Sebastian Schaal
Sebastian Schaal

Sebastian Schaal

Co-Founder & Managing Director at Luminovo

Experience

Luminovo logo

Founder & Managing Director

Luminovo

Nov 2017 - Present

Founders Pledge logo

Founders Pledge Member

Founders Pledge

Aug 2020 - Present

KI-verbrand logo

Founding Member

Deutscher KI-Verband e.V.

Mar 2018 - Present

Education

Standford University logo

Stanford University

Master of Science (M.Sc.), Management Science & Engineering

2015 - 2016

Technical university of Munich logo

Technical University of Munich

Master of Science (M.Sc.), Electrical and Computer Engineering

2015 - 2018

CDTM logo

Center for Digital Technology and Management (CDTM)

Honours Degree, Technology Management

2014–2015

TUM logo

Technical University of Munich

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Electrical and Computer Engineering

2011 - 2015

About

About

Sebastian Schaal

Sebastian Schaal

Biography

Sebastian is guided by the fundamental belief that innovative technology is the most powerful tool for solving today's global challenges. This conviction is the driving force behind Luminovo, the B2B SaaS company he co-founded in 2017 to accelerate the pace of technological progress.

After studying at Stanford University, Sebastian made the strategic decision to build his company in Munich, proving that passion and dedication can foster a world-class technology hub outside of Silicon Valley.

An electrical engineer by training, Sebastian is driven by a mission to have a lasting, positive impact and create a meaningful place to work. This principle is the driving force behind Luminovo, which he co-founded to solve the complex challenges facing the electronics industry. As a leader, he holds the principles of psychological safety as high as Bavarian traditions and is a strong advocate for team health.

At Luminovo, he leads a mission to empower the electronics industry which is the pacemaker of digitalization. The company's software streamlines the path from idea to market-ready product by integrating the value chain and automating complex processes, ultimately making technological innovation faster and more accessible.

Guided by his favorite principle, "Be proactive," Sebastian leads Luminovo's high-level direction and strategy. Outside of work, he is passionate about fitness, skiing, and hiking , and is currently trying to keep up with his co-founder's reading pace by listening to audiobooks at 1.5x speed.

Role at Luminovo

As a Founder and the lead for Revenue department lead, his work involves several key areas:

Founder: Alongside his co-founder Timon, he is responsible for setting Luminovo's mission and long-term strategy. He leads by example to establish the company culture, ensures the product roadmap aligns with the strategy, and secures the necessary funding for Luminovo's financial needs. He also represents Luminovo's mission at conferences and speaker engagements.

Revenue department lead: He oversees and aligns activities across our Growth, Sales, Customer Success and Revenue Operations. He is focused on developing the sales team, refining their processes, and ensuring they have the technical expertise to succeed, while also closing deals himself.

Manager: He is committed to creating an environment of psychological safety for his team. His goal is to provide regular feedback and guidance to help his direct reports grow and to ensure they have the freedom and resources needed to do their best work.

Latest media appearances by

Latest media appearances by

Sebastian Schaal

Sebastian Schaal

Appeared in

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Handelsblatt Logo
Business Insider Logo
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As a well-known face in the global tech and electronics industry, Sebastian Schaal is often invited to speak on industry event stages. Below are a few of his recent appearances.

  • Speaker at EMS-Tag 2025: 'Lecture: Digital business models for EMS'

  • Interview with Handelsblatt: 'This start-up bans Excel from the electronics industry'

  • Video Interview with EMSNow: 'Up Close with Sebastian Schaal, Founder & Managing Director, Luminovo'

All Articles by

All Articles by

Sebastian Schaal

Sebastian Schaal

Electronic component obsolescence and lifecycle
Electronic component obsolescence and lifecycle
Electronic component obsolescence and lifecycle
Electronic component obsolescence and lifecycle

Industry

Aug 4, 2025

The Strategic Buyer's Guide to Electronic Component Lifecycle and Obsolescence Management

