Tayla Sheldrake

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT TAYLA SHELDRAKE

Over the past years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting, learning from, and scaling alongside hundreds of hardtech founders across Germany and Europe. As part of the leadership at MotionLab.Berlin and MotionLab.Ventures, I help build and unify one of Europe’s most active deep-tech innovation ecosystems, now expanding into a m² hardtech campus at ringberlin.My work sits at the intersection of community-building, venture support, and ecosystem development. I’m motivated by a simple belief: transformative technologies only reach the market when founders, industry, research, and investors collaborate closely.Through MotionLab, I’ve supported more than 100 early-stage hardtech teams on their journey from prototype to production, some navigating the difficult realities of hardware failure, others going on to major milestones. A few highlights include- Kopernikus Automotive, acquired by Ford for multiple millions- Ucaneo, building Germany’s first-of-a-kind DAC plant at our MotionLab.Marzahn campus- Parkling, Dance, DiaMonTech, NeoCarbon, and many more progressing through pilots, raises, and commercial deploymentAlongside startups, I work closely with SMEs and corporates such as Siemens Energy, ABUS, Rhenus Logistics, Dell Technologies, and Hertha BSC, giving them access to emerging technologies, technical talent, and industry know-how while enabling meaningful adoption pathways.What I enjoy most is helping founders and partners navigate the practical complexities of building in hardtech, from early prototyping and certifications to manufacturing, fundraising, and commercial validation. Hardware is never easy, but it is always meaningful.Today, through MotionLab.Ventures, I support the next generation of early-stage hardtech founders as they bring climate, mobility, robotics, automation, and industrial technologies to life. My goal is not only to invest financially but to contribute operational experience, network access, and ecosystem alignment so that deep-tech innovation can move from lab to market faster and more sustainably.I continue to speak, moderate, and mentor across the European deep-tech community and hold an MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from Lund University.If you’re a founder building ambitious hardtech, an SME or corporate exploring new technologies, or an ecosystem partner working toward similar goals, I’m always open to connect.Let’s build a stronger, more collaborative, and more impactful innovation landscape together.