Christian Rauch is founder and director of STATE Festival, a Berlin-based open forum and international festival with the mission to explore current developments in science and technology where cutting edge research transforms society. Before founding STATE, Rauch was a researcher in nanotechnology in Germany, Australia, Finland, and Spain, and graduated with a PhD in Applied Physics as an EU Marie-Curie Fellow from Aalto University, Helsinki, with his main focus being on the intersection of science, society, and grassroots innovation. He has since initiated several independent initiatives and works as a lecturer for CECEP at INSEAD.