Van Bo Le-Mentzel was born in Laos in 1977. He and his parents came to Germany in 1979 and grew up in Berlin-Wedding. He was a rapper and graffiti artist and studied architecture at the Beuth University of Applied Sciences. He became known for the development of Hartz IV furniture for DIY. He was awarded the ZEIT Knowledge Award for Courage to Sustainability. Van Bo Le-Mentzel is a popular speaker and inspires many people and projects with his ideas. He lives with his family in Berlin.