2024 Programme

Join us for a full day at the Dream Stage with MediaMarktSaturn. 

This event, moderated by Verena Gründel, will cover various aspects of MediaMarktSaturn's business and its future strategies. Attendees will learn about innovations, partnerships, and brand evolution.

All sessions will be held in German. 

Sascha Mager, CEO of MediaMarktSaturn Deutschland, will kick off the event with a welcome address, setting the stage for the day’s discussions on retail innovation and brand growth.

The PC is undergoing a radical transformation, driven by advancements in AI and the rise of ARM-based platform. Join us for an unmissable conversation as industry leaders explore the latest innovations. HONOR CEO George Zhao will unveil the company’s latest AI PC lineup, demonstrating the company's vision for productivity and connectivity. The esteemed panel, moderated by Fast Company’s Global Technology Editor Harry McCracken, will deep-dive into the critical questions shaping the industry with George Zhao, Alex Katouzian, Group GM of MCX at Qualcomm and Mark Linton, VP of Device Partner Sales at Microsoft: What does it truly mean to be an AI PC? And what does the future hold for this rapidly evolving landscape? Get ready for a front-row seat as we dissect the latest trends and innovations that are redefining the PC as we know it.

Speakers：

Panel Moderator:

Harry McCracken: Global Technology Editor at Fast Company

Panel Guests：

George Zhao: CEO, HONOR Device Co., Ltd.

Alex Katouzian: Group GM of MCX, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Mark Linton: VP, Device Partner Sales, Microsoft

Ralf Schmitt and the audio agency German Wahnsinn will reveal how generative AI is being utilized to create innovative sound branding for MediaMarktSaturn, enhancing auditory brand identity and customer connection.

Björn Ognibeni will deliver a keynote on the future of e-commerce, drawing inspiration from digital advancements in China and exploring the integration of AI, social engagement, and entertainment in online retail.

Featuring Hollywood voice actor Dietmar Wunder, this podcast session hosted by BeHaind and Robert Hofmann will delve into future technologies and the role of AI in movies and series, offering insights into entertainment and technology convergence.

David Reger will shed light on how cognitive robots can revolutionize the job market and free humanity from monotonous and dangerous tasks. With the ability to perceive their environment, act autonomously and learn from experience, these robots represent a significant step forward. Reger will demonstrate how NEURA Robotics' technologies, including the world's first cognitive robot MAiRA, offer innovative solutions for automation that free humans and promote creative, meaningful work.

Manufacturers are facing unprecedented disruption and change. AI promises to unlock a wealth of new value, while at the same time, companies are facing the need to become more sustainable, and to restructure supply chains for greater resilience. Navigating these global trends offers immense rewards, but also requires deep expertise and long-term investment capital. Stefan Hoetzl, President of Smart Appliances at Alat, shares the vision of how Alat, together with its world-leading manufacturing partners, will address these challenges and transform industry for a better tomorrow.

Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) is Taiwan’s flagship startup ecosystem-building program, launched by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) in 2018. Its vision is to establish a vibrant international startup ecosystem and foster entrepreneurship by leveraging technology, talent, markets, and capital from around the world.

In 2024, the NSTC launched the Taiwan Chip-based Industrial Innovation Program (Taiwan CBI), which aims to enhance Taiwan's semiconductor industry by integrating chips with advanced technologies like AI and attracting global tech startups and investments to drive innovation.

Taiwan CBI is designed to attract international talent and strengthen Taiwan’s position as a leading center for semiconductor innovation. Incentives will be provided to qualified startup teams coming to Taiwan, including chip tape-out, IP services, initial funding, and more."

Join us for an exciting global pitch battle featuring cutting-edge hardware AI startups. Watch as innovative companies compete head-to-head, showcasing breakthrough solutions that redefine the future of technology. AI-driven tools will be at the heart of the discussion. This event brings together world-changing ideas from around the globe. Don’t miss out on the grand finale where one visionary startup will emerge as the ultimate winner. Tune in and witness the future of hardware unfold!

The list selected by The Factory Netwok:
GenGenAI
Impactive AI
Nuwa Pen
Morphingi
PIA Space 

Brought to you by W-Lounge, founded by Mali Baum who is chairing the ifa next advisory board, we are proud to announce the panel discussion, "The Way We Live, The Way We Work - Smart Cities and Sustainable Real Estate," scheduled for Sunday, September 8, 2024, starting at 10:45 AM. The panel will be moderated by Laurelie Martin, CEO of UnitedShare. Our distinguished guests include Daniel Müller, Venture Manager at Bosch Digital; Nikita Roshkow, CEO of AHOY; and Nils Wagner, CEO of New Ventures at REHAU. This session will explore the future of urban living and sustainable development in real estate.