In this guide, you'll learn how to anticipate, manage, and mitigate obsolescence risk for electronic components. We'll show you a number or proactive strategies, forecasting techniques, and lifecycle planning best practices to ensure you stay ahead of the obsolescence curve.

sustainable component sourcing
sustainable component sourcing
sustainable component sourcing
sustainable component sourcing

Partners

Jul 28, 2025

A Practical Guide to Sustainable Component Sourcing in Electronics with Hexachip and Luminovo

Discover how Luminovo and Hexachip are partnering to help you embrace sustainable component sourcing and the circular economy to boost your electronics supply chain resilience and meet ESG goals.

Partners

Jun 13, 2025

Bridging Design and Procurement: How Luminovo and SI Electronics reduce Complexity in Electronics Development

Discover the value of the partnership between Luminovo and SI Electronics for your electronics designs, with real-world sourcing intelligence directly embedded into the earliest stages of development.

bom in supply chain
bom in supply chain
bom in supply chain
bom in supply chain

Industry

May 23, 2025

How to Reduce Sourcing Risks with Real-Time BOM Costing

Stay ahead of supply chain disruptions. Discover how real-time BOM costing and component availability insights help reduce sourcing risks, avoid delays, and improve supply chain resilience.

supply chain risk
supply chain risk
supply chain risk
supply chain risk

Industry

May 9, 2025

Mitigating Risks in the Electronics Supply Chain: Best Practices

Discover effective strategies to mitigate risks in the electronics supply chain. Learn best practices for managing disruptions, improving supplier resilience, and ensuring continuity.

Industry

Apr 24, 2025

Electronics Supply Chain Chaos: Who's Hurt Most – OEMs, EMS, or PCB Makers?

Discover how you can turn supply chain disruptions, rising costs, and geopolitical risks into competitive advantages, whether you are an EMS provider, an OEM or a PCB manufacturer.

Inside

Apr 10, 2025

Danny’s Journey at Luminovo

In this personal and honest post, Danny shares how a rejected job application turned into a pivotal career opportunity, how he learned to thrive in Revenue Operations, and how working at Luminovo helped him find both clarity and joy in his professional journey.

trump tariffs
trump tariffs
trump tariffs
trump tariffs

Industry

Mar 27, 2025

President Trump’s Tariffs: How They’re Shaking Up Electronics Manufacturing and What You Can Do

Learn how an advanced software solution can help you navigate complex economic situations that have the power to impact the electronics supply chain worldwide, like President Trump’s 2025 tariffs.

oem supply chain
oem supply chain
oem supply chain
oem supply chain

Industry

Mar 14, 2025

Maximising Efficiency and Transparency in the OEM Electronics Supply Chain

Optimise your OEM electronics supply chain with cutting-edge solutions. Learn strategies for optimising processes, reducing costs, and enhancing collaboration to streamline your supply chain operations.

oem manufacturing
oem manufacturing
oem manufacturing
oem manufacturing

Industry

Feb 28, 2025

The Impact of Technology in OEM Supply Chain Management

Discover how technology is revolutionising OEM supply chain management. Learn about the role of cutting-edge technologies in optimising OEM supply chain management, from real-time data insights to automated solutions driving success.

News

Feb 19, 2025

Towards Circular Electronics: a New Partnership between Luminovo and GREENCHIPS

Discover how Luminovo and GREENCHIPS are revolutionising the electronics industry with a new partnership focused on circular electronics. Learn about their sustainable initiatives and innovative solutions driving a greener future.

supply chain issues
supply chain issues
supply chain issues
supply chain issues

Industry

Feb 13, 2025

Big Supply Chain Issues: Key Challenges and Solutions

Discover the biggest challenges facing electronics supply chains today, from component shortages to rising costs and logistics delays. Explore actionable solutions and innovative strategies to build resilience and optimise operations in a rapidly changing landscape.

automated quoting
automated quoting
automated quoting
automated quoting

Industry

Jan 22, 2025

How CPQ Software Transforms Pricing and Quotation Processes

Discover how Configure Price Quote (CPQ) software revolutionises pricing and quotation processes in the electronics supply chain. Improve accuracy, speed, and profitability while staying ahead in a dynamic market.

