// currently based in berlin
simon cornelius langner
head of product & engineering — cleantech
// a bit about me
I build solar-powered water, cooling, and energy systems deployed across six countries — and the software to run them. At Boreal Light I own product strategy, lead international grant projects, and ship internal tools from scratch.
My focus is off-grid energy and infrastructure — clean-energy projects that work where the grid doesn't. From solar desalination and cooling to waste-to-fuel pyrolysis, I like building hardware and software that actually reaches people in the field.
Background in Mechanical Engineering (M.Sc., KIT) with an AI master's track. Previously developed a ZIM-funded pyrolysis concept from university research through to grant funding.
I'm open to research projects, off-grid work, or simply an interesting exchange over lunch. If you're building something at the intersection of hardware and climate — langner@winture.com.
// current focus
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Technical Product Manager → de facto Head of Product 2023 – presentBoreal Light GmbH, Berlin
Led product strategy across solar water treatment, cooling (Boreal Cooltech), and energy systems deployed in Peru, Kenya, India, Ukraine, Namibia and Senegal. Built three internal software platforms from scratch. Led the IGSTC 2026 grant consortium, the ZIM pyrolysis application, and multiple GIZ/KfW-backed deployment projects.
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Pyrolysis Startup Founder (pre-commercial) 2024 – nowBasola (prev. Enactus Karlsruhe, KIT)
Developed a solar-powered pyrolysis concept over two years within Enactus at KIT; research continued at Boreal Light.
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M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering 2018 – 2025TU Berlin · KIT Karlsruhe · NTNU Norway · UNC Charlotte
Specialisation in thermodynamics and energy systems. International semesters at NTNU (Trondheim) and UNC Charlotte. Complemented by an AI master's track.
// projects
- Basola — turning waste plastic into clean fuel with solar-driven pyrolysis.
- Off-grid water & energy @ Boreal Light — solar desalination, cooling and energy systems running off-grid across six countries.
- Wave-powered desalination — data-based simulation and design optimization of wave-powered reverse osmosis (research scholar, UNC Charlotte).
- Solar water-chiller prototype — end-to-end designed, built and commissioned a solar-powered chiller for off-grid desalination & cooling.
// community
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Executive Chair 2024 – 2025Enactus Karlsruhe e.V., Karlsruhe
Led the board; implemented governance/OKRs and forged university–industry partnerships.
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Founder & Team Lead — BASOLA 2024 – presentEnactus Karlsruhe e.V. · Germany & Colombia
Building a climate-hardware startup; research ties in DE/CO and industry partners.
// experience
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Project Manager R&D Screw Compressors Jun 2024 – Mar 2025GEA Refrigeration Germany GmbH, Berlin
Led a €500k screw-compressor development with cross-functional teams; delivered a concept with +5% efficiency, managing scope, budget and milestones.
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Design & Calculation Engineer Jun 2022 – May 2024GEA Refrigeration Germany GmbH, Berlin
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Working Student — Industrial Heat Pumps Feb 2021 – May 2022GEA Refrigeration Germany GmbH, Berlin
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Patent — Temperature monitoring for axial tilting-pad bearings GEA
// contact
Open to research projects, off-grid work, or just an interesting exchange over lunch.