Kaltenegger holds two graduate degrees in solid state physics, a MSc from Karl-Franzens University Graz and a PhD from Montanistic University Leoben, and is the holder of more than 30 patents and was awarded for different technical publications.
Prior to joining ATV, he spent three years as ABB CTO China and as Director of the ABB Corporate Research Center in China. He was involved in future technology R&D, specifically material testing, fault current limitation, bulk power transmission (HVDC), UHV, distributed generation and robotics. From 2000 till 2007 he was Global ABB Technology Manager for Medium Voltage products development, with responsibility for 14 Development Centers worldwide. For the nine years prior, he was amongst others responsible for high voltage circuit breaker R&D at ABB Switzerland and Head of the Power Test Lab in Switzerland. He invented a new self-blast circuit breaker technology enabling SF6 Technology for ratings of 160 kA and higher, a world first.
Kurt is leading investments in Europe, Israel and China and was involved in about 20 investments so far. Kurt was/is Member of the Board in different portfolio companies such as Orbital Marine Power, Automata, Enervalis, TaKaDu, and PointGrab. Further, he is Advisory Committee member of Tsing Capital and was Committee member of KIC InnoEnergy and Investment Committee member at VI Partners.
He is a frequent speaker at conferences worldwide and has been recognized as Global Corporate Venturing GCV Rising Star 2017 as well as made it on the list of “Most Influential Investors 2019” from Venture360. Kurt was regular member of CIGRE Study Committee for Distributed Generation and was on the advisory board of Souzhou University. Kurt serves as thought leader with long term technology visions for ABB R&D.
