERM and ISO 31000 frameworks (when applicable)
Business Continuity Planning (BCP)
Technology Transfer & IP Strategy
Integration of Risk Management into Internationalization Strategy
Sustainability risk management for incubators, accelerators, and innovation hubs

Crisis Management

Turnaround consulting / management (certified turnaround consultant)
Crisis management strategy consulting and process facilitation
Business and Market Intelligence
Business and Market Analytics
Market Intelligence
Scenario Planning
Foresight Studies
Innovation Scouting
Impact Analytics
Capacity Building
Capacity-building techniques and practical experience include design and delivery of training programs as well as training of trainers (ToT).

Able to design and to deliver participant/learner-centred training. Twenty plus years of experiences in designing and leading intercultural trainings.

Capacity-building and training delivered in a variety of countries and intercultural settings, including Armenia, Azerbeijan, Belarus, Brazil, China (PRC), Finland, Germany, India, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

4 Reasons Why
Knowing the ropes

Hands-on deep dive (beyond books and papers) with 25 years in Eastern Europe and Central Asia — spanning entrepreneurship, early-stage tech investment, business and education management, technology transfer, science, and intergovernmental cooperation.

Preceded by a formative decade in entrepreneurship and politics in East Germany during the 1990s.

Non-biased

Cross-disciplinary thinking and action, independent of government or political influence — enabling objective analysis and avoiding siloed approaches.

Conflict-proven

Management and leadership experience in complex and conflict-affected regions.

Double-checked

Certified risk and crisis manager and turnaround consultant.

Focus

Geography
Eastern Europe: Ukraine, Russian Federation, Belarus, Moldova

Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan

Caucasus States: Armenia, Georgia
South-East Europe: Western Balkan region

EU: Germany, DACH
Industries and Markets
Tech: Manufacturing (industrial), Microelectronics, Utilities and Energy, Climate Tech

Education

Innovation Ecosystems

References

Roles were lead or co-lead, unless otherwise noted.

Analytics
2023 Business Angels and Reconstructing Ukraine: Exploring the Potential Role of European Business Angels in the Recovery of Ukraine (BACB, Gigahertz Ventures)

2021 Impact study on innovation ecosystems in Kazakhstan (FIPRO/EBRD/Shell)

2013 - 2014 Impact assessment and evaluation of business incubation models in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (infoDev, World Bank; co-author)

2013 Feasibility study and strategy advisory on business incubation program development in mono-towns in Kazakhstan (Deloitte)

2009 Pre-feasibility study on technology park development in Ramallah/Palestine (PEM GmbH/GIZ)

2009 Needs assessment and risk analysis for Youth Startup Centres in Georgia (SPARK International, The Netherlands)

2007 Impact assessment for Creeda Projects Ltd. Canberra, Australia (team member; regional responsibility Eastern Europe / Central Asia / Turkey)

2001 Empiric public opinion research (municipality level) with 300 face to face interviews (client: FDP Dresden, Germany)

2000 Potentials of Software Development Outsourcing to Ukraine (not disclosed)

2000 Empiric consumer behavior analysis (state level) with 1.200 face to face interviews, co-author (client: Saxon State Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, Germany)
Risk & Crisis Management & Strategy
2023 Foresight exercise & strategic planning (workshop design and moderation), risk analysis (software/GovTech/Mobility, Germany; not disclosed)

2022 Strategy and foresight workshop design and moderation for microelectronics trading and logistics company (semiconductor/microelectronics, Germany; not disclosed)

2016 - 2018 Business development strategy and management advisory for industrial IoT solutions provider; risk management; M&A facilitation, completed with a DAX-40 exit (Germany; not disclosed)

2016 Research and strategy advisory on innovation ecosystem strategy development for KAZATU National University Astana, Kazakhstan

2015 Strategy coaching for Generator Hub Chisinau, Moldova

2013 Feasibility study and strategy advisory on business incubation program development in mono-towns in Kazakhstan (Deloitte)

2012 Design and moderation of strategy and visioning workshop for SIVA International Management - Industrial Development Corporation of Norway (SIVA is the Norwegian state enterprise responsible for government investment in incubators, science parks, industrial parks and real estate)

2006 Public relations strategy and capacity building for Ministry of Science and Education Kazakhstan

2005 - 2007 Strategy coaching and methodology for strengthening the digitalization capabilities of ABIT Association of Business Incubators and Technology Parks in Uzbekistan

2004 - 2005 Capacity building and strategy coaching for business incubation program planning, for CSSC Tbilisi, Georgia