BMK and Luminovo
BMK and Luminovo
BMK and Luminovo
BMK and Luminovo

News

Sep 25, 2024

BMKyourproto & Luminovo Revolutionise Technical Customer Communication

Our successful partnership with BMK reaches a three-year milestone.

Hands holding PCB board
Hands holding PCB board
Hands holding PCB board
Hands holding PCB board

News

Jul 17, 2024

Luminovo Partners with Sluicebox to Offer an Industry-First Instant Product Carbon Footprint for Electronics

Pioneering sustainability in electronics with instant carbon footprint estimates.

Timon Ruban and Zollner partnership
Timon Ruban and Zollner partnership
Timon Ruban and Zollner partnership
Timon Ruban and Zollner partnership

News

Jun 11, 2024

Zollner Elektronik AG and Luminovo Set the New Standard for Digital Supply Chain Collaboration in the EMS Industry

The EMS industry is taking a new turn towards digital collaboration: hear how it all began and what the future holds from the two companies pioneering this change.

Luminovo and EPN
Luminovo and EPN
Luminovo and EPN
Luminovo and EPN

Partners

May 8, 2024

Luminovo and EPN Enter a New Era of PCB Procurement with Automatic PCB Pricing

Read how PCB manufacturer EPN was able to automate their entire PCB procurement process thanks to Luminovo’s innovative Automatic PCB Pricing, and how you could benefit from it too.

PCB boards
PCB boards
PCB boards
PCB boards

Industry

Apr 24, 2024

Supply Chain Collaboration: Regain Control over your Electronics

Discover how collaboration in the electronics supply chain can ensure that the right electronics parts are in the right place, at the right time.

Luminovo Perzeptron logos
Luminovo Perzeptron logos
Luminovo Perzeptron logos
Luminovo Perzeptron logos

Partners

Feb 29, 2024

Efficiency and Transparency: Luminovo and Perzeptron Support the Entire Electronics Order Process in Dynamic Times

Luminovo and Perzeptron work together to increase their joint impact on making the electronics supply chain less complex and more efficient.

futuristic ERP logo
futuristic ERP logo
futuristic ERP logo
futuristic ERP logo

Tech

Nov 28, 2023

ERP Integration Made Easy: Myths and Solutions

Let's debunk myths about ERP integration into modern software tools like Luminovo being too complicated, expensive and time-consuming. Learn exactly what the process entails through the experience of Stern-Elektronik GmbH.

Luminovo safe-pcb logos
Luminovo safe-pcb logos
Luminovo safe-pcb logos
Luminovo safe-pcb logos

Partners

Sep 22, 2023

Seamless PCB Ordering with Safe-PCB on Luminovo platform

Luminovo and Safe-PCB join forces to connect the German and French electronics market through a partnership based on digitalisation. Hear what CEO Vincent Charrat has to say about it.

a birds-eye-view of two people shaking hands across a table
a birds-eye-view of two people shaking hands across a table
a birds-eye-view of two people shaking hands across a table
a birds-eye-view of two people shaking hands across a table

Product

Aug 30, 2023

Transforming Collaboration: Exploring the Advantages of a Digital Customer Portal in the EMS Industry

The EMS industry is expected to grow by 28.5% by 2027. Can you imagine your EMS business grow the same way? Read this blog to understand how transforming your customer relationship can transform your entire business.

ship container
ship container
ship container
ship container

Product

Jul 28, 2023

Strategically Navigating Risks Across Your Product Portfolio

Should the state of the electronics supply chain limit your product development? We don't think so. Is there a way around it? Yes, and you can find it out in this blog.

close-up of component pcb board
close-up of component pcb board
close-up of component pcb board
close-up of component pcb board