We've been promised flying cars for 100 years, and it appeared that the laws of physics told us it was impossible. Learn about the Alef flying car - the best-selling aircraft in history, with over 2 billion people reached through news and social networks, and the first historical electric car with vertical takeoff and flight.

Witness a stationary model at IFA and watch footage of the real flying car during Jim Dukhovny's keynote.

The energy industry is facing more complex and multidimensional challenges than ever before. Issues such as climate change, increasing energy demand, and the necessity for sustainable energy resources are all pressing concerns before us. In particular, climate change stands as one of the most severe challenges of our time. Extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and ecosystem destruction caused by global warming are already significantly impacting our lives.
To address these issues, traditional methods have their limitations. We need new approaches. Innovative solutions leveraging data and AI can be the answer.

Join us for a cutting-edge panel discussion "Venture Clienting: Startups Incept and Corporations Bring Innovation to Life," featuring industry experts like Fabian (CEO Founder @ GlassDollar), Axel Menneking (Vice President Startup Incubation & Venturing at Deutsche Telekom) and Mathias Weber (Venture Manager @ BSH Startup Kitchen). This session leverages insights from hundreds of successful collaborations and from exclusive data from a study analysing 80,000 startups - corporate collaborations. Expect deep strategic understanding and practical takeaways that highlight how corporations can seamlessly convert startup innovations into successful market solutions.

Did you know that fake news costs the global economy a staggering $78 billion annually? As misinformation infiltrates every corner of the internet, the risks for businesses have never been greater. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 70% of people worry about fake news being used as a weapon, while 56% believe CEOs should take the lead in combating this threat.

In this essential panel, industry leaders will delve into the pervasive danger of fake news and its profound impact on corporate decision-making and reputational risk.

Join Stephanie Burnett, Digital Verification Editor at Reuters, Ben de Pear, former Editor in Chief of Channel 4 News (UK), and Troy Treangen, Chief Product Officer at NIQ, as they share their expertise on identifying and combating misinformation.

Moderated by Prof. Cordula Meckenstock, a distinguished speaker at the World Economic Forum, this discussion will empower CEOs and business leaders to navigate the complex landscape of digital misinformation. With the U.S. election on the horizon, this conversation is not just timely—it's critical.

While the adoption of AI in the commercial sector is booming, AI and Data Science are barely applied for solving major environmental, humanitarian, and social problems. Mainly, it is because NGOs that work on these problems struggle to adopt new technologies like AI and have barely access to skilled AI and Data Science Professionals. In this talk we will focus on several use cases how AI can help tackle humanitarian and ecological problems of this world and how we can help nonprofit sector to apply AI for benefit of all by creating a strong network of volunteering AI professionals.

Using real life examples, Marc will demonstrate how the power of GenAI enables enterprise retailers to provide their online customers with an in-store-like shopping experience.

Join us at the Tuya Global Developer Summit (Europe).

What to expect?

14:00-14:05 Opening Remarks by Tina Yu, General Manager of Eurasia, Tuya Smart

14:05-14:20 AI-powered Efficiency: Redefine Smart Living with Tuya by Alex Yang, Co-founder & COO, Tuya Smart

14:20-14:30 Topic TBC by Dr. Ronald Wulff, Head of Germany Specialist Solution, AWS

14:30-14:40 The Effects of AI and IoT to Everyday Life by Selahattin Köksal, Head of IoT & Digital Strategy, VESTEL

14:40-14:50 Powering Sustainability: The Smart Homes of Today by Daniel Gorr, CMO & Managing Director, Tink

14:50-15:00 Cooperation Announcement: Project France & Project UK 

Handelsblatt, Germany's leading business newspaper, brings the most visionary minds to Berlin to identify the further potential in the AI penetration of the economy, to outline visions of future technology developments using AI and to show what positive effects AI has on specific areas of life.

Look forward to insights from Miele Chief Technology Officer Dr. Stefan Breit, RWTH AI Center Director Dr. Julia Mann and many more!

 

14:00 Opening & welcome by Daniel Rettig, business journalist & host

 

14:05 - 14:30 IMPULS | Der Status Quo

What is the state of AI penetration in the German economy?

