Each week, CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ hands the mic to someone working in one of the many different areas that make up our air cargo industry, to illustrate the seemingly unlimited career paths it offers. As the world continues to turn and shipments are flown around it, technology, too, propels the industry forward. There are so many LogTech ideas, opportunities, and innovations out there, it can be difficult to keep up, fully understand, or safely try out solutions alongside the daily business of air cargo. That is where HAUS61 comes in as a logistics startup accelerator: it brings air cargo stakeholders together with LogTech startups, offering a space where use cases can be trialed in real environments, thus shortening the path from prototype to operational deployment and ultimately speeding up air cargo digitalization and process optimization. Jessica Stöber, Management Assistant at HAUS61, takes us through her multifaceted role, and shares her views and advice.
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
JS: I work at HAUS61, a startup accelerator and innovation platform based at Frankfurt Airport, focused on logistics and air cargo. My role as a Management Assistant is incredibly varied. I do everything from event planning and marketing to startup and partner communication. That can mean designing flyers and branding materials one minute and coordinating a 200-person gala dinner the next. I keep an eye on everything from social media to strategy and keep things running smoothly behind the scenes so the rest of my team can do their best work.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you?
JS: My day might include meetings with sponsors, writing newsletters, preparing social media posts, planning pitch events, booking venues, or catering, scouting new startups, or making sure the ice cubes at our event have the right size to melt our logo into them (true story!). I work across a wide range of tasks and love the challenge of pulling everything together. I also spend a lot of time connecting people: startups with sponsors, partners with innovators, experience with new ideas. That’s really at the heart of what we do at HAUS61.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
JS: I’ve been in the industry for about 1.5 years now. My whole family is in logistics, so in a way, it feels like I was always meant to end up here. What fascinates me is how logistics touch every part of our lives and how many people are involved in the process. From parcels to life-saving stem cells, from urgent aircraft parts to your favorite chocolate bar. There are countless people and processes involved behind the scenes, many of them invisible unless you work in the field. I find that incredibly exciting. What made me stay was the openness to new ideas. I’ve seen industry veterans make time for small, new startups at a pitch event because they know innovation isn’t optional. They know the world is changing fast, and they want to be part of that change.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
JS: I enjoy how creative and collaborative it is. We get to work with a wide variety of people and bring them all together in one room. Seeing a connection happen at one of our events and watching people from very different parts of the industry engage in conversation is really rewarding; even competitors come together around innovation.
I do love well-running processes and there’s something magical about seeing months of preparation come together in one evening and knowing that we’ve created a space where innovation can meet the industry. It also helps that the people I work with are excited about their jobs, their ideas, startups, and new collaborations. Working with highly motivated people makes it easy to enjoy the job.
CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry?
JS: I think one challenge is remembering that every person in the chain matters. Logistics is often seen as a technical or process-driven field, but at its core it’s about people. From warehouse workers to CEOs, from drivers to developers, everyone contributes. In times of digitalization and automation, we need to innovate with people, not around them.
Sometimes it can be challenging to balance the value of experience with the opportunities that come from new approaches and innovation. As young professionals, we can struggle in environments shaped by a “we’ve always done it this way” mindset, and at times we may underestimate the power of experience. But at the same time, we bring fresh perspectives, new ways of working, and critical questions that can truly drive a company forward and secure its competitive edge.
The world is changing fast, and simply keeping up is no longer enough. Companies that succeed are those that can look back and draw lessons from experience while also embracing open mindsets and new ideas. When experience and innovation come together, that’s when real progress happens and it’s what allows a business to stay ahead of the curve. That’s our motto: HAUS61, where Innovation meets Industry.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry?
JS: One of the best things about logistics: There are so many routes in, and so many kinds of skills needed. Whether you’re into engineering, design, communication, business, operations, you name it, there’s space for you and your skills, knowledge, and experience, so don’t worry if your background isn’t ‘typical’. My advice is: be curious, be open, and don’t underestimate your own perspective. The industry is full of people eager to share knowledge and people who are excited about new perspectives, innovation, and you.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
JS: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ – It’s global, fast, and filled with opportunity for those bold enough to innovate.
Thank you, Jessica!
If you would like to share your personal air cargo story with our CargoForwarder Global readers, feel free to send your answers to the above questions to cargoforwarderglobal@kopfpilot.at We look forward to shining a spotlight on your job area, views, and experiences.