2001 Design and moderation of a workshop on strategic communication planning for a candidate for a mayoral election in a major city in Germany (Candidate won the election)

2000 - 2001 Business development strategy planning (renewables, Germany; not disclosed)

2000 Branding strategy development (microelectronics, Germany; not disclosed)

1995 - 1999 Strategic marketing communication (campaign planning and execution; in lead / co-lead position) for political organizations in Germany
Capacity Building
Capacity-building and training delivered in a variety of countries and intercultural settings, including Armenia, Azerbeijan, Belarus, Brazil, China (PRC), Finland, Germany, India, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Examples:

2023 - 2025 Training design and delivery on Managing Intercultural Teams (not disclosed; Germany)

2017 Training design and delivery on Internationalization of German SMEs (client: IHK Chamber of Commerce, Germany)

2015 Training design and delivery on Managing Global Innovation Hubs at Slush Helsinki, Finland (with infoDev, World Bank)

2011 Training design and delivery on Business Incubation and Startup Support in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, at: The 14th International Training Workshop on Business Incubation. Shanghai Technology Innovation Center. Shanghai, China (PRC)

2010 - 2013 World Bank staff trainer (training design; training of trainers ToT) for infoDev Global Business Incubation Management program (team member). Participation in roll-out in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America, and Middle East.

2010 Business incubation management training, Romania (client: UNDP)

2008: Who's Business Is It, Anyway? World Bank 2008 Ukraine Knowledge Economy Training Initiative. Kyiv, Ukraine

2006 - 2007 Training program design and delivery on strategic organizational development for Armenian SME development centres (client: PEM GmbH)

2005 Capacity building for establishing international project management skills (client: Congress of Business Women Association Kyrgyzstan)

2002 - 2004 Training of Trainers (ToT) on CEFE-based methods and coaching of trainers for large-scale program roll-out in Southern Kazakhstan for SODBI Business Incubator Shymkent, Kazakhstan

2001 Training design and delivery on Agribusiness Marketing Strategies for Agrar-Marketing Sachsen e.V., Germany

1999 - 2000 Lecturer (Lehrbeauftragter) for Marketing and Startup Development at University of Applied Sciences Dresden (HTW Dresden), Germany

Publications & Specialist Lectures
2024: Deglobalization and Hardware & Engineering Nearshoring. Opportunities, Barriers and Myths for Ukrainian Tech Companies & Startups. Kharkiv IT Cluster Matching & Bridging Event, March 2024. Kharkiv, Ukraine

2023: Investing in Startups: Main Criteria for European Investors. U-Nation Innovation. Final Conference 2023. Odesa, Ukraine

2023: Business Angels in Germany and Europe: Case Study Gigahertz Ventures. Kharkiv IT Cluster Business Breakfast. Kharkiv, Ukraine

2023: Start-up Financing: The Role of Business Angels. Case study Germany. EUSLink ERASMUS Jean Monnet Program. Lviv Polytechnic National University, Ukraine

2023: Crafting an Exit Strategy: Insights for Business Angels. Panel discussion at 2023 IT Arena. Lviv, Ukraine

2021: Financing Green Innovations and Impact Investment, at: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) ReStart 2.0. Astana, Kazakhstan

2021: The Human Capital of Things: Innovation Ecosystems and Talent Development. Case study Industrial IoT, at: 2021 IEEE XIIth International Conference on Electronics and Information Technologies. Lviv, Ukraine

2019: Industrial IoT: Development of Human Capital, at: IT-Forum Shymkent 2019. Shymkent, Kazakhstan

2019: Entering Industrial IoT Value Networks, at: IoT Focus 2019 Tech Conference. Minsk, Belarus

2017: Industrial IoT and Industry 4.0: Trends and Opportunities for Ukrainian IT Companies, at: Lviv Innovation Spring 2017. Lviv, Ukraine

2015: Wings up: Reaching out to the Business Angels: Private Sector Investment for Innovation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, at: Moldova ICT Summit 2015. Chisinau, Moldova

2014: Humala, H.; Schandera, S.: Establishing International Market Linkages: Lessons and Insights. IV Russian-American Forum on Business Incubation. Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). Moscow, Russian Federation

2014: Lessons Learned from the infoDev Access to Finance Program in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, at: EBAN 14 Annual Congress 2014. Dublin, Ireland

2014: Ellen Olafsen, Heidi Humala, Stefan Schandera; infoDev/UKBI (2014): An Evaluation and Impact Assessment of Business Incubation Models in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. World Bank. Washington D.C., USA

