BAO Insights: New Project Member

An interview with Susanne Schmid

We are excited to share that Susanne Schmid joined our team on the 12th of January 2024 as a Project Member within the Interreg Project Sunrise. Learn more about Susanne and welcome her to MCI!

How would your friends/family describe you?

I studied (Marine) Biology. I decided on this study because, at the age of 19, I was so impressed by what I learned about nature and the ocean during my year in New Zealand that I promised myself I would learn all about it - even though I come from a rural mountain area in Austria. So, I guess people could describe me as enthusiastic and committed and maybe a little crazy - but a good kind of crazy, I hope! Also, I did hear once or twice that I can be a little stubborn, but I think that is a compliment. I know what I want, and I guess that’s important. This is a trait that my son got from me as well, because even at the age of only two years, he already definitely knows what he wants, too.

What did you do before you started at MCI?

I studied Biology (Ecology) in Vienna, then marine ecology in Hamburg. Afterward, I obtained my master's degree, with practical work done partly in Peru and partly in Denmark, and I traveled a lot (by plane). But then I studied Energy and Sustainability Management at the FH Kufstein, so now I travel mostly by train.

What's a fun fact about you that people might not know/expect?

I know how to milk a cow by hand and make cheese myself. I was a Sennerin at a rural Alm for one summer. We did not have any electricity or running warm water – one of the best experiences and one of the best things I have done in my life.

What can you tell us about the project you are working on at MCI?

I will be part of the Interreg Project Sunrise together with our project lead Antje Bierwisch. This project creates a toolkit for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the craft sector. The toolkit contains innovative business models and new products that focus on sustainable innovation and support companies undergoing generational change. It is very exciting with lots of new input, and I am learning a lot. Currently, I am researching various tools and frameworks that could be integrated into the toolkit.