Industry

Jun 2, 2023

Manufacturing Calculation – from Manual Processes towards Smart Automation

In this blog, we provide a framework for precise manufacturing costing calculation and show you the way towards automating this process for the benefit of your business.

luminovo onlinecomponents.com logos
luminovo onlinecomponents.com logos
luminovo onlinecomponents.com logos
luminovo onlinecomponents.com logos

Partners

May 30, 2023

OnlineComponents.com and Luminovo Optimize Procurement Decision-Making

Find out how the partnership with American distributor OnlineComponents.com makes your sourcing process seamless, automated and collaborative.

jenga tower with blocks removed
jenga tower with blocks removed
jenga tower with blocks removed
jenga tower with blocks removed

Product

Apr 19, 2023

Ignoring Risk is so 2022: Save your Product Design with Luminovo

Are you an electronic engineer thinking you should focus on designing high-quality products for your customers, instead of dealing with compliance? You’re totally right. This blog will help you make the switch.

two happy office workers high fiving
two happy office workers high fiving
two happy office workers high fiving
two happy office workers high fiving

Product

Mar 31, 2023

A Day in the Life of an EMS Provider Using a Modern Quoting Tool

Every EMS company has its own ways but, what matters in the end, is making your customer happy. In this blog, we’ll go through 4 steps to seamlessly achieve this with the help of modern software.

close up solder of PCB board
close up solder of PCB board
close up solder of PCB board
close up solder of PCB board

Industry

Jan 4, 2023

How to Make your Electronics Development more Robust, Anticipatory and Collaborative

Collaboration and technology can improve electronics development and NPI processes, despite volatile component markets. In this article, we will explore common problems and modern solutions.

rocket ship taking off
rocket ship taking off
rocket ship taking off
rocket ship taking off

Industry

Nov 23, 2022

Why Modern RfQ Software is the Tool to Secure your Bottom Line

What does modern RfQ software look like? And how can it help you ramp up your EMS business revenue? Read our Founder’s advice to end your 2022 with a bang, despite the challenges of the electronics sector.

Reini’s Journey at Luminovo
Reini’s Journey at Luminovo
Reini’s Journey at Luminovo
Reini’s Journey at Luminovo

Inside

Oct 17, 2022

Reini’s Journey at Luminovo

Curious to know what being an Intern or Working Student at Luminovo looks like? We've asked Reini, who has experience in both.

close-up photo of PCB board
close-up photo of PCB board
close-up photo of PCB board
close-up photo of PCB board

Industry

Oct 4, 2022

The End of the Chip Crisis?

You've read it right – looks like the global chip shortage is coming to an end, but other challenges await. In this blog, we’ll go through the latest research findings on the semiconductor industry and what we can expect in the near future. Read on!

Luminovo raises 11 million euros in seed round image
Luminovo raises 11 million euros in seed round image
Luminovo raises 11 million euros in seed round image
Luminovo raises 11 million euros in seed round image

News

Aug 18, 2022

Luminovo raises €11 million in seed funding to fix the broken electronics value chain with transformative software suite

A big milestone in our journey to making innovation faster, cheaper and more sustainable for everyone – now backed by Chalfen and Verve, as well as our existing group of stellar investors.

close-up image of a PCB board
close-up image of a PCB board
close-up image of a PCB board
close-up image of a PCB board

Inside

Aug 18, 2022

Yet Another Primer on the Electronics Industry

The what, why, why now and what next of Luminovo: read our vision and plans for the future after receiving €11M in Seed funding.

image of a map of the world
image of a map of the world
image of a map of the world
image of a map of the world

Industry

May 17, 2022

How to Deal with Long-Term Supply Shortages – pt. 2

The supply shortages saga continues: in 2022, the global supply chain still fights against the pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict adds on to the uncertainty. What has changed in a year? And, is technology still the answer?

luminovo wurth logos
luminovo wurth logos
luminovo wurth logos
luminovo wurth logos

