Erck Rickmers is the founder of THE NEW INSTITUTE. From 2010 to 2012, the entrepreneur and investor served in the parliament of the state of Hamburg. In 2014, driven by the concern about the future of the planet he developed the idea to give the humanities a bigger role shaping societal change. For this reason he acquired the Warburg Ensemble, nine classicist town-houses, which opened in 2022 and serves as the home for up to 35 fellows.