Martin Pätzold

Prof. Dr. Martin Pätzold is an Honorary Professor for Competition in the Digital Economy at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences since July 2017, and has been teaching competition, income and social policy at the same institution since October 2015. He previously served as a lecturer at HTW Berlin for regional economic development from 2014 to 2015.

His educational background includes a business administration degree from Humboldt University of Berlin (2004-2010), where he completed his Diplom-Kaufmann thesis under Prof. Dr. Joachim Schwalbach. He earned his doctorate from TU Chemnitz (2010-2013) with a dissertation on the 'Transformation Process of the Berlin Economy - Developments in West and East Berlin after Reunification'.

Professor Pätzold's research focuses on the intersection of digital technology and economic policy, particularly in the areas of competition policy in digital markets, social market economy, and digital transformation. His work examines how digital platforms, zero marginal cost goods, and sharing economy models impact traditional market structures and regulatory frameworks. He has published extensively on topics including FinTech innovations, startup ecosystems in Central Germany, and the role of social media in labor market integration, particularly for Ukrainian refugees in Germany.

His publications reflect a consistent interest in how digital technologies reshape economic relationships, competition dynamics, and policy frameworks. Recent work has explored the implications of zero marginal cost digital goods, the potential of the sharing economy as a prototype for social market economy, and the need for modern competition policy in the 21st century.

Professor Pätzold has collaborated with various institutions including Baker Tilly, where he contributed to sustainability reports and analyses of innovative financing instruments for German SMEs. His work often bridges academic research with practical business applications and policy recommendations.

His academic contributions include numerous publications in books, policy papers, and economic blogs, with a particular focus on the Ökonomen Blog Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft where he has published multiple articles on digital economy topics.