Aline Menden (née Krämer)

Managing Director
“More inclusive systems, sustainable innovations, or co-creative approaches may all seem like superficial buzzwords. However, the values behind them unite us all. My passion lies in finding out how to really put them to action to serve people and planet.”

Dr. Aline Menden is a founder and managing director of Endeva, and an expert on inclusive business and system innovation. The idea to found Endeva was inspired by Aline’s expertise in co-creative approaches to innovation, which include relevant stakeholders. Innovation approaches that are open, take a systemic perspective, and aim towards benefiting people and planet, have been key principles of her academic research and consulting work.

Currently, Aline’s passion and focus is on improving access to healthcare for the low-income through technology. Her main interest lies in fostering more collaboration between corporates, digital start-ups and social enterprises, while always including the patient perspective.

Aline has been researching and advising on market-based approaches to development for more than 13 years. She has directed + 50 projects with over 40 partners from all sectors, including corporates, social enterprises, international NGOs, international development organizations and foundations. Aline co-authored over 10 reports as well as over 50 in-depth case studies on inclusive business models and partnerships – all aiming at understanding how to make these models work for both companies and people living in poverty. In her consulting work, she supported companies and NGOs to develop and implement business models targeting low-and middle income groups in Africa and Asia, with a specific focus on the health sector.

Aline has worked in various countries, including Brazil, Bangladesh, South Africa, Indonesia and the Philippines. She holds a PhD on “Identifying Low-income Consumers as a Source of Innovation” from the TUM School of Management in Munich, Germany (in cooperation with the Federal University of Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil). She is a frequent guest lecturer at leading universities.