Dr. Jan Kleibrink, Managing Director, Handelsblatt Research Institute

 

14:30 - 15:30 IMPULS & PANEL | KI-Tech-Trends

Laura Möller, Director, K.I.E.Z. und UNITE

Dr. Julia Mann, Managing Director, RWTH AI Center

Dr. Stefan Breit, Managing Director Technology, Miele.

 

15:30 - 16:30 IMPULS & PANEL | AI for Good: Use Cases How AI Has a Positive Impact on Working Environments, Climate and Other Areas of Life

Annette Hamann, CIO, Beiersdorf

Prof. Dr. Gesche Joost, Scientific Director, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) & Supervisory Board Member at ING DiBa, OttoBock and Sozialbank

Isabel Sum, Co Founder & MD, Arinto

This session is part of the AI platform powered by Handelsblatt, starting at 14:00.

There is much discussion about how Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally changing work methods and processes. While some AI pioneers can showcase successful use cases, many companies struggle to articulate the business value and identify high-impact areas. So, what is the state of AI adoption in the German economy? And what needs to happen for the full potential of this key technology to be realized? Dr. Jan Kleibrink addresses this question in his keynote, setting the stage for the AI Platform powered by Handelsblatt.

This session is part of the AI platform powered by Handelsblatt, starting at 14:00.

We look to the future: It's not only about highlighting the progress of AI, but also its catalytic effect on other technological areas. Whether it's promising deep-tech applications or midterm developments in the field of consumer electronics. Laura Möller and Dr. Julia Mann will shed light on what innovative deep-tech and AI start-ups are currently working on and how they aim to transition from the academic environment to the business world. Dr. Stefan Breit will illustrate how advanced technologies are being applied in established companies.

This session is part of the AI platform powered by Handelsblatt, starting at 14:00

When artificial intelligence is deployed, it should ideally be with positive intent: work becomes easier, CO₂ reduction potentials are made more transparent, and diseases are diagnosed faster and more accurately. However, the sustainable development of these systems must not be overlooked amidst the significant technological advancements in AI. In this session, Annette Hamann and Prof. Dr. Gesche Joost will present specific AI use cases that are already having positive impacts. Additionally, we will discuss the limitations and frameworks necessary to enable sustainable development without hindering progress.

Join Daniel and Pavol at the IFA Next Lounge to onboard the discussion towards:

• Customer Centricity and how it’s driving business success
• Tactics of how to drive for better customer experience in teams and business
• Examples and case study of how AskBrian put customer (feedback) front and center of developing and growing the business. 
• Open Q&A with a Founder and a Strategy Advisor/ Business Angel/ Start-Up Coach. 

Join Urte and two visionary female CEOs, Katharina Riederer of eco.mio and Marie Kober of Senvo, for an inspiring discussion on how women-led startups are driving innovation in green and smart technologies during challenging times. In this special edition of the Ask Female Founders event, held at the IFA and featuring Germany's largest female business angel network, Encourage Ventures, you'll hear first-hand how these leaders are navigating the intersection of sustainability and technology, transforming crises into opportunities for growth. Don’t miss this chance to gain insights, advice, and inspiration in a warm, supportive atmosphere.

Only three finalists will go head-to-head.  

Meet our esteemed panel of judges, which includes industry leaders, tech visionaries, and investment experts who will evaluate the pitches and steer our audiences’ opinion:

Stefanie Trapl: Expert in launching premium brands, Stefanie is passionate about consumer electronics and market strategy.
Robert Kopka: Founder of StartMatch.ai, Robert excels in simplifying grant applications for startups and mentoring entrepreneurs.
Mark Caffrey: CEO of Syntropic Medical, Mark is advancing neurostimulation techniques for psychiatric disorders.
Niklas Spichalsky: Business angel and founder, Niklas is focused on leveraging technology to transform markets.
David Weng: Leading expert in sports IoT, Ming-Che is pioneering RTLS total solutions.
Heather Swift Hunt: Heather empowers hardware startups and creators worldwide, having guided thousands at Kickstarter.
Peter Machona: CTO of HeySalad, Peter drives innovation at the intersection of technology and agriculture.
Olga Lysak: A multilingual leader and AI enthusiast, Olga manages Lemberg Solutions' Hamburg office and drives charitable initiatives.
Stefanie Koch: With 15+ years in hardware and software, Stefanie excels in sustainable product design for a circular economy.