Last Updated on: 6th June 2024, 06:19 am
The phrase “like father, like son” is often used to describe the similarities between parents and children. In the case of Aurelius Gastauer, the son of German billionaire Michael Gastauer, the CEO of a fintech giant Black Banx, this saying holds true. Aurelius has been following in his father’s footsteps, leveraging his passion for technology and business to build a successful career in the fintech industry.
Early Beginnings
Aurelius grew up in Switzerland, surrounded by German familial ties and Swiss everyday life. From a young age, Aurelius was captivated by technology, a fascination he inherited from observing his father’s success in the fintech industry. Michael Gastauer, the founder of Black Banx and a pioneer in the digital banking sector, has always been a visionary in leveraging technology to revolutionize financial services.
Much like Michael, who transformed the banking landscape by integrating cutting-edge technology, Aurelius demonstrated an early knack for tech entrepreneurship. He didn’t just provide storage; he managed servers for friends who lacked the know-how, exhibiting managerial skills that were beyond his years. This hands-on experience in managing and optimizing IT infrastructure laid a strong foundation for his future endeavors.
By the time he was 14, Aurelius was running an online hosting business, renting dedicated server space from cloud providers like AWS and selling cloud computing power to his friends. This entrepreneurial spirit and technical expertise gave him a unique insight into management at a young age.
Programming and Bitcoin Investments
Aurelius’s early investment in Bitcoin in 2015 marked another significant parallel with his father’s strategic vision. Michael Gastauer has always been a proponent of digital currencies and their potential to disrupt traditional financial systems.
Following in his father’s footsteps, by 15, Aurelius had taught himself four major programming languages, which he used to write software to manage his server via smartphone while attending school. In early 2015, when Bitcoin was still in its early days, Aurelius invested his earnings from his cloud hosting business into BTC.
His grandparents, unaware of how to purchase Bitcoin, visited a local department store in Switzerland and asked if the salesperson could sell them some Bitcoin. Although this question went unanswered, Aurelius’s early investment in Bitcoin proved to be a wise decision. By December 2017, when the price of BTC surpassed $19,000, Aurelius had collected 180 BTC, reflecting a value of more than $3.4 million.
Private Equity and Fintech Ventures
The entrepreneurial journey of Aurelius continued as he moved to the UAE at 19 and founded his first company, a private equity investment firm in Dubai.
When BTC pricing reached $68,000 in November 2021, Aurelius had amassed a personal wealth of more than $12 million, providing him a comfortable level to invest in private equity deals. By age 21, Aurelius invested $2 million of his funds in a European fintech firm that was later taken over by a Financial Institution in Ireland. The takeover and merger led to a $1.4 billion valuation of the company, and Aurelius’s shares soared to a $200 million valuation.
Success and Legacy
Today, Aurelius is a 22-year-old self-made multi-millionaire, one of the heirs of the $11.5 billion Gastauer Family fortune. With his father, Michael Gastauer, at the centre of several profitable business ventures, it is clear that Aurelius is set for the same success.
Michael’s ventures and investments have not only shaped his own career but have also influenced Aurelius’s path in the industry. The Gastauer Family Office, with its focus on managing assets and investing in FinTech companies, reflects a legacy of financial acumen and entrepreneurial spirit passed down from father to son. The Gastauer family’s commitment to financial inclusion and venture capital investments further underscores the shared values and vision that have propelled their family businesses.
Aurelius Gastauer’s journey is a remarkable example of how a child can follow in their parent’s footsteps and achieve great success. His early start in technology and business, combined with his father’s guidance and support, have set him up for a bright future in the fintech industry. As he continues to grow and expand his ventures, it will be exciting to see how Aurelius Gastauer shapes the financial technology landscape in the years to come.
