In our new “Stories” section, we present people, experiences, and stories connected to the deepzone brand. To kick things off, we spoke with our founder, Jörg Pintaske, who drives the vision and science behind deepzone. The result is a detailed interview, the first part of which we’re sharing today. In it, co-founder Lukas talks with Jörg about his personal background, his motivation – and why he sees mental performance as a daily challenge.
Lukas: Jörg, you’re the initiator of deepzone. Who are you outside of the project?
Jörg: I’m 45 years old, father of two daughters, and live near Karlsruhe. On the side, I’ve started an unofficial career as a semi-professional cat sitter. I’m a clear early riser: oat milk coffee is always a go, but I gave matcha latte three chances – none of them worked.
My weaknesses? Vegan gummy bears because of their texture, chocolate rice cakes, and Italian red wine. I find bikes more exciting than cars, and for me, naps are the most brilliant invention of biology. My red thread in all of this: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
Lukas: Your background is quite diverse. What’s behind that?
Jörg: My academic background is broad and interdisciplinary. I hold several degrees in natural sciences and economics, including a PhD, and I’ve always enjoyed working at the intersections of disciplines – because for me, that’s where the greatest opportunities for innovation lie. That’s also essential when trying to understand something as complex as the human brain. No single discipline can claim to provide all the answers.
That’s why I’ve studied not only medicine, neuroscience, and psychology but also quantum physics and biochemistry. I’m equally fascinated by the science of how markets, companies, and business models work. For me, this broad understanding isn’t a contradiction but a driving force: I enjoy it, it gives me energy, and it enables me to build companies at the crossroads of science, technology, and innovation – as with deepzone.
Lukas: What role does sport play in your life?
Jörg: Sport is much more than movement for me. It’s a mirror in which I repeatedly get to know myself anew – with my strengths, my limits, and also my weaknesses. But often it’s simply a way to clear my head and let off steam. Sport gives me energy, structure, and the feeling of being truly alive.
Lukas: The central theme of deepzone is mental performance. How have you experienced it yourself?
Jörg: For me, mental performance shows itself not just in extreme situations but in daily life: family, work, partnership, sport – balancing all of this is a daily challenge for the mind. As an entrepreneur, I often face decisions without clear predictions, and sometimes I get them wrong. But those limits show me fields for growth. I notice that I function better when I pay attention to my balance – especially good sleep – and when I deliberately train my focus.
Lukas: And what motivates you when things aren’t going well?
Jörg: The certainty that bad days pass too. I don’t force anything then but consciously look for something that gives me energy – movement, distraction, or simply sleep. For me, sleep is the best reset for body and mind.
Lukas: To conclude the personal part, a music question: which three songs can’t be missing from your running playlist?
Jörg: Now I’ll get a bit nerdy: when I’m seriously training for something, I prefer to leave the playlist off. Music can distract or motivate – which helps during long, monotonous runs or tough intervals. But it also takes away focus. Many professionals underestimate how important it is to endure the unfiltered training experience. The toughest mental training is riding for several hours on the trainer – no music, no video, just staring at the wall. You reach mental limits very quickly – and that’s exactly what strengthens the mind.
But if I do listen to music while training, these three tracks are currently essential: Losing My Religion by R.E.M., Creep by Radiohead, and the Sound of Silence remix by Disturbed.
Curious about what comes next?
In the second part of the interview, Lukas and Jörg talk about the origins of deepzone, the path from idea to product – and how modern science and technology can help train mental strength systematically.