How Niko Hems blended business and data science with Bay Area vibes

How Niko Hems blended business and data science with Bay Area vibes

Hems’s academic path — which previously took him through Germany, Italy and Portugal—eventually brought him to the US’s West Coast. One of the first things he noticed at Berkeley was the intense school spirit. “Every other student is decked out in Berkeley merchandise, from hoodies to caps — a level of school spirit you rarely see in Europe,” he shares. 

“While my studies in Germany and Italy were mostly confined to the academic realm, with limited campus activities, Berkeley students actively connect beyond the classroom.”

Berkeley’s academic approach was just as refreshing for Hems. Unlike the theoretical focus back home, his courses at Berkeley involved practical projects and collaboration that encouraged innovation and real-world application.

Hems found inspiration in Introduction to General Astronomy with Professor Alexei Filippenko, where celestial phenomena were made accessible and engaging. In Ethical and Effective Entrepreneurship in High Tech, led by Lee Fleming, he explored the ethical dimensions of tech entrepreneurship through lively case discussions. He also embraced Berkeley's unique student-led DeCal courses, tackling projects in neurotechnology to predict Alzheimer’s disease and exploring the frontiers of generative AI and neural networks. 

“Professors and classmates bring an impressive level of expertise and motivation,” enthuses Hems. “Sharing perspectives with people who are not only academically brilliant but also genuinely passionate about making a difference in the world has been inspiring.”

While residing near Silicon Valley, he and his peers revelled in the region's unique focus on innovation together. This atmosphere fueled his passion for venture capital and startups. 

Meanwhile, living in the Bay Area gave him seemingly endless options to explore what the US has to offer—from attending football games and visiting Yosemite, to day trips to Lake Tahoe and weekends in Las Vegas. 

“The energy here is just different,” says Hems. “You see highly motivated people trying to bring the next huge innovation to market — I’ve gained quite a lot of inspiration through that! The proximity to nature and major cities adds to the allure, making Berkeley not just an academic choice, but a life experience.”