Since 2001, Prof. Dr. Dr. Ann-Kristin Achleitner holds the KfW Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurial Fi­nance and is Scientific Co-Director at the Center for Entrepreneurial and Financial Studies (CEFS) at Technische Universität München (TUM). Her research focus is in the areas of venture capital, private equity and social entrepreneurship. She also worked as an expert for the Federal Ministry of Finance on the legal and tax environment of private equity in Germany and contributed to “The Global Economic Impact of Private Equity Report 2008” as part of the World Economic Forum 2008. Prof. Achleitner earned several awards for both research and teaching including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2007.