Company: Lifetime Platform Services GmbH

Founder: Dirk Weigel

Date Founded: May 2024

Industry and Company: Technology | Experience Activation

What drives you? What is your motto?

“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence itself; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.” — Peter F. Drucker

What is your startup about, and what makes it special?

Active Boomer opens up new opportunities for employment and participation for people of retirement age. A digital community, proprietary AI, and select partners bring hidden skills to light, boost self-efficacy, and create access to companies and nonprofit organizations—beyond traditional job titles and age barriers.

What are your initial successes?

The first companies are using Active Boomer to preserve the knowledge and experience of departing employees. Through a partnership with a major staffing agency, we’re opening up flexible employment opportunities. We’re particularly proud of the InnoStartWi-2026 grant approval from the City of Wiesbaden.

What is your professional background?

Throughout my professional career, I’ve held leadership positions at major technology corporations. While my responsibilities there always required an entrepreneurial mindset, they were always within the context of corporate structures. Founding a startup after deliberately stepping away from “corporate life” wasn’t part of my original life plan.

What prompted you to start your own company?

It wasn’t a single moment, but rather three observations: Throughout my career, I learned that new technologies are often overestimated in the short term and underestimated in the long term. A lecture showed me how much knowledge and experience can be lost due to demographic change. And in my circle, I saw people who, after their working lives, still felt needed and wanted to remain involved. It became clear: What was needed wasn’t consulting, but a scalable solution—a company.

Who advised you, and who are your supporters and mentors?

Starting a business at the age of 62, after a long career in large corporations, brings not only a number of challenges but also a broad network of contacts and a solid foundation of experience. So far, I’ve been able to draw on both. Our former investor has been particularly helpful—especially with his composure as an experienced entrepreneur in dealing with day-to-day crises—as has the support from my family.

What were your first few days like as a founder?

Actually, I initially approached starting the company just like any other professional challenge: setting goals, creating structures, organizing my thoughts, communicating, and generating new ideas. But I also quickly ran into obstacles I wasn’t prepared for, such as financing.

What was your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge is dealing with day-to-day challenges. Every evening, I take stock of my daily progress and the challenges that remain unresolved. This helps me tackle major challenges in a structured way and put the smaller ones into perspective.

How do you raise awareness of your business? What’s your best marketing idea?

Since early 2025, we’ve been publishing 2–3 posts weekly on our landing page and via social media. Over time, this has gradually built a wider reach and presence. This year, we’ve tested several event formats, which we now offer specifically in select regions. This combination fosters trust and credibility. 

How did you secure funding for your startup?

I funded the startup with my own capital and through the early financial commitment of an investor. 

What dream do you still hope to realize?

With Active Boomer, I want to make the world a little better and build a company that offers many people a professional future. 

Please complete the following sentence: If I had more time, I would...

...play music with our band more often.

What’s your top tip: What would you recommend to founders?

A clear and well-articulated business idea as a foundation, along with the willingness and courage to stray from or fundamentally change the chosen paths to implementation.