2012: Valentin Makarov, Stefan Schandera, Jean Paul Simon (2012). The ICT Landscape in BRICS Countries 5. Russian Federation. IDATE: Communications & Strategies 87. Forthcoming, ISSN 1157 - 8637

2012: Schandera, S.; Knappertsbusch, V.; Teltewskoi, W.: Staerkung und Aufbau von Bioenergienetzwerken in Osteuropa; Beitrag in: Thraen, D.; Pfeiffer, D. (Hrsg.): Brueckenschlag nach Osteuropa – Biomassepotenziale und -nutzungsoptionen in Russland, Weißrussland und der Ukraine. Schriftenreihe des BMU- Foerderprogramms „Energetische Biomassenutzung“ No. 06; ISSN 2192 - 1806

2011: Business Incubation and Startup Support in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, at: The 14th International Training Workshop on Business Incubation. Shanghai Technology Innovation Center. Shanghai, China (PRC)

2011: Startup and Business Incubation Development in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, at First Russian-American Forum on Business Incubation. Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). Moscow, Russian Federation

2011: Nelles, M.; Scholwin, F.; Rensberg, N.; Schandera, S.; Stinner, W.: Stand und Perspektiven der Biogasnutzung in Deutschland und international (Status and Perspectives of Bioenergy Use in Germany and Internationally). ZUK der Deutschen Bundesstiftung Umwelt; Tagungsband / DBU, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt; 2011; ISBN: 978- 3-9813776-1-3

2011: Setting the Scene - Russian Federation. The ICT Landscape in BRICS Countries: Lessons from Emerging Economies (R&D, innovation and trade). Second International Workshop organized by the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies / Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC-IPTS). Johannesburg, South Africa

2011: WIN WIN in Transition. Complementary Advantage through Economic and Technological Co-operation with Eastern European Transition Economies and Western European and US partners, at: Innovation Across Borders. MaRS Discovery District. Toronto, Canada

2010: New Co-operations with the Old World – Technical and Scientific Co-Operations between the Russian Federation and Germany. Case Study Bio- Energy, at: MGIMO/Seliger 2010 Forum, Russian Federation

2010: Foresight on Business Incubation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, at: Astana Economic Forum 2010. Astana, Kazakhstan

2009: Business Incubation and Innovation Management in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, at: Advancing Innovation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia 2009. Gabrovo, Bulgaria

2009: Strategies for SME Sector Development, at: International Conference 'EU Accession - Possibilities for SME Sector Development in South East Europe'. European Commission SME Week 2009. Kragujevac, Serbia

2009: Incubating the Incubators: Lessons Learned from Eastern Europe and Central Asia, at: World Bank Knowledge Economy Forum VIII 2009. INSEAD Fontainebleau, France

2008: Development of Regional Networks and Global Working Groups, at: Technology Transfer and Innovation Support Networks, International Workshop on Experiences and Prospects for Ukraine. Kharkiv, Ukraine

2007: Technology Transfer in the Eurasia Region, at: Asia and the Pacific Incubator Conference AAPIC. Hanoi, Vietnam

2007: Keynote on Innovation Development in the Eastern European and Central Asian Region, at: Shanghai - Xinjiang Technology Forum. Urumqi, China (PRC)

2006: Application of ICT in Business Incubation: Industrialized versus Transition Economies, at: International Forum 'Internet and Business Incubation 2006', Tashkent, Uzbekistan

2004: Kasachstan – Brutkaesten fuer den Mittelstand (Incubators for the Middle Class), in: DED Brief Armutsminderung. Bonn, Germany

2000: Seidel, Steinborn, Schandera 2000. Purchase behaviour and consumption patterns of Saxon consumers with regard to meat, meat and sausage products from self-service areas of consumer markets. Berichte aus der Oecotrophologie. Schriftenreihe der LfL, 5. Jg. 4. Heft. Saxon State Ministry of Environment and Agriculture. Dresden, Germany

1999: Zastrow und Schandera: Election campaign poster. Elections to the European Parliament 1999; Inventory number P 99/270. German Historical Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum). Berlin, Germany

1998: Zastrow und Schandera: Election campaign poster. Elections to the German Bundestag 1998. Inventory number P 98/1554. German Historical Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum). Berlin, Germany

About

Confident risk management and strategic decision-making require data, models — and the ability to read context. I support decision-makers and analysts with both data and contextual insight, drawing on 25 years of field experience in Eastern Europe and Central Asia — well beyond embassy walls and expat circles.

In a nutshell: Entrepreneur, early-stage investor, analyst, and advisor. Certified in risk, crisis, and turnaround management and consulting. Non-biased and independent of political or governmental influence.