Maximilian Stephan studied economics at the University of Heidelberg as well as business administration and engineering at Pforzheim University and business administration and engineering at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA). During his studies he worked as an intern at the Texas State Capitol in Austin and at Daimler AG as well as a working student at Daimler Truck AG. Since March 2020, he has been working at the Competence Center Emerging Technologies at Fraunhofer ISI – initially as a student assistant, since December 2021 as a research associate and since December 2022 as a PhD candidate.