Julia Staudt holds a double masters degree in public policy and management from HEC Paris and the Freie Universität Berlin. She studied for her BA at Universität Passau and Université Laval in Québec. Julia gained professional experience at media companies such as Die Zeit, Le Parisien and Bertelsmann, focusing on digital and strategic issues. She also worked as a consultant for social start-ups and the public sector. She will dedicate her year as a Mercator Fellow to technological innovation in the field of development cooperation, with special focus on the potential and challenges of mobile applications.