Michael Graef studied business administration at the University of Mannheim, where he also obtained his PhD (2001) and worked as a research assistant at the Chair of General Business Administration, Public and Non-profit Management. He then worked in the management team at Fuchs Petrolub AG from 2001 to 2006, most recently as Vice President of Business Development for Russia. 

In 2006, he was appointed to the Chair of International Start-ups, International Business Management and International Business Administration at Worms University of Applied Sciences. He also heads the Master’s programme in Entrepreneurship. Since 2018, he has held the academic leadership of the university’s start-up activities and mentors numerous start-up teams. In January 2025, he took up his post as Vice-President for Research and Transfer. 

Michael Graef has been a board member of Digital Hub Worms since 2021, as well as a member of Business Angels Rhineland-Palatinate and Business Angels Palatina.