Partners

Apr 26, 2022

Würth Elektronik and Luminovo cooperate on transforming PCB order processes

The connection of Würth's online shop for PCBs with the Luminovo Software Suite makes order processes for PCB prototypes easier, faster and more precise.

close-up of PCB board
close-up of PCB board
close-up of PCB board
close-up of PCB board

Tech

Mar 22, 2022

Up your PCB Game with Digital Twin Technology

In PCB manufacturing, communication between PCB suppliers and EMS provider or OEM is key. In this blog, we’ll see how the PCB digital twin can bridge the gap between the two and bring your business to the next level.

two ship side-by-side
two ship side-by-side
two ship side-by-side
two ship side-by-side

Industry

Feb 16, 2022

Startups vs. Corporations: Who Would Win the Race for the Future?

The modern world, and especially the electronics industry, needs startups. Startups are the key to progress in all aspects of society – in this article, we’ll tell you why.

running track with lanes 1 to 5
running track with lanes 1 to 5
running track with lanes 1 to 5
running track with lanes 1 to 5

Industry

Jan 14, 2022

5 Reasons Why Now is the Right Time to Upgrade your RfQ Process

It’s never too late to change and improve a certain way of doing things. What’s crucial, is to come to the realisation that progress is necessary, especially in a sector such as electronics.

inside of a tunnel
inside of a tunnel
inside of a tunnel
inside of a tunnel

Tech

Nov 26, 2021

APIs in the Electronics Value Chain – Curse or Blessing?

These days, it's all about being fast and up-to-date. Modern software development makes it possible, and APIs are the reason. The future of the electronics industry is already here – what are you waiting for?

luminovo founders and luminerds
luminovo founders and luminerds
luminovo founders and luminerds
luminovo founders and luminerds

News

Oct 19, 2021

Luminovo Acquires PCB Software Provider Electronic Fellows to Pioneer Next-Gen Software Suite

Joint efforts yield accelerated existing processes and new opportunities of interconnectedness for the electronics industry.

luminovo orbweaver logo
luminovo orbweaver logo
luminovo orbweaver logo
luminovo orbweaver logo

Partners

Jun 1, 2021

Luminovo and Orbweaver form Automatic Data Integration Partnership

Combined Capabilities Offers First Ever Fully-Digital OEM/EMS Sourcing Experience

birder-eye-view of a ship in the sea
birder-eye-view of a ship in the sea
birder-eye-view of a ship in the sea
birder-eye-view of a ship in the sea

Industry

Apr 28, 2021

How to Deal with Long-Term Supply Shortages

EMS providers currently have to deal with unpredictable availabilities, prices and delivery times. How much longer will this last? What good is a high demand if supply shortages persist?

Image of a graphic saying it's super effective
Image of a graphic saying it's super effective
Image of a graphic saying it's super effective
Image of a graphic saying it's super effective

Inside

Apr 9, 2021

On the Bare Necessity of Psychological Safety

The what, why and how of effective teams. By our co-founder Timon Ruban.

photo of beautiful clouds
photo of beautiful clouds
photo of beautiful clouds
photo of beautiful clouds

Tech

Mar 16, 2021

Cloud Solutions in the Electronics Industry – Why Now?

This blog combats prejudice against the cloud, by providing technical, easy-to-understand insights into cloud solutions, and explaining their benefits and why they play an inevitable role in the future of the electronics industry.

