Raul Krauthausen – Keynote Speaker

Raúl Krauthausen has been working in the internet and media world for more than 15 years, as a disability-rights activist, founder of the nonprofit organization “Sozialhelden” (Social Heroes), communicator and Design Thinker. The internet is his second home. There he twitters, blogs and posts about things that are important to him. Often humorous, sometimes very serious or sharp-tongued. He has become best known for his invention “Wheelmap, a crowdsourced, online world map for accessible places, as well as his undercover stay in a group home for people with disabilities and his protest against various German laws affecting people with disabilities.

Raúl Krauthausen uses a wheelchair to get around. He was born in Peru, went to school in Germany, graduated from high school in 2001 and then worked at apparat Multimedia GmbH, argonauten G2 GmbH and NEUE DIGITALE GmbH, creating online concepts. In 2002 he began studying for a masters degree in Communication at the Berlin University of the Arts.

Together with his cousin Jan Mörsch, Raúl Krauthausen founded an activists’ network, “Sozialhelden”, in 2004 with the aim of calling attention to social problems and motivating people to change their way of thinking. In 2005 Sozialhelden won first place in the NEON/smart-Ideas Competition, followed by the Deutscher Engagementpreis in 2009 and the Deutsche Bürgerpreis (Citizen Award) and the Inca Awar, both in 2010.

Time and time again Raúl Krauthausen not only initiates practical social projects but also shows his knack for finding funding and donors.

In 2007 he created the project “Pfandtastisch helfen!” for which he was awarded the StartSocial Prize by the German federal government. His idea for an online guide on language and disability resulted in the website “Leidmedien.de” and a nomination for the Grimme Online Award in 2012. In 2010 the Magazine “WirtschaftsWoche” placed Krauthausen on its 59th spot in their list of Germany’s most important persons in the internet business.

Together with other disability-rights activists, Krauthausen launched a campaign in 2016 for a better version of the Bundesteilhabegesetz (Law for the participation of people with disabilities).

Raúl Krauthausen has been an Ashoka Fellow since 2011 and has turned his focus to his work with his two nonprofit organizations, Sozialhelden and Ability Watch. In addition to his tasks in project management and strategic planning, he also represents the 15 current Sozialhelden projects and their goals to a wide audience. He is a frequent speaker at a wide spectrum of events on topics that are important to him. Since 2015 he has had his own television talk show “KRAUTHAUSEN – face to face” in which he and his guests discuss inclusion and the arts. He has developed online video productions for, amongst others, ze.tt, ZDF, Sozialverband Deutschland and the Federal Agency for Civic Education. In addition he publishes a weekly newsletter with articles about inclusion and innovation. Since 2019 he has taken on the role of co-creator of a podcast within the Sozialhelden project “Die Neue Norm”.

In April 2013, Krauthausen was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for his social engagement and in 2018 he received the Grimme Online Award for his “personal achievements”.

The Sozialhelden Team has continued its prize-winning streak through the years with the World Summit Award of the United Nations (2012), the Zedler Prize for Open Knowledge (2013), the Smart Hero Award (2014), the Ruderman Prize for Inclusion (2016), Deutscher Mobilitätspreis (2016), the National German Sustainability Award (2019)

Raúl Krauthausen is Germany’s best known spokesperson for inclusion. Having experienced him on stage, one is guaranteed to take home a great deal of inspiration, humorous food for thought and a good dose of motivation.