In the OMR podcast, investor and TV juror Frank Thelen talks about Elon Musk, economic politics and the power of tech billionaires. Sometimes he can't get out of the raven.
Investor and TV juror Frank Thelen is one of the few German entrepreneurs who openly contribute to political and social discussions. Some of it angry with controversy opinions. While the shitstorms used to “annoy” him, today leave him cold, as he reveals in the OMR podcast with Philipp Westermeyer. In the run-up to the Bundestag election 2025, Thelen speaks clearly for a CDU/CSU-FDP coalition on LinkedIn. But not only in politics does Thelen have a clear point of view: home office and a four-day week? No option for him. Meme coins? He doesn't think anything about it. And Lilium? In his opinion, the flight taxi startup should have been saved by the state.
A recurring topic in his posts is also Space-X founder Elon Musk. Thelen was still causing a sensation when he shared an open letter to Elon Musk on LinkedIn. In it he emphasizes how much he appreciates Musk as an entrepreneur-even if he does not share all the statements on US politics. Nevertheless, he respects that Musk as an entrepreneur and Trump consultant in the USA has an important voice. However, Thelen draws a clear border with Musk's support from the AfD: “With all respect, I have to contradict.”
Now Thelen is a guest at the OMR Podcast. The conversation with Podcast host Westermeyer is of course also about Musk-in addition to topics such as Thelen's VC company Freigeist, the bankruptcy of Lilium and the new Trump government.
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Musk is the “perfection of entrepreneurship”
US President Trump finds Thelen “unappealing” and “too old”. About musk, which he calls Elon at the first name, he finds significantly warmer words. When Philipp Westermeyer asks in the OMR Podcast whether Thelen is a Musk fan, he replies: “I am impressed by what he is implementing.” But not so enough: Musk is the “perfection and pure form of entrepreneurship,” enthuses Thelen further. No other, not even Steve Jobs, have ever acted as brave and effectively as Musk: Musk and his entrepreneurship are “the best thing the world has ever seen,” explains Thelen – but with a restriction: his admiration only applies to Musk's entrepreneurial achievements . When he looks at his private life, Thelen feels pity.
How much influence should entrepreneurs take on politics?
“People are getting more and more powerful,” says Thelen. Whether Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates – many American entrepreneurs actively intervene in political debates, partly with billions. Thelen sees the criticism that tech billionaires are increasingly influencing political decisions as justified. That could be dangerous, he says. Nevertheless, he lacks a better alternative: “Classic politicians”, as Philipp Westermeyer calls her, have failed in Germany and the USA. What is needed is a “economic policy”. And maybe they could only deliver entrepreneurs like Musk or Bezos – even if Thelen does not let go of an “bad feeling”.
While the German economy has shrunk continuously in the past two years, the US economy shows at least growth-but not because of Joe Biden, but trotz He, Thelen says. “Economic growth in the USA has nothing to do with politics,” he clarifies. Instead, it is powerful companies such as Tesla, Amazon and Palantir who drive growth. Companies led by Trump-related entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.de/gruenderszene/perspektive/thelen-ueber-musk-reinform-des-unternehmertums-interview/
