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Jan-Philipp Ahrens ranked among the world's top 2% family firm scientists
New ranking based on the AJG (CABS) and research output
In the new 2026 research output ranking of the family business research field which was assessed using the Academic Journal Guide by the Chartered Association of Business Schools (AJG / CABS) and independently evaluated by scientists from Jönköping International Business School the research of Jan-Philipp Ahrens is ranked among the top 2% in the world. The field encompasses roughly 5.000 scientists that publish on family businesses and family offices in international peer reviewed and ranked scientific journals.
Establishing a Mannheim-Silicon Valley link
New research cooperation together with faculty from Stanford University and San Jose State University
By linking Silicon Valley and Mannheim in a new research project, we explore the links between organizations, culture, and sustainability for actionable advice towards a more sustainable and desirable society and as a foundation for creating positive social change. Through this joint effort the unique strengths of the Silicon Valley, driving the global innovation frontier, and the Rhine Valley, with Germany's #1 business school, are leveraged. Through this collaboration and exchange, we elevate managerial education and research to enable leaders to address global sustainability challenges.
Establishing a Mannheim-Silicon Valley link
New teaching cooperation: A Mannheim and Stanford co-taught course
We bring top teaching from the Silicon Valley and Mannheim together in a new Master course. It provides a creative learning environment in which students explore and design meaningful entrepreneurial pathways as next-generation start-up founders or successors in family enterprises. Students gain a deeper understanding of how social capital is built across digital & physical contexts. They learn how to build trust by sharing stories and by creating content relevant to their future vocation in an empathetic way. They learn to combine AI-supported exploration with human judgment when evaluating entrepreneurial opportunities and future pathways. Students craft a video campaign, a website, a campaign plan, and a business plan using AI-assisted tools as a first step toward turning their vision of their future vocation into reality. The course was co-developed with and features lessons from co-lecturers of the d.school at Stanford University.
We co-organize a conference in Nice: Track 7 announced for the 2026 Global Family Business Summit
Sustainability, Purpose & Social Transformation
SPGC–FERC Global Family Business Summit 2026 | Nice, France | May 26–29
The track-chairs Angelo P. Bisignano, Maria Giuseppina Bruna, Chris Graves, Marcela Ramírez Pasillas, Fernando Muñoz Bullón & Jan-Philipp Ahrens invite you to join Track 7: Sustainability, Purpose & Social Transformation at the 2026 SPGC–FERC Global Family Business Summit, hosted at IPAG Business School in Nice, France. This track explores how family businesses can become beacons of empathy, responsibility, and renewal.
Full track details here.
Submit your paper & join us in Nice here.
Major Mannheim female entrepreneurship event
Fireside panel on female leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship
On October 30th, Mannheim hosted a female entrepreneurship event, bringing together outstanding voices in female leadership, innovation, and next-generation entrepreneurship for an inspiring fireside panel discussion. The event emphasized the importance of mutual support, visible role models, and collaboration in fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The panel featured women who shared their personal journeys, entrepreneurial experiences, and perspectives on growth and impact across different sectors:
Christine Steger – CEO and next-generation leader of the MANN & SCHRÖDER COSMETICS GROUP
Carolin Radtke – Successful founder with an exit and and fellow Mannheim KuWi powerhouse
Sophie von Eichstedt – Founder of oh moon and alumna of the University of Mannheim’s entrepreneurship program
Melis Sekmen – Advocate for female entrepreneurship as Member of the German Bundestag (a.D.), former co-worker at Mannheim University
The discussion was moderated by Lena Rübelmann (GIG7 Kompetenzzentrum FeMale Business) and Valeria Bernhardt (thinc!), who guided the conversation in an engaging and thoughtful manner.
Female Entrepreneurship Roundtable
The fireside panel was part of the Female Entrepreneurship Roundtable initiative by NEXT MANNHEIM, ENGAGE.EU, and the University of Mannheim. The event was organized by Giuliana F. Manganaro, Frauke Bothe-Anstädt, Kateryna Butyrina, Eva Göde, Lena Rübelmann, Annika Spranz, and Jan-Philipp Ahrens.
Two research group members win best paper award at EURAM 2025
Congratulations to Franciele Beck and Tatiane Meurer
At the EURAM 2025 in Florence, members of the research group were awarded the Best Paper Award of the EURAM Special Interest Group Family Business.
Congratulations to Elisa Conz, Franciele Beck, Daniel Magalhães Mucci, and Tatiane Meurer on receiving the award for their paper: “Meaning and Practice of Tradition within Family Businesses: A Prenomenographic Enquiry”
About the paper:
The study investigates how tradition is understood and practiced in family businesses. Using a qualitative approach, phenomenography, it was identified that tradition is perceived in a heterogeneous way, through four distinct understandings: tradition as a company feature; as a family feature; as a brand feature and as a relational feature. These different understandings influence its practical application, offering insights for the management of family businesses, especially regarding the exploration of the benefits of tradition as it is experienced.
We co-organize a conference on Iceland!
With over 150 submissions, the 23rd Interdisciplinary European Conference on Entrepreneurship Research (IECER) is already a full success.
The conference will take part in on September 12 – 15 2025 on Iceland. This year, our research group members Julian Schenkenhofer, Lina Uebbing, Melania Riefolo, Teresa Fritsch, Giuliana Manganaro, Natalie Welch, and Jan-Philipp Ahrens were actively involved in the organization of the conference.
We organized the call for papers for the following tracks:
- Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurial Families, and Family Firms
- Entrepreneurship and Resilience
- Dreams in Entrepreneurship: Artificial Intelligence, Crowdfunding, and Future Forms of Business
- Entrepreneurship in Crisis
- Family Business
- Female Entrepreneurship
- International, Intercultural, and Migrant Entrepreneurship
- Luxury, Fashion, Sports, Sustainability, Brands, & Brand Personality, and
- Leadership, Strategy, Governance, Organization, & Innovation
For more information on the conference visit: 23rd IECER Entrepreneurship Conference – 12–14 Sep 2025, Reykjavik, Iceland
