About Us
The vision and the team behind ZAITRUS
Our team –
Expertise, passion, and vision
combined.
Your expertise, our mission
- bring your skills in forward-looking projects
forward-looking projects.
At ZAITRUS, professional excellence meets genuine team culture. Our interdisciplinary team combines scientific depth and practical experience in hardware, AI, and business development. We value diversity and the exchange of different perspectives, maintaining an open, inclusive, and effective working environment.
What drives us? The desire to use technology to make a tangible impact on the environment - for a cleaner world. We embrace flat hierarchies, work as equals, and celebrate creative ideas - often resulting in spontaneous games of table tennis.
Meet the Founders
Till Zwede
Co-Founder & CEO
Till is responsible for corporate strategy and development. As a serial entrepreneur and doctoral candidate in business informatics, Till wants to use ZAITRUS to make a lasting impact for a more livable planet. In his free time, he enjoys all kinds of sports and games and never misses a round of table tennis at the office.
Vincent Gödde
Co-Founder & CFO
Vincent is responsible for PR, human resources, and finance. His communication skills are crucial for positioning ZAITRUS as a leading provider of microplastic detection technology. Outside of work, he plays soccer and brings fun to the workplace with his sense of humor.
Valentin Meiler
Co-Founder & COO
Valentin is our COO and AI and IT maestro. With his knowledge, he drives our vision of an innovative and sustainable future forward. As an engineer, he brings his passion for technology not only to our company, but also to his free time, where he enjoys crafting projects, always accompanied by his love of (too) loud music.
Jens Pfeiffer
Co-Founder & CTO
Jens is responsible for technical development planning. In addition to technical refinements in data processing, sensor design, and prototype development, he also ensures that we can continue to increase our contribution to a more sustainable future. Furthermore, he is always available for a round of darts or table tennis during breaks.
Till Zwede
Co-Founder & CEO
Till is responsible for corporate strategy and development. As a serial entrepreneur and doctoral candidate in business informatics, Till wants to use ZAITRUS to make a lasting impact for a more livable planet. In his free time, he enjoys all kinds of sports and games and never misses a round of table tennis at the office.
Vincent Gödde
Co-Founder & CFO
Vincent is responsible for PR, human resources, and finance. His communication skills are crucial for positioning ZAITRUS as a leading provider of microplastic detection technology. Outside of work, he plays soccer and brings fun to the workplace with his sense of humor.
Valentin Meiler
Co-Founder & COO
Valentin is our COO and AI and IT maestro. With his knowledge, he drives our vision of an innovative and sustainable future forward. As an engineer, he brings his passion for technology not only to our company, but also to his free time, where he enjoys crafting projects, always accompanied by his love of (too) loud music.
Jens Pfeiffer
Co-Founder & CTO
Jens is responsible for technical development planning. In addition to technical refinements in data processing, sensor design, and prototype development, he also ensures that we can continue to increase our contribution to a more sustainable future. Furthermore, he is always available for a round of darts or table tennis during breaks.
Meet Team Business
From strategy to pilot customers – our business team plans growth, secures financing, and expands partnerships.
Daniel Heuschmid
Yannick Zimmermann
Anna-Katharina Pfeiffer
Fin
Lisa Schlathau
Meet Team Hardware
From lab tests to product maturity – our hardware team develops, tests, and improves our technology.
Stefan Eller
Felix Ruckriegel
Felix Heer
Moritz von Buttlar
Jessica Österle
Jonas Kolb
Nicolas Mann
Meet Team
AI
From measurement data to smart insights—our AI team transforms particle signals into meaningful decisions.
Oliver Fehmel
Sebastian Amler
Fritjof Keussen
Manuel Hemmert
Meet Team Business
From strategy to pilot customers – our business team plans growth, secures financing, and expands partnerships.
Daniel Heuschmid
Yannick Zimmermann
Anna-Katharina Pfeiffer
Fin
Lisa Schlathau
Meet Team Hardware
From lab tests to product maturity – our hardware team develops, tests, and improves our technology.
Stefan Eller
Felix Ruckriegel
Felix Heer
Moritz von Buttlar
Jessica Österle
Jonas Kolb
Nicolas Mann
Meet Team AI
From measurement data to smart insights—our AI team transforms particle signals into meaningful decisions.
Oliver Fehmel
Sebastian Amler
Fritjof Keussen
Manuel Hemmert
Our Journey at a Glance.
- 2021
Proof-of-concept of the ZAITRUS sensor in the master's theses of Jens and Valentin
- 2022
EXIST Start-up Grant – Initial prototyping at the University of Bayreuth
- 2023
Cooperation with MicroBubbles GmbH – a wholly owned subsidiary of the German Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations (SPRIN-D)
- 2024
Foundation of ZAITRUS GmbH and piloting of the first test facility in the MicroBubbles rainwater discharge basin
- 2025
First pilot plants in practical use in wastewater treatment plants and in dairy production.
Want to join in?
If you are curious and interested in ZAITRUS, apply now - we look forward to welcoming you to our team!
Want to join in?
If you are curious and interested in ZAITRUS, apply now—we look forward to welcoming you to our team!