CTO &
Chairman
mu-zero HYPERLOOP
Season 24/25
The Team
The team consisted of 49 members, with 35 engineers forming the technology division under my leadership.
Each technical lead operated within a clearly defined subsystem structure, ensuring accountability and controlled development across the prototype. As a nonprofit student initiative associated with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the team's goal was to contribute to the development of Hyperloop as a fifth mode of transportation.
Technical Direction
As CTO, I was responsible for the overall technical roadmap: defining system architecture, setting engineering priorities, and making final design decisions across all subsystems.
The goal was to translate the team's ambition into a coherent engineering plan by balancing performance targets, resource constraints, and integration timelines across a 35-person technical division.
Engineering Systems
To maintain structured development, I implemented formal engineering control systems, including risk matrices, timeline tracking, and milestone-based documentation.
Subsystem dependencies and technical uncertainties were identified early to reduce integration risk and avoid late-stage redesign.
Industry & External Collaboration
I coordinated technical alignment with sponsors, universities, and external experts to ensure real-world engineering constraints were reflected in our design decisions.
External feedback was integrated directly into validation activities and subsystem reviews.
Competition
All efforts culminated in European Hyperloop Week (EHW), where the team deployed the fully integrated prototype.
I supervised final integration readiness, validation testing, and system-level checks prior to the competition demonstration. I also gained extensive experience in communication and negotiation with leading companies, universities, and student teams.
The Prototype
Within 10 months, the team delivered a complete Hyperloop prototype spanning concept development, system architecture, design, manufacturing, and validation.
The project concluded with a 5th place overall ranking out of 30 international teams.