Luminovo welcomes eight new business angels image
Luminovo welcomes eight new business angels image
Luminovo welcomes eight new business angels image
Luminovo welcomes eight new business angels image

News

Feb 18, 2021

Onboarding Eight Renowned Business Angels

We’re incredibly proud to announce that eight new and impactful business angels have joined Luminovo’s journey to revamp the electronics industry.

clost of image of PCB board components
clost of image of PCB board components
clost of image of PCB board components
clost of image of PCB board components

Inside

Oct 29, 2020

A Short Primer on the Electronics Industry

The Electronics industry has long innovation cycles, but uses short acronyms: We can deal with both.

photo of the luminovo team
photo of the luminovo team
photo of the luminovo team
photo of the luminovo team

Inside

Sep 3, 2020

Luminovo Alumni - Being a Marketing and Growth Hacker Intern at Luminovo

Nicole, student at National University of Singapore, spent 6 months at Luminovo during her exchange year in Germany. From marketing strategy to beer gardens, Nicole took home a lot of new experiences - most exotic one for someone from a tropical island probably being 'Eisstockschießen'.

photo of the luminovo team kayaking
photo of the luminovo team kayaking
photo of the luminovo team kayaking
photo of the luminovo team kayaking

Inside

Jul 3, 2020

Luminovo Alumni - Being a Growth Manager Intern at Luminovo

Sophie, a graduate from WHU, spent 3 months at Luminovo during her gap year before pursuing her Master's. From water rafting to giving pitches to potential clients, Sophie's definitely had the best of both worlds.

part 3 graphic image
part 3 graphic image
part 3 graphic image
part 3 graphic image

AI

Jun 2, 2020

New Perspectives on Transfer Learning: Structuring ML Concepts

This last installment introduces Hybrid Processing and maps it together with Active Learning and Transductive & Inductive Semi-Supervised Learning in a novel framework.

part 2 graphic image
part 2 graphic image
part 2 graphic image
part 2 graphic image

AI

May 25, 2020

Processing Unlabeled Data in Machine Learning - Structuring ML Concepts

In this post, I finally found personal closure on the topic of how AL translates to some real-world scenario and introduce Hybrid Processing as a new paradigm.

part 1 graphic image
part 1 graphic image
part 1 graphic image
part 1 graphic image

AI

May 20, 2020

The Four “Pure” Learning Styles in Machine Learning - Structuring ML Concepts

People are starting to realize that some techniques that were previously regarded as Unsupervised Learning should more aptly be named Self-Supervised Learning. Let’s expand on that.

luminovo raises of 2M in pre-seed round text
luminovo raises of 2M in pre-seed round text
luminovo raises of 2M in pre-seed round text
luminovo raises of 2M in pre-seed round text

News

Apr 8, 2020

From AI to Electronics

Lumimovo goes Electronics! We have received over €2 Million in pre-seed funding for our new journey into the Electronics Industry.

image of a laptop with code on the screen
image of a laptop with code on the screen
image of a laptop with code on the screen
image of a laptop with code on the screen

AI

Jun 10, 2019

AI and the Question of Explainability

Do we need to understand our models in order to trust them?

a row of CCTV cameras
a row of CCTV cameras
a row of CCTV cameras
a row of CCTV cameras

AI

Apr 25, 2019

Data Privacy in Machine Learning

Data privacy - one of machine learning’s biggest challenges and how to tackle it.

close-up of a timeline of code issues
close-up of a timeline of code issues
close-up of a timeline of code issues
close-up of a timeline of code issues

AI

Nov 28, 2018

The Deep Learning Toolset

Every problem worth solving needs great tools for support. Deep learning is no exception. If anything, it is a realm in which good tooling will become ever more important over the coming years.

image of zeus the mythic god
image of zeus the mythic god
image of zeus the mythic god
image of zeus the mythic god

AI

Jun 6, 2018

Mythbusters: 7 Common Myths About AI

Artificial Intelligence is one of the most hyped topics of recent years. Naturally, a lot of superficial knowledge has found its way into the press and the minds of the general public. In this post, I want to uncover a few of those misconceptions.

close-up photo of laptop screen with code
close-up photo of laptop screen with code
close-up photo of laptop screen with code
close-up photo of laptop screen with code

AI

Jan 24, 2018

A Refresher on Batch (Re-)Normalization

If you’re like me, you enjoy throwing CNNs at every pictorial problem that comes your way. If you’re like me, then you have heard of BatchNorm.

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