Ulrike Reinhard is a German publisher, author and futurist who has travelled more than 100 countries where she has spoken to Nobel Laureates, nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize, high ranking politicians, internationally acknowledged visionary thinkers, successful entrepreneurs, outstanding critics, activists and down-to-earth field practitioners.
All her work is related to network theory with the Internet at its core. It’s the interactions and co-creation processes within her network she cherishes most. She loves to see things emerging and falling into place. In November 2017, in her fifth TEDx talk in Antwerp, Belgium, she had the chance to present “the central theme in her life” on stage and surprise, surprise: The Internet had quite an impact on her life.
Ulrike is convinced that transformational change on a huge scale in rural areas can only be achieved when you start working with the children. On these grounds she started Janwaar Castle in 2014 as a private initiative.
In 2015, Peter Kruse, the “muse of the Internet”, described her as follows:
“There are some people whose lives followed the logic of dynamic networks long before the internet appeared on the scene. In my time I’ve met a handful of individuals who were digital natives in a much more radical sense than their date of birth might lead you to suppose. Ulrike Reinhard is one of them. She has the genius to be able to think and act in terms of interaction. In conversation with her, it’s easy to be carried away by her enthusiasm for open processes.
Ulrike Reinhard is a catalyst for collective intelligence and network nodes, an enabler who forges direct links that bring people together. She’s a virtuoso across the whole repertoire of modern technologies, but she would still be adding more reality to the We in this world if she had to use smoke signals and pigeon post to do so. Ulrike Reinhard is an impassioned explorer of frontiers with an astonishing faith in her ability to find her way even in new and uncharted territory. She seldom follows a steady straight line but always shows an unflappable sense of direction.
Like the path she’s carved through life, Ulrike Reinhard is never boring and always good for a few surprises!”