Rave The Planet – Who We Are
Non-profit for Techno Culture
Rave The Planet is a Berlin based non-profit organization dedicated to the spirit and culture of electronic music. We aim to promote and preserve this culture, as well as to raise awareness for important cultural, political, social and environmental issues.
The name “Rave The Planet” reflects our belief in the power of electronic music and rave culture to bring people together and inspire positive change.
The organization was founded in 2019 by Dr. Motte, the so-called father of the Berlin Love Parade, and few other enthusiasts who have been longterm involved in the techno scene. The official kick-off was on January 13, 2020.
MISSION
Rave The Planet’s activities include organizing techno events, cultural-political demonstrations, and educational initiatives, along with supporting cultural projects, and advocating for sustainability and social justice.
A core principle at Rave The Planet is zero tolerance for intolerance. Any form of discrimination, such as racism, sexism, ableism, queerphobia, antisemitism, or any religious discrimination, ageism, etc., will result in immediate exclusion. (Read our guest post on “The Tolerance Paradox” for more.)
Through our work, we aim to make a lasting, positive contribution to techno and electronic music culture. We raise awareness, promote openness, empower diversity, and connect creatives. Step by step, we strive to deepen public understanding of our culture and enhance its acceptance.
VISION
Our vision is for techno to be officially recognized as a cultural form. Berlin’s techno culture, with its special features and characteristics, should be protected by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). Clubs and other venues will be preserved, and cultural creators will be supported, ensuring the preservation and continued development of our culture.
With our annual cultural-political demonstration, the Rave The Planet Parade, we uphold the tradition of the Berlin Love Parade, as a gathering for the global electronic music culture and its voice. Culture creators worldwide are inspired to organize their own parades on the same day, bringing the whole world together in peaceful dance. Rave the planet.
Claudia
Booking & Cultural Communication
Claudia’s passion is music and club culture. Since the beginning of the 90s she has been working for numerous large and small music labels in the fields of A&R, product management and PR.
Early on she was on the road in exactly those places where club culture has developed. Many trips around the globe followed – always on the trail of the trend.
Since 2006 Claudia has been managing her own artist agency „Pearls Booking”. From Berlin she coordinates worldwide bookings for her artists, e. g. for Dr. Motte, Saytek and more.
„Techno is an expression of our culture and our being in the here and now. I love it when people come together just to dance to the music and smile at each other. Let’s do just that and live and support our culture.“
Dorina
Communication Designer
Dorina is a freelance graphic designer and art director. She studied communication design at the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg and since 2010 has been creating numerous sophisticated design projects for visual communication, with a focus on corporate design & corporate publishing, logos, creative artwork and much more. For Rave The Planet she has designed the poster campaign and web design, among other things.
„Love is when the bass kicks in. Let’s rave the planet.“
Dr. Motte
Director of Creative Content & Cultural Affairs
One man who, if anyone does, qualifies for the title of legendary must surely be Dr. Motte. An original through and through, this DJ, producer and remixer from the original vanguard of Technos few pioneering souls initiated and successfully staged, in cooperation with his then girlfriend Danielle de Picciotto and a bunch of friends, what became the biggest cultural celebration of music, tolerance, love and indeed life itself, that the world has ever seen: the Loveparade.
Even with such achievements to his credit, Dr. Motte has stayed true to his ideals, true to the underground that has been his home for decades. By his chosen way of life, he remains attuned to and a part of that all important zeitgeist. Now like then, he stands for peace, love, unity and respect.
„Anyone who understands music as a culture’s social responsibility is and will always remain progressive.“
Ellen
Creative Director & Public Relations
Ellen is a communication designer, artist manager and passionate raver. She runs the full-service agency Logowerk, which has been based in the heart of Berlin since 1995 and covers a multifaceted range of services from graphic design to communication to special corporate events.
She has been working for over ten years already as an artist manager for Dr. Motte. In this context, she has rendered outstanding services to the title of a “one-woman-office-task-force”.
“My socialization process took place at the Love Parade. No “you”, no “me”, but a big “us”. Techno is my love, dancing is my passion. Movement, contemplation, expression of the soul. It is the purest form of interpersonal communication. Without words – everybody understands. Peace.”
Jan
Sponsoring & Partnerships
While studying, project developer and management consultant Jan was already bitten by the techno bug. He was part of the Marbylon collective, took care of the sponsoring and the afterparty at the CSD Frankfurt and helped to set up the scene pub “Tunnel” in Marburg.
