Key Highlights:
- Former Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko has invested in Lebensstimmen GmbH, an Austrian artificial intelligence start-up focused on post-mortem messaging.
- Operating globally as “Words That Remain,” the platform features digital end-of-life planning tools and an AI eulogist dubbed the “Fabertar,” created alongside Vienna’s St Stephen’s cathedral pastor Toni Faber.
- Founded by Philipp Berkessy, Markus Pinter, and Lukas Stern, the venture plans a full domestic and international launch in the first quarter of 2027.
Helmut Marko Backs AI Afterlife Venture Lebensstimmen
Former Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko has officially entered the technology sector as an investor in Lebensstimmen GmbH, an Austrian artificial intelligence start-up designed to deliver personal messages to loved ones after a person’s death. The 83-year-old veteran, who stepped down from his influential position at the Milton Keynes-based Formula 1 outfit at the end of last season following more than two decades with the organization, was announced as a key financial backer during a launch presentation held at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Vienna on 20 October.
Headquartered in Graz, the enterprise plans to conduct its international business operations under the brand name Words That Remain. The platform serves as a modern form of digital end-of-life planning, giving users the ability to record video or audio messages, or write notes during their lifetime. Once the user passes away, the service ensures these preserved records are transmitted directly to designated recipients.
Digital End-of-Life Planning and the AI “Fabertar”
In addition to storing pre-recorded messages for loved ones, Lebensstimmen provides supportive software designed to assist grieving families in finding the right words during difficult times. The start-up has also introduced an AI-powered eulogist known as the “Fabertar.” Developed in collaboration with Toni Faber, the cathedral pastor of St Stephen’s in Vienna, the feature is explicitly labeled as artificial intelligence. Company representatives emphasized that the tool is not intended to substitute for clergy, priests, or traditional funeral speakers, but rather to provide a meaningful alternative when no speaker is available.
Helmut Marko, celebrated in global motorsport for establishing Red Bull’s driver development junior programme and overseeing the rise of multiple world champions Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, drew a direct parallel between modern racing engineering and his decision to back the digital platform.
“Motorsport was never left to chance; it was improved through the courage to consistently use new technologies for the benefit of people. That is exactly the attitude I recognise in Lebensstimmen,” Marko said in the press release.
International Rollout and Strategic Roadmap
Lebensstimmen was co-founded by entrepreneurs Philipp Berkessy, Markus Pinter, and Lukas Stern. The management team is working toward a comprehensive commercial rollout across Austria as well as in global markets under the Words That Remain banner, scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
“Every person has words that should remain. With Lebensstimmen, we are making end-of-life planning personal, digital and legally secure for the first time. Today, a new culture of farewell begins, and it begins in Austria,” Berkessy said.
Why This Matters
Marko’s pivot from high-stakes Formula 1 management to artificial intelligence highlights an emerging cross-industry trend where prominent sports figures direct capital into frontier technology. At the same time, the death-care and estate-planning industries are undergoing rapid modernization, seeking ways to integrate digital assets, digital wills, and AI support systems into traditional processes. Lebensstimmen’s partnership with ecclesiastical figures like pastor Toni Faber reflects an effort to combine sensitive cultural rituals with digital security, demonstrating how technology ventures are attempting to handle end-of-life communication with transparency and ethical safeguards ahead of their 2027 international rollout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lebensstimmen GmbH?
Lebensstimmen GmbH is an Austrian artificial intelligence start-up based in Graz that allows individuals to create and schedule messages to be delivered to friends and family after their death. Outside Austria, the company operates under the name Words That Remain.
What is the “Fabertar” AI tool?
The “Fabertar” is an AI eulogy assistant developed in collaboration with Toni Faber, cathedral pastor at St Stephen’s in Vienna. Clearly identified as an AI tool, it is designed to assist bereaved families when a traditional priest or funeral speaker is unavailable.
When will the platform be available to the public?
Co-founders Philipp Berkessy, Markus Pinter, and Lukas Stern have slated the complete commercial launch of the platform for both domestic and international markets in the first quarter of 2027.
