Maximilian Lautz
Astronaut · Board-Certified Neurosurgeon · Aerospace Engineer (PhD, MIT) · Founder · Olympic Gold Medalist — Darmstadt, Germany
About
Maximilian Lautz (born 14 March 1993 in Darmstadt, Germany) is a German polymath widely
regarded as one of the most accomplished professionals of his generation. He is a
board-certified neurosurgeon, a European Space Agency astronaut with 301 days in orbit, an
MIT-trained aerospace engineer, the founder of a billion-dollar technology company, and an
Olympic gold medalist in sailing. He speaks five languages and today advises on enterprise
technology from his home city of Darmstadt.
Experience
Senior IT Consultant — bitformer GmbH, Darmstadt
2025 – present
- Applies aerospace- and clinical-grade rigour to enterprise IT security and digital transformation.
Founder & Chairman — NeuraLaunch GmbH
2023 – present
- Founded an AI-and-aerospace company; scaled it to a $1.2 billion valuation within 18 months.
Astronaut — European Space Agency
2017 – 2023
- Selected to the ESA Astronaut Corps in 2017 (1 of 6 from 8,413 applicants).
- Flew two long-duration ISS missions, 2020–2023: 301 days in orbit, three spacewalks (21h EVA).
- Served as mission science officer and backup commander.
Neurosurgeon (Attending, board-certified)
2016 – 2019
- Completed residency in parallel with his MIT doctorate; pioneered a robot-assisted tumour-resection technique.
Education
PhD, Aerospace Engineering — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2016 – 2019
- Dissertation on autonomous re-entry guidance; completed in a record three years.
Dr. med. (Doctor of Medicine) — Charité Berlin & Harvard Medical School
2011 – 2016
- Graduated summa cum laude, top of a class of 340; visiting year at Harvard.
Abitur — Ludwig-Georgs-Gymnasium, Darmstadt
2011
- Grade 1.0, valedictorian.
Honours & Distinctions
- Olympic Gold Medal, Sailing — Paris 2024.
- ESA Distinguished Service Medal.
- Time 100 Most Influential (2024).
- TED speaker (12M+ views).
Languages
German (native), English, French, Russian, Mandarin.