Two years ago, Jan and a friend founded the party series “XLR8” and the “Explosion Club” in Kleve, where big names like A*S*Y*S, Ramon Tapia, Shinedoe, Christian Smith, Wex10, Alexander Kowalski and Baugruppe 90 played.
“Techno is everything you haven’t imagined yet.”
Sebastian
Environmental Education, Social Engagement & Photography
Sebastian, an environmental activist, experienced event photographer (across Europe) with over 27 years of expertise, and proactive volunteer in various civil society domains, brings it all. Besides being a trained chef and instructor, he serves as a gastronomic consultant, mentor, editorial contributor, and communication lecturer. As a team player, he aspires to significantly shape the event industry towards environmental and climate friendliness, always acting in unity.
“It’s no longer ‘five minutes to midnight’ regarding environmental protection and climate change. We are well past midnight, and it’s time to reflect on what we can do with this new day. With Rave The Planet, I aim to be part of the solution and inspire others to take action as well.”
Sebastian
Structure & Organization
Bringing order to chaos and introducing structure to disarray with patience, empowering people to handle new ideas and the increasingly complex challenges of modern work organization and digitalization—that’s Sebastian’s professional world. Working as a project manager for over 20 years, he’s been involved in many transformations, including the one at Rave The Planet.
His personal world revolves around Berlin, the techno city, in all its forms: clubs, music, parties, and the people behind them. This deeply excites him; it’s a universe and cosmos all at once. It’s a realm formed by creators, DJs, club owners, party organizers, and dancers of all kinds, creating this vibrant, colorful world.
“Techno changed my life – for me, it’s not just a random slogan on a T-shirt, but a real experience, a genuine feeling. Because nothing connects so many diverse people in such a peaceful way and has set me free like Techno!”
Timm
Managing Director
As a successful business lawyer, Timm commutes back and forth between the cities of Kassel and Berlin. In both, he is deeply rooted in the techno scene and club culture. With the open-air club “Lichtpark”, he and his partners created a gem for ravers by the Spree River. With his legal expertise and his affinity for the scene, he is a real asset to our team.
“I’m backing Rave The Planet so that the team can do its cultural non-profit work.”
Thomas
Web Developer
Thomas eats codes for breakfast. He is an analyst and develops logics where others only see chaos. Before he made his way to becoming a web developer, he had trained his skills in audio engineering. At the SAE Institute he learned music production and film synchronization. After that he went into IT and marketing.
He founded his company Playfield-Media more than four years ago and realized large projects, such as the entire used car network of Toyota in Austria. In cooperation with the Berlin agency Glut.Berlin he created a voting app for the „Kultur- und Kreativpiloten Deutschland“ (funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy).
„Music is the reflection from the deepest part of our soul. It helps us to express ourselves in the most honest way. When we dance together with other people, from different cultures, it helps us to break all boundaries and gives us the feeling of pure freedom.“
Tomasz
International Communication
Tomasz didn’t join our team by accident. He feels and lives our mission. He has just returned to Berlin after 6 exciting years spent in South China, where he has opened his own record stores and has been promoting the DJ culture like nobody else. A man of many talents, Master of Cultural Studies, a radio journalist and a record label owner, he has also been a club DJ himself for almost 20 years touring the world with his music.
„Club music is undoubtedly a significant part of our global culture. Just like all the other cultural elements, it is learned, shared between generations and cultivated by people around the world. Not recognizing this is harmful to our collective heritage.“
Verena
Community Management & Volunteers Communication
In 1995, the Lippstadt-born got hooked on the energy of electronic sounds for the first time. Her love for Techno took her to Berlin in 1998, to the Love Parade. Just two years later, Verena made the big move to Berlin, where she found her place in the bar and club scene, working as a bar manager at the former “Avastar”.
Her path crossed with Ellen and Motte in 2019, and Verena joined Rave The Planet as a volunteer. Thanks to her exceptional organizational skills and understanding of people, she quickly took on new responsibilities. As a Community Manager, she now supports and coordinates other volunteers with great dedication.
At Rave The Planet, Verena is affectionately known as “The Brain” – a well-fitting nickname for a woman who not only keeps an eye on everything that’s going on, but also ensures that the heart of the community is in sync.
„Music is a universal language that doesn’t need any translation.“